Curl Error (6) when trying to install a game

[#1]

I have played the flight simulator game Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) for many years with no issues.  I have done many clean installs, upgrades etc without issue.

This week I wiped the PC and when trying to install DCS I keep getting the subject error, midway through the download.

I have tried setting DNS to Plusnet DNS servers, to google DNS servers, and to CloudFlare DNS servers.

I have wiped the computer, disabled windows defender Firewall and protection and tried to install DCS with just the bare bones Windows 11 installed.

I have also tried adding both www.digitalcombatsimulator.com and cdn.digitalcombatsimulator.com IP addresses to my Windows Hosts file. Same result.

I found that by using a VPN I can download and install the game.  So that is a fix.  But I would rather not have to pay £20 something per year just to be able to install and update this game.

The wider DCS community doesn't have the same problem.

I have been with Plusnet the entire time I have been using this game (20+ years with Plusnet) and never had the issue before.  But what has changed now is that I recently had FTTP installed, which is making me think it may have something to do with this issue.

[#2]

@BugPilot Without seeing at which point the system couldn't resolve host name (using three different routes) it is difficult to answer this, but which VPN did you use, as the unnamed host is obviously resolvable?

[#3]

Hi, I used PIA  VPN(Private Internet Access)

thanks

[#4]

Thanks. As I said, there must be a host somewhere along the route which is a little 'obscure if even Google and Cloudflare can't resolve the hostname. Where is the game hosted/based?

[#5]

Does this give you that information?

93.115.211.146 | IP Report | DNSlytics

The downloads will start, but will stop at variable times, with the Curl error (6) message

[#6]

So, they are based in Switzerland - thanks. Once I've got my dinner cooking, I'll see if I can get to that address. MY route will be different to yours, as I am not with Plusnet, though.

[#7]

Thanks

[#8]

I can get to that address -see below:

1. fritz.box                         0.0%    31    1.5   5.8   1.2 114.3  20.2
 2. lo0-0.bng4.wh-man.zen.net.uk      0.0%    31    7.5  11.1   6.4  63.5  10.1
 3. lag-8.p2.wh-man.zen.net.uk        3.2%    31   12.1  12.3  11.1  13.1   0.5
 4. 51-148-244-49.dsl.zen.co.uk      20.0%    30   11.9  12.4  11.7  13.7   0.5
 5. r2lon2.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   32.8  16.4  12.4  35.4   6.4
 6. r2fra3.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   25.8  24.8  24.1  28.0   0.8
 7. r1fra3.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   29.8  29.4  23.9  53.6   7.7
 8. r1fra2.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   46.4  29.2  23.8  53.5   8.4
 9. r2fra2.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   24.7  25.7  24.0  37.8   3.0
10. 5-180-134-46.init7.net            0.0%    30   29.9  29.8  29.0  31.5   0.6
11. r2zrh2.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   30.0  30.1  28.8  33.7   1.0
12. r1glb1.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   47.2  34.3  28.9 121.2  17.1
13. r1zrh6.core.init7.net             0.0%    30   30.2  34.5  29.0 163.3  24.4
14. gw-nine.init7.net                 0.0%    30   38.5  45.6  28.6 136.3  19.6
15. 178.209.63.118                    0.0%    30   28.6  31.2  28.5  64.9   7.2
16. 109-106-19-246.static.xelon.ch    0.0%    30   64.1  48.3  33.6 120.4  18.1
17. 109-106-19-250.static.xelon.ch    0.0%    30   36.3  39.3  29.5 155.0  22.3
18. www.digitalcombatsimulator.com    0.0%    30   29.7  30.1  28.6  47.3   3.3

[#9]

Hi John, ok thanks.  But I have to open my game and click on update, the game handles the connection.

Bill

[#10]

I appreciate that, @BugPilot  - but it has to get to the same place. Ideally you need someone on PN to run a traceroute, as it will be totally different to mine - at least until the last few hops.

[#11]

ok thanks

Bill

[#12]

Just a thought Bill. You could do, or attempt to do the traceroute - at least that way we should be able to see where it hangs.

[#13]

Good idea, it did hang!

C:\Windows\System32>tracert www.digitalcombatsimulator.com

Tracing route to digitalcombatsimulator.com [93.115.211.146]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 3 ms 3 ms 6 ms 192.168.1.1
2 10 ms 9 ms 8 ms 254.core.plus.net [195.166.130.254]
3 12 ms 11 ms 10 ms 84.93.253.119
4 14 ms 9 ms 10 ms 195.99.125.138
5 14 ms 11 ms 11 ms peer2-et3-0-2.slough.ukcore.bt.net [62.172.103.216]
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 22 ms 23 ms 22 ms r2fra3.core.init7.net [5.180.134.19]
9 35 ms * * r1fra3.core.init7.net [5.180.135.128]
10 * 25 ms 23 ms r1fra2.core.init7.net [5.180.135.130]
11 * 24 ms * r2fra2.core.init7.net [5.180.135.127]
12 * 29 ms * 5-180-134-46.init7.net [5.180.134.46]
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 29 ms 28 ms 27 ms r1glb1.core.init7.net [5.180.135.161]
15 31 ms 27 ms 27 ms r1zrh6.core.init7.net [82.197.168.222]
16 36 ms 28 ms 27 ms gw-nine.init7.net [77.109.135.6]
17 30 ms 29 ms 27 ms 178.209.63.118
18 59 ms 54 ms 48 ms 109-106-19-246.static.xelon.ch [109.106.19.246]
19 45 ms 32 ms 31 ms 109-106-19-250.static.xelon.ch [109.106.19.250]
20 33 ms 32 ms 34 ms www.digitalcombatsimulator.com [93.115.211.146]

Trace complete.

C:\Windows\System32>

Bill

[#14]

It did hit a couple of hops where the receiving server didn't respond to pings (as can happen) - but got there. I wonder if the game serve/update server is elsewhere though, if it gives the response in your screenshot?

[#15]

Yes I just tried another

Tracing route to digitalcombatsimulator.com [93.115.211.146]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 5 ms 7 ms 5 ms 192.168.1.1
2 9 ms 11 ms 8 ms 251.core.plus.net [195.166.130.251]
3 10 ms 9 ms 11 ms 84.93.253.91
4 10 ms 10 ms 9 ms core1-BE1.colindale.ukcore.bt.net [195.99.125.132]
5 10 ms 11 ms 10 ms peer2-et3-0-1.slough.ukcore.bt.net [62.172.103.214]
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 26 ms 23 ms 24 ms r2fra3.core.init7.net [5.180.134.19]
9 24 ms 23 ms 62 ms r1fra3.core.init7.net [5.180.135.128]
10 25 ms 24 ms 23 ms r1fra2.core.init7.net [5.180.135.130]
11 25 ms 23 ms * r2fra2.core.init7.net [5.180.135.127]
12 27 ms 30 ms 27 ms 5-180-134-46.init7.net [5.180.134.46]
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 28 ms 28 ms 41 ms r1glb1.core.init7.net [5.180.135.161]
15 28 ms 28 ms 29 ms r1zrh6.core.init7.net [82.197.168.222]
16 27 ms 28 ms 30 ms gw-nine.init7.net [77.109.135.6]
17 30 ms 27 ms 29 ms 178.209.63.118
18 175 ms 53 ms 52 ms 109-106-19-246.static.xelon.ch [109.106.19.246]
19 45 ms 175 ms 37 ms 109-106-19-250.static.xelon.ch [109.106.19.250]
20 31 ms 30 ms 32 ms www.digitalcombatsimulator.com [93.115.211.146]

Trace complete.

Not sure what you mean by " if it gives the response in your screenshot?"