Network issues/texture access

Started by Harvey Birdman, October 11, 2007, 11:24:08 AM

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Harvey Birdman

Hey, all -

I have a wireless access point attached to my LAN, and the wife's desktop machine at the far end of the house connects through this. The signal strength is usuallu pretty good; not great, but acceptable. It was always pretty stable until recently. One of our neighbors has implemented a wireless network, (both are secure and there is no contention) and since then the wife's network connection seems to be less reliable - it occasionally disconnects. Hooks right up again when needed, though.

So if I try to render on that system (loading .tgd, models, etc, from a folder on the server), TG2 will occasionally put up an error message saying it couldn't load a texture. I'll look and sure enought the network connection is broken. I reset it and the rendering continues. This doesn't happen when the project is first loaded - all the models load successfully, populations are created, etc. It's only while rendering that it will occasionally bitch.

The kicker is that the renderings have seemed to come out fine - no missing textures. So what's the deal? I'd expect that the textures would actually get loaded when the model is loaded. Makes sense that it goes to look for them when it actually needs them, but haven't they already been downloaded to the rendering node at that point? Don't they get loaded when the models are loaded?

Oshyan

I'm not sure, but I do think TG2 either only loads images when it actually needs to render with them, or that it at least checks the image location/availability when it does get to rendering that bit. *Some* textures will be loaded with the project, but I think object textures are only really checked when they're needed for rendering... not positive, I'll see if Matt can verify and provide more details. ;D

- Oshyan

Harvey Birdman

#2
Coolness. Yeah, it's really a pain, particularly so since that's how (wireless, i mean) I hoped to eventually connect a couple of dedicated rendering nodes to the server.I was going to stick 'em in the laundry room at the other end of the house - I already have a number of heaters in my office. I'm going to have to do something to improve the reliability of the connection if I'm going to do that.

>:(

Volker Harun

Harvey ...
I had problems with my notebook and wireless connections quite often.
It is very useful to set the notebook's IP manually. It reconnects much (!) faster after a break.

Harvey Birdman

Hey, Volker -

I hadn't thought of that. That might help.

I also have another 4-connection network switch. I'm thinking about running a cable through the attic out to that end of the house and putting the second switch out there. That way I could hard-wire stuff and not have to worry about it. I'm just not too sure the low-budget switches will like driving that much cable. 

;)