but im not using a firewall/router.

I stand corrected...Port 1900 is for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), which is supposed to help with the whole NAT traversal problem by finding the correct ports to forward automatically (well, something like that anyway).I've heard it both ways tho... some people say they can't find the session at all when UPnP is enabled. So I guess if you have a router, try it enabled and disabled, and see if it helps. It doesn't sound like this is Nick's problem though...Nick, did you have a chance to try the tests I mentioned in my post above?Russell

Russell,Nope, I haven't had a chance to try those things. If anyone is available tonight to try the session and see what happens that would be great. I have to try and see if in a non-vatsim session any of this happens.Thanks

I am having similar problems on a newly built system...Except i am having the problems with both FS2k2 and FS2k4. With FS2k2, i use the old traditional connection method of hosting a FS/MP mode and then connecting SB as usual. With FS2k4 I have gone per batum of hte tutorial, starting SBrelay, JOIN FS/MP mode to it and then starting up and connecting SB to vatsim. With FS2k2, I am using the last fsuipc that pete released before making the one with payware and FREEWARE key codes...then im using the latest FSUIPC for FS2k4....Base problem I am having that is i can connect, fly for a length of time and usually see CSL/MP aircraft online in both, then as they drop off due to range, etc they never return... In FS2k4 when one logged in next to me at the ramp my SB "SQUAWKBOX HAS LEFT SESSION" however, SB was still running and conencted to VATSIM ( i am not using SBhost.dll, rather i prefer the original host window of SB and then use the fs chatbox)In either simulator though, evenutall SB will leave the session and i have to shut my whole system off and reboot and then start all over... The session wil drop with 10-15 mn of initial connection. Now i have gone as far as reformating the HDD, and even replacing a Mother board (smoked one trying to flash update bios)...Now one of three thing changed recently when this problem all started. I installed AOL 9.0 OPTIMIZED, McAfee virus scan with quickclean and firewall (fire wall is not active or loaded) and I installed FS2k4. initially i thought the problem lay with CFS3 but after reformat i never reloaded it and still having problems. Now I have: 1 MSI KT4V motherboad2 socket "A" XP2800 Throughbred chip3 1gig of coursair DDR PC3500 ram (400mhz)4 120gig WD HDD5 ati radeon 9700 pro 128mg 8x agp video with the latest ATI released driver (not the other place mentioned in this topic)6 sound blaster audiogy2 platinum sound card7 NIC card8 US robtics modem...9 lexmark printer and so on...I use DirecPC a 2-way satelite modem through DirecPC and then use AOL. so i have a live connection like most cable modems. My big machine is connected via lan/home network to another machine which runs the satelite. ths network host is on winME while my big one is on winXP pro...I know form experience in the past that if AOL isnt installed right without an error it will mess up network adaptors and thus screwup SB however i have not had such errors in any version this time around...Im with the gentlemen that started this topic, im pretty much screwed as it sits now, im unable to perform online since my area requires me to see other a/c visually...bottom line is there any simple fix? my detailed system info is availagble if needed to help solve this quandery...Thanks ahead of time...Robert Phillips [email protected]

Can it be AOL 9.0? i'm using it also, anyone else with the problem using it?

Good question Nick, anyway you could try a dial up connection of some other ISP? Mind you there has to be more then 2 poeple on Vatsim using AOL but at this point I've run out of ideas. Other then getting on a real plane and coming over and looking at your system in person.

LOL, yeah I wish. Anyway, now that we know there are more people out there with the same problem we can try and narrow down what is interfering with SBrelay. How do we check what ports are in use while we are flying online? Is there an app out there that can tell us? Also when I fly online, I'm not using AOL to connect to the internet. Im gonna try deleting AOL 9.0 but I dont think that'll help. Anyway as I said before I guess we'll have to wait for Squawkbox 3. (I hope that SB3 won't give us the same problems!)Anyway, I'll still be flying on Vatsim, but i'll be flying with my eyes closed lol.

let me know how you fair with flying after removing aol.. thanksR. Phillips

Just an FYI I deleted aol 9.0 from my older machine which is a socket A 1.0 gig thunderbird with 512 mg of RAM using winME. Once AOL was removed i logged in with fs2k2/SB that uses the older FSUIPC that was last freebee before going paware/key code version. I spent an hour or so online sitting at the busiest airports on vatsim watching the CSL a/c come and go iwhtout loosing the connection. I wasnt able to fly since i have no srick for that cpu and my newer stick for my big machine will not work on it. Not saying that AOL is a problem or stating that ive found a problem yet but, it appears more promising of finding it now then we were earlier...When you do the flight let me know how you come out on it...R. Phillips

Just an FYI I deleted aol 9.0 from my older machine which is a socket A 1.0 gig thunderbird with 512 mg of RAM using winME. Once AOL was removed i logged in with fs2k2/SB that uses the older FSUIPC that was last freebee before going paware/key code version. I spent an hour or so online sitting at the busiest airports on vatsim watching the CSL a/c come and go iwhtout loosing the connection. I wasnt able to fly since i have no srick for that cpu and my newer stick for my big machine will not work on it. Not saying that AOL is a problem or stating that ive found a problem yet but, it appears more promising of finding it now then we were earlier...When you do the flight let me know how you come out on it...R. Phillips

I just deleted AOL 9.0 and tried a test flight with no luck! Still, after a player is removed SB freezes again. Don't know what else to do.....

Hi Pilots !Well I have the same problem and tried out everything out as well , the only thing i didnt try yet is to install my Fs2004 on drive C , because mine is installed on drive D as wellNick did you try that one out yet?GreetingsFrank