Sismo modules shut down with P3D 4.1 and WideTraffic/WideView 64

[navymustang]

I have an odd problem. My host computer has both v3 and v4.1 of P3D. It also runs Prosim and all five scripts for the Sismo modules (MIP, Ped, MCP and both overheads).
With V3n of P3D, everything runs fine. When I run P3d v4.1, as soon as I turn on WideView and WideTraffic, one or more of the Sismo modules shuts down, as in the Ethernet interface quits responding (can't ping).

Again - the sim runs just fine as long as I don't turn on the Wide stuff. And again - works great with the 32 bit version on P3D v3.

This could be just a coincidence or not - just can't figure this one out. Anyone else having network interface issues with Sismo equipment on the WideTraffic/WideView 64 bit versions?

[ifeliciano]

Disregard...

[FredK]

Jim

Did this happen on your first attempt using WV with P3Dv4?  Or did it suddenly just stop working?

Could be a hardware problem of course.  Pop in a separate network card on the mobo to see if it makes a difference is all I can suggest.  They are not that expensive.

Fred K

[navymustang]

What is a mobo?   

As I mentioned in the post - all networking seems perfect, I can ping all 4 other computers on the network when this is happening. Just cant ping random failures on one or more of the Sismo modules. In fact, the handshake signal light on the Sismo MIP board quits blinking, indicating the network interface has stopped. Can't see the network cards on any of the other modules without dismantling the sim. And as mentioned in my post - P3D v3 works fine on my network.

Replaced the 16 port network switch with no effect on the issue. Sismo says they don;t have a copy of WideView running to test with so I'm apparently on my own to resolve this one.

[blueskydriver]

Hi Jim,

Do you by chance have any anti-virus (AV) programs or windows defender (WF) running on the host PC? Just a thought here, but maybe with P3V4 install there is a new file(s) that gets blocked via AV or WD when using WideView (WV); try shutting down AV and WD before running WV.

I don't have any Sismo products, but what are the scripts used for? Could those be the problem and they need editing for P3DV4? Or, can it be the P3V4 program folder location? If you are using Windows 64bit, the 64bit programs folder location is not the same as for those of the 32bit. Look where your P3DV3 is located, that is or will be tied to the 32bit programs folder somehow, whereas the V4 will be in or tied to the 64bit programs folder. Thus, maybe WV or Sismo is not looking in the right place.

Oh, MOBO is the acronym for PC Motherboard and Fred was suggesting that you try a separate network interface card and port in a PCI slot of the host computer over using the one that is a part of the motherboard...

John

[navymustang]

John,
In the current version of Prosim, the Sismo Pascal scripts are the softrware that talks with the embedded computers in the Sismo modules to Prosim and to some extend P3D.

The Sismo gear works perfect with P3D v4.1 as long as I don't run WideTraffic / WideView - so it's not a Sismo and P3D problem.

And since the network is still working perfectly on everything other than Sismo modules, it's not a Switch or interface card problem.

I'll re-visit the firewall anti-virus aspect and make sure I eliminate that as a cause.
Thanks

[blueskydriver]

Hi Jim,

Okay, I understand now. I am thinking more on the firewall/antivirus side; although, since WV uses IPX/TCP IP and Sismo also uses the same, may I suggest you look at WideView settings in that regard, along with the Sismo settings. Then compare your WV 32bit vs WV 64bit version settings, side by side...

If it works on P3Dv4.1, but when WV is started it causes the problem, it sounds more like protocol conflicts or the network port values may be within the same ranges. Still, it could be a file or two in the WV 64bit that the AV is stopping or it's not getting through correctly.

John

[navymustang]

OK - further testing tonight proves that the bad actor is WideTraffic 64 only, not WideView 64.

Using a ping test tool I was able to confirm that the Sismo network interface was slowing down immediately after starting WideTraffic (ran fine with WideView).
Ping results went from 2 ms average on each of the five modules to over 11 ms. Then within 15 seconds of WideTraffic 64 running, 4 of the 5 Sismo modules shut down. And I mean shut down as in the NIC interface handshake signal dropped and no ping results were available.

I've heavily documents my testing results and sent it to Sismo. I will also reach out to the author of WideTraffic.

It will be interesting to see if Prosim v2.0, which eliminates the need for the Sismo scripting software, will solve this - but I don't think it will.

[zillmer]

Jim,

I have just installed a Wideview/Widetraffic setup on my  Sim and I have exactly  the same issue with my Sismo Ethernet devices locking up after a few moments.

Have you had any success in resolving this issue?

Regards

Simon

[navymustang]

Yes, I installed a second NIC interface in the host and all three visual PCs. Then directed WideTraffic to push it's network comms through that interface.  Completely fixed the issue.

You know - Sismo has given me such a hard time on this telling me it was all my problem. So glad someone else is having the same issue. I even ran  full network diagnostic and sent Sismo the log files. They still didn't believe me.  I love those guys, but they can be very stubborn at times when only one customer exhibits a problem.

Thanks for alerting me of this.

[zillmer]

Jim

Interestingly I have just been experimenting with a very similar, but reversed solution which was to put the Sismo interface cards onto a different subnet and connect to the Sismo stuff using a second NIC in my main server PC.

I haven't tried a full flight, but I had WT running for 20 minutes or so with a full load of AI traffic being synced and everything seemed to work OK; it's good to hear that we have found similar solutions

I'll report the same issue to Sismo but I think the most likely cause is some firmware issue in their ethernet interface hardware that is somehow getting overwhelmed by the volume of packets being generated by WT ; not sure why it is only a problem on P3Dv4 ; it might be that Luciano is using a different protocol or something in WT64. If it is a firmware problem then it might be difficult to fix.

Regards

Simon.

[navymustang]

I'm betting it is a firmware issue with the LAN interface hardware on the Sismo motherboards. I gave them a complete dump of all the traffic, and it is only the WideTraffic formatted packets that kill the interface. And that is why they don't want to admit to it. And - to replace the motherboards for the home owner is a nightmare on some units.