[Opensim-dev] Opensim Loopback Requirements

[diva at metaverseink.com]

VNC, in particular, has an alternative mode of operation that avoids the 
loopback issues altogether; maybe you were using that when you tested. 
More importantly, most client-server applications -- like VNC for 
example -- use only TCP connections. OpenSim uses both TCP and UDP.

Additionally, the Linden viewer receives capability URLs from the 
servers. These are opaque URLs generated from the configuration 
variables in the regions' ini file that must literally match certain 
comparisons that the viewer performs, and if those comparisons fail, the 
viewer refuses to connect.

UDP and capability URLs are the two things that make OpenSim networking 
more complicated than most C/S apps.

I'm yet to encounter a network that I can't configure to run OpenSim, 
but that is not to say that there aren't some out there, especially if 
the routers don't do good on UDP.

Mike Loveridge wrote:
> Hi to anyone that works on the network communications between client & 
> server,
>  
> I worked for months trying to get my pfSense router to work with 
> opensim.  I worked with pfSense to have them verify that loopback was 
> indeed enabled and that loopback rules were being created.  We verified 
> that other client/server applications were now working, for example, 
> VNC.  I went though many things with the OSGrid people as well and got 
> feedback from both the opensim users and developers, and yet, nothing 
> worked.
>  
> I finally resorted to buying a Linksys router that runs DD-WRT and got 
> it to work.  This proves that it was the router all along as I had 
> suspected.  However, the router was doing its job.  I really regret 
> having to leave the pfSense router solution since it provides more 
> services that a consumer router.  Fortunately, pfSense and DD-WRT are 
> very similar.
>  
> My point, question, or statement here is, was this really necessary?  
> What makes opensim so much more complicated that normal loopback won't 
> work?  Why do other client/server apps work when they are both behind 
> the same router?  It's hard for me to think that opensim is a far more 
> "special case" of a client/server setup that is using the same router.  
> It seems opensim must be doing something more complicated than is 
> necessary.  In fact, to the point that NAT loopback working for others 
> doesn't work for opensim.
>  
> Does anyone have an explanation that would help me understand what the 
> difference is or is this something that eventually needs to get 
> addressed in opensim network communications?
>  
> Thanks,
> Mike
> 
> 
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