[jr1under]

Because of what is probably a problem buried somewhere in the Mac's infinite network configuration options, my BBO connection will sometimes drop in the middle of a hand with no warning messages from BBO and no clues in the error logs. I don't think this is a BBO problem because it happens only on my iMac(Firefox or Safari) and not my PC(Firefox), also because a nearby partner has an identical system and no problems. I guess I'll fix it or it will fix itself, eventually, but meanwhile...

The problem is not so much the link dropping as it is not knowing that it's happened in time to rejoin the table. By the time I realize partner or opp isn't diving in the think tank, everyone has given up and partner has had to apologize and explain on my behalf.

Is there a way to place a small "I'm alive" icon that flashes or glows in a way that indicates that BBO and the browser are currently on speaking terms?

[Tola18]

That problem is apparently not only on your computer. It is not unusual somebody "thinks", and after a while gets red lamp - and thus we do understand shehe has connection-problems.

So there IS the red lamp, but apparently it is not sensitive enough.

[helene_t]

I don't think I have ever seen the red lamp on myself. It happens to me quite often, especially when using mobile broadband, and I don't know if other players see a red dot next to my name.

I will then write a dot to the chat box but that is somewhat rude, better to chat to someone else to see if the connection is there.

[Kaapo]

In the classic Windows version of the BBO client you can determine whether you are connected or not by looking at the number of people online (Lobby). If it keeps changing you are receiving data from the server, and if it just keeps displaying the same number then you quite certainly are not.

I cannot remember if the same goes for the Flash version, and I'm unable to check that because I don't seem to be able to access BBO with the Flash client using this computer.

[uday]

I'm messing around with various things to make bbo more efficient - one of the things i've experimented with has been eliminating that red light.

Another thing we do, tho, is: if you are sitting at a table aggressively boot you if your PC has not sent up the expected heartbeat. that takes about a minute. Not ideal.

There aren't many great compromises between instant-update and excessive-pressure-on-bbo-machines but I'll find something at some point