Public server list no longer updating in clients

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MrPhil
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Public server list no longer updating in clients

by MrPhil » Post

Hi there,

Just recently, I've stopped getting updates for public servers under the "Join Game" tab in the MT client, this is true for both the 5.4.1 client available in the distro's package manager (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) and the 5.6.1 client, which I recently compiled.

Both were working fine but something broke it for both clients. Now it shows my recently-used servers under favorites but with no updated ping/player info and at the bottom it shows ? Loading... under "Public Servers" and if I click on that, it says "Try reenabling public serverlist and check your internet connection." in the Server Description box.

Since STATIC_SHAREDIR="/usr/local/share/minetest" as reported by minetest --version , shouldn't the setting be in a minetest.conf file somewhere in that path? I see an entry for serverlist_url in the file settingtypes.txt under /usr/local/share/minetest/builtin but no minetest.conf in there.

/etc/minetest/minetest.conf shows a serverlist_url entry but it appears to be for advertising a server.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks!

- Phil

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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by MrPhil » Post

Oh wait... looks like this is a problem with servers.minetest.net... any idea when this might be corrected?
See below:

2022-11-06 14:51:42: ERROR[AsyncWorker-1]: HTTPFetch for servers.minetest.net/list?proto_version_min=37&proto_version_max=41 returned response code 503
2022-11-06 14:51:42: ERROR[AsyncWorker-1]: Failed to parse json data * Line 1, Column 1
2022-11-06 14:51:42: ERROR[AsyncWorker-1]: Syntax error: value, object or array expected.
2022-11-06 14:51:42: ERROR[AsyncWorker-1]: Data (197 bytes) printed to warningstream.
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: data: "<html>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: <head><title>503 Service Temporarily Unavailable</title></head>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: <body>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: <center><h1>503 Service Temporarily Unavailable</h1></center>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: <hr><center>nginx/1.22.0</center>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: </body>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: </html>
2022-11-06 14:51:42: WARNING[AsyncWorker-1]: "

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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

As I posted a view days ago,
there was some slow get this list

I just open Client 5.6.1 on Ubuntu and direct see all ? servers,
as I see them also in Browser version

This is 4 hours after your post so far I see.

later to make clear:
Festus1965 wrote: โ†‘
Thu Nov 03, 2022 01:13
AND also the loading of server-list in Browser AND in client

it takes really long today to get server list,
forum still same slow

so if respond, add your own experience first (forum, client server list, Browser server list)
Last edited by Festus1965 on Mon Nov 07, 2022 03:02, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by MrPhil » Post

Hi Festus1965,
I never could find your post for some reason but it seems to be fine now. After a couple of days of not seeing the servers and not seeing anything in the forums about it (well, not finding anything anyway) I thought I'd better ask.

Thanks for responding.

- Phil

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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

happened again
at 30.11. about 1:30am (or 29.11. 18:30 UTC) around
my client kept empty at the part of not favorite server for about 20 minutes ...

also the forum load VERY slow, much slower than even already ...
took me near 10 minutes to get this open
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

last two days, a bit depending on the daytime happened again

opening the client on 3 different PC show same, slow / late receive of the server-list.

AND sometime I miss my server in the list, BUT the terminal does NOT show any miss to reach the server-list every 5000 ms or whatever ... you know that red terminal warning, telling can't reach http ...

and a gamer from Argentina just answer me back NO problem to see (favorites) and login to my server.

and I proofed on special webpages with server in 3 different continents that they all point out SLOW and failure code response of forum.minetest.net

IT show that the problem should not be at me ... or my provider, if as THEN I also should have problems to login into other server in Europe, but that works also like normal.

The server PC is not changed for weeks, just restart mt with mod update, but nothing at settings, also the router works same since I got it ...

So where might be the problem ? What could have changed ?
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

still
beside
* my server missing, but gamer come in again
* slow / late load of list in browser AND client
* some time empty, get only the html frame

Code: Select all

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
	<meta charset="utf-8">
	<title>Minetest server list</title>
	<style>
		body {
			font-family: Roboto, Ubuntu, "Segoe UI", sans;
		}
		a {
			color: #336B87;
		}
		a:visited {
			color: #336BA1;
		}
		@media only screen and (max-width: 1024px) {
			#server_list table .version, #server_list table .flags, #server_list table .uptime {
				display: none;
			}
		}
	</style>
	<script>
		var master = {show_proto_select: true};
	</script>
</head>
<body>
	<div id="server_list"></div>
	<script src="list.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

3 PC, different settings - but just plain 5.6.1 client
* one just as ubuntu is
* one with a fixed faster translate from server.minetest.net to the IP (fix at hosts file)
* one with the dnsmasq option, and fast to next dns server
=
* the resolution to IP is not the problem - from 39ms without cache to 0 ms with cache or hosts
* getting some first response seam also to happen sometime fast, (just a html part, header ..)
BUT the main data is missing.

Even on server, GUI with extra 5.5.0 client also

Maybe I have some change some day at town and check out some internet shop to be able to test over other provider.
but that seam to be not the reason
why should the or any provider avoid or stop that port range or game related IPs ?
Minetest is so low in importance or usage - that is beyond my imagine.

BUT some server last time make me thinking about if people are miss-using this game ... in every possible direction
just go through the server names and open your mind
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Komodo » Post

If you think it's the ISP, why not test with a VPN?
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

Komodo wrote: โ†‘
Tue Dec 13, 2022 22:06
If you think it's the ISP, why not test with a VPN?
And how does my data get to the VPN ?
Yes they are encrypted or let say not analyzable for my ISP, BUT this data is still on their fiber and hobs.

I think about it, and maybe I am able to handle this still this year.
I hope, I am faster than mt with Thai fonts and translation ... hugh
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Komodo » Post

why should the or any provider avoid or stop that port range or game related IPs ?
I offered you a good suggestion. Good luck with your problem.
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

Komodo wrote: โ†‘
Wed Dec 14, 2022 17:57
why should the or any provider avoid or stop that port range or game related IPs ?
I offered you a good suggestion. Good luck with your problem.
A possible suggestion among some others ...

Using WindScribe (free) VPN I get both, forum and server-list direct - nothing missing, no delay.
no any delay - same PC, same settings - Browser, etc.

What does that mean :
I can be a result of some problem along the hole way until my PC, from
* my own settings ? (are the same on this PC, just now with VPN) = NO
* last ISP : true in Thailand
* maybe a bit part between most Singapore and Thailand
* used sea-cable companies between somewhere Marseille and Singapore

so I have to go to some internet-cafe and check minimum another 2 ISP in Thailand to be able to reduce the source problem to an area.

I always have to be aware, that Thailand should be a democracy (after 2 times was here during military coup) and they have very hard firewall settings and ban lists as if kingdom related basics.

Side Effect of VPN ON : can't reach my own minetest server or local webpage (energy)

Result so far:
* the side effect are not worth to force a clear and full access to minetest.net = not important then anymore
* I can reach my own server, my gamer can reach it ...
= reduce the access to forum to a minimum. Nothing lost.
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

today morning for 3 hours forum came fast and NO waiting time during my morning hours = same time less minetest player are online

make me guess another reason main:
check speedtest.net to server ... Mbps
* CSM Chiang Mai : 903 down / 210 up
* Global/Extreme Singapore : 560 down / 200 up
and after the sea cable from Singapore, pass India and Suez ...
* Marseille, Orange France : 412 down / 113 up
* Frankfurt, PVDataNet : 200 down / 130 up
* Netherlands, CJ2 Hosting B.V. : 552 down / 170 up
this seam to be more pointing out the problem, as some times the forum and list are fast, but sometime (most) slow.
==> the distance traffic over sea-cable is limited - and maybe VPN just has reserved bandwith or I was lucky at this test
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

today morning for 3 hours forum came fast and NO waiting time during my morning hours = same time less minetest player are online

make me guess another reason main:
check speedtest.net to server ... Mbps
* CSM Chiang Mai : 903 down / 210 up
* Global/Extreme Singapore : 560 down / 200 up
and after the sea cable from Singapore, pass India and Suez ...
* Marseille, Orange France : 412 down / 113 up
* Frankfurt, PVDataNet : 200 down / 130 up
* Netherlands, CJ2 Hosting B.V. : 552 down / 170 up
and exact ? same ISP from forum.minetest.net =
* France, Scaleway, Vitry-sur-Seine ... take very long to start ! "Upload Test Error"
this seam to be more pointing out the problem, as some times the forum and list are fast, but sometime (most) slow.
==> the distance traffic over sea-cable is limited - and
* maybe VPN just has reserved bandwith or I was lucky at this test
but test with same IPS failed ... hahaha
* even you see I have better connection to Netherlands then the more closer Marseille, but
I am also sure not all ISP might have same result ...
but would be a lot of testing ...

I send a request to that webpage what seam to be them : https://datacenter.scaleway.com/

later - 20:35 local ICT - i got connection:
- down (from there) 0.29 Mbps ... that is like nothing go through there
- up (to there) 72.06 Mpbs
no response from the ISP or Provider yet
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

yesterday I had a communication with another server admin,
and also 'talk' about server-list,
and he returned : "Is not loading in Browser" (location Germany)
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by randomperson » Post

Downloading the json data is fine from germany (datacenter). Probably there is some bad routing somewhere along the way. Routing asia <=> europe sadly isn't always ideal. You could try
traceroute servers.minetest.net
to see where your packets get stuck. Assuming you are on linux that is. On windows i think the command would be
tracert servers.minetest.net

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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

randomperson wrote: โ†‘
Wed Dec 28, 2022 01:27
Downloading the json data is fine from germany (datacenter). Probably there is some bad routing somewhere along the way. Routing asia <=> europe sadly isn't always ideal. You could try
I repeat it again ...
Festus1965 wrote: โ†‘
Tue Dec 27, 2022 08:10
and he returned : "Is not loading in Browser" (location Germany)
the admin of that server is in Germany - and he didn't get the page ...

and if your suggestion is right, I might have the same problems with n-tv.de, focus.de, welt.de, sueddeutsche.de, and 5 more also every day ? Bit they load fast and without any problem - so the route IS most not the problem


I use 'mtr servers.minetest.net' - but the problem is NOT only to asia

but some other test later again :
* from Work PC, only 100MB to router as of bad mainbord:
=> nperf.com/r/3424687313026743-w46WZ5NH
or Image

* from MT server also
==> nperf.com/r/3424688552052011-ypSQb8gs
or Image

But important :
* Server List has most not always that problem, by far not
* the Forum is still every day a problem : I can't post when needed _ I have to check some time if forum comes up good, and post then (or copy prepared text in) and hope
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by randomperson » Post

Festus1965 wrote: โ†‘
Wed Dec 28, 2022 05:25
and if your suggestion is right, I might have the same problems with n-tv.de, focus.de, welt.de, sueddeutsche.de, and 5 more also every day ?
Yes, maybe but not necessarily. Routing very much depends on source and destination provider (or rather whom they peer with) and less on locations. Even if data moves over the same cables it might be different companies forwarding it at various exchange points. It's even possible for data to use different paths depending on directions.

On a route like asia <=> europe there's often times quite a bit of different companies involved in making the data actually reach it's destination. In theory if some connection breaks it should be detected and data rerouted over a different path but in reality that's not always the case or it takes some time or the backup path is not strong enough to handle the data or... Routing can be pretty weird and it's even not all that unusual for companies involved to choose an unstable/overloaded path simply because it's cheaper (something your personal ISP might not have all that much control over as it could be companies down the line doing it while there might only be a limited amount of local peerings available to choose from).

Edit: That's pretty much also the reason why a VPN might work around such problems. As long as the route the VPN server is fine and the route from the VPN server to the target is fine it doesn't matter what the route from you to the target would be. If such instability is a common problem for you you could look into setting up a personal VPN (public ones obviously work too but i wouldn't trust them to much and you are likely to share IPs with a bunch of bad actors which might yield you a "bad reputation" resulting in captchas, account flagging and so on).

I am not really sure what kind of options you'd have there though. Hosting in asia isn't something i usually deal with but cheap and asia not mixing in that regard is pretty much common knowledge. I guess looking into offers in Singapore or Hong Kong would probably be best. Maybe you could get some cheap deal on OVH Singapore? Beyond that i am pretty much clueless tbh. I've worked with some hosters in Hong Kong in the past but those are neither cheap nor would i want to vouch for their networks. If you chose to look into this see if the provider you are checking out offers a "looking glass". That's a small web app that allows you to run pings and traceroutes from their networks so you can test connection quality to you and the targets that are important for you (obviously beyond doing the usual speed tests).

Edit edit: https://lowendspirit.com/categories/offers might be a good starting point. Offers in asia are obviously not exactly common but they exist. Also not everyone advertizing there represents a "great" company. Many of the tiny ones fail fast, so prepaying a lot of money should be handled with caution. If you are fine with a shared IPv4 (i personally wouldn't as there is no way to control IP reputation but it's the cheapest option) a quick scroll for example yielded https://my.webhorizon.net/order/main/index/nat which would get you a tiny VPS in OVH (at least they say their hardware is located at OVH it's not actually in OVH but a datacenter called soonkeat.sg - i misread OVZ as OVH...) Singapore (or Hong Kong/Japan) at $12/year. Disclaimer: I have no experience with this company so i can't vouch for them or tell if they oversell their hardware. According their help page it's possible to activate tun/tan though so it should be possible to run a VPN server on it.
Last edited by randomperson on Wed Dec 28, 2022 22:01, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by Festus1965 » Post

I have to deal with it, as it is only that page - and this mean exact what you are writing about hoster and or IPS in asia, may point on the one for forum.minetest.net and or also server.minetest.net

location of first complain : MrPhil : unknown
location of Festus1965 : Thailand, Asia
location of 3rd person : admin in Germany

I wait for MrPhil answer about location.
* as it it NOT only Thailand or Asia, and
* the download test fails special at Scaleway, France, Paris
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Re: Public server list no longer updating in clients

by MrPhil » Post

Festus1965, I just got your PM... interesting discussion.
Location is Maryland, USA. Provider is Verizon (fiber)

- Phil

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