It takes a long time to connect to the server. Mods. doesn't appear in the garage or it takes a long time to load. What could it be?
Options - Misc - Allow regional downloads-yes

I've encountered the same problem. It's been happening for a few days now.

so ?

🤔 maybe need wait next update

Hi, the problem you are experiencing is not related to the LFS update. No changes were made in the code to download mods.

It has happened quite often that someone gets an internet issue around the same time as an update comes out, then they think it's because of the update.

I am sure, if you still have that problem and you revert LFS to the previous version, you will still have the problem, proving that it's not related to the update.

There may be a problem with your ISP or your firewall or something on the internet between your LFS instance and our server, but I'm sorry to say there's nothing we can do about it. If there's any way you can try a different internet connection, that could be a good test.

my interet good,
https://prnt.sc/ghkkHEOgcRin

I have the same problem and it came with the last update. It seems to be the same problem described here: https://www.lfs.net/forum/post/2133317#post2133317

Quote from Scawen :

I guess pinging the master is probably not relevant as the mods and skins don't come from the master server, but do come from our web server.

What's the ip address for the web server? so I can do a trace.

I have this same issue - server connections are fast and instant but Event list, mod page and skins fail, continually retry and eventually download.
Usually with lots of 'Mod rating in progress' messages before opening the mods list, things like that.

Started for me after 0.7G too - I've tested via a 5G mobile hotspot this evening and that works perfectly - so it's absolutely a home network/isp issue.

It loves the main server but not the website..!

I also did a fresh LFS install before this but as it works perfectly on a hotspot that confirms the game is fine. Just need to work out what my network doesn't like

Hi,

I'll post here because it seems like there's already a relevant topic ongoing.

I'm also experiencing mod/skin loading issues. I don't recall experiencing this issue myself issue until fairly recently, although I connect less frequently from this location.
(I access LFS occasionally from two separate locations with two separate ISPs, the one location has no issues whereas with the other location does.)

I know of at least 3 other UK users that are experiencing or have experienced the same issues, and the common theme is the ISP - British Telecoms (BT). Even though the issue is likely not LFS's fault, I feel this forum is probably the most helpful place to post about the issue and hopefully receive any recommendations on how to resolve it. It should be noted that I have not been experiencing any other internet issues at this location.

Personally, if I try to access the mod screen in single player, I get various results:

• Chat saying "A mod rating is in progress"
  
• Chat saying "Rating : Could not connect"
  
• Error box saying "Mod list : Could not connect"

If I persist, eventually the mod list loads up, seemingly without issue, but I'd still be hesitant in case some mods have not loaded.

When joining online, it takes a while to download skins and mods, and in some case(s) also says, for example "Skin : Could not connect - FBM_RENABOOST"

The other day when I was spectating a user, their mod had not loaded so I was spectating "air" which was jumping around while driving. Of course, I did not spawn or drive as this would cause issues for others.

What I have tried - and nothing seemed to have had any impact:

• Running LFS as administrator
  
• Ensuring Windows firewall settings are not blocking anything (LFS for private and public are ticked)

I suppose running a VPN while playing LFS would fix it, but of course I'd rather get down to the root cause if possible.

Thanks for your time.

Thanks for your explanation. I use fiber internet. I have a 1 gigabit infrastructure and I've been using it without any problems, but it's very strange to have this issue with LFS. Scawen says it's internet-related, but it doesn't make much sense.
I don't think there will be a problem with the firewall because it was working fine before the update. I guess the game can't interfere with the firewall with the update.

If you think it's the update breaking it, try running 0.5F and see if it happens there too.

I think there are no mods in 0.5F version. Why am I downloading 0.5F?

Sorry, my mistake, I meant 0.7F.

Yeah, I suggested reverting to previous version in a post above but I guess people don't want to disprove their theory.

Interesting to hear that the UK users have a problem with BT internet. It's one of the worst UK ISPs, in my opinion, even though they are the ones that own nearly all the infrastructure. But they are truly an awful company, I won't relay my own experience with them as is would take a few hours. It's more like a small book, what I went through trying to get connected when I moved house 17 years ago.

So, the best suggestion I can come up with is: Don't use BT. Perhaps have a look at Zen Internet. Trouble is you are probably tied into a 12 or 18 month contract. Certainly don't renew it, change away from BT as soon as practical.

Quote from Scawen :

So, the best suggestion I can come up with is: Don't use BT. Perhaps have a look at Zen Internet. Trouble is you are probably tied into a 12 or 18 month contract. Certainly don't renew it, change away from BT as soon as practical.

Please can you help by posting the ip address for the web server so we can do a traceroute.

[removed, not sure it's good to display in public]

As discussed on the other thread the skin and mod downloads are not https but plain old http and I wondered if BT doesn't like that.

It may be complicated by the fact that it goes through cloudflare too. I really have no idea.

I came up with a test, people who have the slow download problem could use their browser without https to see how that works to our website. There are some old pages of our site that can be accessed without https. The idea is to see if the same problem that you experience in LFS, is also reproduced in your browser when you use http.

BUT you have to use Firefox browser for this test! Other browsers do funny things so the results are unpredictable.

So, I wonder if people with slow connection can or cannot see this part of our site at good speed (using firefox).

Test for people with the slow download issue, use Firefox to visit this link: http://competition.lfs.net/

In there you can visit the skinning competition and there are skin thumbnails to click on so you download skins, and can see if that is slow / doesn't work, etc.

Quote from Scawen :

So, I wonder if people with slow connection can or cannot see this part of our site at good speed (using firefox).

Test for people with the slow download issue, use Firefox to visit this link: http://competition.lfs.net/

In there you can visit the skinning competition and there are skin thumbnails to click on so you download skins, and can see if that is slow / doesn't work, etc.

I am one of those who has the same problem and posted over on the other thread, UK based and using BT as my ISP.

I've just installed Firefox and can open the http://competition.lfs.net/ page and load all of the skins and screenshots just fine with no slow down.

@Boypower describes the issue exactly as I get it. I also tried LFS from a laptop in another part of the country with no issues.

Not sure what else to add, other than I hope we can get to the bottom of this and anything I can do to help, just let me know.

Thanks for the test.

Does anyone who uses BT get normal speed mod downloads?

As it is a big provider I guess we would have heard from more people if it was all BT customers.

I had this issue over a year ago however I have been on vodafone for a couple years, so I don't think BT is solely at fault. Vodafone does use openreach however, which I wouldn't have thought would make a difference but you never know . In the end my problem magically went away after a month or two of having to use a VPN to play LFS.

So I'm not much use in helping find a solution, just my experience with this issue.

I also had this issue semi-recently here https://www.lfs.net/forum/post/2118473#post2118473, and usually it is accompanied by unstable master server here https://www.lfs.net/forum/post/2105295#post2105295 . Unfortunately both problems are unsolved and there has not been a workable solution so far.

Ringed my ISP and they've reverted back repeatedly that it is not an issue on their end. Exhausted all feedback and possible solutions, so I've just put it down to LFS's host server having a meltdown for just particular nations on random occasions, that is not detectable on large scale.

For reference, when this sh*t hits the fan it usually does so for about a week or just under a week. In the meantime LFS is borderline unplayable, so I just go about life without nightly LFS sessions. Not really annoying per se, but if you hardcore cruise or race it will probably be a major turnaway.

Quote from Scawen :

Thanks for the test...

I can also open http://competition.lfs.net/ no problems on firefox. The pages and skins all load instantly.

We're also BT and I get the same issues with mod, skin and event listing downloads (rating in progress, fetching mod image etc).

Master server is rock solid and always has been though.

I know this is a user issue, not LFS but it really does make it unplayable outside of my regular leagues.

0.7G is when this started for me at least, didn't see any issues before that and we've had BT with the same router for a year, it's definitely the network though because like I said before if I hotspot a 5G connection it loads mods no issues!

I find it bizarre that it can connect and retrieve mods/skins, just not everytime, it will keep retrying and eventually get them all. I'd expect it to either block everything or allow it.

Couple of other things that came to mind...

- I've reinstalled Windows 11 (not because of this issue) and the problem is still there.

- I've also tried it from a Linux (Zorin) install using Lutris and the mod/skin downloading problem is there as well.

- Just an observation, but the map icon for the mods and skins that don't download for some people is replaced with a large orange circle.

Just a random thought....could it be SSL related, seen as those skin loads work fine on the competition URL?