BleepingComputer.com: Online Gaming, Routers And Whatnot :-\

I changed my ISP recently and I can't play online anymore. I'm pretty much just glad now I didn't buy Guild Wars, WoW and FF XI while I waited for my internet to come back.

I got it back a couple of weeks ago but after I forwarded my ports I no longer can play online (well I can play one game, Starcraft) The helpers on Gamespy told me to talk with the game manufacturer (in that case Bioware) but it's not just one game, it's all of them except for Starcraft. w00t to old games ^^

What can I do about this? Should I contact my ISP? (who don't have any idea what they are talking about BTW) or is there a way for me to connect wthout the router?
I have tried to hook on to the modem directly but I can't load as much as a web page.
And if I can configure my computer to connect without the router please tell me how to configure it back, it's there for a reason ^^

This may be a simple fix, but have you tried unplugging the router/modem? I may not know what i'm talking about, but back in the day, when i switched my modem from my pc to my ps2, i had to unplug it so that it could "reset" to the hardware.

Just unplugging both the modem and router (power sources) for a minute or 2, then trying again.

The only other problem i could think of would be with firewall issues.

Sorry if this doesn't help, just trying to throw out ideas.

Your router can be blocking ports. Do any multiplayer games work? Some routers have firewalls which block port which are required to play the game.

YAY replies <3

Thank you for bothering ^^
Uhhm to answer Nat Sci's question; StarCraft works without a problem, and I forwarded the ports (again) like I did last time and then it worked (the last time I forwarded). The router's firewall is disabled so it must be blocking the ports even if I forwarded them.

@Heretic Monkey: Hmm yes that might work, but I had loads of trouble getting it to work when I connected it. It kept on blinking red on the PWR light... That was strange and suddenly it worked. hmm. Can the router be damaged or something?

EDIT: I haven't tried my PS2 as of yet but previously I just took the cable out of my PC and into my PS2 and it worked. I'll try to connect and edit my post with the result.

EDIT AGAIN: *cries* I couldn't connect with my PS2
I got "your console cannot connect to Gamespy, please check your internet connection".

I am very sad now...

EDIT AGAIN AGAIN:
Uhhm, Tech support on Battle.net's U.S. West server had no idea why I can't play. I have tried to take out the cables but that didn't help either ;_;

I AM DOOMED!!!!

This post has been edited by Robin_norway: 27 November 2006 - 06:10 PM

Generally hardware firewalls don't block you from playing on other servers; but unless you open ports, or put your gaming machine in the DMZ, you generally can't host games.

Just for fun, try bypassing the router and connecting directly from the modem, see what happens. At least that would determine whether the HW firewall has anything to do with it.

Do you have a software firewall going? And if so, is it set up to ask you to allow/block programs that try to access the network? It might be blocking them without asking permission, the sneaky thing.

As for damaged equipment, you'd probably not detect the network if that were the case, just my guess though.

Edit: do you get an IP? Go to console, type "ipconfig" at the command prompt. If you are connected to a router, it should display the IP that the router assigns your machine; 192.168.1.XXX, XXX would be the # your individual machine is assigned. If not, again try bypassing the Router and connecting to the line directly, check again if you get an IP. That IP should be the one assigned by your ISP. If you get an IP then, but not while connected to the router, then the router has taken a dump. If you can't get an IP either way, and your ISP says things are cool on their end, there might be a windows-related problem!

Hope that helps...I know how frustrating network stuff can be...

This post has been edited by locally pwned: 27 November 2006 - 07:35 PM

[quote name='locally pwned' date='Nov 28 2006, 01:29 AM' post='401807']
Generally hardware firewalls don't block you from playing on other servers; but unless you open ports, or put your gaming machine in the DMZ, you generally can't host games. [/quote]
Ok I think I just did that, but I have tried it before. And it didn't help.
[quote]
Just for fun, try bypassing the router and connecting directly from the modem, see what happens. At least that would determine whether the HW firewall has anything to do with it. [/quote]
I have tried that already aswell and I couldn't even load pages on the internet.
Also the router's FW is disabled.

[quote]
Do you have a software firewall going? And if so, is it set up to ask you to allow/block programs that try to access the network? It might be blocking them without asking permission, the sneaky thing. [/quote]
Im using Kerio, and belive me when I say it asks about almost everything my PC is trying to do be it applications trying to connect on the web or app's trying to run DLL's as a program, but I'll look in the list of applications. And I did, all my games are granted access.

[quote]
As for damaged equipment, you'd probably not detect the network if that were the case, just my guess though.[/quote]
Ya, it was just a thought from my side aswell. Checking every possibility and etc.

Edit: do you get an IP? Go to console, type "ipconfig" at the command prompt. If you are connected to a router, it should display the IP that the router assigns your machine; 192.168.1.XXX, XXX would be the # your individual machine is assigned. If not, again try bypassing the Router and connecting to the line directly, check again if you get an IP. That IP should be the one assigned by your ISP. If you get an IP then, but not while connected to the router, then the router has taken a dump. If you can't get an IP either way, and your ISP says things are cool on their end, there might be a windows-related problem!

Hope that helps...I know how frustrating network stuff can be...
[/quote]
I get an IP when I'm connected on the router 192.168.1.4

So maybe I should try to re-install Winblows? But I'm not comfortable messing with my OS >_>
Should I uninstall it first somehow and then install or do a "repair installation"?
BTW, my Windows has been... sort of funny lately.. I mean for instance the style on my desktop theme is allways going to basic or old Windows style and some problems with my soundcard... or something..

This post has been edited by Robin_norway: 28 November 2006 - 10:37 AM

i'm connected on a LAN myself and for whatever reason i cant get online with my PS2. i can play online games on my computer, i can browse websites on my computer but when i plug the ethernet cable into the back of my PC connecting to the PS2, it wont work.

i tried typing in the information on my Online Start up disc, that comes with the network adapter, but it cant find the server. i choose the Automatic Configuration option and it still cant find the Server.

It does work when i plug the cable into the back of my router. It used to work fine a year ago and then i moved out of my parents house and i got a new IP. It took a while for it to work for whatever reason but it did. Then i moved back in to my parents house, i tried using the same method and it still wont work.

I made a thread about this a while back but none of the methods worked.

Any new blood able to help me out with this problem?

Usually to host games you have to open port 6112. Maybe theres more ports on your router that are blocked. It may be a safer router. Try contacting your ISP