Can't get Plan-G to connect with FSX over network using SimConnect

[Kodemikkel]

Hello. First of all, I'm completely new to Plan-G, and after hours of frustration I finally took the time to write this topic.

Well, basically my problem is that I seem unable to connect Plan-G on one computer to FSX on another computer within the same network using SimConnect. Both running WN7 64-bit. I've been trying both IPv4/Ipv6 and the FSX computer's network name, none seems to work.
In the Plan-G log file it just says that the connection timed out.
I've both double and triple checked the IP's to make sure there were no typos. (Which it wasn't) And I've also tried to disable firewalls/AV etc, including trying different ports.
Yet I think I've made an obvious mistake. (Which remains to be seen.)

These are the IPv4/IPv6 adresses from commandprompt (FSX comp):
IPv4: 192.168.1.100
IPv6: fe80::35cb:7749:7b4b:14f1

And here are the IPv6/IPv4 SimConnect.xml files I've been trying (FSX comp):

Code Select Expand

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
<Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
<Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
<SimConnect.Comm>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Protocol>IPv6</Protocol>
<Scope>link-local</Scope>
<MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
<Address>fe80::35cb:7749:7b4b:14f1</Address>
<Port>4506</Port>
</SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>


Code Select Expand

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
<Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
<Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
<SimConnect.Comm>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Protocol>Auto</Protocol>
<Scope>global</Scope>
<Address>192.168.1.100</Address>
<MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
<Port>4506</Port>
<MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
<DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
</SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>


And also the Plan-G connection options (Non FSX comp):



I hope someone can help me solve this problem. As I would love to try out Plan-G.

[Kodemikkel]

After some more hours of frustration I figured that Norton's firewall on the FSX comp is blocking the connections, I can't even ping the FSX comp with the Plan-G comp. I have no clue what setting turns this off, except turning off the whole firewall. Which still doesn't help me connect Plan-G with FSX. (Turning off the whole firewall just lets the Plan-G comp ping the FSX comp).

I am completely out of ideas. Any help would be very appreciated.

[Kodemikkel]

Well, after hours and hours of trying and failing. I eventually gave up, but after about 30 minutes or so I gave it a last shot and it just magically worked. It worked fine for a couple of hours, but now I'm having a problem again. Now whenever I try to connect Plan-G to FSX, Plan-G crashes. Just stops responding and closes.
Here is the log file from when I start Plan-G and until it crashes when I click "Connect":

Code Select Expand

23:56:28.2 Starting Plan-G, build 3.1.0.82
23:56:28.2 OS is Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1
23:56:28.4 InitDataFolder
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_FSX.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_FS9.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_XPX.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_P3D.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_NAVI.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\UserWaypoints.sdf
23:56:28.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\MEF.sdf
23:56:29.0 Map tiles cache: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\GMap.NET\
23:56:29.1 Program in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Plan-G v3.1
23:56:29.1 Data in: C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files
23:56:29.1 IsDataLoaded: FSX
23:56:29.1 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_FSX.sdf
23:56:29.2 Starting timer
23:56:29.2 DownloadCurrentMetars thread started
23:56:29.2 Metar20Z.TXT started
23:56:29.2 lTAF12Z.TXT started
23:56:29.2 sTAF18Z.TXT started
23:56:29.2 Metar21Z.TXT started
23:56:29.2 lTAF18Z.TXT started
23:56:29.2 sTAF12Z.TXT started
23:56:29.4 IsDataLoaded: FSX
23:56:29.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_FSX.sdf
23:56:29.4 IsDataLoaded: FS9
23:56:29.4 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_FS9.sdf
23:56:29.5 IsDataLoaded: P3D
23:56:29.5 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_P3D.sdf
23:56:29.5 IsDataLoaded: The database file cannot be found. Check the path to the database. [ Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_P3D.sdf ]
23:56:29.5 IsDataLoaded: XPlane
23:56:29.5 Data Source = C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plan-G Files\Data\PlanG3_XPX.sdf
23:56:29.5 sTAF18Z.TXT done
23:56:29.5 sTAF12Z.TXT done
23:56:29.9 lTAF18Z.TXT done
23:56:30.1 lTAF12Z.TXT done
23:56:31.5 Initiating SimConnect connection.
23:56:31.5 Connect
23:56:31.5 SimConnect.Connect - Remote. Mode = IPv4 Server = 192.168.1.100 Port = 3979
23:56:31.7 Stopping timer
23:56:31.7 StartMap
23:56:31.7 Connection string: metadata=res://*/Data.FSData.csdl|res://*/Data.FSData.ssdl|res://*/Data.FSData.msl;provider=System.Data.SqlServerCe.3.5;provider connection string='Data Source=|DataDirectory|\Data\PlanG3_FSX.sdf'
23:56:32.0 NdbsInBounds 3
23:56:32.1 VorsInBounds 0
23:56:32.2 AirportsInBounds 1
23:56:32.3 AirspaceInBounds 9
23:56:32.3 NdbsInBounds 3
23:56:32.3 VorsInBounds 0
23:56:32.3 AirportsInBounds 1
23:56:32.4 AirspaceInBounds 9
23:56:32.6 Metar21Z.TXT done
23:56:32.7 Metar20Z.TXT done
23:56:32.7 DownloadCurrentMetars done
23:56:33.4 ProcessMetars done
23:56:36.5 SimConnect connection attempt timed out
23:56:36.5 Disconnect
23:56:37.5 Disconnected from sim

[tim arnot]

Just a couple of thoughts: if Plan-G crashes during the course of a flight, you will not be able to reconnect to FS until after FS has been closed and restarted. This is because FSX holds holds the port open, so it can't be reused.

Another possibility: if you restart your PC, it may be allocated a different IP address each time - unless you have reserved it an address on the router. This means the config files and simconnect.xml will no longer match, meaning you'd have to rebuild them each time you reboot. See your router's manual for how to reserve an address.