Just tested this, Hasami, can confirm. My server is set to 14 chunks. If my client is at 15 or higher, everything seems normal. The moment I set my client chunks to 13 or lower, the world stops loading in all directions. If I log in with <13, it loads the initial area around me but refuses to load anything more, even if I raise my chunks to 15+ again, a relog is required.
My client and server are both on sun java, as you say I don't think it's related.
I also have this issue on my linux multiplayer server. For now, I did /kill @e[type=drowned] and /gamerule doMobSpawn false so we can at least play without mobs until a fix.
Just tested this, Hasami, can confirm. My server is set to 14 chunks. If my client is at 15 or higher, everything seems normal. The moment I set my client chunks to 13 or lower, the world stops loading in all directions. If I log in with <13, it loads the initial area around me but refuses to load anything more, even if I raise my chunks to 15+ again, a relog is required.
My client and server are both on sun java, as you say I don't think it's related.