Help with server connections

[JSCFold]

Hello All,

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I think I've just messed up. I upgraded my internet service and all of my clients stopped communicating with Stanford. (2 GPU and 1 CPU. GPU 6.20 and 6.20r, CPU 5.03)

My old service required a proxy. Set it up in the Internet Explorer connections and never had a problem

My new service does not require any proxy settings. All check boxes in IE are unchecked.

Internet is fine. I can go to assign.stanford.edu and get an "OK."

The GPU clients will not upload or download. I get "could not connect to Assignment Server 2" when it tries to get work. I get "cannot authenticate" when it tries to upload.

The CPU client 5.03 did go get work when I told it to "use internet settings." It still won't upload.

I've tried everything I can think of. Uninstalled, cleared registry, reinstalled, reset IE to default, etc, etc.

As I have read, it is bewildering that the internet is great, I'm not using any proxy server settings anywhere, I don't have any firewalls, antivirus, malware programs running............. but the clients have just quit talking (except for the old cpu 5.03 getting a WU)..........

I do notice that my new modem status page says the TCP and HTTP "Acceleration" is working. Why do I think that's bad???

I just had to upgrade.............

Cheers

[bruce]

It's likely that the HTTP Acceleration is modifying the messages expected by FAH. Disable it and see if that works.

If no proxy is present, the default settings for 5.0x are Use_IE_Settings=No and Use_Proxy=no and they should work.

[JSCFold]

Hi bruce,

I'm afraid the acceleration is "embedded" in the modem. I don't run any modem software with this service.

I can log on to the modem and see all sorts of "status," but there really aren't any switches. I'm generally not afraid to fiddle with firmware, but only if there's some history (and a known hard reset/bios backup...). I can't find anything about hacking this modem.

I'm on Starband (2-way satellite) because I live in the boonies with no land line. The old "480 Pro Small Office" system worked pretty well, but we decided to upgrade to the faster and cheaper "Nova 1500" service. Joy!

I should have checked into the system a bit more, but the wife probably would have insisted on faster-cheaper anyway. Makes sense..... up to a point.

This is really bumming me out. I downloaded the BOINC GPU GRiD Molecular Dynamics stuff and it went out and got work. I haven't completed a unit yet, so I don't know if it will connect to send completed work back.

And, even if it does.... it's just not the same. I have gotten hooked on FAH and really enjoy the folks on the forums.

This is depressing......

Since there are bound to be lot's of other folks using accelerated HTTP services, is there anything that could be done on the server end? Maybe something to put at the bottom of the "to do list?" So, maybe I can fold again some day...?

Thanks and Cheers

[JSCFold]

bruce and All,

I found a forum discussing my Starband ISP and the new service/modem. Many have had issues connecting with various services: TIVO, PS3 updates, Wii, XBox, etc...

One guy had the Starband tech watch his tcp traffic while he tried to update his TIVO. The tech turned off the "RPA Service" in the guy's modem. All of the various clients connected and downloaded updates. Unfortunately, it also slowed the connection noticeably.

Is the RPA Service something the FAH engineers can implement/modify/turn on-off??

Cheers

[JSCFold]

Just an update.... for anyone with this sort of issue.

I have my FAH back and am over the withdrawal pains. The only down side is now I know what it feels like to think you'll never fold again...

Though I had tried this early in the troubleshooting process (at least I'm pretty sure I tried this), a simple proxy server setting in the folding clients seems to have fixed my problem.

I used the Starband gateway IP and port 9877. This was the set up used in the browser setting for my old Starband service.

The new service doesn't need proxy settings in the browser. Perhaps I managed to try every combination except for the proper IP and port in the folding clients.

This works for me, but I have a static IP and the gateway should remain static. I'm not sure how this would work for dynamic assignments.

For Starband users, try a proxy with your gateway IP and port 9877.

Cheers

[bruce]

I'm glad you were able to fix it.

Is the RPA Service something the FAH engineers can implement/modify/turn on-off??

No, that's a part of your ISP service,and FAH has no control over it. Apparently you've figured out how to bypass it for FAH but use it for other things which is good. And thank you for reporting it. Others may read this discussion and learn how to fix it.

FAH assumes that there is end-to-end connectivity: Whatever the client or the server sends out will reach the server or client unmodified. Most compression done by ISPs removes certain details on web pages or pictures that are "too small to notice" and proxy servers have been known to discard certain messages that they decide are not important. Either way, FAH will fail, as will software updates for TiVo, PS3, etc.