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Topa

Jan 5 2006, 06:16 PM

Hi,

I recently got MechWarrior: Mercenaries I played the singleplayer campaign and now I want to play this awesome game on the Net.

So I configured the Router (forwarded the necessary ports), but it refuses to run. When I hit the connect button it says "ZoneMatch Status: Not connected Error: Finding Master Server..."

I have the right settings (XDSL, 768kB), the ports are forwarded to the correct IP the Windows Firewall is off and I do not have another. UPnP is also enabled...

Even enabling DMZ and/or turnung off the SPI-Firewall (thats the hardware firewall of the router I guess) doesn't help. Everything else works fine (e.g. browsing)

I also tried to uninstall the game, delete the folders (and even every reminder of the game in the registry) then Install it again. I tried it with and without the PR1.

I use Mercs with PR1 and Windows XP with Service Pack 2,

Athlon 1800Mhz
2 GB RAM
Asus A8N-E
Router: Netgear WGR 614 v4

I already used google and the forum search with no result (nothing I didn't tried already). Can anyone help me?

PS: Sorry, that my first post is about my problems with the game, nevertheless I hope you will give me some advice...

Frosticus

Jan 5 2006, 10:23 PM

Greets everyone, first post and all that.

Just posting to say that I am suffering from the same problem, I have also followed almost exactly the same steps as Topa in an attempt to resolve this problem.

My hardware spec is just under that which Topa has specified (has SP2 installed though) but nonetheless runs the game beautifully, I am currently thinking that the problem is housed within the router I am using as I have exhausted most other possibilities. I have opened all the necessary ports and have tried to connect with virtually all internet security disabled but, alas, no success. I have also tried enabling UPnP and DMZ.

The router I am using is a Dlink DSL-G604T, although no amount of fiddling with the settings has amounted to anything.

Thanks in advance for any solutions!

Topa

Jan 5 2006, 11:09 PM

Hi Frosticus,

UPnP is obligation, not just an option as far as I know.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 12:05 AM

Aha. I was thinking it wasn't a requirement as Mechwarrior 4: Vengeance was able to connect to zonematch without it enabled.

And hey, how about a team battle when we finally get this problem resolved? My little Raven is itching to get back into the fight.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 12:26 AM

Hmm, if MechWarrior: Vengeance worked without UPnP, than Mercs should be able to work without, too. But to turn it on can't be wrong anyways.

Hmm, I also like the Raven. It seems we have more in common, than this connection problem

I actually does not know exactly how it is like to play on the Net, so perhaps I'll have to choose a totally different Mech.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 12:45 AM

I'm stumped, honestly. Have tried connecting to servers via IP? Ronin's IP address should still be on the front page. That'll at least show if it's ZoneMatch related.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 12:48 AM

QUOTE (Topa @ Jan 6 2006, 01:26 AM)

Hmm, I also like the Raven. It seems we have more in common, than this connection problem

I actually does not know exactly how it is like to play on the Net, so perhaps I'll have to choose a totally different Mech.

The Raven is a splendorous little mech, and it excels in its specialised battlefield roles, but has its greatest success when tasked with scouting duties. This is especially true in the multiplayer arena. Or at least it was in Vengeance.

Personally I like to play primarily as a lure, there’s nothing more rewarding than pulling out a monstrous missile boat from its cover, only to watch it get beaten into the dirt by your lancemates fire. But, failing that, it's always fun to hunt down the wounded.

I love my Raven to bits.

Edit: Uh, well that was a shock. Everything seems to be working as soon as I did the whole Ronin IP buisness. Wow. Even zonematch connected as it should.

Now if you'll excuse me, my Raven has a long overdue date with some fat boats. Time to fire up the old girl and get to work.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 01:14 AM

It's because I'm just that damned awesome.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 01:16 AM

Bah, now I'm getting the "Cannot join the selected game" error whenever I try to connect to a server. Oh well, it's a step in the right direction none-the-less.

But for now...Onwards! To bed! Even a caffine enriched Raven pilot needs some sleep.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 01:31 AM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 6 2006, 01:14 AM)

It's because I'm just that damned awesome.

For being damned awesome you have to do more

I found Roninand there are displayed other games. However I can't join: "Cannot join the selected game. There may be networking problems or the server may be gone."

Rat

Jan 6 2006, 01:51 AM

QUOTE (Topa @ Jan 5 2006, 07:31 PM)

I found Roninand there are displayed other games. However I can't join: "Cannot join the selected game. There may be networking problems or the server may be gone."

I've gotten that error occasionally. My fix is to go into my router/firewall (it's a Linksys) control panel and disable and then enable the firewall. Works everytime

I did just check Ronin to see if everything was okay and it was fine.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 02:03 AM

@Rat:

No success.

Must resist...urge...to DESTROY!

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 02:12 AM

Perhaps that helps:

When I don't chose ZoneMatch in the Connection Configuration, but only IP, and then enter the IP of Ronin, I get no results.

But with ZoneMatch only I can see it.

I have to go off now. CU tomorrow and thanks for help so far.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 12:43 PM

"Slowly slumps to the one side of his Raven cockpit looking about as joyful as a house brick, he flicks an indiscriminate switch and the small roof above his head elevates up to a 45o angle. He raises up an empty bottle of whisky to eye level with his left hand, gives it a quick shake in the hope that some alcoholic beverage will materialise inside of it. Then, with a drawn out sigh of defeat, he casually slings the bottle away and tries to figure out where the hell his pants are."

Ugh, where am I?

"Notices the giant [TB] sign with his pants hanging off the corner."

Anyway, I've just attempted disabling the routers built in firewall then enabling it, but nothing is ever that simple for me. I'm going to do a little more research and continue fiddling with the router settings in the hope of it getting me somewhere.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 02:30 PM

Still no luck. Now I know for a fact that all the required DX ports are open and all the required MW4 ports are open. DMZ still dosen't seem to effect anything. I've been altering the router settings for almost two hours, atempting an untold amount of different connection combinations but still I always get the same result. I can access the server list quite easily, I can even connect to the chat program that is built into the server browser but I cannot join a server. I had this exact same problem with MW4: Veng. But somehow fixed it though I can't remember how I went about it now.

I have one final idea that might get me somwhere, otherwise well, I guess I'll either have to buy a modem or just give up and crawl back to reality.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 04:11 PM

Can you ping Ronin? If you can, try running a traceroute to Ronin (tracert 68.116.34.55) and post the results. Could be something in between you and the server that's causing the problem, and a traceroute will show where it's happening.

EDIT: Posting a tracroute up here WILL show your current IP number. If you're not comfortable with that, you can omit the first few lines, though that will trim out some potentially useful data.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 05:01 PM

QUOTE

Microsoft® Windows DOS
©Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\USER>tracert 68.116.34.55

Tracing route to 68.116.34.55 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 3 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 13 ms 14 ms 14 ms esr10.birmingham6.broadband.bt.net [217.41.221.1
41]
3 13 ms 14 ms 14 ms 217.41.221.30
4 14 ms 14 ms 14 ms 217.41.216.13
5 18 ms 20 ms 22 ms 217.41.172.78
6 13 ms 14 ms 15 ms 217.41.172.46
7 14 ms 14 ms 14 ms 217.47.249.178
8 13 ms 14 ms 14 ms core2-gig3-0.birmingham.ukcore.bt.net [195.99.12
0.41]
9 23 ms 22 ms 21 ms core1-pos14-1.reading.ukcore.bt.net [62.6.204.15
0]
10 21 ms 19 ms 20 ms core1-pos13-1.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [62.6.196.238
]
11 20 ms 20 ms 19 ms transit1-pos3-0.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [194.72.9.2
34]
12 24 ms 25 ms 24 ms t2c1-p3-0.uk-eal.eu.bt.net [166.49.168.5]
13 95 ms 95 ms 95 ms t2c1-p4-1.us-ash.eu.bt.net [166.49.164.74]
14 97 ms 98 ms 99 ms 12.118.44.33
15 175 ms 175 ms 175 ms 12.123.8.50
16 161 ms 162 ms 163 ms tbr1-cl4.sl9mo.ip.att.net [12.122.10.30]
17 176 ms 176 ms 176 ms tbr2-cl2.sffca.ip.att.net [12.122.10.42]
18 173 ms 173 ms 173 ms 12.122.80.177
19 159 ms 158 ms 158 ms 12.124.34.18
20 167 ms 167 ms 168 ms gx-x.cr01.mdfd.or.charter.com [68.116.79.10]
21 162 ms 161 ms 163 ms ge0-3-cp01.mdfd.or.charter.com [68.185.17.122]
22 180 ms 181 ms 180 ms 68-185-2-34.static.mdfd.or.charter.com [68.185.2
.34]
23 167 ms 166 ms 166 ms 68.116.34.55

Trace complete.

C:\DOCUME~1\USER>

There you go; I doubt any of you good people would use my IP number in any malicious way. At least I hope so...

But so long as it helps us come up with a solution.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 05:12 PM

Everything looks to be in order. I was hoping to see some kind of timeout error to something somewhere that might indicate what the problem was, but no dice. That and the way your problem seems to be intermittent has got me stumped. Sorry.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 05:16 PM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 6 2006, 06:12 PM)

Thanks anyway, anythings worth a try.

I've just stumbled across a great website that goes by the name of NibblesNbits Zone.com Helpsite. Maybe they have a solution to this rather annoying problem.

Edit: After a quick read through of that very helpful webby I have come to the conclusion that there is some sort of firewall that is causing all of this, although I have tried disabling all the firewalls I know of it still returns the same result when I run a reverse trace.

This webpage highlights my problem, as I am supposed to attain the first set of results when I run a reverse trace but with all my known firewall software disabled I'm still shown the second set of results. I'm now reading into the "How To Locate and Configure a Firewall" section that is located at the bottom of the webpage.

Hope this amounts to something.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 05:34 PM

At what point along the route is the trace getting no response?

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 05:47 PM

I couldn't copy it effectively so a Print-Screen will have to suffice.

And thanks for helping out, most people tend to ignore newbies with their problems.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 06:17 PM

It look sas if you've still got a firewall at your end of the connection. You said you turned off Windows Firewall, and the one on your router -- double-check that this is the case. Also, is your DSL/cable modem of the type that might also have some kind of firewall? What other security software are you running? Some AV suites come with firewall bells and whistles.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 06:36 PM

Just attempted the trace again with all known firewall software disabled, the same results popped up. The only other security software that is operating on my system is Norton Antivirus and as far as I know it has no firewall. I have tried the trace with the Norton disabled just to be sure, but that just confirmed it as the same results appeared on the trace.

I've installed "Port Detective" to see if anything suspicious is going on with the ports, I'll post the results as soon as it has finished.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 06:45 PM

Oh, check to be sure your router is set to respond to pings -- a lot of them has this option, and while it's generally a good idea to disable ping response, for diagnostic purposes it could be fouling things up.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 07:27 PM

I think I narrowed the problem down:

It can't be my router, since the other machine on my network is able to connect to games (although all the ports are forwarded to me).
My PC is connected via W-LAN to the router so it must be the Config of the Wireless Device...

But I have no clue what I have to do with the device...

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 07:29 PM

Frosticus are you using W-LAN, too? If yes we know it has to be a problem with W-LAN settings, if not the general Network settings are probably the reason.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 08:12 PM

The router was set to respond to pings, actually over the course of the day I've altered virtually all of the routers settings in an attempt to get this thing to connect. It seems that some of my open ports are overlapping although I don't know if this is a problem or not, either way I can't seem to remove them or edit them in any way. It just shouts at me that they are in use when I've removed them from the forwarded ports list. Trying to fix this problem now.

I'm considering switching the router around so this machine becomes host then run the network connection wizard again to see if anything decides to work.

PS: I'm not using W-LAN.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 08:45 PM

Well, I'll be damned. Just switching the router around was the key.

A round of beer for everyone!

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 10:12 PM

QUOTE (Frosticus @ Jan 6 2006, 08:45 PM)

Well, I'll be damned. Just switching the router around was the key.

A round of beer for everyone!

How do you switch something, so the own PC becomes the host?!? Or is the router the one to become the host? And the host of what?

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 11:05 PM

I worded that badly, well my router uses one PC as a "master computer" and the rest of the PC's connect through the master and the router. I just switched the router around so that the PC with Mercs installed is the master, and the previous master is now just a regular PC on the network.

I'm not too good at wording things, so I drew a crummy diagram to help explain:

Setup #3 shows what is working for me now.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 11:10 PM

Ok, but how is this master defined (I suspect I have the same problem, but I dont know how to change the master)?

Is the master the one with the lowest IP or what? And what function has it?

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 11:12 PM

I'm willing to bet that the proxy software or something else running on the "master" system that was fouling it up. Out of curiousity, why don't you hook them all into the router directly? Usually these kinds of things have a built-in 4-port switch or the like.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 11:13 PM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 6 2006, 11:12 PM)

His picture shows, they are connected to the router directly...

For me he only changed the position of the router, since they are connected in both cases only to the router...

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 11:16 PM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 7 2006, 12:12 AM)

I don't know how to explain it, but one PC is the main computer on the network. Once I changed the main computer to the one with Mercs installed (by moving the router to a different PC) it seemed to solve my conection problem.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 11:22 PM

QUOTE (Topa @ Jan 6 2006, 05:13 PM)

His picture shows, they are connected to the router directly...

For me he only changed the position of the router, since they are connected in both cases only to the router...

I saw that, it's just confusing me because the typical home network topology I've worked with looks a bit like this:

CODE

(phear my ASCII art skillz!)

What's odd is that is sounds like Frosticus is putting an additional computer between the hub and the rest of the network and is using Windows Internet Connection Sharing or some other proxy system to share the connection with the other systems.

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 11:22 PM

How do you connect the Main PC to the router?

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 11:25 PM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 6 2006, 11:22 PM)

What's odd is that is sounds like Frosticus is putting an additional computer between the hub and the rest of the network and is using Windows Internet Connection Sharing or some other proxy system to share the connection with the other systems.

But in the picture the other PCs are connected to the router directly, not to the Main PC.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 11:26 PM

Let me throw a diagnostic question out here real quick, so I can get an idea for how your network functions: Can the rest of the network still access the the Internet when the "master system" is shut down? Also, what brand/model of router are you using?

Topa

Jan 6 2006, 11:27 PM

QUOTE (Frosticus @ Jan 5 2006, 10:23 PM)

...
The router I am using is a Dlink DSL-G604T,...

The same principle as my router, but with a built-in modem.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 11:41 PM

QUOTE

Can the rest of the network still access the the Internet when the "master system" is shut down?

Yep.

I'm not well versed in the router buisness, what I am saying could be complete crap. But one connection to my router is different to the rest, I thought it was the "master connection" or something along the lines of that? I'll have to read through the manual.

Sorry for all the confusion. I'm drawing everyone else into my madness.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 11:43 PM

Don't bother, I'm just curious. As long as it's working, that the important thing. I can go pull the manual off D-Link's site myself, if I'm so inclined.

Frosticus

Jan 6 2006, 11:44 PM

Before I forget, thanks for all the help. I appreciate it.

ThrashDog

Jan 6 2006, 11:53 PM

No, problem, just let me get another two-clause sentence in. These read kinda odd, don't you think? At least when they're end-to end, like this.

Frosticus

Jan 7 2006, 12:01 AM

QUOTE (ThrashDog @ Jan 7 2006, 12:53 AM)

No, problem, just let me get another two-clause sentence in. These read kinda odd, don't you think? At least when they're end-to end, like this.

Hey atleast I don't typ3 l1k d!s!!!11eleven.
I'll keep my two-clause sentances thank you very much!

ThrashDog

Jan 7 2006, 12:02 AM

I was referring to mine, actually. And look, there's another! And another!

I can't stop them! AAIIEEE!!

Frosticus

Jan 7 2006, 12:04 AM

I hope it isn't contagious. Anyway, wasn't this thread about connection woes?

ThrashDog

Jan 7 2006, 12:09 AM

You must be new here.

It's not Banzai unless it's been derailed.

Topa

Jan 7 2006, 12:16 AM

Was the Main Computer the first you started after switching the Router?

Frosticus

Jan 7 2006, 12:17 AM

QUOTE (Topa @ Jan 7 2006, 01:16 AM)

Was the Main Computer the first you started after switching the Router?

If you mean the computer that has Mercs installed, then yes.

Topa

Jan 7 2006, 02:04 AM

I tried to turn everything off, then switch on, the router, then the Computer. But also with only the (Main)Computer running it does not run.

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