I need help with my new DSL :)

[djbeenie]

I have been everywhere trying to find help with my new DSL. Im not very technical in this subject.

My issue: I play an online game called Microsoft's Ashersons Call. Heard of it? Im sure you have if you play games. I can't seem to get connected to the game. Well let me tell you what I got.

My router is a SpeedStream 5660 Router. It uses NAT.

Now I need these ports opened...
OUT UDP 9000, 9004, 9008, 9012
IN UDP 9000, 9001, 9004, 9005, 9012, 9013

I have worked with my ISP ALLTEL DSL. They fussed and complained working with me. They didn't want to walk me through opening the ports with me. I finnaly got it out of them.

Now with this NAT. Im supposed the use UDP and I have to have an IP address along with it. My ISP said to use. 10.0.0.2.

Well all them ports are opened. I still can't get connected. I emailed MS support team. And they give me some BS like this.

_________________________________________

Hello Bryan,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Product Support.

I am Aji from Microsoft Consumer Games Support. I will be assisting you with Zone.com.

I understand that the game cannot be played online as, at the update, the game does not respond and gives an error stating 'Cannot connect to server'. You have DSL service from ALTELL using a SpeedStream 5660 Router. You have opened all the required ports for the game. You also want to know the IP
address that you are supposed to use.

Well Bryan, I will provide some more Microsoft Knowledge Base articles here which will provide more information on the other ports that may be blocked on the network which may be causing the issue. We will also try the auto detection of port setting to troubleshoot the issue.

Regarding the IP address to be used, there isn't a last number as such. There is an entire range of numbers depending on what server is being connected to at a particular point. Simply opening 1 IP number would not work as the AC servers occupy nearly half the entire range. The idea is that, if nee
ded, ports can be opened for a given IP range. To open a range you have to contact the manufacturer of the network hardware.

To Autodetect the ports in the game
--------------------------------------------

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Games, point to Asheron's Call, and then click Asheron's Call.

2. Click Settings.

3. For "Port number to use", select "Derived from your IP address" or "Automatically detect my port for me", depending on whether you have Asheron's Call 1.0 or Dark Majesty installed.

4. Click OK, and then click Exit.

Check the game now. If the steps do not resolve the issue, please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles for the complete list of ports to be opened:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q159/0/31.asp

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q240/4/29.asp

Please do inform me of the status of the issue after trying the steps above.

__________________________________________

I have did what they said. Still cant connect to the game. Is there something I am doing wrong. I have not got a clue. If someone reads this thanks so much for your time. B/c I have tried everything and now im clueless.

 

[MattWray]

With most of the SOHO routers there is a feature called DMZ which allows 1 machine to be exposed "outside" of the firewall to the internet. Check and see if your router has this feature, if so that is what you want.. Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP
mwray77518@yahoo.com

 

[MattWray]

Check this out: Here's the link

http://support.efficient.com/faq.html

Its under current product documentation..
5660 - Troubleshooting Games That Require ALG (Application Level Gateway)

Overview

There are several online games that cannot be accessed through the SpeedStream 5660 because it is not able implement an ALG (Application Level Gateway) which is required to play the game.

These ALG-only games include online versions of Monopoly, Rogue Spear, and Atlantis.

Maybe that's the problem..
Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP
mwray77518@yahoo.com

 

[djbeenie]

WOW guys thanks for pointing me in the right direction. So you think its the router. Im going to check with my ISP and see if they can get me a better router. Thanks for all your input.

 

[Hungster]

Like Mattwray said it, you need to use DMZ under those SOHO routers, mapping those port will not work properly
only let you join the game, mapping ports [opening ports] will not let you host the game

DMZ will explod your internal ip out
i am one of the Zone AoE, AoK players

Hung

 

[Hungster]

Oops Expose, not explod
lol

 

[djbeenie]

Thanks guys. Yeah that helps. Im going to try to get a cisco router from my ISP. They support two kinds. Well I shouldn't say support. They dont know how to freaking open ports.

Do you think it's an internal problem on the ISP's end, or it's just my router or configuration?

Thanks again for helping me. This is a great forum. = )

 

[Guest_imported]

It is definately the router on your end, I guarantee..

 

[jeter]

A zyzel 642R (adsl router) has to ability to open these ports. “Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all”

Fisher CCNA,(CCNP-Routing)
UOP Student BSIT

 

[lpgz]

So, how'd you do? Get the new router? Did it work? I have the some setup, same ISP, same frustration. And an unhappy family clamoring for their time on Dereth.

The Microsoft post omitted the fact that changing the port in Console.exe doesn't work with XP.

Any tips, help would be appreciated!!!

Laura

 

[Hungster]

What is your exact problem Laura ?

 

[lpgz]

Hi Hungster,

Specifically, when I try to run A/C, there are two spring thermometers that fill while loading. The 1st fills (connect) the second does not (load). Looking at the NAPT map in the router console, I see that the UDP ports for A/C necessary are open. DirectX is not (uses both TCP and UDP). I don't if the request has been made at that point. I can load Zone, NetMeeting, AIM, ICQ w/o incident--most ports seem fine. But not for A/C.
I have set all UDP ports open, doesn't seem to affect it.
When connected to my work ISP, the game works fine, so it is specific to my router.
I even upgraded the firmware to 2.3 and tried to create a PPNT VPN connectoid to no avail per the instructions provided on an Alltel staff personal page.
I need to support 4 clients with multiple NAT assignments against a mere 64 configurable ports for this router. I have had replacing the router with a Cisco 678 more than once, but I hate to throw more money at this problem.
Router IP is 10.0.0.1, NIC is 10.0.0.2. DNS is Alltel's. OS is XP.
Thanks for any insight, Hungster.

Laura

 

[Hungster]

hi Laura,

back track a bit, are you talking about Cisco 678 ?
i am lost

 

[lpgz]

Sorry. Speedstream 5660. And I have had replacing it with the Cisco 678 _suggested_. I left out that word in my earlier post.

 

[MattWray]

Is there an option for DMZ? With the DSL routers most support DMZ for online gaming... Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP

 

[lpgz]

Hiya Matt. Nope, no DMZ option that I can see. The unofficial recommendation from Alltel was to upgrade the firmware and set up a VPN. But it didn't work; the router doesn't answer and they won't officially support trying to make it so.

 

[MattWray]

Would it be possible to get a different router? From what I was reading, it doesn't look like that router supports gaming... Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP

 

[Hungster]

hi Laura,

sorry i was away, i see Matt was trying to help you

first of all, is your modem a separated unit from your router ?

Hung

 

[Guest_imported]

The fastest way to solve this problem is to call ALLTEL and get them to convert you to PPPoE. That's what I had to do to get AC up and working for me. They can do it right over the phone. With PPPoE, your PC will get the ip address instead of your router. This fixed my AC problems and I'm very happy with my ALLTEL DSL now.

 

[TheOldMan346]

The 5660 is more than a simple hoem router. It is a full-blown SOHO router. It does not support NAT, it does Network Address Port Translation (NAPT). It does not have a DMZ capability.

With any router, it is the router that gets the WAN IP [provided by Alltel] and the computers get an IP on the LAN [often provided by the router's DHCP server]. It is the same with PPPoE unless your modem is connected directly to the computer.

Since the 5660 does heavy-duty port translation, it would seem that there should be a way to do this.

I was going to point you to some info at

http://www.dslreports.com

but since I see similar posts, it looks to me like you've already found that.

I'll look further.
The Old Man