Connection Troubleshooting

Having trouble connecting Flight Deck ONE to X‑Plane? No worries—because FDO talks to X‑Plane directly over UDP, most issues come down to network basics. Follow the steps below.

Quick Checklist

  1. Same network & subnet

    Your iPad and the computer running X‑Plane must be on the same local network (e.g., the same Wi‑Fi SSID) and typically the same subnet (e.g., both 192.168.1.x).

  2. Local Network permission (iOS)

    On first launch, iOS asks to allow Local Network access. If you denied it, re‑enable here:

    Settings ▸ Flight Deck ONE ▸ Local Network → ON.

  3. Firewall allows UDP

    Make sure your OS/firewall isn’t blocking UDP traffic for X‑Plane and Flight Deck ONE’s ports. (Allow inbound/outbound UDP on your sim PC/Mac.)

  4. Correct IP & ports

    If auto‑discovery doesn’t connect, switch to Manual and enter your sim computer’s local IP (e.g., 192.168.1.50) and the ports shown in FDO ▸ Settings ▸ Connection and in X‑Plane ▸ Network.

Manual connection is not recommended.

Flight Deck ONE is designed to connect via auto-discovery, which is far more reliable and robust. If you must use manual IP/port entry, it usually indicates an underlying problem (firewall, Wi-Fi isolation, or disabled networking in X-Plane).

We strongly recommend resolving these issues instead of relying on manual mode for long-term use.

Common Issues & Fixes

  • “No simulator found”

    • Verify both devices are on the same Wi‑Fi (avoid “guest” networks).

    • Disable VPNs/Private Relay/enterprise Wi‑Fi profiles.

    • Try Manual mode with your sim PC’s IP and the ports from FDO/X‑Plane.

  • Connects, then drops

    • Weak Wi‑Fi: move closer to the router; prefer 5 GHz over 2.4 GHz.

    • Router features like AP isolation, client isolation, or guest mode block peer‑to‑peer traffic—disable them.

    • On iOS, bringing the app to foreground resumes the UDP session.

  • One‑way control (Flight Deck ONE sends, but values don’t update—or vice versa)

    • A firewall may be blocking either inbound or outbound UDP. Allow both directions.

    • Double‑check that X‑Plane’s network page isn’t bound to the wrong interface.

  • Auto‑discovery fails, Manual works

    • Some routers block/bungle broadcast packets. Manual IP/port entry is the fix.

  • Multiple sims on the network

    • Ensure you’re pointing FDO to the intended machine/IP.

    • If two sims use the same port, change one to a different UDP port in X‑Plane.

Where to Find the Right Numbers

  1. Open X-Plane ▸ Settings ▸ Network.

  2. At the top you’ll see the IP address of your simulator machine.

  3. In the same page, under “UDP Ports”, you’ll find the port numbers used by X-Plane for external apps.

  4. Make sure “Disable network connections” is not checked — otherwise no app will be able to connect.