[PUBG] Implement TCP keepalives or PING/PONG mechanism for lobby connection

\[**UPDATE 3:** I've noticed the issue still persists in some regions, so I've implemented a fix. Please download the latest version of the app from the link below and give it a try.\] [https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/](https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/) **\[UPDATE 2\]** \- ✅ **The PUBG dev team fixed it in PATCH 37.1** **! See my post for details:-** [https://www.reddit.com/r/PUBATTLEGROUNDS/comments/1mqnwqp/pubg\_dev\_team\_heard\_me\_fixed\_the\_smoke\_screen/](https://www.reddit.com/r/PUBATTLEGROUNDS/comments/1mqnwqp/pubg_dev_team_heard_me_fixed_the_smoke_screen/) **\[UPDATE\]** *- Found a FIX, check* ***SOLUTION#0*** *in this post.*(OR visit -https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/) **THE ISSUE -** When a long match ends, and you click on '**Exit to Lobby**', a SMOKE SCREEN appears for long time before the game takes you to the lobby. Around the world **many other players** are facing this issue. **IT's NOT ME ALONE !** [Smoke Screen on 'Exit to Lobby'](https://reddit.com/link/1mhdifz/video/4rfstbxf80hf1/player) I was facing this issue along with my friends since long time. It's too frustrating to wait for more than 2 mins to go back to lobby. I'm a software engineer, I couldn't let this go. Wanted to find the root cause of this issue. I did an in-depth research and finally found the ROOT CAUSE. First I did basic troubleshooting mentioned on PUBG Support forum- * [https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/articles/900002196723-GENERAL-CRASHING-AND-PERFORMANCE-GUIDE](https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/articles/900002196723-GENERAL-CRASHING-AND-PERFORMANCE-GUIDE) * [https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/articles/900002205766-GENERAL-CONNECTIVITY-GUIDE](https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/articles/900002205766-GENERAL-CONNECTIVITY-GUIDE) Nothing was effective, so I began to suspect the **Internet Service Provider**. I have installed **two different internet connections** in addition to my current connection. I am experiencing this **issue only with my main ISP** and have no problems with the other two ISPs. **THE ROOT CAUSE - \[*****PUBG doesn't handle TCP Connections to Lobby Properly*****\]** [See the BLUE COLOR highlight, there is a 11 mins of gap between 2 requests.](https://preview.redd.it/l68o5pxo80hf1.jpg?width=1917&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e4168939cc6561d15905f07a396089db3fff46e) * **PUBG(Tslgame.exe)** establishes/handshake a **TCP** connection to an endpoint(**e9466.d.akamaiedge.net**) in the beginning to create lobby. * After lobby is created this connection becomes idle and doesn't do any conversation. \[**Screenshot - yellow highlight - 11:29**\] * When user plays the game, this connection is **IDLE** until match ends, and when user **clicks on Exit to Lobby/Leave** Match then again **Tslgame.exe** tries to connect to same endpoint with tcp payload of 355 bytes. \[**Screenshot - yellow highlight - 11:40**\] * This means there was no conversation between the client (**Tslgame.exe**) and server (**e9466.d.akamaiedge.net**) for 11 mins. * But many **ISPs** has **TCP IDLE TIMEOUT** set to 4 mins on their **router/firewall**. Hence the ISP router/firewall **deletes/kills** the IDLE connection if there is no conversation between client and server. (as each match is being played more than 4 mins, and Tslgame.exe doesn't send any packets within the match time hence ISP firewall kills the connection after 4 mins of idle time) * When the match is ends, and you click on exit to lobby the client tries to **reconnect** to the endpoint multiple times and **fails** as there is no connection to the server at this point due to ISP idle timeout, (**this is where you see the black smoke screen**) and in the end (after multiple retires, almost after around 2/3 mins of wait time) establishes a new connection/handshake (SYN/ACK). * Hence if a user plays a match for more than 4 mins and if their ISP has **TCP IDLE TIMEOUT** set to 4 mins, they see this issue after match ends. **SOLUTION #0 - Use PUBG Fireman App - Released on 11th Aug 2025** (Special thanks to **@**[Komm-Unity-Mann](https://www.reddit.com/user/Komm-Unity-Mann/) for suggesting the idea) * Download the App - [https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/](https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/) * **Demo** \- [https://youtu.be/PwGdjiFuaWY](https://youtu.be/PwGdjiFuaWY) * Also open-sourced the codebase for community use. (https://anitbehera.github.io/PUBGNetworkMonitor/ > Click on "**View Source Code**") https://preview.redd.it/mg01uv5gfkif1.png?width=698&format=png&auto=webp&s=8a8e7c20acd5256d690979441cb3ad16c4feb5d5 https://preview.redd.it/02poxoyhfkif1.png?width=1025&format=png&auto=webp&s=46d04e5762ee5e7e4b70b0b1ca8b1daa0d7bb95f **SOLUTION #1 - \[Needs to be Fixed by PUBG dev team\]** \*\*(\*\*✅ **PUBG Fixed this issue with PATCH 37.1)** * To resolve the issue, the application (Tslgame.exe) needs to send some occasional byte of data/empty packets to the server([e9466.d.akamaiedge.net](http://e9466.d.akamaiedge.net/)) every now and then to be disregarded by the peer. * Enable **keepalives** on lobby creation socket, use the `SO_KEEPALIVE` socket option. (handled by the application developer - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/winsock/so-keepalive) * Implement a PING/PONG mechanism Or Application Layer Heartbeats to keep the connection active. * OR, PUBG(Tslgame.exe) to properly reset and reconnect the connection to the lobby. * I have raised a **PUBG Support ticket #19499453**, I request you to raise a ticket as well, so that it reaches to the PUB dev team. * Raise support ticket here - [https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/requests/new](https://support.pubg.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) **SOLUTION #2 - \[Needs to be Fixed by ISP\]** * Inform your Inernet Service Provider to increase the **TCP IDLE TIMEOUT to** at least 1 hr (section 5 of RFC 5382, [https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5382#section-5](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc5382#section-5) it should be set to 2 hours 4 minutes/7204 seconds). * You may also ask them to change your home router, sometimes these cheap home routers are the culprit and kills the IDLE connections. * Which is very likely they're not going to change this value due to their infra overload. Also, these RFC standards are very old (Updated in the year of 2008). **SOLUTION #3 - \[USE VPN\]** * Using a VPN would by-pass your ISP, but you might see high latency issue. Since many ISPs prefer not to maintain TCP connections for extended periods, and using a VPN increases latency, I kindly request the PUBG development team, **on behalf of the entire PUBG community**, to address this issue by implementing a PING/PONG mechanism or application-layer heartbeats to improve connectivity for players. I'm happy to help on any kind of support required to fix this issue and available to discuss. PUBG Support ticket #19499453. Video and network capture file is attached in the support ticket as well. Also did a post on X - [https://x.com/anitbehera\_/status/1952398388529676624](https://x.com/anitbehera_/status/1952398388529676624)