VR Multiplayer: Client APK Crashes on Brief Server Disconnection - Need Network Expert Assistance

Development Programming & Scripting
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Hello everyone,

We’re developing a location-based VR experience and facing a critical issue with network stability. We’re under a tight deadline and would greatly appreciate the guidance of an Unreal networking expert who could help bulletproof our application against network-related bugs.

Project Overview

  • Engine Version: Unreal Engine 5.5

  • Server: Dedicated Windows Server

  • Clients: 52x Pico 4 Ultra Enterprise headsets

  • SDK: Pico XR Plugin

  • Project Type: Blueprint (open to converting to C++ if needed)

  • Session Duration: 45 minutes

  • Play Area: 300m² (8m width rectangle)

Network Configuration

  • Access Point: Single Ubiquiti U7 Pro (XGS)

  • Network: 10G backend infrastructure

  • WiFi: 5GHz and 6GHz merged

  • Replication: Avatar positions only @ 15 FPS

The Problem

When a headset briefly loses connection to the server, the client APK crashes immediately. Important notes:

  • The headset’s WiFi connection itself never drops

  • The connection to the server is lost for what appears to be milliseconds

  • The crash happens despite the WiFi staying active

  • After crash, the app auto-restarts (kiosk mode) and reconnects successfully

What We’re Looking For

  1. Identify the root cause of these brief server disconnections

  2. Prevent the APK from crashing when disconnections occur - ideally, avatar positions would just stop updating temporarily until reconnection, rather than crashing the entire application

  3. Expert consultation to help bulletproof our networking implementation against these types of issues

Testing Results

We stress-tested with 60 headsets on the ground (no human interference) for over 1 hour:

  • 2 disconnections/crashes occurred

  • Based on this, we suspect player density in the physical space might be a contributing factor (bodies blocking WiFi signals?)

Questions

  • Has anyone experienced similar issues with large-scale VR multiplayer setups?

  • Are there known best practices for handling brief network interruptions in Unreal multiplayer to prevent crashes?

  • Could the Pico 4 Ultra’s network handling be contributing to this?

  • Is there an Unreal networking expert available for consultation on this project?

Time is of the essence for us. We’re open to converting the project to C++ if necessary to solve this issue.

Any insights or suggestions would be incredibly helpful.

Thank you!