I'm sure that the room variable points to the correct room - I actually include the roomId when setting the room variable.

smartFox.setRoomVariables(rVars, _roomId)


the reason I'm not using getActiveRoom() is because I don't leave the lobby when I join the game room.

// Docs snippet //

NOTE ...

Scenerio - (_activeRoom is my private member used to keep track)

Client1:
- logs in to zone
- joins Lobby Room
- joins Game Room 1 - is set to Player1
- sets room vars: ("player1_Name", "name") & ("player1_Char", n)
- 1 at a time

// code snippet from my connection class

public function ...

however

user.isSpectator() returns false
user.getPlayerId() returns -1 (spectator)

when called in the onLogin event handler

Are you sure is the onLogin event handler? That's the event that is fired after you have successfully joined a Zone, but you are not logged in any room yet.
Maybe you mean ...

Server 1.4.5 beta AS3

joining a gameroom with server.joinRoom(roomId, pass, false) seems to correctly return a player number (1 or 2) and error out if a 3rd player attempts to join (maxUsers set to 2, maxSpectators set to 25)

however

user.isSpectator() returns false
user.getPlayerId() returns ...