Port Fowarding Issues

After a long hiatus, A new Laptop, and a new router, I have decided to rejoin XI... However I find it difficult to really enjoy any sort of long term play, as I keep Disconnecting about 20-30 minutes of non-idle play.

These disconnections are more likely to happen when I'm in a party, battle, or other active time of the game. Pretty much when I'm NOT sitting idle, not that idle times are immune to DCing by any means.

After a short deal of research, we (me and a pal) have concluded that I have to forward my router.

I have tried to forward my router, and the one previous to it, before for that mine craft game to no avail. From Anchoring my IP, to having the router save the Forwarding rules, Everything SEEMS to be in order, but when testing it (be it in mine-craft or seeing if I won't time out) there is no visible success.

I've turned off my Anti viruses to see if they're influencing the connection, along with allowing the game through my firewall... But again, No success is had, and it's difficult to commit to anything in game when I drop out at least three times an hour.

any Ideas on how to remedy this?

EDIT: Model is The Dlink DIR-651.

You don't need to forward any ports. Sounds to me like your router, modem or pc is having trouble dealing with large amounts of data packets? Do you have any issues with any other games, videos, internet sites? Best comparison would be other applications that require a consistent connection, like remote software, streaming video or music that is of long duration.

You might check:

Check your computer's security settings for firewalls and antivirus. High settings can cause your pc to have to scan every packet that comes in and would certainly cause issues like that under high traffic.

Your DHCP lease duration. If it's short, then it'll disconnect you as often as the lease expires.

Check for programs and applications that might be using your internet. If you're on windows 7 then you can go to the task manager and watch your network tab and see if anything else is using any bandwidth.

Check your windows error logs. Note the times you DC and look for any events in any of the logs that roughly match up to your DC's.

Check to see if you have any weird background applications running. You can use msconfig or regedit to remove things that start up when you start your pc but be sure you aren't removing anything important.

Also... You might try hooking up directly to your modem see if it resolves the issues. If it does, try hard resetting your router and possibly just getting a new one.

Well, just for the sake of information, here are the ports for FFXI:

[PC Users]
If you are unable to update:
1. Please verify you are connected to the internet by successfully navigating to http://www.square-enix.com/na/onlinegame/ and selecting FINAL FANTASY XI.
2. Please verify you do not have a firewall or any antivirus software running. If so, please be sure to configure your network for port forwarding. Required open ports are as found below.

*Port forwarding information TCP Ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the PC 25,80,110,443,50000-65535 UDP Ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the PC 50000-65535

(For information on port forwarding, please contact your network device's manufactuer or http://www.portforward.com)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[PS2 Users]
If you are unable to update:
1. Make sure that the HDD is properly connected.
2. Make sure that both the PlayStation 2 and HDD power lights are on.
3. Make sure your equipment is turned on and properly configured.
4. Make sure your networking hardware has the latest firmware revision and is properly configured for port forwarding(*). Contact the hardware manufacturer for more information.
5. Change the MTU Value. If your connection is unstable, try reducing the MTU value. Depending on the changes you make, you may have to restart the PlayOnline Viewer.

*Port forwarding information TCP ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the PS2 1024-65535 UDP ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the PS2 50000-65535

------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Xbox 360 Users]
If you are unable to update:
1. Make sure that the HDD is properly connected.
2. Make sure your networking hardware has the latest firmware revision and is properly configured for port forwarding(*).
3. Please attempt to connect to Xbox Live for confirmation of an internet connection.

*Port forwarding information TCP ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the Xbox360 1024-65535 UDP ports utilized for PlayOnline/FINAL FANTASY XI on the Xbox360 50000-65535

Port forwarding is one of those things that is all or nothing. It's like your internet plug. If it's on(plugged in) it works, if it's off(unplugged) it doesn't. It wouldn't, as far as I know anyhow(could be wrong), cause intermittent issues.

That info seems to be for if it doesn't work at all and additionally, if you have a hardware firewall which would cause outbound requests for ports to be blocked.

Yea, but I just wanted to provide it just in case someone did a search later on and needed the information.

I agree it is most likely something else.

Ah okay. Well I'm off to bed so hopefully something here will help or someone who knows this stuff better than I will pop in. If not, I'll glance in the morning and see if I can offer anything else.

It could be just because I'm an idiot, But I finally decided to cycle my router. Things seem to have resolved themselves.

Spoke too soon. Errors FFXI-4001 and POL-0250

By cycle do you mean just turn it off and on or a hard reset?

I mean Pulling out the power cables. Letting it sit for a minute, then plugging it back in. Did it with both the modem and the Router, and still ended up DCing around 20-30 minutes each time.

A powercycle, which is what that is called, is generally only for connection issues or when some temporary issue is causing problems. How about the other stuff on that list I posted earlier?

From the top then:

I'd say there's up times, and there's down times. Some days youtube is pathetically slow, but overall, it works as one would expect it to.

I Recently gave it a go with No firewalls, and all my antiviruses shut down, and I had the same result

I had to google this, And even then I have little idea what a DHCP lease is... Let alone how to configure it.

Task manager comes up clear, that I'm aware of.

I'm not getting any windows error logs when I disconnect.
I also don't see anything out of place with the start-up programs.

If you don't set your own static IP addresses and never have, you're using DHCP which will automatically lease an IP address to your PC.

Port forwarding is not your problem as its not necessary for this game. Sadly SE's support site has absolutely no idea what its talking about when it mentions "port forwarding". As far as open ports necessary for FFXI, as said before, its all or nothing, it won't cause intermittent connectivity. I recommend testing out other services or either that start pinging a website such as google or any of your choice. If that ping starts saying request timed out when this connection issue happens odds are its with your internet connection, your router, or your PC. Once that is determined, it'll be a little easier to diagnose where the issue is as there could be at least a dozen things causing this.

It could just be your isp. Some modems allow you to check some signal settings to see if they are within spec. Some things to check in there are downstream signal to noise ratio and the power level. About 1 year ago I went through something very similar and had to call my isp to come to my house and check and monitor things for months before they would agree it was a problem with the line coming into my house. Checking your modem settings is probably different on every modem or isp, but for me its 192.168.100.1 or call your isp and see.

That particular bit is directed at if you have a hardware firewall, in which case, you'd need to configure the firewall device to forward the ports that FFXI utilizes to your computer. The only reason you don't have to forward ports to your computer normally is because the action of your computer using them opens them. Again though, the fact that his game works at all eliminates port forwarding as an issue.

And as for all this:

No error log is just gunna pop up on it's own when you DC, you have to go and look at the error logs and see if the times coincide with your DC's. If you are using windows 7 you can view your logs by hitting start, typing in "computer management" and hit enter. This will open up a new window. Here you will see an entry called "Event viewer" Click on it to expand it and in here you will see another folder named windows logs, and under that you'll see Application, security, setup, system, forwarded events. You'll want to look at each of the application, security and system logs. They can be very long and have thousands of entries.

Scan through and look for any entry with a yellow exclamation or a red exclamation mark. If you find any that are nearby the time you started to dc, then those may be related. Or you can go to the actions on the right and save the event log and just send em to me with a few recent dc times. (note your timezone though ^^; )

As far as taskmanager items, msconfig and regedit goes, it's probably difficult to tell what is legit and what is not or what maybe something you installed yourself. I'd go in to more detail but unless I see more evidence that points that direction, I won't waste time trying to explain it.

DHCP as Shadowwind explained is what happens when your computer connects to your router. It gives your pc an IP and allows it to connect to the internet, due to limitations, as well as security purposes, it only lasts a limited time. That time is normally on the order of days or weeks but some are set very low and can cause issues. This setting will be in your router's settings and would require you to sign in on the web interface to change.

But, the most important thing is still unanswered. Does it work if you bypass your router? I understand if that may be difficult to do or test but that's what's going to give me the best idea of what is causing it. So if connecting directly works, then the issue may be your router and I'd recommend a new one. If not, god only knows and more troubleshooting is required.

If you want to know your modem settings just open a command prompt(hit start, and in the typing box type CMD and press enter). Type in ipconfig /all

Look for default gateway and that is the number you'll need to type in to your browser to look at your router. Generally and about 80% of the time, it's 192.168.1.1

It's not the router settings I'm telling him to look at, it's the modem settings. Two different things.

Firewalls use stateful packet inspection so even if a firewall is in play here, it'll allow all acknowledgement packets in, so no port forwarding will be necessary since SE's servers aren't initiating the connection first.

If there is a firewall causing this to happen, might be time to upgrade it.

For some reason I thought you meant wired into the router. I'll definitely give this a go next time around. I'll also be sure to take note of each time I DC and at what time to search the logs.

Also, Thanks for all the feedback, Sekundes, I'll be sure to update the thread tomorrow night or Tuesday

Edit: @ Sithel: I'm not aware of any way to get feedback from the modem itself. My ISP is Clear Wireless, which doesn't get great reviews when it comes to gaming. Honestly, I would assume that XI isn't nearly as intensive as other hardcore on-line games. Though i'm aware that the chance is high that I'm wrong, and am in need of a new ISP.

considering the router is a dlink pos, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it is the issue.

it does sound like a lease issue otherwise though, which you may or may not be able to set, depending on the firmware in the router. (typically you can, but I typically use quality routers).

I was recently, by an LS mate, suggested that I check for firmware updates. Looks like they released one last april or so, and my machine's already got that.

I originally got the D-link to replace my old Crisco router that was nearly five years old. I didn't do my research, and listened to the Office Depot guy... So the quality I thought I was paying for, wasn't really there to begin with.

Cisco, I'd rather be using my 8 year old Linksys (bought out by Cisco) than any dlink product.

if you're not in a pinch, try to buy such things online like newegg or amazon, you'll save $ and can usually read reviews, or ask in the general tech thread here.

I imagine that they make products that at least work or they wouldn't be in business still but I've not been impressed of the quality.

But hell even Cisco/linksys has lemons.

if the firmware is updated and it is indeed causing your issue (and you can't afford another one) I'd look into custom firmware for your model, I know tomato is a popular router firmware hack, but idk if it's linksys specific or not.

I second this.

I use a Linksys WRT54GL and run it with Tomato firmware and love it. Linksys has had updated versions of the WRT54 for something like 10 years and people love them with aftermarket firmware, they just run great for what they are, and can still be bought on Amazon and other places for $50. I've had D-Link in the past and thought they were junk. Constantly resetting the router every 2 weeks when my net slowed down and trying to upgrade the firmware never worked for me.

Glazed over that ^^; If his is anything like mine, you have very few options available to change. Then again... TWC... what can I say.

Ah, thanks for the correction. Not really much of a networking type but I thought I knew some about that.

So after 2 or three hours of uninterrupted play (connected directly to the modem), I'm under the impression that the router is the source of the problem.

Looks like I'm buying a new one.