connection babysitter (vpn)

[carriecelery]

I sometimes use a VPN connection.

For the past few months, the VPN mini-port will stop passing traffic every couple hours. I've verified this problem from several different computers. The problem is on their end, or something in between.

As soon as i disconnect and reconnect the VPN mini-port, service is restored.

After reconnection, i open a CMD prompt and run

ping -t www.google.com

(or some other site) so that i will know when the connection fizzles out again.

So, here's what i want to do:

I think i need to write a script that will ping a remote location every few seconds and display the relay times in a log-like format similar to a CMD prompt.

If several pings in a row fail, it needs to disconnect the VPN, reconnect, and begin pinging again.

The biggest problem i've got is i don't know how to make the log-like interface. Obviously a simple MSGBOX isn't going to work.

What could i use to make the log?

I realize i might be going about this entirely the wrong way, so i appreciate any advice.

[carriecelery]

$fail = Int(0)
$cycle = Int(0)
$var1 = String("www.ask.com,www.bing.com,www.facebook.com,www.google.com,www.hotbot.com,www.lycos.com,www.myspace.com,www.yahoo.com,www.youtube.com,END")
$array = StringSplit($var1, ',')

While $fail < Int($array[0]-Int(1))

$cycle = Int($cycle + Int(1))

If $array[$cycle] = String("END") Then
    $cycle = Int(1)
EndIf

$host = Ping($array[$cycle])

If $host Then
    Msgbox(0,"Host: #" & $cycle, $array[$cycle] & " - " & $host & "ms")
    $fail = Int(0)
Else
    Msgbox(0,"Host: #" & $cycle, $array[$cycle] & " - fail " & @error)
    $fail = Int($fail + Int(1))
EndIf

WEnd

Msgbox(0,"Error", $fail & " failures in a row.")

Edited November 12, 2010 by carriecelery

[GEOSoft]

Now that's doing some simple tasks the hard way. You don't need the String()s or the Int()s and it could be handled easier in a For/Next loop instead of the While/WEnd.

[carriecelery]

I solved the problem with my VPN failing to pass traffic by cancelling my wireless internet and getting back on DSL.

Then the only issue i had was that my VPN connection would occasionally disconnect. Perhaps once every few days.

I have my VPN connection set to attempt to reconnect up to 99 times every 30 seconds.

So then all i needed was something to prevent transfers while my VPN connection was disconnected.

This is the script i came up with. It has been working flawlessly for several months for me, but i realize it is probably poorly written.

I would welcome any advice.

expandcollapse popup

;This script requires: a Windows XP VPN connection named "VPN"
;This script requires: "C:\Program Files\uTorrent\uTorrent.exe"

While 1
If WinExists("VPN Status","Connected") Then
    Sleep(1000)
ElseIf WinExists("Network Connections","Link to VPN failed.") Then
    _close_uTorrent()
    WinWaitClose("Network Connections","Link to VPN failed.","",60)
    Sleep(1000)
ElseIf WinExists("Error connecting to VPN") Then
    _close_uTorrent()
    WinWaitClose("Error connecting to VPN","",60)
    Sleep(1000)
ElseIf WinExists("Connect VPN") Then
    _close_uTorrent()
    WinWaitClose("Connect VPN","",60)
    Sleep(1000)
ElseIf WinExists("Connecting VPN...") Then
    _close_uTorrent()
    WinWaitClose("Connecting VPN...","",60)
    Sleep(1000)
Else
    Run("c:\windows\system32\rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL c:\windows\system32\ncpa.cpl")
    WinWait("Network Connections","",4)
    IF WinExists("Network Connections") Then
        BlockInput(1)
        WinActivate("Network Connections")
        WinWaitActive("Network Connections","",4)
        If WinActive("Network Connections") Then
            Send("v{enter}")
            WinWaitNotActive("Network Connections","",4)
            If WinActive("Network Connections") Then
                BlockInput(0)
                _close_uTorrent()
                MsgBox(0,"VPN","There seems to have been a problem finding the VPN connection.",60)
                Exit
            EndIf
            WinClose("Network Connections")
            WinWaitClose("Network Connections","",4)
            If WinExists("Connect VPN") Then
                _close_uTorrent()
                WinActivate("Connect VPN")
                WinWaitActive("Connect VPN","",4)
                If WinActive("Connect VPN") Then
                    Send("!c")
                    WinWait("Connecting VPN...","",4)
                    BlockInput(0)
                    WinWaitClose("Connecting VPN...","",60)
                    If WinExists("Connecting VPN...")Then
                        BlockInput(1)
                        WinActivate("Connecting VPN...")
                        WinWaitActive("Connecting VPN...","",4)
                        If WinActive("Connecting VPN...") Then
                            Send("{space}")
                            WinWaitClose("Connecting VPN...","",4)
                        EndIf
                    EndIf
                EndIf
            EndIf
            If WinExists("VPN Status") Then
                WinActivate("VPN Status")
                WinWaitActive("VPN Status","",4)
                If WinActive("VPN Status") Then
                    WinMove("VPN Status","",909,561,367,450,1)
                    If ProcessExists("uTorrent.exe") Then
                        ;Run("c:\progra~1\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x86
                        Run("c:\progra~2\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x64
                    Else
                        ;Run("c:\progra~1\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x86
                        Run("c:\progra~2\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x64
                        ProcessWait("uTorrent.exe",60)
                        ;Run("c:\progra~1\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x86
                        Run("c:\progra~2\utorrent\utorrent.exe");For Win XP x64
                    EndIf
                EndIf
            EndIf
        EndIf
        BlockInput(0)
    EndIf
EndIf
WEnd

Func _close_uTorrent()
    If ProcessExists("uTorrent.exe") Then
        ProcessClose("uTorrent.exe")
        ProcessWaitClose("uTorrent.exe",60)
    EndIf
EndFunc

[GEOSoft]

That makes sense to me. Wireless connects are often a poor choice.

Just last week I added a 4 port wireless print server to my system. All worked fine the first day but the next day one printer started messing up print jobs and I had to move it back to a USB port on the system. The other 3 seem to be holding out just fine so far but I'm watching them closely. Another thing you will find with any wireless hardware connection is certain features will be missing.