Topic

Need connection issue problem brainstorming from the computer savvy among you. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

OK, so last night I was happily playing Glitch on my desktop when a game update occurred.  As I moved from one location to another, the game started to reload because of the update.  That is the last time I have been able to get on.  Every time I get "unable to connect to the game server".

I ran the test the devs suggested and one port (443) does not seem to connect at all (although it works fine for anything else that uses it, which is everything https) and 1443 is very very slow compared to normal.

However, it isn't a problem just with my account.  I tried to run a friend's account from my desktop computer and got the same problem.  I also tried both accounts from my laptop, with no success.

Desktop:
Ethernet connection
Win 7 Pro

Laptop:
Wireless
Win 7 Home

The two computers have different anti-virus software.
I have rebooted the modem/gateway server and the computers several times over the last 22 or so hours.

I have tried three browsers on the desktop (GC, FF, IE) and two on the laptop, so I don't think it is a cache issue or anything like that.

I have a Motorola SBG900 Wireless Surfboard Gateway modem with a little 4-way Linksys Ethernet hub plugged into the Ethernet port.

All the firewall protocols are done by programming the modem with permissions for specific ports, but nothing has changed from last night when it did work to 2 minutes later when it didn't work.
So unless the internet server just happened to flake out at the same time as the game tried to reload, I am really confused.

Any suggestions of things to try, given this scenario, would be greatly appreciated.  I am suffering from withdrawal here.  Although I did get some actual housework done, which I suppose was OK, but still -- I have things to do in the game!!  And my botler is currently empty-handed (alas).

And yes, I did submit a help ticket. 

THANKS!!!! 
(Don't make me change my name to DejectedCat or DespondantCat or WithdrawalCat, because none of those sound good)

Posted 4 months ago by RainCat Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • I am apologize in advance for not knowing anything techy!!!!!

    But...

    Have you tried logging in elsewhere, like at the coffee shop or library?
    Posted 4 months ago by Minkey Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well, I think you've ruled out that the problem is centered on your desktop, if you equally are unable to access your account on your laptop.  You also appear to have ruled out the Glitch account, if you have the same problem with a friend's account.

    My next step would be to try and rule out the modem and router you've got connecting you to the internet.  Take your laptop to the nearest cafe or library with free wifi, and see if you can access the game that way.  If you can, then the problem is with your modem and/or router.  
    Posted 4 months ago by Snarkbutt Subscriber! | Permalink
  • The easiest way to see if it's your home network is to take your laptop somewhere else (as others above me have suggested); that'd rule out a as-yet-undetected DNS intercept on your cable modem causing problems, and depending on what ISP operates the network wherever else you do go, it might also eliminate the possibility of problems with your home internet provider.
    Given that you say it's happening with multiple machines, it seems unlikely that it's related to your computer(s) in general, although if you haven't cleared your Flash storage cache yet that might be a good idea "just in case".
    If you knowingly access the Internet through a proxy server, it's possible that there's a saved copy of the SWF on that proxy server that's corrupted, which could be causing the problems you're seeing. Contacting the proxy server administrator could get you going if that's the case. If your ISP has a transparent proxy server that you don't know about, you might be stuck unless you can convince tech support that there's a problem.
    Posted 4 months ago by devlogic Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @devlogic:
    How does one go about contacting a proxy server?  I have NO idea and am suddenly in need of knowing.  Ooooh, please?.
    Posted 4 months ago by Minkey Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Agree with all the above.  TYVM devlogic for the Flash tools!

    You may also want to flush your DNS cache just in case.  This will remove any misinformation affecting your connections.
    1. Open the Start menu.
    2. In the Search window at the bottom, type CMD 
    3. Select CMD.EXE
    4. In the Cmd window, type: ipconfig /flushdns
    5. Press Enter or Return, and your cache will be flushed.
    You may also want to set your browser cache from automatic to 250-300 MB, then clear.  It's good to clear your cache on exit (another setting in the menu).  This should serve for most everything unless you like to stream big YouTube movies or such.Good luck!
    Posted 4 months ago by WallyMcBeal Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I would also suggest plugging your desktop in directly to the modem and try that... This will help eliminate the router as the issue, which has stymied me before. 

    And I definitely second (or third) the idea to use the laptop on another network. This will help differentiate network problems vs computer problems, although it is unlikely to be a computer problem (2 different machines, as you said). 
    Posted 4 months ago by Lady Cailia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I will take my laptop to the public library tomorrow afternoon - although even if it is somehow the cable modem, that just narrows down the problem and doesn't solve it.

    However, the modem does log all the web connections it blocks - I just have no idea how to make much sense of them, and none of them see related to the ports Glitch supposedly uses. Maybe the specific issue can be figured out.

    There is no way I could justify getting a new modem just to play Glitch when this one works perfectly well for everything else.   

    Of course, the problem could somehow be upstream with Cox (my ISP)
    Posted 4 months ago by RainCat Subscriber! | Permalink
  • PS Please let me know when you figure this out. This is insane. Good luck.
    Posted 4 months ago by Lady Cailia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • OOH! Okay, anytime before you reloaded Glitch, Cox might have changed some DNS settings or which server they used. When you reloaded, it would only stop working then (I think, but I'm not sure how the game updates vs reloads). Take a try manually setting your DNS to Google DNS or OpenDNS in your router, as this will change it for all the machines.

    If the DNS server is set to the default on your computers, they'll check for what the router specifies, which would (if it's also default) check with the modem, which would (if set similarly) check with Cox. 

    If you manually set it at the router level, it'll skip Cox and go directly to a server. At the worst, your browsing might go faster. :)

    Good luck.
    Posted 4 months ago by Lady Cailia Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Gee RainCat so sorry to hear about this. I wonder if you've tried to simply reset your modem. Turn off/turn on. Sometimes my printer gets stuck and simply TO/TO works to "reset" it. Other than that I am not sure what to say. You can do other stuff but just not play Glitch-is that right? Maybe reassign which port your modem/router use.
    Posted 4 months ago by Holly Waterfall Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Bypassing the router leaves your computer directly accessible from the internet, no longer hidden from attackers behind the router. This will leave you with a virus / rootkit / trojan in a matter of minutes.
    Posted 4 months ago by Sturminator i` Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Well, that's a bit of an oversimplification, and very probably not actually true, unless you happen to be the target of corporate-level* espionage and the firewall is capable of strong-AI.

    RainCat - unsafe browsing habits (clicking on certain kinds of links, opening e-mail attachments you didn't expect and that are not from a trusted source, etc) can always cause problems with your computer. Installing software from a porn site is, for instance, guaranteed to give you all three of the boojums sturm conjured. All of that is true regardless of how you're hooked up to the internet, although some of the best modern firewalls may impact some of the most egregious sites' ability to deliver their malware.

    However, simply hooking your computer up to your modem and surfing over to glitch.com/game will not be the thing that makes your computer stop working for now and for ever.**

    --Me

    *to be clear, while it's possible that there is government-level espionage at the same level as the best corporate-level, it's certainly not the norm. 

    **OP said that she was using a modern OS. I'm assuming that she has also not actively turned off updates on that computer, which means the computer will have basic firewalling enabled, and many of the most egregious security holes patched. She also mentioned using (at least two different) anti-virus solutions, so again, she's protected from the most egregious virii and worms.

     
    Posted 4 months ago by SchWM Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I think the cable modem started having issues.
    When I disabled the firewall, I could connect to the game again.
    However, I didn't feel safe doing it.

    It was really old and no longer supported by my cable company, so I decided (after much shopping around and reading of reviews) to just pick up a new one (straight cable modem with much faster speeds) and a high-quality separate wireless router (awesome price from the factory refurb with complete warranty).  I think the wireless on the Gateway really was having issues.

    If my husband ever asks, I did it so we could separate the wireless so that it will help HIM with HIS iPad connectivity.  This is in NO WAY related to Glitch whatsoever.  Got it?  I did NOT get these just to support my Glitch addiction.  That is my story.  Yours too.  

    Keep your fingers crossed.  Hope to hook them up next Tuesday.
    Posted 4 months ago by RainCat Subscriber! | Permalink