OT - Does anyone use Wildblue...

[Wind]

Does anyone use Wildblue as their Internet Service Provider? I have been having some problems logging on, or staying logged on to the forum lately. Has anyone else been having problems?? Thanks Wind.

[AJMD429]

We do. No problems other than when it starts raining. Then we have to go to dial-up to see the weather radar...

[Don McDowell]

The only time I have any problem with it is when there's really heavy thunder showers over head, or at least in line with the dish's path to the satellite.

[Mokwaw]

We have Wildblue at our Church office, anytime it rains or is overly cloudy....no internet.

[Jason_W]

I use wild blue and I've been having the same problem lately.

[wecsoger]

I use wild blue and I've been having the same problem lately.

Aha!

I've been working with wind on this issue, having him muck about with the IP script and proxy settings, to no avail. It is a very, very odd problem. From his information, he can browse (and stay logged in) on a number of different forums. But when he hits this one, he gets logged out. Even more curiouser (is that a word?) there is another forum using almost the same phpBB software, but a different version...and he can stay logged in there.

The log out appears to occur when there's a bit data exchange i.e. a posting with a couple of pictures. On a good day, he browses a couple of messages, stays logged in, but then hits a post where someone has images of their favorite shootin' iron and 'ping!', he's logged off.

Warning, technical content ahead:
My initial theory was Wildblue was doing something funky with the IP address range, 'confusing' the board and thinking that the user had changed their address and therefore bounced him off. A stable proxy server might fix that, and that's where I left it in wind's hands before I got sucked up on this long California trip.

I'm no networking expert but this one has me buffaloed. Yeah, Wildblue is a contributing factor, since the rest of us non-Wildblue users can stay logged in, but there is something unstable about the data exchange with this particular version of the phpBB software.

[Don McDowell]

The problem staying logged in here doesn't have as much to do with Wildblue as it does with something going on in his machine.
Might want to have the wildblue tech come out and test, I ran into problems with super slow connections, about like being on dialup, tech found 2 problems one was my wireless network router and the other was something funky in the lnb on the dish. He changed his parts, I got a new router things been working much better.

[wecsoger]

Good points, but may not all apply in this case. First, Wind said he's not using a router, he's plugged directly into the cable/sat modem.

Second, on his PC he can go anywhere on the Internet with no problems. So that rules out the base level of connectivity as being a problem.

Add to that, he gave me a list of other boards/forums he goes to, of the four, three of them he is able to remain logged in with no problems. Here's notes on those boards:

forum for S&W @ http://smith-wessonforum.com/ advertises the forum software is "Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.0"
open range at http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/ is "Powered by SMF 1.1.10 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC "
Ruger at http://www.rugerforum.com/ is "Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group"
Leverguns uses "Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group"

so the last two use the same software, *but different * versions.

WildBlue may have a small contribution in this, witness Jason's post...but there's some setting in the phpBB software that is "not playing nice" with the WildBlue service.

[Don McDowell]

Well whatever you think, but my big machine has no login issues with this board and others running the same. This laptop does.
What ever it was in the Wildblue lnb, was causing it to loose to many "packets" so that everyday was like a cloudy day, according to the tech guy that came out. Also if there's leaves or tree limbs in the way.......

[Don McDowell]

Another couple of things that may cause some slowdown etc problems with wildblue, if the dish gets dirty, ie a bird has spent a goodly amount of time setting on it and doing what sitting birds do..... Also just plain old dust can build up on the dish and cause problems. Helps to clean the dish and the lnb lenses off once in awhile.
Wildblue also will toward the end of your billing cycle if they think you may be using more than your alloted bytes, slow your connection down to keep you from using more than you're paying for.

[Wind]

Hey guys, here is a bit of an update:

Jason_W -- I was starting to feel like the Lone Ranger. Don't have an answer or cure yet. It will prolly come from someone more computer savvy than me anyway. Hope it's soon.

Don McDowell -- Thanks for the input. My machine is pretty new and we've gone through settings, security, privacy etc. with a fine tooth comb. I built the dish support and got into my over-achiever mode so there is no problem there. Clear overhead and clean dish. Weather is not a factor.

wecsoger -- Sent you an e-mail. The latest is I had the Wildblue technician on the phone and while walking him through the Leverguns site, had him use my user name and password and he got dumped on every turn. We duplicated my issues perfectly on his computer using Wildblue as the Internet Service Provider. He doesn't have a specific cause but also believes it's an issue with the phpBB software and Wildblue.

Hobie and Company -- I'm hoping as time permits a solution can be sorted out. If there is anything I can do to help...

Thanks all for your efforts expended to date. Wind