Got timeout reading communication packets ?

[tananaBrian]

Hi ... Running SMF 2.0.18 here (https://www.glacierboats.net/forum/).  I'm getting occasional 'timeout' errors ... my ISP says it's my/our problem, not theirs.  Can anyone provide some insight on what's going on?  Is there a way to fix or prevent this issue?  The error email and the ISP Support response are included below:



------------------------------------------- Here's the emailed error (to me) ------------------------------:
[email protected]
12:47 PM (51 minutes ago)
to bdixon

There has been a problem with the database!

This is a notice email to let you know that SMF could not connect to the database, contact your host if this continues.



------------------------------------------- Here's what my ISP said and the errors in the SMF database logs ------------------------------:
"Hello,

I have gone through the issue you have reported, checked associated logs. I found following logs those belong to the same database I believe you are using for your forums. It's related to forum configuration how it handles idle connections after wait timeout is reached. Generally it has to be configured in the scripts when connection is not needed so I would suggest you forward following logs to forum vendors or their community forums to find similar scenarios. Please note mysql server is fine, optimized and running properly as you have also noticed that your database/site is working fine. I didn't see anything else related to the problem.

2021-07-02T18:56:16.776260Z 1718548 [Note] Aborted connection 1718548 to db: 'ohefuwvk_GlacierBoatsSMF' user: 'ohefuwvk' host: 'localhost' (Got timeout reading communication packets)
2021-07-02T18:56:16.823302Z 1718549 [Note] Aborted connection 1718549 to db: 'ohefuwvk_GlacierBoatsSMF' user: 'ohefuwvk' host: 'localhost' (Got timeout reading communication packets)"

Thanks!

[Aleksi "Lex" Kilpinen]

With all due respect towards your ISP, that is a load of rubbish. You can check if you have the setting "Use a persistent connection" checked at this moment, and if it is - then turning it off may help avoid these situations a bit.
I say a bit, because everytime you receive an error message about the database connection - the problem is on the hosts side. Every time.

[shadav]

yeah sorry but your host is full of it
timeout errors are the hosts issue not yours
now that said you might be going over some limit of your hosting account to cause these errors, or if you are on shared hosting someone else on that account has done the same causing the issue

but this is your hosts problem not any script that you are using and sounds like you need a new/better host especially if they either 1) are lying to you so they don't get blamed or 2) really don't know what the heck they are talking about.

[tananaBrian]

'Use persistent connection' is unchecked (already was unchecked).

I thought maybe the issue was related to the fact that our forum gets a lot of LARGE image files uploaded, and that maybe the timeout occurred when reading a threat with many of these images ... dunno.  My members are clueless on image resizing, and as their cell phone cameras keep taking bigger pictures, then bigger and bigger pictures get inserted into the thread ....

Brian

[a10]

My members are clueless on image resizing, and as their cell phone cameras keep taking bigger pictures, then bigger and bigger pictures get inserted into the thread ....

The 7x4 meters large picture "looks small on my phone" lol
I have set max filesize, that's the law, learn how to resize or go somewhere else.
Made a help topic explaining why, with tips and links to apps, programs etc for phones and pc's.
A little moaning now and then, but they quickly learn and understand.

And of course, thumbnails, so as to not force anyone to start downloading a bunch of large files immediately upon clicking on a topic.

[shadav]

'Use persistent connection' is unchecked (already was unchecked).

I thought maybe the issue was related to the fact that our forum gets a lot of LARGE image files uploaded, and that maybe the timeout occurred when reading a threat with many of these images ... dunno.  My members are clueless on image resizing, and as their cell phone cameras keep taking bigger pictures, then bigger and bigger pictures get inserted into the thread ....

Brian

this may be something you want to install: https://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=4082
won't help with people uploading things but will help you a bit on the backend

for my own personal use I use these two sites to help optimize images
kraken.io/web-interface
imagerecycle.com/uploader/uploader#
I go through all the themes, smilies, etc images on my sites and optimize all the images to the smallest sizes I can get them
I mean we're not talking much per image but over all images it can add up a bit, still not much but every little bit helps to save on diskspace and bandwidth