Connection troubles. :: Final Fantasy XI

Sage

259 posts

Hey guys, Lemme just get the straight before I start, This is no ordinary connection problem, Its weird.. Let me explain. ( No flames please :) )

Starting from the 25-26th july, I've been getting disconnected with POL-4001 with the following POL-0512, So I thought ok, I'll check if the ports are fowarded, I check and see that they are, and checked my firewall to check if ports have been allowed there and they were also.

I've tried just about everything , Ports, DMZ, Resetting router to factory settings and re-adding the ports, EVERYTHING.

Yesterday I decided on a last resort (Reinstallation), So I uninstall, Restart computer, Begin to install again, All goes fine.

UNTIL

I get to the update part, The gigantic update, I think you know the one, It does the file check and see that I need 16-17k files, It begins to update, Runs fine for 5 odd minutes then it gives me another god damn POL error, This time its POL-0250, Now I cant even update the game anymore.

Do you guys have ANY idea what I can do? Im real baffled on this one, I know this has probably been asked before, But I see this as a different type of connection problem.

If its any consolation, Im with the ISP, Virgin Media, Not Talktalk.

Thanks.
Pinkfyre.

*EDIT* I'd like to also state it ONLY happens when playing FFXI, My internet is fine with any other game.

POL-0250
Router problem. See if you can update your software/firmware for your router, this may help.. Can also be caused by a server issue. If on a network where are multiple PC's using the same nvidia NIC, this can also happen.

POL-0512
Packet time out. Usually caused by a bad internet connection or people hammering the update server all at once. Can also be a router problem. If on a network where are multiple PC's using the same nvidia NIC, this can also happen.

POL-4001
UDP ports are being blocked or UDP packets miss-routed. Change your firewall, or reset/power cycle your router, or contact your router manufacturer or internet service provider (ISP) to get this fixed. If on a network where are multiple PC's using the same nvidia NIC, this can also happen.

As I've said, I've tried these too, Im just adding these so people know what the POL error codes are.

Edited, Aug 2nd 2010 3:07pm by Pinkfyre

#2 Aug 02 2010 at 12:54 PM Rating: Decent

Ryklin

Scholar

1,102 posts

Try to use the Check Files option on POL before logging in.

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#3 Aug 02 2010 at 12:58 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1665965877087

Sage

1,807 posts

The POL error codes mean nothing to me... perhaps you could post the text that goes with them. But run a ping continuously for a while to see if you're having intermittent packet-loss issues.

#4 Aug 02 2010 at 1:08 PM Rating: Good

Sage

259 posts

POL Error Codes have been added,

Also done continous ping tests, No packet loss at all.

#5 Aug 02 2010 at 1:35 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592791528096

Scholar

3,947 posts

What type of PC and router is this. What ports do you have forwarded. Also go ahead and udpate router firmware if you havent already.

#6 Aug 02 2010 at 1:52 PM Rating: Good

Sage

259 posts

My PC is:

Intel(R) Core 2 Quad Core CPU Q9550 @2.83ghz
4GB RAM
ATI Radeon 5770 (1 gb)
Windows 7 64bit

My Router is a D'Link DIR-615, It has the lastest Firmware (Just checked)

The ports I forwarded was...

25 TCP
110 TCP
443 TCP
80 TCP
50000 - 65535 TCP

50000 - 65535 UDP

Hope this helps.

#7 Aug 02 2010 at 1:56 PM Rating: Decent

Raelix

Scholar

6,268 posts

What modem?

I have the sneaking suspicion that you have an old Surfboard cable modem, which tend to crap out on their software side but keep putting most traffic through while blocking most ports.

Also, what is your ISP? You saw this thread right?

____________________________

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Airships on fire off the shoulder of Bahamut. I watched Scapula Beams glitter in the dark near the Three Mage Gate...

Nilatai wrote:

Vlorsutes wrote:

There's always...not trolling him?

You're new here, aren't you?

#8 Aug 02 2010 at 2:08 PM Rating: Good

__DEL__1594571184388

Scholar

495 posts

Thereare 2 types of connections. One is TCP the other is UDP I always get UTP and UDP mixed up. Anyway, when you log on the game you first connect to TCP the actual game is on UDP. UDP doesn't check each packet sent so the software takes care of that.

Anyway. Here's what to expect.

If your able to see the load screen with the character select your TCP should be doing as it is loading the server data. If you crash after selecting your character it's probably UDP packet ports getting blocked.

If you log in and seconds after you log on you crash instantly without an r0 your TCP connection check could be getting disconnected. This is really weird when this happens your connection seems fin then you instantly get booted there is no slow R0 saying your disconnecting you just get booted. The normal way to get booted is when you get R0 and it takes a min to say you was disconnected.

As far as helping you fix your problem all I can think of. It could be an ISP routing issue that is beyond your control.

You mentioned it suddenly started happening. Many ISPs re-route connections like a Tom Tom navigation device does in cars. If your router and OS is setup correctly then it might not be on your end. The problem with it only affecting this game could be the route your ISP is using to connect you to the FF servers. If the connection is going through a bad router that is clogged up mid point from you to the game server it can have all the symptoms you mentioned and then some.

The only thing that you can really do is try a trace route to the FF game servers. If a router along the way is dropping a lot of packets it's possible it's also dropping connections. You said the pings aren't dropping packets.

You have me baffled.

Edited, Aug 2nd 2010 4:12pm by Saricks

#9 Aug 02 2010 at 2:10 PM Rating: Good

Sage

259 posts

My ISP is Virgin Media, Not talktalk, And its actually a new modem, Not long had it.

#10 Aug 02 2010 at 2:26 PM Rating: Decent

__DEL__1592791528096

Scholar

3,947 posts

Is it possible to try and log in from another computer on your network? This would confirm if its a computer issue or router issue.

#11 Aug 04 2010 at 1:25 PM Rating: Good

Sage

259 posts

I found out that, If my computer was on alone it would connect to the update fine, But as soon as my partners computer is switched on, I get the errors and disconnects?

Does anyone know how I can fix this?

This is a last ditch effort :/

#12 Aug 04 2010 at 1:30 PM Rating: Default

Raelix

Scholar

6,268 posts

Don't forward ports. FFXI is UPnP.

On the pre-login screen POL, in the network settings, there is an option to enable UPnP that you should check.

Extra likely possibilty: You have a Linksys WRT54G version 3 or higher, which is a piece of sh*t and crashes after a certain number of packets, probably because of your or your partner's computer updating Steam games or Torrenting or other high-traffic applications, or its a Verion 6 and FFXI alone is too much for the thing. ******* it and get a router with more memory than my graphing calculator.

Edited, Aug 4th 2010 12:32pm by Raelix

____________________________

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Airships on fire off the shoulder of Bahamut. I watched Scapula Beams glitter in the dark near the Three Mage Gate...

Nilatai wrote:

Vlorsutes wrote:

There's always...not trolling him?

You're new here, aren't you?

#13 Aug 04 2010 at 1:35 PM Rating: Good

Sage

259 posts

I have a D'link DIR-615 Router, Im guessing its not very good?

*Edit* I just did a Ping to my router, I get no packet drops when getting disconnected with the POL-250 error on the update.

This is getting annoying.

Edited, Aug 4th 2010 3:41pm by Pinkfyre

#14 Aug 04 2010 at 1:51 PM Rating: Default

Raelix

Scholar

6,268 posts

Pinkfyre wrote:

I have a D'link DIR-615 Router

I was just taking a hefty stab at a common issue that plagued me for months until a firmware update came out for my Rosewill to fix the forwarding on it.

But apparently: Yes, its a pile of crap.

There are some mentions of a fix by dropping your LAN to 10mb instead of 100mb.

Another is to set your wireless to a channel and disable automatic channel selection, but this is kinda universal because no wireless device handles changing frequencies every five minutes very well.

Other than that, there is a coincidentally similar solution of 'sh*tcan it'.

The router market has been flooded by 'lowest bidder' devices for half a decade now. Even the cheap chinese trash (Rosewill, a 'house brand' rebadger of Newegg) performs better and more reliably than the familiar retail brands (Linksys, Netgear, D-Link).

Edited, Aug 4th 2010 12:57pm by Raelix

____________________________

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Airships on fire off the shoulder of Bahamut. I watched Scapula Beams glitter in the dark near the Three Mage Gate...

Nilatai wrote:

Vlorsutes wrote:

There's always...not trolling him?

You're new here, aren't you?