!! Could Not Complete Login... !!

[aou2003]

Hi. I'm running the full software, 2.1.1, as a GM. I have 4 players connecting to me. I have absolutely no problems getting 3 out of the 4 players connected to me. I have a good knowledge of networking, and forwarding ports, etc. My ports are forwarded correctly, firewalls opened, yada yada yada.... Previously we were unable to get this person connected because outbound connections on port 1802 were blocked. In fact, they're still blocked, but now we're running the program on different ports, such as port 80, or 21, or even 3724 (the WoW port) because we know that these ports are not blocked. In fact, I can host a web server from this computer, and this person can connect to it just fine. Then i disable the web server, run the host software on port 80 (using the "fantasygrounds.exe -p80" command) and have him try to connect again. No go. The other users are able to connect just fine.

However, one of my players is getting this error message, "Could not complete login, please check your network settings and try again."

This error message is actually a step forward from where we were. we used to just get "cannot connect to host, yada yada....." becuase we had some blocked ports. But now everything is set correctly, he's using the -p80 command, and I am also.... and he can't connect.

What's going on? help! (thanks)

[Griogre]

If you other players can connect (and they are not all local) then it is a problem with that player. Typically a player needs to do nothing to connect. The problem is:

1) He has a wierd local LAN - though this seems unlikely.

2) He has Security Software that is interfering with his connection. Changing ports would not usually effect this.

3) His install of FG2 is corrupt or he has a different version. Not real common but possible.

If I had to bet I would guess 2) above. Can this guy connect to anyone else with FG? You can try giving him your direct IP address instead of an alias and see if it works any better. You can also see if he can connect to you with the FG Demo. If he can't then you know he doesn't just have a bad install of FG2. What OS does he have?

[aou2003]

Thanks for your response, but, it doesn't seem to be any of these. It may be because he connect through a proxy server at his location. What's interesting about this, is that he is able to play games like World of Warcraft through his proxy. In fact, we've tried the same port (as mentioned before) as WoW, just to be sure it's not the port number that's bad.

We've had him completely uninstall the software and reinstall. I've had him delete and re-download his d20.pak, and compared it to my own. They seem to be the same size, etc.

Is it just that this game does not work through web proxies? As far as I know, the web proxy he uses does not require authentication (which that feature will stop about any program other than web browsers). Also, I've given him my direct IP address, and i've changedmy WAN address a coupel times and we've tried different ones.

I have the software listening on port 80 right now. I have software that monitors listening and incoming connections. When he browses to my ip address, I can see his request. Then I close that TCP connection, and have him try my IP address in his game (using the -p80 at the command prompt). This time, it gives him the message "connecting to host..." and sits there forever. I see no incoming connections on my end.

Thank you so far, by the way.

Does anyone know if this software works through a web proxy? Thanks!


If you other players can connect (and they are not all local) then it is a problem with that player. Typically a player needs to do nothing to connect. The problem is:

1) He has a wierd local LAN - though this seems unlikely.

2) He has Security Software that is interfering with his connection. Changing ports would not usually effect this.

3) His install of FG2 is corrupt or he has a different version. Not real common but possible.

If I had to bet I would guess 2) above. Can this guy connect to anyone else with FG? You can try giving him your direct IP address instead of an alias and see if it works any better. You can also see if he can connect to you with the FG Demo. If he can't then you know he doesn't just have a bad install of FG2. What OS does he have?

[Foen]

Some protection software, such as Windows Defender, operates at the executable level, not just the port level. So playing WoW on a given port doesn't guarantee that playing FG will work on the same port. Usually you can add the executable to an exceptions list, to bypass the protection.

I think.

Stuart

[Griogre]

What Foen said is true. Lots of "Easy to Use" security software works at the exe level. The fact he can connect to WoW or any other program doesn't really mean much about FG (other than you know is Internet connection is good). You may be actually more secure with this type of software because if that exe is not running those ports are not opened. IE your ports are only open "on demand" and this along with the hardware firewalls in routers are good protection.

All that aside, it is *very* rare for players to have a problem connecting to the server. From what you have said it still sounds like a security software problem where he has something set to not let FG send any outgoing traffic. If that is true he is going to have to go in and change the setting.

It would be helpful if we knew what firewalls and other security software are on his computer. If he has something like Zone Alarm or Defender both of those tie port activation to exes. If your player is not using a default Firewall that came with the OS you should also have him check that he doesn't have more than one firewall active. Multiple active software firewalls almost always are bad.

Does he have another computer he can try to connect with? If he can connect with that one it would mean it's not his local LAN settings but a computer setting.

Finally, if the player has a full version have him start a sever and see if he can connect to himself - if he can't it's got to be something on his computer. I would also like to know if he can connect with the demo both to himself and you.

[aou2003]

Alright, I'll check out those things. I'm not 100% sure he doesn't have any third-party firewall software on his pc, but I'll ask. He is definately using the Windows firewall, but that may not be the only thing. If so, I'll have him add the EXE to the exception lists for whatever-software.

Additionally, he is running windows Vista, so he probably has Windows Defender (by default) installed. I'll have him check out the settings for that. Typically these types of programs (except for some of the overly-stupid ones, like ZA or Symantec... *cough*...) tend to allow all outgoing connections, so I'm not sure why this would be blocked.

He has a second PC at the moment, but no monitor for it (thanks to an airline company...) and won't have one 'til about the end of this month. I'll check with him on the firewall/security software thing to see if he has any in the meantime.

Did anyone find out if FG2 runs over a Proxy?

[Griogre]

I'm not sure on the proxy. Maybe someone else knows.