gthomson

I've been getting Zwift updates every week that I have a ride and I'm not keeping on top of the changes but does anyone know if there's a reason why the list of riders around keeps appearing and disappearing? Very random, every few seconds the riders are there and then they disappear.

Is that as expected or is there a problem?

caloso

For me that means my wifi has dropped out.

tempocyclist

That's a connectivity issue. It'll be a problem on your side, rather than Zwift's side.

Either your home WiFi is dropping out or patchy in your training space, or your internet speeds are slowing causing connection to the Zwift server to be lost for a second (so it can't fetch and update rider positions).

spelger

There are some tools that can be used to verify dropping connections. Some internet site that I can't recall. Just drop your zwift log file in and you get all sorts if stats.

spelger

Here it is...

https://zwiftalizer.com/

gthomson

thanks, I forgot about this site. i don't connect through WIFI but direct connection to my hub and the reason I was wondering is because it's been a recent thing. I'm online all day with Zoom meetings and work and don't normally have a connection issue so looking at all the options.

Will try running a speed test as well to see if that is any indication. I pay a lot of money for high speed connection so sure hope that's not the problem.

Ok update, so Zwift Analyzer indicates I am having ANT problems which is what I suspected. I wonder if it's interfering with a device already running Bluetooth? or maybe the USB port the dongle is connected with is unstable?

Whenever I connect on Zwift and start to pair I notice the blue tooth option has that caution sign.

spelger

unfortunately Ant and Bluetooth share the same freq band. So do microwave ovens and old cordless phones. any of these still around? our older microwave leaked causing my kids' Nintendo hand controller to weird out. noticed the weirdness became greater one day when they moved closer to the oven while it had been on. changed that out right away and problem solved.

Viich

In addition to all of that, remember that some 2.4GHz Wifi channels are actually in the same frequency band as well. You might get better results with using a USB extension cable to position your ANT+ stick under your bike - the range on ANT+ is really short.

That being said (and you need to sort out the Ant+ problem) - an ant problem won't cause the disappearing, that's a network problem. I don't know what's causing it, but you are having issues with your connection to the internet.

gthomson

So I found some articles online and this is a problem other rides are having. After reading the extensive article below, I had an idea that it might have been my VPN I was connecting through which appears to have been the problem. Zwifted on the weekend and didn't connect through the VPN and had no problems. The Author of article below talks about firewalls blocking the Zwift packets which is probably what my work VPN was doing as well.
Nearby Zwifters Disappearing from the Screen – A Story of Zwift Troubleshooting - Zwift Insider

spelger

i had this happen before but for a different reason, my router inside the house crapped out momentarily for about a half hour or so. at first i didn't know what was going on and texted the kids to reset it and all riders came back. but i kind of liked it, riding (can't recall where) all alone was kind of nice. the usual riding i do in real life not including cars.

unterhausen

Yeah, the university wouldn't like those packets at all. I had a heck of a time setting up one of our labs because they didn't like some packets from a motion capture system. Even though it was on a private, isolated network. Had to install netshark and log the packets myself before I could convince them to let my packets through.

gthomson

I'm pretty sure the only reason it's not outright banned is the owner of the company is a big Zwift advocate so I'm assuming he's given it the OK. As a recent security measure, we were told to sign into VPN at all times now and that must be the difference in not noticing this problem in the past.

Spelger, normally I wouldn't care about the people riding around me either but as the seasons change I'll start dedicating more time to Zwifting which will mean group rides or races so the people come in handy then. Normally if I'm having network issues, I lose my pairing option and my guy just stops pedaling and my numbers all go down to zero. That's even more annoying when in a race or group ride.

spelger

well, it was nice but i wouldn't want to do it on a routine basis. i sort of rely on faster riders so i can push a bit harder to try to catch up. i don't compete with them, i only use them as tools. i know, does not sound very nice.

Ed Wiser

Zwift is always crazy. I see riders coming across fields that have not roads Or standing in a concrete side walk up to their knees.