HELP! Online play!

[Tazorama]

I am new at this so bare with me :S

I can not play online.. this is what happens:

-I click on the "Play Over Local Area Network or the Internet" button.
-I enter a nick-name and click on the "WormNET" button.
-I get The following page:

----------------------------------

WELCOME TO WORMNET

Select your connection point:

United Kingdom (UK1) / Autologin
---------------------------------

-no matter which one I choose, I get this error message:
--------------------------------
Unable to connect to the server. Please try another server!
--------------------------------

I have the latest update, and my firewall is allowing Worms Armageddon.
I am not even in the UK! What am I doing wrong?? Is there a way this can be solved??

Thank you very much in advance.

[KRD]

While your firewall may not be blocking WA.exe from the internet, it could be configured to not allow any traffic on port 6667. That's the default IRC port and WA uses it for its game lobby called WormNet.

Try looking for a setting in your firewall that has to do with blocking the IRC network for now. If that doesn't work, come back and I'm sure someone else will think of something better for you to try.

Oh and the UK1 server is the only official one left. That's where just about all the games get played.

[Tazorama]

Thank you KRD.

The only firewall I have is the Windows Firewall. I went through the settings but found nothing about an IRC port. Any other possibilities

NOTES:

The error message appears quite fast--as soon as I double click the Autologin button. It is not like it tries to connect and times out.
I completely turned off Windows Firewall and the problem STILL existed.

[bonz]

Perhaps your ISP blocks port 6667 by default.
University campus network tend to do that sometimes for example.

[Tazorama]

My internet providor is a big internet company. I have my own modem and I am not using a router.

Is there anyway I can test your theory though? Another program that uses the port 6667 for instance to see if it would work?

[CyberShadow]

A simple way to test if your port 6667 is being blocked is by opening a command prompt (Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt) and typing:
telnet wormnet1.team17.com 6667.

If you get a blank screen, that's not the problem (your IRC port isn't blocked). If you get an error message, then something is blocking it. You should contact your network administrator / ISP about that.

[Tazorama]

OK. I opened the Command Prompt. I typed the following after the >

C:\Documents and settings\[My name]>telnet[space]wormnet1.team17.com[space]6667

Here is what I got:
Connecting to wormnet1.team17.com...could not open connection to the host on port 6667: Connect failed.

If i type the address without the 6667 at the end i get the same error message but it says port 23 at the end.

I contacted my ISP and explained the situation. they recieved the same error message and after 3 guys looked into the issue, they suggested that:

1-The Wormnet server is down (i dont think so because i have had this issue for the past week (since i first got the game)
2-The wormnet server has a firewall that is blocking IPs from either:
a.Canada or
b.Shaw Internet <<which is my ISP.

SO,, what happenes now?? Please help me!!

[CyberShadow]

How odd.

What's your IP? (you can PM it to me)
What IP does wormnet1.team17.com resolve to? (type ping wormnet1.team17.com to find out - there should be two different IPs, one in square brackets and another from which responses are coming from)

[Tazorama]

Info sent. Any suggestions?

[CyberShadow]

I contacted the Team17 network administrator and he's told me that there are no IP blocks from their side. It's most likely an issue with your ISP.

Some things to look out for:
* can you connect to other IRC servers? (see http://wiki.thecybershadow.net/Worms_on_GameSurge for an example)
* can you connect to port 80 on wormnet1.team17.com (http://wormnet1.team17.com/)? (telnet wormnet1.team17.com 80, or just open it in a web browser - you should see a "403 Forbidden" error).

[Tazorama]

First, once again, thank you CyberShadow.

Two things I did:

1- I tried the [telnet wormnet1.team17.com 80] in the command prompt and got a blank page--I believe that means it works. I could not try it directly in my web browser 'couse it redirects me to google and I dont know how disable the bloody thing.

2- I downloaded mIRC, installed it, ran it, and tried to connect. Here, a very interesting thing happened. I was able to connect to servers ending in ports (6664), (6665), but NOT (6667). In the case of the latter, I'd get an error message (Unable to connect to server), mIRC would retry using another port and then i would successfully connct.

So, I guess this suggests two things: that my ISP DOES block the 6667 port, and that the guys working in my ISP that I called the other day are half humans have mules!!

What do I do now?
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
UPDATE
-------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
I once again called my ISP and they assured me that they are not at all, what so ever, blocking any ports. They by LAW are not allowed to block any ports because we, the customers, have the absolute right to use any ports we wish. They are a private company and unlike university ISPs, they basically dont give a bloody rabbit's tail what we use the internet for!

so Team17 is not blocking any IPs, my ISP is not blocking any ports, and my Windows Firewall is OFF. and I still can not connect! What the bloody hell is wrong? could it be my mcafee anti virus?

[franpa]

if your mcafee anti virus is a suite of tools then most likely yes.

[Tazorama]

ok, here is the latest. i switched my mcafee antivirus off and wala, i finally was able to connect. ((this clears the employees of my ISP of being half humans half mules. The title moves to ME))

Now that I know it is mcafee, is there a way i can allow this port without turning my antivirus off? it's a virusy world out there!

[Muzer]

Probably. Do you have McCaffe personal firewall in your McAffe suite? That would probably block it. I don't have it, but try looking for an option to unblock ports.

[Tazorama]

YORICA!!

Here is the solution to the problem incase some one else had the same issue. I hope it helps:

Qouted from: http://www.classic-space.com/plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?35660

=================================================
How to open Port 6667 in McAfee VirusScan Software (for WinXP users):

Step 1. Right-click the McAfee icon in your system tray (near the clock on your screen).
Step 2. Choose "VirusScan Console."
Step 3. Double click "Access Protection."
Step 4. In the listing of blocked services, DESELECT the checkbox next to "Prevent IRC communication" for OUTBOUND traffic.
Step 5. Click "OK."

How to open Port 6667 in WinXP firewall:

Step 1. Click the "Start" menu.
Step 2. Choose "Control Panel."
Step 3. Choose "Windows Firewall."
Step 4. Click the "Exceptions" tab.
Step 5. Click the "Add Port" button.
Step 6. Type "IRC" into the name box. Type "6667" into the Port Number box. Click "OK."
=================================================

I would like to thank everyone who posted in here. It may be a good idea to lock this thread!

[KRD]

I would like to thank everyone who posted in here. It may be a good idea to lock this thread!

Lock such an exemplary tech support thread? How dare you. :eek:

I'm glad you got it working, though!

[CyberShadow]

Definitely glad you figured it out - infact, I know another person who has the exact same problem as you, and he was using the McAfee product suite. He told me he already went over the options in McAfee, though...

This should be added to the FAQ, to the very least.

[Tazorama]

This should be added to the FAQ, to the very least.

Amen to that!

[Chip]

Yeah um, I need help going on line now.

I choose multiplayer (online), I type in my nickname then I choose "the internet", I come to this screan saying:

WELCOME TO WORMNET

Select your connection point:

United Kingdom (UK1) / Autologin

And no matter which option I choose, when I click once on them - nothing happens but if I double click on them then the game hard crashes and I have to reset my computer.

I've allready allowed my firewall to allow WA to access the internet so whats happerning?

[Muzer]

Are you sure you don't have any more antivirus suites that also have a firewall option? The crash is usually caused by popups appearing saying "Worms Armageddon is trying to access the internet" or whatever.

[franpa]

chip has solved his issue.