Playing internet games, Blocked port 80.

[CiderMonster]

Greetings all.

I have recently purchased an intenet game called, "Earth & Beyond".

When the game starts it does some patching.
If I use a dialup connection this works just fine, but is desperatly slow.

If I try and use my broadband connection the patching fails and I get a message that says that port 80 is closed. This is odd and has been puzzling me for ages, seeing as I can connect to the internet with no problems. I removed my firewall and switched off the MS ICF, mapping ports and all sorts of other tricks, but to no avail.

The broadband is running through an ethernet card and then out to the world through my TV Set top box. I am using XP pro with all the latest updates.

if anyone is out there who knows the answer or has some new suggestions please put me out of my misery.

Many thanks.

 

[manarth]

1. Try the dos command "netstat -n" to see what ports are active.
2. Try pinging the IP & the DNS address of the server it's trying to download the patch from. (dos command "ping xx.xx.xx.xx" and "ping

http://www.EandB-server.com"

or whatever the server happens to be called.)

I searched online for possible issues - it seems there is a common issue with E&B patching over broadband services. Maybe there's a patch for it

<marc>

 

[ashpp]

>If I try and use my broadband connection the patching >fails and I get a message that says that port 80 is >closed.

Has you broad band provider blocked direct access to port 80??? If the ISP make you use a proxy server for internet access then its quite likely.

Ash.

 

[CiderMonster]

I have the answer and hopefully a sensible explanation which may help others in the future.

I am currently using a Broadband connection. My ISP had denied any attempt to block port 80. This however has turned out to be not quite the truth.

If you go to the following web site and then select “Diagnosis”

http://www.broadband-help.com/home.asp

A page will be displayed of your connection status.
Look for the Proxy setting.

If it says Yes then make a note of the R-DNS proxy name, you will need it shortly.

I’m an Analyst programmer and not a network expert but I think the proxy works in the following way.
The proxy server stores web pages sent down port 80 (HTTP). This means that if anyone else requires the same page the proxy or caching server supplies the page.

The advantage for the ISP is that this will give the appearance of a faster connection as well as saving money on their communications bill as they will be using their own network, a bit like their own simplified mini internet.

The problem for E & B is that the patching tool is not a web page. The proxy server chucks it in the bin, therefore blocked port 80. This also explains why the dialup connection worked fine, no proxy.

Solution.
The solution is to get around the proxy server.
I have found a wonderful little tool, Kindly supplied FOC.

This changes the port that the patching tool uses from 80 to 8080. This gets round the proxy server by requesting the patch to be sent from the E & B server on port 8080.

Download a tool called “Proxytunnel” this can be downloaded from

http://www.wimvds.be/downloads.html

Make sure its V 0.6

Select the “English version” if you want to read the notes.

Having downloaded and unzipped Proxytunnel, run it up.

1. Pull down the top dropdown box and select Earth and beyond.
2. Change the proxy address to one you made a note of from your “Diagnose page”
3. Press the start button
4. Run up earth and beyond. (And pray, like I did)
5. When the patching is complete you may exit from proxy tunnel as port 80 is no longer required.
6. And there were great celebrations across the land etc....

Many thanks for everyone’s efforts in this saga, hopefully the case is now closed.

The following site contains some helpful info if proxy tunnel is not the answer.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/trancache.html

Best wishes

Jim