Creating/modifying a SimConnect.xml file

[rogerover]

Bonjour,

Discovering Plan G that looks just great for VFR flights (virtual) !

One question : the example given page 91 (Plan G User Manual V 2.04 December 2010) has been proved to work for 2 networked Windows 7 machines. Fine !

But what about a network with 2 PCs running 2 different OS:

- FSX PC running W7-64
- network PC running XP-SP3

Should I set the network PC FS Connection Parameters as follows :

Network Mode : IPv6
FSX computer : IPv6 adress beginning with fe80::
Server/Pipe : 4506 (if not already in use)

or should I use an IPv4 Network Mode ?

In other words, what is governing the network PC correct setting ? The FSX or the network PC OS ?

Merci d'avance   ;) ;)

[tim arnot]

IPv6 is not on XP machines (unless you have installed it yourself), so it's best to use IPv4 in that situatiuon.

[rogerover]

Error message when trying to establish a connection to FSX from a networked PC with SimConnect : "Unable to connect to remote FS (timeout). Check FSX is running and that your protocol settings are correct"

Yes, FSX is running and I can't find what's wrong with my protocol settings ! Would you please "Techies" give me some help ?

My current specs :

FSX PC runninng W7-64
PLAN-G PC running XP-SP3, connected and mapped to the network drive. FSX database built

my current SimConnect.xml file (FSX PC/in the same folder as fsx.cfg) :

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
   <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
   <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
   <SimConnect.Comm>
      <Disabled>False</Disabled>
      <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
      <Scope>global</Scope>
      <Address>PC W7-64 network name</Address>
      <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
      <Port>4506</Port>
      <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
      <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
   </SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>

my current network PC settings Plan-G Options/(FS connection) :

Network Mode : IPv4
FSX computer : PC W7-64 network name
Server/Pipe : 4506 (AFAIK 4506 is not already in use)

Instead of PC W7-64 network name I've tried the PC W7-64 IP adress (both in SimConnect.xml file and FS connection settings) : the issue is still there !

Any idea about how to fix it ? Your help would be greatly appreciated

Thank you all

[tim arnot]

1. Try a different port number -- maybe that one is being used by something else.

2. Check that your firewall & antivirus are not blocking it

[rogerover]

"After all the above, you may feel that you have achieved a minor miracle...."

Trying different port numbers, starting with 4500 and so on, I do feel "I've achieved some kind of minor miracle" : the connection to FSX worked fine for port number 4506 !! (don't ask me why it did not work before...) whith the following settings :

1) Simconnect.xml :

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
   <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
   <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
   <Disabled>False</Disabled>
   
   <!-- Example Global (remote) IPv4 Server Configuration-->
   <SimConnect.Comm>
      <Disabled>False</Disabled>
      <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
      <Scope>global</Scope>
      <Address>PC W7-64 network name</Address>
      <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
      <Port>4506</Port>
      <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
      <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
   </SimConnect.Comm>

   <SimConnect.Comm>
      <Disabled>False</Disabled>
      <Protocol>Auto</Protocol>
      <Scope>local</Scope>
   </SimConnect.Comm>

</SimBase.Document>

2) PC settings Plan-G Options/(FS connection) :

Network Mode : IPv4
FSX computer : PC W7-64 network name
Server/Pipe : 4506

Anyway that's good new !! Hope this might help simmers in the same situation. Keep going, don't give up !

Many thanks

:D :D

[rogerover]

I spoke to soon !! There is no way to re-establish a connexion to FSX from the PC running Plan-G, despite settings/parameters that are exactly the same as the ones described above...

This kind of issue is the worst one : it has been working but it's no longer working for obscure reasons...

I've tried also to deactivate my Kapersky antivirus : it doesn't change anything

Is the port-number range [4500-4510] mandatory for Plan-G ? Are there others port-number ranges available ?

What can I do else to make Plan-G working in a safely and sustainable way (except registering=buying FSUIPC WIDE FS) ?

Merci

[tim arnot]

No, port number can be anything up to 65535, provided it is not being used by something else. 4504 and 4506 are unassigned, which is why I recommend them (but that doesn't stop others from using them for the same reason)

Here is a list of registered port number assignments: http://www.iana.org/assignments/port-numbers

[rogerover]

Thanks for the port-number range information.

Got Plan-G working today on port 4506 !! Don't know why it's working today.... Is that pure "hasard" ?

Some information provided by tcpview :

1) Plan-G PC :

Process : PlanG.exe
PID : 1160
Protocol : TCP
Local address : Plan-G PC network name.network name
Local port : 4409
Remote address : FSX PC network name.network name
Remote port : 4506
State : established

2) FSX PC

Process : fsx.exe
PID : 5200
Protocol : TCP
Local address : FSX PC network name.network name
Local port : 4506
Remote address : Plan-G PC network name.network name
Remote port : 4409
State : established

Question : is there a way to dedicate/assign port 4506 to run Plan-G everytime ?  Is that a setting to be applied on my ADSL Livebox (guess it's what you call router in the Plan-G PDF)

Thanks