Remote connection

Applicable
MS Flight
LM P3D2
LM P3D
FSXA
FSX
FS2004
FS2002
XP10
XP9

Introduction

There are some problems when installing a remote client in FSX. Usually these problems come from the setup procedure or from the security applications. Simconnect uses TCP connections so it's sensitive to firewalls and some AV. This small document explains how to install a remote simconnect client and makes some considerations about connections.

Server Machine: PC with FSX

Client Machine: PC with remote application

Server Configuration

In vista

1 -

Show hidden files and folders;

Uncheck: Hide extensions for known file types;

2 -

locate the C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX

username is your login name

3 -

Create a SimConnect.xml file with this content

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <SimConnect.Comm>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
    <Scope>global</Scope>
    <Address>addr1</Address>
    <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
    <Port>Port1</Port>
    <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
    <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>

addr1 is your machine IP. You can open a command prompt and run the command ipconfig. Look for the line IPV4 address the addr is there.

Port1: Choose any port above 1024, do not use 8080

<Scope>global</Scope> - In fact is the remote configuration.

Usually you also need simconnect to connect to the Server computer (you could have a dll or an exe in the server that could use simconnect). So in fact you need two sections, a global and a local.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
  <Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
  <Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
  <Disabled>False</Disabled>
  <SimConnect.Comm>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
    <Scope>global</Scope>
    <Address>addr1</Address>
    <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
    <Port>Port1</Port>
    <MaxRecvSize>4096</MaxRecvSize>
    <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
  <SimConnect.Comm>
    <Disabled>False</Disabled>
    <Protocol>IPv4</Protocol>
    <Scope>local</Scope>
    <Address>127.0.0.1</Address>
    <MaxClients>64</MaxClients>
    <Port>Port1</Port>
    <MaxRecvSize>4097</MaxRecvSize>
    <DisableNagle>False</DisableNagle>
  </SimConnect.Comm>
</SimBase.Document>

Client Configuration

1 -

Install simconnect (Default location for setup is: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X SDK\SDK\Core Utilities Kit\SimConnect SDK\lib) copy setup for client machine

2 -

create a C:\Users\Username\Documents\SimConnect.cfg username is your login name The content of the cfg file is:

[SimConnect]
Protocol=IPv4
Address=addr1
Port=Port
MaxReceiveSize=4096
DisableNagle=0 

addr1 - See above it should match

Port - See above it should match

TCP Troubleshooting

Test the connection with all firewalls off. If it is working stop FSX and the client applications. Turn firewalls on and run them again. Usually in normal security level, software firewalls warm about the connections and allow you to open the ports with no problems.

Since simconnect uses a TCP connection the AV or firewalls could induce some stutters since they could monitor the port. This is specially true for port 80 and 8080 since they are standard http ports.