multiplayer problems

[raygun23 0]

OK, Here is what is encountered: Myself and a few others get on INTERNET and add our addresses to play multiplayer (this is not on UBI either). We start off being able to see the guy running as the server so we connect to his game. While we are all in the "lobby" room of the game we select "ready" and then the game launches. Part of the time we can connect and play for a while, but most of the time it puts us into the game with the screen showing "waiting for players to join. When we get out of the game and back to the "multiplayer main screen" to restart it, the guy who is playing the server shows up as unknown. Then we cannot connect together to play. We then take turns in create a game to see if one of us will show up, but no one does.

We usually have some mods activated, but when we "lose it", we deactivate all the mods and just have Desert Seige and Island Thunder activated and we still can not see one another.

Can someone help with this issue.

Oh, by the way, we are all running the same mods and WinXP on our computers.

[WOLFAnubis 0]

have you tried restarting GR before trying to search for the friends game after this problem?

if you do what does it say?

[NightCrawler 137]

Sounds like you're having connection issues, are you dial-up, dsl or cable?

[raygun23 0]

We are all using cable modems and we also have tried to restart GR after the crash. The game does launch and run just fine individually but not in multiplayer at all.

There are two of us in Wisconsin, two in Illinois and one guy in Texas. We all have the same problem.

[raygun23 0]

Oh yeah, we all have DX8a in and everyone has current updates for our video cards and sound cards.

[Specter 0]

Do any of you have a firewall enabled? If you do, make sure the GR ports are forwarded, or that the firewall is shutdown.

Have the guy with the server check that also.

Also, have him check and see how often his IP changes, or rather what his lease time on the IP is. It will change everytime he reboots the server.

If you guys are running routers, make sure your ports are forwarded, or that the server is DMZ'd. Which ever you prefer. I just DMZ my GR Server because its quick and easy.

Have him check his bandwidth by running a speed test. I have worked for both of the cable ISP's here in the states, and several DSL ISP's also, and know that this can be a factor, especially with cable.

If he is on a saturated node, and you guys are trying to play at peak times, that can cause a problem. Have you guys tried having one of the other players serve to see if problem goes away? Also, have him powercycle his modem for 3 minutes, then plug the power back in. This will renew the config file and clear the memory in the modem. It could be congested, and also the port may be stuck at a particular speed.

The thing above about cable ISP's goes like this.

Each area has a node. The area is typically a neighborhood. The Node handles about 120 people per node. Everyone on the node shares a trunk line. The bandwidth on the trunk line is split up between all the users on the node, and possibly on another node in the same area. If you are trying to play at peak time on a full node, bandwidth could be an issue, as most cable internet is 1.5 mb down, and 128k up.

Check that stuff and let us know. Also, have him post the IKE crashlog here so we can see what it says.

Is he getting any error messages when this happens?

Edited May 10, 2003 by phantom110565