Bug: Disabling Windows NCSI blocks Anystream

[carlosthegreat___1]

Hi,

when I disable Windows NCSI (or block the site in my firewall), then windows' NCSI indicator indicates "no internet connection" - though there is one.

That is OK.

Here's the problem:

Anystream then refuses to start up, though it could connect to the internet easily. Anystream should not rely on windows' status indicator but try to connect nontheless.

Can you confirm that misbehaviour - and potentially fix it?

 

[Prospere]

AnyStream is not relying on any indicator. What matters is whether there is or there is not an internet connection.

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

Not on my machine:

When I set
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet\EnableActiveProbing to 0, Anystream doesn't start.
It doesn't connect to Netflix but shows an empty screen.

If I set it to "1", it does.

Anystream's log stalls at
"[Debug] [netflix] Transmission attempt resulted in error"

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

@Prospere perhaps it's QT that's taking shortcuts
@carlosthegreat___1 generally disabling NCSI is a bad idea, the common way of solving the problem is to have NCSI ping a local server instead of Microsoft's

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

@Prospere perhaps it's QT that's taking shortcuts
@carlosthegreat___1 generally disabling NCSI is a bad idea, the common way of solving the problem is to have NCSI ping a local server instead of Microsoft's

I do agree with both remarks.

First of all, yes, I do suspect a library taking a shortcut, thereby affecting Anystream's functionality, too.
That, I do believe, should be fixed, as Microsoft is not "the internet" and the availability (or downage) of their server should not disable other software from functioning.
Therefore my post.


Secondly, yes, I'd like to do that, unfortunately whenever I tried, windows kept opening a web browser window when starting up.
Very strange behaviour.
This latter problem is probably my fault, I just haven't figured out how to do that correctly.
Do you have a recommendation for setting that up without generating that nasty browser-window-pop-up?

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

all the config you need is under

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

all the config you need is under

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet

Yes, I knew that, I posted that key

I'm struggling with this one, but that's probably my fault and a side problem:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/tr...er-edge-open-connect-corporate-public-network

Other than my personal struggle with the NCSI-configuration, still I believe Anystream should connect to the internet, even if microsoft's NCSI server is down

And it's not doing that right now, at least not on my machine.

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

And you've correctly set up

ActiveWebProbePath
ActiveWebProbeHost
ActiveWebProbeContent

?

 

[Prospere]

That, I do believe, should be fixed

Fixed by whom? We are have no intention of making any modification to Qt sources.

Anystream's log stalls at
"[Debug] [netflix] Transmission attempt resulted in error"

That line merely notifies the user of an error. I need the log file if you suspect the problem is in AnyStream.

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

Fixed by whom? We are have no intention of making any modification to Qt sources.

Well, you chose to rely on that library.
If it contains a bug that affects your program, you may want to choose an appropriate way to fix that bug.
Whether you ignore the problem, fix it in the library that you licensed for your product or implement your own workaround is entirely your freedom of choice.
All I'm saying is: it seems that Anystream fails to work when Microsofts NCSI gets disabled or blocked.
And I believe it shoudn't.

That line merely notifies the user of an error. I need the log file if you suspect the problem is in AnyStream.

Yes, I can certainly send it, but wouldn't it be much easier and more convenient to you if you modify your machines by setting

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet\EnableActiveProbing to 0

and then watch your code to set precise breakpoints?

השינויים כבר כאן ויש עוד בדרך

Great to hear

صديق، صديق جيد، هذا أفضل شيء في العالم.

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

Well, you chose to rely on that library.
If it contains a bug that affects your program, you may want to choose an appropriate way to fix that bug.
Whether you ignore the problem, fix it in the library that you licensed for your product or implement your own workaround is entirely your freedom of choice.
All I'm saying is: it seems that Anystream fails to work when Microsofts NCSI gets disabled or blocked.
And I believe it shoudn't.

Why do you believe that, you've done something that is expressly cautioned against by the OS vendor (from the page you posted):



Incidentally, that page expressly sets out conditions when a web browser window will pop up (your network requires credentials for access)

 

[Prospere]

Yes, I can certainly send it, but wouldn't it be much easier and more convenient to you if you modify your machines by setting

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NlaSvc\Parameters\Internet\EnableActiveProbing to 0

Obviously not, as AnyStream continues to work as intended regardless of whether the key is set to 0 or 1.

If it contains a bug that affects your program, you may want to choose an appropriate way to fix that bug.

A quick assumption made by 0x0x0x0x0, with all the respect, is just a quick assumption that does not prove a fact. As far as I can see - there is no bug.

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

Why do you believe that, you've done something that is expressly cautioned against by the OS vendor (from the page you posted):

I believe, the software should work regardless of whether a specific internet service is up or not.
I would write exactly the same if Anystream relied on, say, an NTP time server's availability, or the the new york times' apache web server or access to a specific bitcoin hash.

As for what Microsoft recommends or disencourages, I'd not like to go down that road.
I'm pretty sure, Netflix, Disney or Amazon would not recommend using Anystream, either, and I wouldn't care, either.

 

[carlosthegreat___1]

Obviously not, as AnyStream continues to work as intended regardless of whether the key is set to 0 or 1.

Is that a fact?

 

[Prospere]

Is that a fact?

Yes

 

[0x0x0x0x0]

I believe, the software should work regardless of whether a specific internet service is up or not.
I would write exactly the same if Anystream relied on, say, an NTP time server's availability, or the the new york times' apache web server or access to a specific bitcoin hash.

As for what Microsoft recommends or disencourages, I'd not like to go down that road.
I'm pretty sure, Netflix, Disney or Amazon would not recommend using Anystream, either, and I wouldn't care, either.

You're confusing a recommendation and an express caution that doing X will break things. If you don't like MS's OS pinging the mothership, you have the tools to change that; I've got all machines pinging my router that's running a primitive web-server and I have no weird side-effects...

 

[RedFox 1]

Neither do I, maybe its your VPN.