Split packet !!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Atomic Rammer]

Does anyone know how to fix the split packet thing?

I keep getting split packet too large 4102 bytes and it kills HL

I'm getting this nearly every map change now, and thats if I can even connect at all, coz it does some hard drive and net stuff but then sleeps forever. I have to type retry loads of times.

 

[old.Kez]

Reinstall and patch (maybe use different patch order?) - I know people to have had it, and then it just goes away, which is strange. so I cannae help other than say reinstall etc (standard help these days)
sowwee

------------------
Kez the l33t
firemuffin@fuckyou.co.uk

 

[Atomic Rammer]

I just emailed this to sierra support via their bug web page about this problem.
Thought it might interest people to know how good their tech support is, I'll update you on any responses I get

This is also a chance for any smart people out there to prove they are smarter than sierra tech support by helping me with this problem hehe.


When connecting to a tfc game, HL in -dev gives the following messages at the end:

setting up renderer
setting up (some sky texture)
blah
blah
blah texture

host_endgame: server disconnected

typing retry then gives the split packet too large message and quits HL. This is happening every time I try to connect and didnt used to happen.

I have tried totally uninstalling everything, reinstalling hl GOTY edition and using the 1011 to 1013 and 1013 to 1016 patches. but this has not fixed the problem.

Here is the interesting bit:
I can connect if I use default open gl driver or direct 3D driver but this problem only happens with the 3dfx mini driver. This is not a practical solution however on a 166mmx since frame rate is about 10 fps.

I am using the latest release of the 3dfx V3 drivers dated 2-3-2000 for my V3 2000 pci. These may be causing a problem of some sort because I used to be able to play fine.

I dont really remember at which point the problem started occuring though because I patched to 1016 and my V3 drivers around the same time. I can sometimes get on if I am extremely persistent but then it disconnects me with the same problem the next map change.

 

[old.Kez]

hmmm, never did get a direct answer as to what a split packet is and how its fixed, which is a shame because it leaves me in the dark (even though its a facking common problem)

darn it, I had something to suggest you do, but I've just forgotten it

------------------
Kez the l33t
firemuffin@fuckyou.co.uk

 

[old.-Pakman-]

Can't give you any answers I'm afraid other than I have the same graphics card/drivers as you and it's working ok at the moment. I have had the problem very occasionally in the past but it did seem to happen once and then run fine again the next time.

"Split packet" would suggest soemthing to do with the ammount of data its asking for in one go, maybe try adjusting the rate setting ( just a stab in the dark).

 

[old.Kez]

Tis a bloody goot shot in the dark pak, t'was what I wanted to say last night (adjust Pushlatency and rate about)

bwaf? bwaf!

 

[Atomic Rammer]

Cool I got a fairly fast reply (posted wed reply mon). Although I am somewhat dissapointed by the fairly standard look of it. They seem unconvinced that HL is generally crap on the internet, which other games I have played are not.


Subject: RE: email form:TEAM FORTRESS CL

Hello

The issues that you have described generally point towards connection
problems.

Connection problems may be caused by several factors. Follow the
instructions below to optimize the Internet connection and modem settings
for the best performance.

OPTIMIZE THE DIAL-UP NETWORKING PROPERTIES:
- Double-click MY COMPUTER, then the DIAL-UP NETWORKING icon.
- Select the SETUP for the connection currently being used to access the
Internet.
- Click on the CONFIGURE button.
- Select the CONNECTION Tab and click on the ADVANCED button.
- Uncheck "USE ERROR CONTROL", or make sure the "NO ERROR DETECTION" option
is enabled.
- Click on OK to finish the setup and close all windows to the Windows
Desktop screen.

MODIFY THE MODEM SETTINGS:
- Click START, SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL.
- Double-click on the MODEMS icon.
- Click on the PROPERTIES button and select the maximum speed allowable from
the drop-down menu.
- Click on the CONNECTION tab at the top of the screen.
- Click on the PORT SETTINGS button.
- Use the horizontal sliders to adjust the transmit and receive buffers to
Low.
- Click OK on each window until the Control Panel is left, then close the
Control Panel.

UPDATE THE DIAL-UP NETWORKING AND TCP/IP SOFTWARE:
Download and install the latest Dial up Networking and TCP/IP communications
software from the Microsoft website at:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/downloads/

Be sure to follow all download and installation instructions carefully.

INSTALL THE LATEST DRIVERS FOR THE MODEM:
- Right-click on the MY COMPUTER icon and select PROPERTIES from the menu
that appears.
- Click on the DEVICE MANAGER tab at the top of the System Properties
window.
- Double-click on the MODEM icon.
- Double-click on the listing for the specific modem device.
- Make note of the manufacturer's name of the modem.
- Click on CANCEL at the bottom of the window and close all windows back to
the Windows Desktop screen.
- Contact the modem manufacturer to make sure the newest 32-bit operating
software is installed.

AOL AND OTHER NON-32-BIT INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS:

Be aware that some Internet Service Providers and Online Services, such as
America On Line, while providing easy and consistent Internet access, are
sometimes not conducive to lag-free Internet gaming. Many of these services
use over subscription models that use proprietary models to increase the
number of concurrent users without increasing overall bandwidth. Also,
depending on the version of ISP software, all Internet Service Providers may
not provide true Point-to-Point protocols conducive to a true 32-bit
connection. Contact the ISP to update the service to provide a true 32-bit
PPP connection to the Internet.

LAG AND WINMODEMS:

Some modems (often called "Win-Modems") use the resources of the system to
perform communication operations that are normally performed by the modem
microchips. This can be especially detrimental to CPU intensive programs.
For more information regarding Win-Modems and possible alternatives, visit http://www.56k.com/reports/winmodem.shtml.

CLOSE ALL BACKGROUND PROGRAMS AND UTILITIES:

Programs that initialize every time the computer restarted can take up
memory and interfere with other programs. In most cases, these applications
are not necessary to run the program, and are possibly conflicting.

Make sure all of the background programs are closed. To do this, do the
following steps each time before starting the program.
- Press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys on the keyboard all at once to open a
CLOSE PROGRAM BOX. It is important to see EXPLORER and SYSTRAY listed in the
Close Program window.
- For any item EXCEPT EXPLORER AND SYSTRAY, click on the item once to
highlight it.
- Click on the END TASK button to return to the Windows Desktop Screen.
- Repeat steps 1-3 until the only items listed in the Close Program Box are
EXPLORER and SYSTRAY.
- Start the program again.
Thank You,

Dave K
Sierra Tech. Support

 

[Atomic Rammer]

I must say that most of these are common sence to an experienced user.
I have done all the things on here except reduce the fifo buffers and killing all other apps (But I dont run anything at startup anyway)

I remain extremely unconvinced that this will fix the problem. I'll give it a bash anyway.

 

[old.devin]

I used to get the "server disconnected" problem all the time and ive done a couple of things since then which may have fixed the prob...

1. I use Eidos and Cableinet for my ISP
2. I got a new External modem which has improved my ping and i get less disconnects.

 

[Atomic Rammer]

Well now ive tried everything they said and still no.
Hopefully the new netcode soon to be released will have some changes which eliminate this behaviour.
I mean, this doesn't happen on any other game. It is a h/l problem regardless. If it falls over so easily then it is of low quality.

 

[old.Kez]

Aye, the HL engine / executable blah are the most unstable useless junky things on the planet, which is nice.

------------------
Kez the l33t
firemuffin@fuckyou.co.uk

 

[old.-Pakman-]

Yes it is bad, the things we suffer for our art!

 

[Atomic Rammer]

OK heres a semi-solution for people getting the problem I had on trying to connect to games, and as is typical of HL it is somewhat quirky.

I used to connect through gamespy.
Currently I connect to games through the hl menu in the game. I added the ip's of all the servers I use (without downloading all the servers from won). Thankfully ctrl-c copy and paste works here.
When I try to connect this way I get far less errors. (WTF? WHY?!?!?!?)

If u do this and it says server disconnected or server full, then go all the way back to the main menu and do multiplayer... internet games all over again coz it wont connect u again. (It tells me server is full subsequent times even tho refresh tells me there are 5 spots free on server. bah buggy!)

Here is something else I discovered. If u can ping the server fine and spots are free, but when u try and connect it says
retrying...
and stops after 4 retries, over and over again.

When this happens to me I quit h/l and try to restart windows it wont do it, so im tempted to say windows networking has gone tits up.