Audio Feed Drops Off

[Kingscup]

I believe I am also having this problem. RR shows offline but it looks like ScannerCast is working properly. It does not come back online until I restart ScannerCast. There was one time where I was out of town for a few days. The feed went down by showing offline. I noticed before coming home to fix the problem, the feed came back online without anyone touching the computer. I am using Verizon Fios internet 20/5 Mbps speed.

 

[johnmac]

I had a couple of drop outs today. 1st one required a re-boot of computer and the second one restarted on its own.

Here is the error message that required a re-boot -

Process ID = 0x35c (860)
Thread ID = )xa48 (232)

Prior to rebooting, I got this error when I tried to restart Scannercast -

Error accessing RR
Unable to connect to remote server.

Also, as I said before, I am also running Proscan w/Scancast on another computer and it very rarely requires attention, but I believe, as Peter stated, the connection is constantly connecting and re-connectiong without any issues.

I am not totally convinced that it is not a problem on my end, but it does seem to feed for a few days just fine.

Hope this info is helpful!!

 

[keithmj]

As long as I don't have my scanner attached by the serial cable I haven't had any problems in the last week. If I hook it back up then I start getting a dropped connection and I start getting emails about no audio. Also my scanner would just stop picking anything up. Try disconnecting your serial cable to see what happens? This might not be your problem but it is with mine..Cheers.

 

[johnmac]

I am running an audio only feed, so there is no serial cable to disconnect.

 

[PeterGV]

So, it seems we still have some sort of mystery.

ScannerCast thinks it's connected... and in fact continues sending audio and tag data to RR... but the feed is not accessible at RR and RR says the feed is down.

<QUOTE>
Error accessing RR
Unable to connect to remote server.
</QUOTE>

This means just what it says... there's a problem connecting to RR, which would indicate an underlying network issue.

Now, I'm pretty sure that the people who are experiencing these problems have underlying ISP or network connectivity issues. But that's all fine... periodic connects and disconnects should be expected, and ScannerCast was designed to handle these gracefully (the connection goes down, ScannerCast disconnects).

The strange thing here is that ScannerCast thinks the connection is up, and appears to be continuing to send data.

Request: Does anybody who's experiencing this problem know how to run Wireshark?? Or maybe you're willing to learn?? This (free) tool collects data from your network, and is what we'll need to see to determine if ScannerCast and RR are ACTUALLY talking (ScannerCast thinks it is, RR think we're not.... by examining the network messages we can know for sure who's right).

What I need to be able to diagnose this further is a Wireshark trace, from the computer on which ScannerCast is running, that's taken for a minute or two while the problem is happening. In other words, a Wireshark trace taken while ScannerCast thinks it's connected by RR is reporting the feed is down.

Anybody able to do that? Please???

Peter
K1PGV

 

[blantonl]

We're jut about out of options on our end. We've segmented some of the "affected" users to a separate receiver server to no avail.

We'll have to see what wireshark says.

Also, our existing relays and receiver servers are only at about at a max 20% cpu load. And, to top that off this happens to a very very very small handful of broadcasters and is not widespread.

Until I can get some definitive items that can be attributes to our infrastructure, like I said I'm out of things to to on our end

 

[PeterGV]

We're jut about out of options on our end. We've segmented some of the "affected" users to a separate receiver server to no avail.
...
Until I can get some definitive items that can be attributes to our infrastructure, like I said I'm out of things to to on our end

Understood and agreed.

This needs further diagnosis, plain and simple.

I haven't had any offers of folks willing to run WireShark yet...

Peter
K1PGV

 

[PeterGV]

AH! Just noticed I got a WireShark volunteer via email!!! Awesome!

Another one would be most helpful (it takes 2 data points to plot a line, they say)...

Anybody who has this problem wanna volunteer to capture a WireShark trace and send it to me while this problem is happening?? All you have to do is capture it, I'll do the analysis and report back to you (and the community) what I see.

Peter
K1PGV

 

[reedo]

Peter, I sent you Wireshark data to your ARRL email address.

 

[SCPD]

Feeds repeat it self

Has anyone else noticed that sometimes a feed will stop streaming live and you will hear the stream rebroadcast itself? I was listening to a X alarm fire last week and happen to noticed the dispatcher ask a question and got the same answer that I heard an hour before. I notice this happens a lot during nite hours. In order to pick the feed back up live you have to reset the feed. I also noticed that the Java player will stop working within a 2 hour stream.

 

[ed_giuliani]

I have the same problem with the feed going offline and scanner cast showing that it is working. sometimes it will stay online for 24 hours and like today it will only go for 30 minutes.

 

[PeterGV]

@reedo: Thanks! I didn't get it, though. Check your email (the email address that you have linked to RR here) for my more direct email address. Alternatively, put the trace someplace I can download it, please.

I really appreciate you taking the time to do the trace... this was taken when you were having the problem (ScannerCast says you're up but RR says you're down?)

Peter
K1PGV

 

[johnmac]

I will also take a look at Wireshark. Do I just run it when there is a problem or just start it and let it do it's thing?

Will be hard to just run it when there is a problem if it goes down in the middle of the night.

 

[PeterGV]

Unfortunately, you need to wait for the problem to occur and then run WireShark. Then you need to run it for just, like, 2 minutes and send me the trace.

Peter
K1PGV

 

[PeterGV]

For those of you helping with WireShark traces:

First of all, thank you very much for investing the time and effort in helping find this problem. I appreciate it, and a lot of people in the community also appreciate it (er, or, ah, they will when the problem is ultimately fixed).

Second, what I need you to do are the following:

1. Download and install WireShark on the system from which you're running ScannerCast -- take all the default settings. Just keep hitting "OK" and "Next>"

2. Reboot.

3. While ScannerCast is running correctly, try a couple of test captures. Just start WireShark and click on the same interface that you're using for ScannerCast in the "Start capture on interface" section (on the left side of WireShark's initial screen. You should see a bunch of packets captured.

4. If the test capture fails to start, or no packets are shown (Click "Capture" Stop)... Click on Capture Options (shown just under the list of adapters) and clear the "Capture packets in promiscuous mode" check box (left side of the dialog) and THEN click start.

5. If the capture fails to start or no packets are shown, I'm out of ideas. Thanks, but WireShark isn't working for you. This is very unlikely.

6. If the capture works, let it run for a minute or so... then stop the capture and save it to disk. Name it "Working capture" or something.

7. THEN, when you experience the problem -- ScannerCast says it's still running, but RR reports that your feed is down -- start a new capture... let it run for a minute or so... and then stop the capture and save it to disk. Name it "Problem capture" or something.

8. Email me both captures (your test and the problem capture -- I really do need both), or put them someplace that I can download them.

9. I'll analyze the captures and let you know the outcome.

I really, really, appreciate everyone who's willing to help. This is a historically difficult problem, Lindsay's gone above and beyond the call of duty in trying to help rectify it, I've spent too many hours to count trying to rectify it, and the only thing that'll help us at this point is the WireShark trace.

When we have the results of the trace, either Lindsay will make some change at RR or I'll issue an update to ScannerCast that fixes the problem.

Thanks, thanks, thanks,

Peter
K1PGV

 

[AlabamaWeather]

If this issue is not corrected by the time I get back home from spring break (monday march 22nd) I will def run WireShark and report back. I have the same problem mentioned in this thread!

Thanks for the hard work!

 

[toonman4]

I'm having the same issues, I just installed Wireshark &pcap, when I try running wireshark I get the following error message (after installing & rebooting)
"The procedure entry point get addrinfo could not be located in the dynamic entry link library WS2_32.dll"

 

[PeterGV]

I'm having the same issues, I just installed Wireshark &pcap, when I try running wireshark I get the following error message (after installing & rebooting)
"The procedure entry point get addrinfo could not be located in the dynamic entry link library WS2_32.dll"

Well, thanks for trying. Are you trying to run in on Win2K? It LOOKS like this is a known issue with Wireshark that's supposed to be fixed. But I'll be darned if I know what version it's fixed in... Sorry, I have nothing to do with the Wireshark project (beyond using it, that is).

Peter
K1PGV

 

[toonman4]

Well, thanks for trying. Are you trying to run in on Win2K? It LOOKS like this is a known issue with Wireshark that's supposed to be fixed. But I'll be darned if I know what version it's fixed in... Sorry, I have nothing to do with the Wireshark project (beyond using it, that is).

Peter
K1PGV

yeah, an old win2k machine I have dedicated to only my online feed

 

[PeterGV]

@toonman4: That would make sense...

Again, I sincerely appreciate your effort. Thanks for trying,

Peter
K1PGV