Suddenly can't connect, even though it says it can

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having issues. Maybe this can help :  https://forums.stardock.com/486104/multiplicity-support-faq#connectionissues

Please let us know if you need more help.

Thanks

Basj,

Stardock Community Assistant.

Well, as I said, I tried the Passcode edit areas, and it even says it can connect, until I actually try and connect for real.

Well, as I said, I tried the Passcode edit areas, and it even says it can connect, until I actually try and connect for real.

I tried deleting the computer in Multiplicity, and it shows up (detected) in the available computer list right away.

I add it, verify the configuration (including passcode), test it (gear icon), it passes, but then when I try and connect for real, it fails.

I've rebooted the router, and computers.  Multiplicity keeps saying it has successfully connected to the secondary (via its taskbar alert).  Everything 'works' except when I try and do a proper connection.  Connecting to the second secondary works fine.

As far as I know, nothing has been changed (in Multiplicity or my computers in general).  Was working fine for weeks, and suddenly just stopped connecting to the one machine this evening.

I would have to assume it's something with the copy of Multiplicity on the first Secondary PC, since the primary is connecting to the second Secondary fine (so, I'm assuming it's not the Primary software, and the second Secondary's software seems to be working fine, too).

Nothing appears different in the first Secondary's software.  I checked everything, even re-entering values just to resave it.  Doesn't appear to be getting blocked, even though the behavior isn't really what you would expect if that were the case.  The value of the passcode must be stored different in either the Primary or first Secondary, even though they appear correct/same, and I re-typed them on both.  Seems like a bogus error, especially considering that Multiplicity repeatedly sees the machine, and even 'connects' to it (taskbar alerts and gear icon test).

Please let me know what to try.  I had gone through the Passcode Error section of the FAQ already, before posting.

Hello,

I have forwarded your problem to Stardock Support team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate your feedback and patience.

Basj

Stardock Community Assistant.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: A few hours later, I am now experiencing the second Secondary PC (which is just sitting idle) very frequently losing connection, then pretty much immediately reconnecting (as indicated by the taskbar alerts).  I tried rebooting the router, but it doesn't seem to have help.  I'm assuming something is up with my router, but not sure.  This has happened just a few hours after the whole issue with my first Secondary PC constantly failing to connect due to 'incorrect passcode' (which appears to be a bogus error, as everything checks out and passes even Multiplicity's tests).

Hello,

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

Please see the following:

https://forums.stardock.com/486104/multiplicity-support-faq#reinstalling

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Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Today it's suddenly connecting to the first Secondary with no problem, like nothing happened.  I did nothing to it to 'fix' it.

The second Secondary is still doing occasional disconnects with immediate conneccts (claiming it didn't respond fast enough).

I've noted that others are having the same issues, and that for some the reinstall is not working.  And, also, that they too have it working fine for quite a while, and then the issue suddenly shows up, seemingly for no reason (nothing knowingly changed).

Is your team looking into what might be causing this?  Seems the software may be randomly failing after a random amount of weeks (sometimes only to go back to normal).  Any logs or anything we can send to help figure this out?

MP is a very stable app - what you are detailing sounds much more like a network problem than anything else.

If you are connecting via wireless, Ethernet would be a definitive test.

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Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Ya, I'm using Ethernet, not WIFI.

I don't understand how it could keep claiming the passcode was wrong (for the whole day), yet continually (and stabaly) connect (as far as the taskbar alerts), detect it immediately again if I deleted it, as well as pass it in the connection (gear) test.

The ethernet/router was working, since it saw the other machine and did all those other things.  It just kept claiming (incorrectly) that the passcode wasn't matching (even after I retyped it, replaced it, rebooted, it, etc).  And now, the next day, it's suddenly working (with all those same settings/passcodes), as if there was never an issue.

Obviously, others have had the same issue, so I'm wondering what specifically could be happening?  How can I test things?

If I can't reproduce it (I cant) tracing why it happened for you (but not now) is problematic.  I would pay close attention to what network conditions change were it to ever happen again.

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Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Hi.  I continue to have issues with that one secondary machine.

Multiplicity loses connection once in a while, and usually re-connects right away.  Icon/button response on the secondary seems sluggish/delayed, although I'm uncertain that is Multiplicity or not.

What I can say, is that that machine is unable to get internet connection, even though the LAN seems to be working (if not losing connection momentarily once in a while).

I disconnected the router, and connected the modem directly to that machine, and internet connectivity was restored, so I'm assuming the router may be the issue... yet it works fine for the other two machines (the primary and other secondary).  I'm hoping someone might be able to tell me how a router might allow ONE machine (of 3) to have LAN but not internet, regardless of what port I put it in.  The only real difference between it and the others is that it's 32bit, where the others are 64bit.  Other than that, all Win7.

Otherwise, I'd have to assume it's still something with Multiplicity (as my tech contact is insisting).

Coming to that conclusion, when the PC itself loses WLAN connection, is puzzling to say the least - nothing in MP would stop the PC from being able to connect to the internet.

If you have not already, I would suggest factory resetting the router or trying a different NIC in the PC (USB / ethernet adaptors are dirt cheap).

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Sean Drohan
Stardock Customer Service Manager

Yep, that's one of several things I'm going to try.

Some things I confirmed:

-Internet connectivity/speed drops momentarily on the primary when that secondary PC is seen and connected to by Multiplicity.  Literally happens the moment the taskbar alert about Multiplicity connecting to the secondary appears.  Seems like the secondary is hogging bandwidth or tripping up the internet connection to the primary.

-Secondary PC is configured properly, and DOES access the internet, but the computer doesn't authenticate for some reason.  Yet, directly connecting the modem to the PC results in internet connection (implying the router or Multiplicity is the cause).

-Yet the router IS working with all the other PCs, so seemingly working fine (and accessing and distributing the internet sucessfully).

-Changing the router DNS IP didn't change things.

-Secondary machine (when connected via Multiplicity and router) timed out on test pings (but all other tests regarding outgoing internet communication passed).

What I still plan to try:

-Uninstall secondary Multiplicity and reinstall

-Reset router to factory settings

-Upgrade internet package to higher speed (from 25 to 75), and get new modem

One thing I'm wondering... Would upgrading the internet provider speed possibly help, as it seems that the Multiplicity connection between the primary and the secondary is straining the bandwidth?  The modem and internet signal are all verified as providing a good signal by the internet provider themselves... it's the incoming processing that seems flawed (authenticating).

With the exception of activation, MP does not care about the Internet as it is LAN only - the reason I pointed it out was any PC that could not connect to the Internet when it should have been able to indicates other potential network issues.

With the exception of KVM (and even that is very small), MP polling (of other PCs) on any network is negligible.  If the network is seeing stress, its not from MP just connecting / being connected.

It would be prudent to see what network traffic the PC is producing without MP connected at all.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Admin: Going to prune your message a bit to be on one topic and be more readable for just that topic...

Did you ever figure this out?  I have the same exact issue now. Restarted the multiplicity service and now I can't connect to the 2nd of my 3 PC's.

It pings fine
Can Seamlessless to it fine
Multiplicity tells me it can connect fine

When I go to kvm, it shows as offline and gives me some kinda password error even though they're the same as they've always been.

I tried to change them on primary/secondary to fix it - no change.

Tried swapping primary and secondary and secondary initially got a password error message with the "old" primary.  I updated it by essentially typing in the same thing again and it worked,  I could kvm from the swap just fine.  Swapped back to initial primary/secondary set up and still cant kvm into secondary.

The "other" secondary (laptop) has been fine. 

Removed and re-added pc from both the general settings and the kvm portion of settings to no avail. 

Does the issue last past a reboot of the two boxes in question?  Not a proposed solution - I just need to know.

If it does then work, but restarting the service has you seeing the issue again, please report that.

Are you connecting to each PC via hostname or IP?  Are both PCs set to a 'Private' or 'Domain' network - NOT 'Public'

Is there a VPN connection present for either PC?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Hi sean.  VPN is installed on both machines but not running/connected.  (there is a tap9 adapter present if thats why your asking). 

They are private, and I have them added via hostname (as they were correctly picked up via the software) but the IP is also correctly picked up and I checked the "always use IP" option as its my understanding this is preferred.

I did try to swap out the hostname for the IP and the result was the same. 

It lasted past a reboot on both machines.   I had done several reboots.  several restarts of the service.  a swap of primary/secondary.

Made sure all firewall settings were kosher. 

As per the other thread, something put things back on track eventually.   One of those things. 

as for restarting the service, not willing to give that a try to test the theory now that its working again lol.

When it pops up again (hopefully doesnt) but if it does, ill be sure to note the variables and keep you posted you can count on that. 

Fix to what, exactly?

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager

Hi.  I haven't been on the forums for a long time, and have visited now to post about some recent issues... and am now catching up with some of the 'new' posts.

The issue I, and seemingly the others, are talking about is a random issue where Multiplicity suddenly claims the passcode is not correct, even though nothing was changed.  Seems to just happen once in a while, and for me at least, time fixes it.  I come back to it later in the day, and it's acting fine, like nothing happened.  Some sort of communication issue or something when it checks for the passcode, I guess.  Nothing is altered before, during or after, yet the issue pops up, and then goes away after some time.

I have't experienced it in quite a while, thankfully.