Server Connection Drops Every 18 Seconds

Vista installs with Multiplicity Pro 1.10 on both

from Stardock Forums
I've got two new PCs with both running Vista Business. Multiplicity Pro 1.10 is installed on both. I've got two onboard GigaEthernet nVidia NICs on the main/server PC and one onboard nVidia NIC and one PCI card Realtek card on the secondary/client PC. They both install fine, find the connection and connect, but exactly every 18 seconds the connection drops and sends the cursor to the upper right hand corner of my primary PCs desktop. Thus it is completely unusable at this time. Having used Multiplicity or Synergy for years with XP, I am really missing this functionality.

Here is what I have tried so far:
1. Tried various nVidia and Microsoft drives for the NICs--upgrading and downgrading in various combinations.
2. Turned off all "off-loading" functionality in the cards.
3. Turned on "off-loading" and turned it on in Vista via the registry.
4. Turned it all off again.
5. Made a cross-over cable and used the second NIC in each PC to setup a peer-to-peer direct connection and had Multiplicity connect via those.
6. Tried turning off services and processes in the primary PC to see if something was causing the every 18 second hit on Multiplicity.

Obviously, nothing so far has worked.

I also did try reversing which was primary and secondary. Interestingly enough, with my main PC working as the secondary instead of as the primary, they were able to maintain an unbroken connection.

Now I realize that the tray icon on the primary PC that I can watch go black every 18 seconds doesnt' necessarily mean that it is the main PC that is the problem. It just means the connection is being dropped from one or the other PC. But I've spent way too much time on this and I'm out of ideas or clarity where to look next or even how to clearly see what's dropping--a sniffer maybe--plus I'm getting out of my league.

Help...

Kripalu Das
multiplicity
3,661 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I should probably clarify: no, keeping my main PC as the secondary client is not an option. My main PC is a Core 2 Duo powerhouse and my secondary is Sempron that I use mainly for mp3s and email.

Kripalu Das
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Are you 100% certain both PCs have the same version installed?

A version mismatch will cause connection drops.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
On the advanced tab of each it says:
Stardock Multiplicity Pro 1.10

Also on the Details tab of the Properties of the exe file it says same thing.

I have also tried turning off the firewall completely as well as unloading the anti-virus programs and anti-malware programs with no effect.

For the time being I've gone back to synergy (which required a little hacking to get it to auto-start but atleast it's letting me have the illusion of one multi-screen desktop again).
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I am having the same issue but with XP SP2. I've been running the program for about 3 months now without any issues. Now suddenly the server keeps dropping and reconnecting. Does Stardock have a solution for this issue? I see they did not reply to the final post in this thread.

Any help would be apprecited.

Both machines are running 1.2 Pro.

Scott
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I have same issue, drops and re-connects randomly. Both Primary and Secondary are running XP SP2 and I upgraded to 1.21 on both in hopes that it would fix the issue. It did not.

It seems to happen more when browsing on sites with many hyper links.