Topic: Directplay Test Host Problems -- Post Here

[ZTempest]

I did some research in this forum last night.  A number of the players have posted that they are having problems getting into the D3 and can't get past the Directplay Test Host with the DX9/Beta patch installed, even though they have followed the directions in the network readme, etc.

I would ask that if this has occurred to you, and that if you can't enter the D3 because of it, please post what has happened to you here.  Please also post your DirectX version, operating system, etc., so that the Devs at Taldren can get a sense of what is happening....  

My own situation -- I have tried for three days to get into the D3.  I use the Windows XP Software Firewall.  Before the patch and DX9, I never had to open any ports -- I simply put my IP address in the SFC3.INI file, and game would start and connect smoothly.  After the patch and DX9, that no longer works.  Neither did opening the ports.  I even dropped the firewall completely, and still the game would crash/freeeze at Directplay Test Host.

My system specs:

Intel Pentium IV 2.26 GHZ
512 MB Ram (233 Mhz)
533 MHZ Front Side Bus
80 GB Hard drive
CD R/W
CD DVD
3.5 Floppy
GEForce 4 MX440 64 MB Graphics Card
DSL Connection
Windows XP Operating System
DirectX 9.0
Soundblaster Live 5.1 Gamer

Once again....posts suggesting how to fix this issue are welcome, as are posts from others that have experienced and overcome this problem, but the main thrust of this thread is to identify users who have the same problem and who have not been able to fix it.  Thanks for your time.

Regards,

Tempest


 

[Rob Cole]

You did not install the DX9 patch over the beta did you?
Because the beta has the DX9 patch in it!
If you did it will cuase you major problems like not being able to log into the D3.

[ZTempest]

No.  I can be boneheaded sometimes...but I did not install DX9 over the beta.   I installed DX9, did a clean reinstall of SFC3 from the CD, then installed the Beta patch.  

Still no-go.  Still freezes.  All required ports open, all INI file modifications made.  Directplay still caused the game to stop responding.

I even shut down the firewall completely.  Game still stops responding at directplay.

 

[Praxis]

I've had it stop at directplay, but i've always been able to hit back.  FREEZE?  Nope, never happened to me.  Sorry.

[RogueJedi_XC]

Does your DSL modem try to be a firewall, router, and DHCP server  in addition to being a modem? Mine does, and it was causing me all sorts of problems. I still can't get SFC2/OP to log into a server because of the damned thing. I had to go into the modem's setup and set it's firewall to low security (can't turn the firewall all the way off), put my computer in the modem's DMZ, and turn off the DHCP server. All that just to get the DirectPlay test host to find my actual IP address in SFC.ini and quit hanging/freezing after 30 seconds.  

[SirWilliam]

I'm at work now but last night I tried at least ten times to get on the D3.  I'd get "Connected" then when the test host started it just timed out to "Enter Your IP Address," which still never worked.  That's the first time I've not been able to get on.  I had just done a fresh reinstall of the game followed by the beta patch only.  I should note that I have done this same procedure at least 5 times in the last few weeks with no trouble getting back on the D3 after the reinstall.  I have a static IP address and a router on DMZ mode, running Norton's firewall.  Never had any problems until last night except for the times GS went down.

SW

 

[Cleaven]

Since installing the SFC beta patch I cannot join while my software firewall is running, but that is good because it reminds me to turn the thing off. Entering into a mission with another player while the software firewall was running in SFC3 1.0 lead to problems half the time. So now I can't get past the access server until I turn off the software firewall which is a good thing.

I am not too worried about turning off the software firewall because I am also behind the routers firewall (not using DMZ). Call it belt and suspenders.

Most of the time access is fine but sometimes it starts a countdown, so I go back one screen and then rejoin multiplayer again and it will work.  

[Lepton1]

RogueJedi,

I am curious what DSL provider and DSL modem you are using.  I have a very similar problem connecting to D2 servers.  My DSL  is from SBC through Pac Bell in California.  The modem is from Speed Stream.  I am not aware that my system  can be configured in the way that you have suggested below.  What is DMZ anyway?  I keep seeing references to it.  Anyway, the connection protocol is PPPoE which apparently is like some advance for of dial-up like connection that allows me not to always be connected to the internet.  Just today, I called my ISP and they claim not to be blocking any ports.  So as a test I hooked up a dial-up modem and tried to log onto to D2 and presto it worked with my Norton Internet Security up and running, so I really think the problem is in this little damn DSl modem box that I cant manually configure.  And before anyone starts lobbing suggestions at me, I have Norton set-up right (it works with D3).  I have tried turning off the firewall to get onto D2.  It doesnt work that way, either.  There is no port forwarding table for me to configure as far as I know.  What is especially hinky is that SFC2 works fine on GSA just not D2. Go figure.
 

[ZTempest]

BUMP


Just to keep visibility on this issue for a few more days
 

[RogueJedi_XC]

My DSL is through Sprint FastConnect/Earthlink. My modem is a Zyxel 645me+ provided by Sprint. It has a web-based configuration that is accessed by conencting to http://192.168.1.1 (internal network only, won't work from outside) and entering a password. From there it has screens for setting up port forwarding on the local net, setting up the DHCP server, and settings for the firewall.

Earthlink also claims they are not blocking any ports, and I believe them. The problem is this cheap-assed consumer modem that's made so that even Billy-Bob Redneck can connect to the 'net safely without having to actually know what's happening. This, unfortunately, means that I have to be saddled with very limited or non-existent set-up options -- such as not being able to disable the modem's onboard firewall which I think is causing my problems with SFC2/OP. If I could afford a real DSL modem, I'd dump this piece o' crap in a heart beat.  

[ZTempest]

I did some research in this forum last night.  A number of the players have posted that they are having problems getting into the D3 and can't get past the Directplay Test Host with the DX9/Beta patch installed, even though they have followed the directions in the network readme, etc.

I would ask that if this has occurred to you, and that if you can't enter the D3 because of it, please post what has happened to you here.  Please also post your DirectX version, operating system, etc., so that the Devs at Taldren can get a sense of what is happening....  

My own situation -- I have tried for three days to get into the D3.  I use the Windows XP Software Firewall.  Before the patch and DX9, I never had to open any ports -- I simply put my IP address in the SFC3.INI file, and game would start and connect smoothly.  After the patch and DX9, that no longer works.  Neither did opening the ports.  I even dropped the firewall completely, and still the game would crash/freeeze at Directplay Test Host.

My system specs:

Intel Pentium IV 2.26 GHZ
512 MB Ram (233 Mhz)
533 MHZ Front Side Bus
80 GB Hard drive
CD R/W
CD DVD
3.5 Floppy
GEForce 4 MX440 64 MB Graphics Card
DSL Connection
Windows XP Operating System
DirectX 9.0
Soundblaster Live 5.1 Gamer

Once again....posts suggesting how to fix this issue are welcome, as are posts from others that have experienced and overcome this problem, but the main thrust of this thread is to identify users who have the same problem and who have not been able to fix it.  Thanks for your time.

Regards,

Tempest


 

[Rob Cole]

You did not install the DX9 patch over the beta did you?
Because the beta has the DX9 patch in it!
If you did it will cuase you major problems like not being able to log into the D3.

[ZTempest]

No.  I can be boneheaded sometimes...but I did not install DX9 over the beta.   I installed DX9, did a clean reinstall of SFC3 from the CD, then installed the Beta patch.  

Still no-go.  Still freezes.  All required ports open, all INI file modifications made.  Directplay still caused the game to stop responding.

I even shut down the firewall completely.  Game still stops responding at directplay.

 

[Praxis]

I've had it stop at directplay, but i've always been able to hit back.  FREEZE?  Nope, never happened to me.  Sorry.

[RogueJedi_XC]

Does your DSL modem try to be a firewall, router, and DHCP server  in addition to being a modem? Mine does, and it was causing me all sorts of problems. I still can't get SFC2/OP to log into a server because of the damned thing. I had to go into the modem's setup and set it's firewall to low security (can't turn the firewall all the way off), put my computer in the modem's DMZ, and turn off the DHCP server. All that just to get the DirectPlay test host to find my actual IP address in SFC.ini and quit hanging/freezing after 30 seconds.  

[SirWilliam]

I'm at work now but last night I tried at least ten times to get on the D3.  I'd get "Connected" then when the test host started it just timed out to "Enter Your IP Address," which still never worked.  That's the first time I've not been able to get on.  I had just done a fresh reinstall of the game followed by the beta patch only.  I should note that I have done this same procedure at least 5 times in the last few weeks with no trouble getting back on the D3 after the reinstall.  I have a static IP address and a router on DMZ mode, running Norton's firewall.  Never had any problems until last night except for the times GS went down.

SW

 

[Cleaven]

Since installing the SFC beta patch I cannot join while my software firewall is running, but that is good because it reminds me to turn the thing off. Entering into a mission with another player while the software firewall was running in SFC3 1.0 lead to problems half the time. So now I can't get past the access server until I turn off the software firewall which is a good thing.

I am not too worried about turning off the software firewall because I am also behind the routers firewall (not using DMZ). Call it belt and suspenders.

Most of the time access is fine but sometimes it starts a countdown, so I go back one screen and then rejoin multiplayer again and it will work.  

[Lepton1]

RogueJedi,

I am curious what DSL provider and DSL modem you are using.  I have a very similar problem connecting to D2 servers.  My DSL  is from SBC through Pac Bell in California.  The modem is from Speed Stream.  I am not aware that my system  can be configured in the way that you have suggested below.  What is DMZ anyway?  I keep seeing references to it.  Anyway, the connection protocol is PPPoE which apparently is like some advance for of dial-up like connection that allows me not to always be connected to the internet.  Just today, I called my ISP and they claim not to be blocking any ports.  So as a test I hooked up a dial-up modem and tried to log onto to D2 and presto it worked with my Norton Internet Security up and running, so I really think the problem is in this little damn DSl modem box that I cant manually configure.  And before anyone starts lobbing suggestions at me, I have Norton set-up right (it works with D3).  I have tried turning off the firewall to get onto D2.  It doesnt work that way, either.  There is no port forwarding table for me to configure as far as I know.  What is especially hinky is that SFC2 works fine on GSA just not D2. Go figure.
 

[ZTempest]

BUMP


Just to keep visibility on this issue for a few more days
 

[RogueJedi_XC]

My DSL is through Sprint FastConnect/Earthlink. My modem is a Zyxel 645me+ provided by Sprint. It has a web-based configuration that is accessed by conencting to http://192.168.1.1 (internal network only, won't work from outside) and entering a password. From there it has screens for setting up port forwarding on the local net, setting up the DHCP server, and settings for the firewall.

Earthlink also claims they are not blocking any ports, and I believe them. The problem is this cheap-assed consumer modem that's made so that even Billy-Bob Redneck can connect to the 'net safely without having to actually know what's happening. This, unfortunately, means that I have to be saddled with very limited or non-existent set-up options -- such as not being able to disable the modem's onboard firewall which I think is causing my problems with SFC2/OP. If I could afford a real DSL modem, I'd dump this piece o' crap in a heart beat.