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Can Someone Please Help me?

The place to ask for technical help with running the demo or the full game...

Post Wed Oct 19, 2005 7:18 pm

Can Someone Please Help me?

I'm sorry if i'm posting this in the wrong fourm, however I cannot think straight after spending the last two days bashing my head against my desk.

I am having a werid problem with my Freelancer when I try to host a multiplayer game.

I am on a LAN (router/gateway) and have my main computer connected with a NIC card via RJ45. I was connected with my wireless NIC however FL refused to work with it, thus I've removed it.

I can join in any multiplayer game that I want to with one exception.
I cannot join my own server.
When I set up a game and try to join my ping time is ???? and then it goes to --

I am not running the tcp/ip6.
The thing that has me pulling out my hair is that 2x now I've been able to see my server (ping:6) and join it. After logging out and restarting I have the same problem with the ping of ???? and the error message that I cannot join because either there is an internet problem or the server has crashed.

I know the server hasn't crashed and I'm on a cable modem connection and everything else I try to do on the internet works, so it cannot be that either.

I have Sygate firewall and gave FL and FLserver permissions, I've even shut the firewall off and still it does not work. (the XP firewall is always off)
I cannot see my game on my LAN either. I simply does not show up.
This I think is really weird because it doesn't matter if I host on the computer sitting next to me (connected to the same router) or if I run the server on the computer I'm trying to play it on.

I went through the extras folder on my CD and set the port forwarding to the ports it says the game uses and still, it does not work.

I thought I fixed the problem earlier today when I disconnected the wireless NIC and switched to the standard one. It was at that point that the game briefly let me connect to my server. However once I exited from the server and tried to reconnect I got the evil ???? and -- again.

I have uninstalled the game.
Removed every incident of it in my regestry.
Rebooted the machine.
Reinstalled the program.
Rebooted the machine.
And still it does not work.

Needless to say I am frustrated beyond words. I used to be able to play Freelancer on my LAN without a problem. I played the heck out of the game for a long time and that's why I cannot figure out why I can no longer get it to work.

I am running:
AMD Athalon XP 2200+ 1.8ghz
1.24GB Ram
nVidia GeForce 5700 Ultra 128mb vram (updated drivers)
Win XP (sp2)
DirectX 9.0c
LinkSys Wireless-G Broadband Router (WRT54G) - firmware ver: v4.00.7


I would be most grateful if someone could help me figure out what the *&$# I'm doing wrong. I'll even throw in my sister as a token of gratitude!

Post Wed Oct 19, 2005 10:36 pm

Just so you know this thread gets read, but I cannot offer any advice as I simply don't know what is wrong for you. I can play on my own server running on my own machine, but I don't have a router... so i would hazard a guess that the router is causing the issue... but I cannot be sure because I don't exactly know what the router does (I don't have one). It maybe ports need opening or something - the CD has a help manual on it if you explore that.

Hopefully someone will reply who actually knows about these things

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:16 am

I am not an expert for that kind of problem, but happened to have a similar problem a while ago.
Check in your network/properties if the router did install another copy of the connection protocol (don't know its name, similar to TCP/IP). Such a double installation can cause strange results.
In my case it helped to remove the second installation.

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:12 am

Thank you for your replies.
I wish you could have had the magic fix I need. LOL!

I have looked through all of the docs on the CD as well as the MS site itself and nothing they suggest works. It wouldn't bother me so much if it just didn't work but it's the fact that it did work - then didnt- then did - then didn't that has me tweaked out.

I've always played the game on my router and it's always worked.

At this point the only thing I can think of is that something was installed with the drivers for my wireless NIC that FL doesn't agree with. I'm going to try uninstall everthing associated with the wireless NIC and see if that has any effect.

@CHIPS - I know you guys read the posts, I apologize if I came across like you didn't. That was not my intention, however as we all know, once frustration sets in so does stupidity. I and all of my friends who play Freelancer honestly appreciate all the hard work you've put into your addons and such.

Post Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:25 am

ok i give it a shot...

first in flserver make sure that u check off make server internet accessable
and if you are using IONCROSS that your server name and version match in the server op same as title bar of Flserver

1. on router open ports 2300-2310
2. add Flserver.exe to applications (router security) depending on model
3.check your Lan properties and make sure you are not using TCPIP ver. 6
4.make exeption for freelancer.exe and Flserver.exe to your DEP (data execution Prevention) list
5. Make sure to do a complete Un-Install and re-Install of Freelancer (including server files)

try these out really hope this helps you

Whether you spectate or participate, Life Happens

Edited by - Amedeus on 10/29/2005 12:27:34 PM

Post Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:32 am

Thanks for the help but nothing anyone here suggested worked.

Here is what did work.

Each time I go to start my server (doesn't matter if its FLMM, FLserver, or Ion Cross) I have to goto my routers software and set it to factory defaults.
If I set any ports or do any of the normal things it does not work.

I figured out this work around by sheer luck.
I have had no problems since I discovered this little trick.

I do appreciate all the assistance though and think that the FL community does a fine job.

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