FSDT Installer Not Connecting

[Gilandred]

I usually run the FSDT installer every couple days to check for updates.  Today (4.27.2023) the installer returns an error "cannot connect to the internet."  Internet is working fine, antivirus off and exclusions for addon manager are in place, as they have been before.  I'm not sure which log file will help troubleshoot this.  Please advise.  Thanks.

[virtuali]

Our server is surely online but, you are not really connecting there (if users could connect to our server directly, it would go down in minutes because of the load), you connect through Cloudflare so, it's possible your local node might have issues.

Also, yesterday flightsim.to went down for some users, and it also turned out to be a Cloudflare shortage.

If the issue is localized to your local node, you might try with a VPN, which will connect to a different one, but these issues usually sort themselves out automatically in a very short time, so I'm sure it will eventually work.

I assuming that, in addition to having configured the antivirus correctly, you don't have a firewall that is blocking the installer from going online.

[Gilandred]

Hi there.  I just wanted to report back that it's still not connecting normally after a few days of this first report.  Not sure if there is anything you can do to find out what the issue is with Cloudflare.  However, I can connect just fine using a VPN, so at least I have a workaround for now.

[virtuali]

Not sure if there is anything you can do to find out what the issue is with Cloudflare

You can check their nodes status:

https://www.cloudflarestatus.com/

Or possibly the incidents history:

https://www.cloudflarestatus.com/history

However, I can connect just fine using a VPN, so at least I have a workaround for now.

That's confirm the problem is either Cloudflare itself, but it can also possibly be a routing problem of your ISP.

In neither case you are connecting to our server, the only difference between using a VPN or not is that you are surely connecting to a different Cloudflare node, and the routing takes a different route than when with your ISP only.

[Gilandred]

I didn't see anything obvious looking at cloudflare status.  I also contacted my ISP (Spectrum in U.S.) - they were pretty much useless as far as help goes.  So, any other ideas?  Is there a trace route I can try to troubleshoot why it's not connecting?

[virtuali]

So, any other ideas?  Is there a trace route I can try to troubleshoot why it's not connecting?

I'm sure the are traceroute tools you can try but, it's not as if you could do anything about it or we can do about it.

Once you already confirmed it worked with a VPN, you already know the issue it's either your local Cloudflare node or your ISP routing so, if it's not Cloudflare, it's routing, and I never found an ISP which was ever capable to understand these issues, because the whole routing is not something they control entirely.

[MattUK]

Hi Umberto - just to let you know that I am also having this issue, exactly as described above. As with the OP, it's not a huge issue as connecting via VPN works, but just to make you aware that it's not just one person. I am on 2.6.3 of GSX Pro and am in the UK.

All the best,

Matt.

[codylang]

Yes, same here. It sorta freezes during the "setup" phase then gives an error saying to check the internet and that it can't be connected, or firewall. I've had this problem for a few days now as well..not an issue with flights thankfully.

[codylang]

Still get the error when launching the installer for any updates.

"The updater cannot connect to the internet. This is usually caused by a firewall/antivirus/ Please disable it and run the FSDT Live Updater again from the Desktop, to be sure to get the latest files".

I've disabled firewall, checked internet and problem persist...but its not a big issue, unless there was a significant update I was missing out on.

[virtuali]

I can only repeat my last suggestion to try with a VPN.

Once you already confirmed it worked with a VPN, you already know the issue it's either your local Cloudflare node or your ISP routing so, if it's not Cloudflare, it's routing, and I never found an ISP which was ever capable to understand these issues, because the whole routing is not something they control entirely.