Network error after attempting to restart heist/setup ...

[December 15, 2020] – New Content in Grand Theft Auto Online

• The Cayo Perico Heist has been added to GTA Online. In this update, players are contacted by Miguel Madrazo who will task them with infiltrating one of the most secure private islands in the entire world, evading or neutralizing the heavily armed security forces stationed there, and escaping with valuable evidence along with as much art, gold and drug money as they can carry. Players must scope, prep, and execute the Heist either solo or with up to three other players and will have the opportunity to access several new weapons and vehicles along the way.
• The Cayo Perico Island has been added to GTA Online. The Island consists of several different key locations that players can explore while scoping for the Heist, including a beach party where new DJ collective Keinemusik performs an exclusive set. Upon completing the Heist as leader, players can return to the Cayo Perico beach party at their convenience and invite others along for the journey.
• The Kosatka has been added to GTA Online. The Kosatka is a new driveable Submarine property that acts as a base of operations for planning The Cayo Perico Heist. The Kosatka can be customized with Guided Missiles, a Sonar Station, and a Weapon Workshop. The Kosatka also comes with a Moon Pool where players can store the new Sparrow, Kraken Avisa and Pegassi Toreador vehicles.
• The Music Locker has been added to GTA Online. The Music Locker is a new Nightclub located underground below The Diamond Casino & Resort, which acts as a social hub and is where players can first meet Miguel Madrazo to learn about The Cayo Perico Heist. The Music Locker is also the venue that showcases new DJs added with this update.
• One new DJ has been added to GTA Online. Players can see this new DJ perform at The Music Locker:
  • Moodymann
• A new feature to toggle strobe lights in The Music Locker has been added. In the Style section of the Interaction Menu, the strobe light toggle can be found, listed as “Music Locker Strobes” and can be toggled on or off.
• New DJ Request Missions have been added to GTA Online for owners of the Casino Penthouse who have completed The Cayo Perico Heist. Players will earn special rewards for completing these requests.
• Two new Radio Stations have been added:
  • K.U.L.T 99.1 FM
  • Still Slipping Los Santos
• Two existing Radio Stations have been updated with all-new mixes and tracks:
  • Worldwide FM
  • FlyLo FM
• New Hidden Cache collectibles have been added to GTA Online. Players can find up to 10 Hidden Caches on the ocean floor around San Andreas each day. Players who own the Kosatka Sonar Station can blip the Caches on their radar. Players are rewarded with GTA$ and RP for finding these Hidden Caches.
• Nine new vehicles have been added to GTA Online:
  • Kosatka
  • Sparrow
  • Kurtz 31 Patrol Boat
  • Vapid Winky
  • Shitzu Longfin
  • Kraken Avisa
  • Annihilator Stealth
  • RO-86 Alkonost
  • Pegassi Toreador
• One new weapon, the Military Rifle, has been added to GTA Online and can be purchased from Ammu-Nation stores.
• Additional new weapons have been added to GTA Online and can be unlocked on Cayo Perico.
• Over 180+ items of clothing have been added for both Male and Female characters in GTA Online.
• Over 30+ Tattoos have been added to GTA Online.
• Nine new Face Paints have been added to GTA Online.
• Six new celebration emotes have been added to GTA Online, which can be used while dancing:
  • Crowd Invitation
  • Driver
  • Runner
  • Shooting
  • Suck It
  • Take Selfie
• Several new Awards related to The Cayo Perico Heist have been added to GTA Online, including the opportunity for players to earn up to 1.4 million in bonus GTA$ for various Heist challenges.
• Five new styles of Blackjack tables and four new styles of Three Card Poker tables are available for purchase for players who own a Casino Penthouse and the Private Dealer. They can be purchase from the Casino Shop using Chips and equipped using the Interaction Menu.

GTA Online Fixes

Game Stability and Performance

• Fixed several issues that caused game crashes, freezes and other stability problems
• Fixed a stability issue that caused high memory usage for PC players, which could have led to pausing/stuttering on low specification hardware
• Fixed an issue that may have caused players to get stuck on a black screen during transitions between GTA Online content

Matchmaking & Networking

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on the sky camera after attempting to use the ‘Quick Job’ option to enter a Casino Heist lobby
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players remaining in the same session after using the 'Find New Session’ option
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on a loading screen when accepting a Job invite while inside the Arcade
• Fixed an issue that may have caused network errors during the race portion of the GTA Online Tutorial
• Fixed position sync issues with the Rune Zhaba vehicle when some players in a GTA Online session are running at a high framerate

Content

• Fixed an issue that resulted in the news van getting stuck on a sign stopping Mission progression during the Casino Work Mission – Fake News
• Fixed an issue that caused the Casino Heist Prep Mission – Duggan Shipments to end unexpectedly after launching
• Fixed an issue that caused the Police Van from the Casino Heist Random Encounter – Patrick McReary to appear during an Open Wheel Race
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Mission starting with 3 seconds on the timer in the Casino Heist Random Encounter – Patrick McReary
• Fixed multiple instances of incorrect button prompts that were present in several Arcade Games on the Japanese version of the game
• Fixed overlapping text that was present in the Arcade Game – QUB3D
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players with restricted accounts being able to see the custom initials of players on the high score screen of Arcade Games
• Fixed an issue that caused the Movie Props Hidden Collectibles to be missing from their intended location
• Fixed an issue that caused Lester’s car to not be drivable in the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that caused players to be stuck with no functionality in the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck after trying to launch the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to use the skip trip functionality in the in the Heist Mission: Prison Break – Plane
• Fixed incorrect objective text that was present in the Heist Mission: Prison Break – Station
• Fixed an issue that caused players to fall through the map during the Casino Heist – Finale
• Fixed an issue that caused players to be taken into a Casino Heist Mission after not choosing an option on the Next Job Voting Screen, despite having made no Casino Heist progress
• Fixed visual issues that were present after quitting spectator mode during the Adversary Mode – Every Bullet Counts
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to re-equip rebreathers during the A Superyacht Life Mission – Salvage
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to use their weapon wheel during the A Superyacht Life Mission – Salvage
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing camera functionality in the Gerald’s Last Play Mission – Make Ends Meat
• Fixed a button conflict that was present in the Arena War – Game Masters
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players falling under the map after modding a vehicle in the Arena Workshop Property
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to deliver Cargo during the Business Battle – Assassination
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on the objective ‘Hack the Security Panel' in the Business Battle – Factory Raid
• Fixed an issue that caused the Mission to instantly fail after launching a Sell Mission

Awards and Daily Objectives

• Fixed an issue that caused the Daily Challenge – 'Participate in the Featured Series' to not register correctly

Properties

• Fixed issues that resulted in players’ Arcade set up progress getting reset
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck after drinking at the Arcade bar
• Fixed camera issues that were present when entering the Arcade
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing movement functionality after storing the Enus Paragon R (Armored) in their Office Garage
• Fixed helicopter spawning issues on the Yacht
• Fixed visual issues that were present with the Office Garage cutscene
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to exit their Arcade after accepting an invite
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on a loading screen after driving into the Arena Garage

Vehicles

• Fixed an issue that prevented several variations of vehicle cinematic cameras from appearing for all vehicles
• Fixed an issue that caused the Bravado Gauntlet Classic’s trade price to be displayed incorrectly on the Benny's Original Motorworks site
• Fixed an issue that prevented Cargobob helicopters from being able to pick up the Vapid Peyote Custom using the hook
• Fixed several miscellaneous model and texture issues for the following vehicles:
  • Invetero Coquette D10
  • Bravado Gauntlet Classic Custom
  • Albany Manana Custom
  • Vapid Peyote Custom
  • Bravado Youga Classic 4x4

Clothing

• Fixed clipping issues that were present with several of the ‘Open Shirts’ and ‘Open Party Shirts’
• Fixed several miscellaneous clipping and texture issues for the following clothing items:
  • Animal masks (and other larger mask options)
  • Tucked Short Shirt variants
  • Untucked Short Shirt variants
  • Sport Shorts
  • Yacht Captain outfit

Miscellaneous

• Reduced the frequency that the player will receive call, text and email notifications regarding content from previous GTA Online content updates
• Fixed an issue that resulted in vehicles not arriving after being requested from Ms. Baker
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to interact with certain activities in the Casino
• Fixed an issue that caused the Avenger’s entrance trigger to not be visible to players
• Fixed an issue that resulted in spectators being unable to swap filters
• Fixed an issue where PlayStation 4 players without a PS Plus subscription would not be directed to the correct menu when attempting to access GTA Online

Story Mode

• Fixed an issue that caused some weapon magazines and attachments to be missing during cutscenes

Patch Notes for Cayo Perico Heist Update 1.52
[December 15, 2020] – New Content in Grand Theft Auto Online

• The Cayo Perico Heist has been added to GTA Online. In this update, players are contacted by Miguel Madrazo who will task them with infiltrating one of the most secure private islands in the entire world, evading or neutralizing the heavily armed security forces stationed there, and escaping with valuable evidence along with as much art, gold and drug money as they can carry. Players must scope, prep, and execute the Heist either solo or with up to three other players and will have the opportunity to access several new weapons and vehicles along the way.
• The Cayo Perico Island has been added to GTA Online. The Island consists of several different key locations that players can explore while scoping for the Heist, including a beach party where new DJ collective Keinemusik performs an exclusive set. Upon completing the Heist as leader, players can return to the Cayo Perico beach party at their convenience and invite others along for the journey.
• The Kosatka has been added to GTA Online. The Kosatka is a new driveable Submarine property that acts as a base of operations for planning The Cayo Perico Heist. The Kosatka can be customized with Guided Missiles, a Sonar Station, and a Weapon Workshop. The Kosatka also comes with a Moon Pool where players can store the new Sparrow, Kraken Avisa and Pegassi Toreador vehicles.
• The Music Locker has been added to GTA Online. The Music Locker is a new Nightclub located underground below The Diamond Casino & Resort, which acts as a social hub and is where players can first meet Miguel Madrazo to learn about The Cayo Perico Heist. The Music Locker is also the venue that showcases new DJs added with this update.
• One new DJ has been added to GTA Online. Players can see this new DJ perform at The Music Locker:
  • Moodymann
• A new feature to toggle strobe lights in The Music Locker has been added. In the Style section of the Interaction Menu, the strobe light toggle can be found, listed as “Music Locker Strobes” and can be toggled on or off.
• New DJ Request Missions have been added to GTA Online for owners of the Casino Penthouse who have completed The Cayo Perico Heist. Players will earn special rewards for completing these requests.
• Two new Radio Stations have been added:
  • K.U.L.T 99.1 FM
  • Still Slipping Los Santos
• Two existing Radio Stations have been updated with all-new mixes and tracks:
  • Worldwide FM
  • FlyLo FM
• New Hidden Cache collectibles have been added to GTA Online. Players can find up to 10 Hidden Caches on the ocean floor around San Andreas each day. Players who own the Kosatka Sonar Station can blip the Caches on their radar. Players are rewarded with GTA$ and RP for finding these Hidden Caches.
• Nine new vehicles have been added to GTA Online:
  • Kosatka
  • Sparrow
  • Kurtz 31 Patrol Boat
  • Vapid Winky
  • Shitzu Longfin
  • Kraken Avisa
  • Annihilator Stealth
  • RO-86 Alkonost
  • Pegassi Toreador
• One new weapon, the Military Rifle, has been added to GTA Online and can be purchased from Ammu-Nation stores.
• Additional new weapons have been added to GTA Online and can be unlocked on Cayo Perico.
• Over 180+ items of clothing have been added for both Male and Female characters in GTA Online.
• Over 30+ Tattoos have been added to GTA Online.
• Nine new Face Paints have been added to GTA Online.
• Six new celebration emotes have been added to GTA Online, which can be used while dancing:
  • Crowd Invitation
  • Driver
  • Runner
  • Shooting
  • Suck It
  • Take Selfie
• Several new Awards related to The Cayo Perico Heist have been added to GTA Online, including the opportunity for players to earn up to 1.4 million in bonus GTA$ for various Heist challenges.
• Five new styles of Blackjack tables and four new styles of Three Card Poker tables are available for purchase for players who own a Casino Penthouse and the Private Dealer. They can be purchase from the Casino Shop using Chips and equipped using the Interaction Menu.

GTA Online Fixes

Game Stability and Performance

• Fixed several issues that caused game crashes, freezes and other stability problems
• Fixed a stability issue that caused high memory usage for PC players, which could have led to pausing/stuttering on low specification hardware
• Fixed an issue that may have caused players to get stuck on a black screen during transitions between GTA Online content

Matchmaking & Networking

• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on the sky camera after attempting to use the ‘Quick Job’ option to enter a Casino Heist lobby
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players remaining in the same session after using the 'Find New Session’ option
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on a loading screen when accepting a Job invite while inside the Arcade
• Fixed an issue that may have caused network errors during the race portion of the GTA Online Tutorial
• Fixed position sync issues with the Rune Zhaba vehicle when some players in a GTA Online session are running at a high framerate

Content

• Fixed an issue that resulted in the news van getting stuck on a sign stopping Mission progression during the Casino Work Mission – Fake News
• Fixed an issue that caused the Casino Heist Prep Mission – Duggan Shipments to end unexpectedly after launching
• Fixed an issue that caused the Police Van from the Casino Heist Random Encounter – Patrick McReary to appear during an Open Wheel Race
• Fixed an issue that resulted in the Mission starting with 3 seconds on the timer in the Casino Heist Random Encounter – Patrick McReary
• Fixed multiple instances of incorrect button prompts that were present in several Arcade Games on the Japanese version of the game
• Fixed overlapping text that was present in the Arcade Game – QUB3D
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players with restricted accounts being able to see the custom initials of players on the high score screen of Arcade Games
• Fixed an issue that caused the Movie Props Hidden Collectibles to be missing from their intended location
• Fixed an issue that caused Lester’s car to not be drivable in the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that caused players to be stuck with no functionality in the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck after trying to launch the Heist Mission: Fleeca Job – Scope Out
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to use the skip trip functionality in the in the Heist Mission: Prison Break – Plane
• Fixed incorrect objective text that was present in the Heist Mission: Prison Break – Station
• Fixed an issue that caused players to fall through the map during the Casino Heist – Finale
• Fixed an issue that caused players to be taken into a Casino Heist Mission after not choosing an option on the Next Job Voting Screen, despite having made no Casino Heist progress
• Fixed visual issues that were present after quitting spectator mode during the Adversary Mode – Every Bullet Counts
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to re-equip rebreathers during the A Superyacht Life Mission – Salvage
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to use their weapon wheel during the A Superyacht Life Mission – Salvage
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing camera functionality in the Gerald’s Last Play Mission – Make Ends Meat
• Fixed a button conflict that was present in the Arena War – Game Masters
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players falling under the map after modding a vehicle in the Arena Workshop Property
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to deliver Cargo during the Business Battle – Assassination
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on the objective ‘Hack the Security Panel' in the Business Battle – Factory Raid
• Fixed an issue that caused the Mission to instantly fail after launching a Sell Mission

Awards and Daily Objectives

• Fixed an issue that caused the Daily Challenge – 'Participate in the Featured Series' to not register correctly

Properties

• Fixed issues that resulted in players’ Arcade set up progress getting reset
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck after drinking at the Arcade bar
• Fixed camera issues that were present when entering the Arcade
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players losing movement functionality after storing the Enus Paragon R (Armored) in their Office Garage
• Fixed helicopter spawning issues on the Yacht
• Fixed visual issues that were present with the Office Garage cutscene
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to exit their Arcade after accepting an invite
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players getting stuck on a loading screen after driving into the Arena Garage

Vehicles

• Fixed an issue that prevented several variations of vehicle cinematic cameras from appearing for all vehicles
• Fixed an issue that caused the Bravado Gauntlet Classic’s trade price to be displayed incorrectly on the Benny's Original Motorworks site
• Fixed an issue that prevented Cargobob helicopters from being able to pick up the Vapid Peyote Custom using the hook
• Fixed several miscellaneous model and texture issues for the following vehicles:
  • Invetero Coquette D10
  • Bravado Gauntlet Classic Custom
  • Albany Manana Custom
  • Vapid Peyote Custom
  • Bravado Youga Classic 4x4

Clothing

• Fixed clipping issues that were present with several of the ‘Open Shirts’ and ‘Open Party Shirts’
• Fixed several miscellaneous clipping and texture issues for the following clothing items:
  • Animal masks (and other larger mask options)
  • Tucked Short Shirt variants
  • Untucked Short Shirt variants
  • Sport Shorts
  • Yacht Captain outfit

Miscellaneous

• Reduced the frequency that the player will receive call, text and email notifications regarding content from previous GTA Online content updates
• Fixed an issue that resulted in vehicles not arriving after being requested from Ms. Baker
• Fixed an issue that resulted in players being unable to interact with certain activities in the Casino
• Fixed an issue that caused the Avenger’s entrance trigger to not be visible to players
• Fixed an issue that resulted in spectators being unable to swap filters
• Fixed an issue where PlayStation 4 players without a PS Plus subscription would not be directed to the correct menu when attempting to access GTA Online

Story Mode

• Fixed an issue that caused some weapon magazines and attachments to be missing during cutscenes

GTA Online just got a boost in new players due to the free giveaway at Epic Games, myself included.
After playing and doing some research online I decided to write this brief no-nonsense "tl;dr" list of tips, sadly not included in the game itself, for my friends. As it got larger and more thorough I decided to post it publicly - hope it helps!
(June 2020; PC version 1.50, mostly applies to console too)
 

The order of tips is simple to technical, meaning arguably the most important stuff is near the end.

1. Gameplay
2. Equipment
3. Business
4. Settings
5. Troubleshooting

 
[ 1. Gameplay ]

• Go to the Casino every 24 hours to spin the Lucky Wheel. Free and easy rewards.
• Complete your Daily Objectives for extra cash (found in the Interaction Menu, "M" key by default).
• Max Health increases significantly with every rank you gain until 100. Don't expect to beat a veteran player of similar skill or have an easy time in end-game combat missions early on.
• Strength increases through fistfights (NOT melee weapon fights or kicking vehicles, contrary to claims in other guides) and sports minigames. It's an important stat because of damage resistance. Best trained either by beating up pedestrians frequently or powerleveled using the "Blow Up III" mission (which is easy and prevents you getting a Wanted level) while beating up Paramedics (who take more hits than pedestrians) in front of any hospital (where they respawn in large groups). Takes 1.5-2 hours to go from 10 to 100 this way.
• The other stats will level up naturally as you play.
• If you run missions, always follow the temporary bonus rates. For example, Martin Madrazzo's missions gave 2x RP (XP) and cash rewards when I started so I ran those on repeat, with the added advantage of knowing them inside out. This is great for leveling, especially on Hard difficulty, though there are better cash options described below.
• If you have the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack (CE from here on) included in the Epic Games giveaway, "buy" the free stuff ASAP. You'll find it in the Escape > Online menu.
• The Bounty Hunter and Treasure Hunt activities (received through in-game e-mails) both give you a weapon: An axe with rage ability and a revolver respectively, plus $250k each after completing a quick challenge.
• A similar but unmarked activity is the LS Slasher for another 250k and revolver, though you'll want a guide to hunt it down (thanks to shoryuXE10).
• Playing with crew members increases mission rewards by 10%. Playing while in a business (CEO/Associates for example) gives minor RP rewards if you're nearby.
• It's possible to create a "solo public" session, as explained here. This can also occur randomly, which may either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you're doing (thanks to gargamel999).

 
[ 2. Equipment]

• Your weapon wheel will become a mess and the game will keep equipping the wrong weapon constantly. To solve this you can purchase a Weapons Locker for various player-owned Businesses, storing what you don't use (175k for Bunker is cheapest as far as I'm aware). Merely dropping crappy weapons only works temporarily.
• Get a bulletproof helmet ASAP at a clothing store, ideally a "Combat Helmet with Four Goggles" as this includes Thermal Vision (costs 80-100k). Both versions will increase the amount of headshots you can survive from 0 to 2, or 0 to 1 if the enemy uses a Heavy Sniper.
• "Cosmetic body armor" bought in clothing stores doesn't add any protection except during specific Heists. Only "Body Armor" bought at Ammu-Nation or during the Job start/end screens does.
• Get a suppressor ASAP for stealth Missions/Heists/Deathmatches, ideally on a Sniper and an (accurate) Assault Rifle. Missed shots and corpses can still alert the enemy.
• Unless your aim is amazing, get an Assault Shotgun ASAP. Also very good for blindfiring around cover if low on health.
• Get a Homing Launcher ASAP to take down moving vehicles, especially aircraft. You'll need to lead the target to ensure a hit, meaning "aim where the vehicle is going to be", or in some cases directly behind the vehicle so that the missile "slings" around to hit the rear.
• The Mini SMG is an excellent drive-by weapon due to its high fire rate, allowing you to headshot enemies in vehicles or pop tires more reliably. A similar option is the AP pistol with slightly lower fire rate but significantly higher damage.
• A very popular and cheap vehicle is the Armored Kuruma. While it can't withstand explosives like the more expensive armored vehicles can, it'll protect you extremely well from bullets without sacrificing much speed. An ideal mission and heisting vehicle (bought from southernsanandreassuperautos).

 
[ 3. Business ]
Once you have competent equipment, consider investing your cash into a (single) Business to earn more cash later. Note that most of my info on this comes from other guides:

• Ideally buy locations close together, centrally on the map and well-connected via roads/highways.
• Most importantly, choose something you'll enjoy! If you don't like driving, don't get Import/Export.
• The Office with Vehicle Warehouse creates the most profitable solo activity in the game, namely Import/Export (only sell "Top End" cars!). La Mesa, the cheapest warehouse, is often recommended. Cargo Warehouse is also a good option but requires friends to run efficiently.
• The Bunker is one you'll want eventually due to research (new ammo types, special vehicles etc), though early on it's more interesting as a source of semi-passive income which you can run solo (if you only sell a partial batch of product, also removing the need for the Security upgrade) or with friends (full batch).
• The Motorcycle Club with Cocaine, Meth and Counterfeit businesses for semi-passive income if you have a few friends to help you sell the goods every few hours. Cocaine can potentially be done solo with partial batches as well. Interestingly the Clubhouse that comes free with CE is the best one according to most guides.
• Facilities, Nightclubs and Arcades are better later on so I'll leave those for now.
• Arena Wars is a very interesting vehicular onslaught-type game mode, and its garage happens to be the best in the game for customization. You'll need to buy this to start upgrading vehicles to use in the Arena, but you can also try the mode without.

 
[ 4. Settings ]
First the important stuff:

• "Vehicle Camera Height" should be set to "High" so you can see what's in front of you past the first car or hill.
• Tweak graphics for a smooth framerate. Stutter during a shootout can get you and your teammates killed.
• Since Online mode blasts you with constant phone alerts, turn those off.
• If you use first person mode in combat it's probably best to still have cover in third person so you can see past whatever you're hiding behind; "First Person Third Person Cover" to "On".
• If you play Online exclusively you could disable the Landing Page and have GTA boot straight into Online, allowing the game to load while you do something else. However, first booting into Story mode and then switching to Online is reported to be faster (thanks to gargamel999).

The default keybinds are poor. Here are my recommended changes:

• This game doesn't allow you to leave functions unbound, so firstly rebind those you never use to keys out of your hand's reach. On my keyboard these are -, =, [, ], ;, ', \, ,, ., /, O, P, K, L etc. Possible functions include character select to free up the Alt key; recording for F1-F3; next/previous radio station for scroll down in vehicles if you use Q instead, or play without in-game music etc.
• Make "Interaction menu" easily accessible - I use F1.
• Make "Toggle Helmet Visor" easily accessible if you like thermal goggles - I use Left Alt.
• Make your favorite weapon categories easily accessible - I use 1 for Shotgun, 2 for Assault Rifle, 3 for Sniper Rifle, 4 Heavy Weapon, 5 Special Weapon.
• You'll likely want to tweak the Aircraft controls in-depth. How you prefer them is entirely up to you. In flight, Leftclick to enable or disable mouse controls (set the default control type in the settings menu). I personally use Shift for acceleration, Control for deceleration, W/A for pitch up/down, A/D for yaw, Q/E for roll and the mouse for pitch/yaw in case I need it (optimized for helis). Better yet, use a controller as that's what the game was optimized for.
• Optionally lower auto-center on Aircraft to avoid twitchy behavior.
• Also tweak the mouse settings. You've got Sensitivity, Acceleration and "Fine Aim" to toy with.

 
The "Online" > "Options" menu:

• Set "Remain Host after Next Job Vote Screen" to "On" if you know what type of job you want (including difficulty and team size).
• Set "Matchmaking" to "Closed" if you play with friends often, else the game will auto-invite from your session. Alternatively play in an invite-only session.

 
[ 5. Troubleshooting ]
This section is only useful if the game is malfunctioning somehow (which sadly is very common):

• If the load times are ridiculously long despite having a good PC, the network ports used by the game are likely getting firewalled by your router. You'll need to set up port forwarding on the router to fix this (1990's called, they want their dev team back). Google/DuckDuckGo "port forwarding" to find many excellent guides, combined with this official Rockstar page for the port numbers.
• If that's not enough or someone else on your network wants to play the game along with you, you may have to set up a "DMZ" or "De-Militarized Zone". IMPORTANT: This is HIGHLY unsafe. Any douche script kiddie will be able to infiltrate your network, so only do this if you know what you're exposing yourself to or have nothing to protect (like bank information/passwords). Again, Google/DuckDuckGo this if interested.
• If the game crashes frequently including during single player, try lowering the graphics options - particularly the VRAM usage shown in the graphics menu. The game amateurishly self-terminates when certain limits are exceeded.
• If that doesn't help, UPDATE YOUR GRAPHICS DRIVER. Often this is lazy general advice which rarely helps, but GTA5 has actually had major driver-specific issues (notably the d3d.somethingsomething error).

 
Lastly, and I had nowhere else to put this: You can currently get a free million and Pete's Arcade using an Amazon/Twitch Prime temporary offer. NOTE that it's set up so that although you can get the whole thing for free, it comes with automatic renewal for the subscription at 3 bucks a month. You can get rid of this either on the Twitch page or by contacting Amazon (chat) support.
Edit: Fill the arcade with the free games to get $3600 per "day" (48 mins). Optionally add the 90k game in the empty slots to raise this to the $5000 max (1400 more). You'll recoup the investment in: 90/1.4=64 "days" or 51.42 real-time hours.
 
P.S. If any veteran players have more tips to share in the comments I'd appreciate it.

Hello,
Just the other day I started receiving an issue where I can no longer join one of my friends on GTA Online. It seems like it is just the one friend and we both either get one of two errors:

1. Session no longer exists.
2. Unable to Join Game Session.

We are both on the same network and are physically right beside each other, however, have also tried joining separate networks, port forwarding, turning off both firewalls, turning the firewalls back on (with custom rules to allow the GTAO ports), rebooting both machines, joining via the social club menu, join friends, verifying the game caches and deleting the caches. I've also tried wiring in via Ethernet instead of WiFi to no avail.
I'm not too sure what else to try and it seems super strange that I can join virtually anyone and even regular online sessions, however, we cannot join each other.
I have a ticket open with Rockstar Support but they ghosted me for the past few days and haven't heard anything back. Does anyone have the same issue or has had a similar one that they have fixed that I can try? I would really like to complete the Diamond Casino Heist :).
Thanks in advance!