Help! Can't join games. My MP games can't be joined. I'm tired...

[tirramissu]

Hello everyone!

First of all I have to mention:
1. I've read (and tried all suggestions on) all Steam FAQs, almost all troubleshooting forum threads here on BI and on Steam support forums.
2. I have up-to-date game, all attempts were made both with and without addons.
3. I have up-to-date video, system drivers, up-to-date Direct X.
4. I have tried connecting with and without router, which is correctly configured), I have tried both dedicated and in-game hosting variants.
5. Arma I run and connected perfectly on my PC.
6. I have tried game client verification via steam options, I have tried redownloading for several times (> 15 gigs of traffic).

It's been a while I've bought ArmA 2 on Steam (which, in fact, costed me ~50 USD). Everything seemed to me fine and fast at first, but since 1.03 patch something went wrong. I didn't play much in MP before 1.03 due to lack of time (work, you know...). I could not join MP games such as Warfare, Evolution, etc - my joining always got stuck at "Receving data..." message. I have joined Evolution for one three times, but I could not kill anything - my bullets hitted enemy without causing any harm.

After that I've found Arma 2 beta patches at http://www.arma2.com/beta-patch.php - hooray, I could join beta servers sometimes. But still could not host, noone could join me.

Now it's 1.04. I still can't join MP games. I still can't have anyone joined,
The only way for someone to join me - is to start a mission with this player, what sometimes lets play for a while - later whith some chance player starts receving losing connection and finally thrown from game.
Joining stucks for me at "Receiving data..." screen in ~95% of attemts.
Other ~5% - game stucks at lobby - I can't select my slot - all slots are disabled.

Please, help me!
I'm very tired of trying to make it work...

My system specs:
Windows XP SP3 with DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Intel E4600 @ 2.4 GHz
NEC 2070vx monitor, 1600x1200 - desktop, 1280x1024 for ArmA2.
3.25 GB RAM (DDR2 400 Corsair, actually 4 - OS is only 32 bit)
XFX NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS Alfa Dog Edition, drivers version - 191.07.
2x Samsung HD103UJ HDD drives.
Gigabyte 965P-DS3 motherboard (updated BIOS also).
10 MBIT ethernet connection.

P.S.: this is the only game I have problems with...

[Paajtor]

Read here.

Good luck.

[tirramissu]

Read here.

Good luck.

Thank you for the reply, Paajtor.

I tried this already.

[oktane]

Other ~5% - game stucks at lobby - I can't select my slot - all slots are disabled.

Disabled? Or do you not see any slots at all. You can't pick a side or slot and when you press OK does the user list go grey and it says Recieving Mission 0 of 0bytes or something similar? If so, this is a router issue. Make sure your computer is not in the 'DMZ' and your router is configured correctly, allowing all outgoing traffic. Also if uPNP is turned on in your router, try turning it off.

[tirramissu]

Disabled? Or do you not see any slots at all. You can't pick a side or slot and when you press OK does the user list go grey and it says Recieving Mission 0 of 0bytes or something similar? If so, this is a router issue. Make sure your computer is not in the 'DMZ' and your router is configured correctly, allowing all outgoing traffic. Also if uPNP is turned on in your router, try turning it off.

Hello, oktane!

As I mentioned above - I tried connecting without a router.

Also I don't see slots at all, depending on the mission.
My client always downloads the mission even if it is in my 'O:\steam\steamapps\common\arma 2\MPMissions' and 'C:\Documents and Settings\toshi\Local Settings\Application Data\ArmA 2\MPMissionsCache' directories, but I haven't met any '0 of 0 bytes' receiving messages, it always downloads the damned maps.

I have DMZ stitched off, and I also have tried disabling UPnP.

I should notice that in mission EvoSyberianBear17NR.Chernarus.pbo I can't select the side (only 2 buttons available to press - quit and ok), but in EvoSyberianBear16.Chernarus.pbo I'm stuck after slot selection on 'Receiving data...' screen.

p.s.: I have even reinstalled my OS last week, running arma on a fresh installed os without any firewalls also didn't help...

[oktane]

We are at 1.15 now, are you using the latest beta? ftp://downloads.bistudio.com/arma2.c...uild_59323.zip

Do you have any other network providing devices plugged into your machine such as a cell phone (seen that screw up arma before), anything that provides another network interface can cause problems.

what does IPCONFIG /ALL show if you run it in a CMD prompt? (put it in spoiler tags)

No firewalls/antivirus, not even the built in XP one?

You may try procmon, to monitor the game when it gets stuck... it may give a clue. Limit it to proccess name 'arma2.exe'. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896645.aspx

And as an experiment, can you unplug or disable your network card(s) and try to host a game on LAN? It should allow you to, because it will use the loopback interface. (it is hidden, you can't disable it)

[tirramissu]

Running last beta (ARMA2_Build_59323.zip).

'No sots' problem. Pressing OK invokes mission PBO downloading.
Spoiler:

show spoiler

'Receiving...' as usual...
Spoiler:

show spoiler

Processes.
Spoiler:

show spoiler

Ipconfig (currently behind a router:
Spoiler:

show spoiler

Windows IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : dezinto
        Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter corbina:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
        Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-E6-85-55-9F
        Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
        Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.10
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
        DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
        DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 85.21.192.5
                                            213.234.192.7
        Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 29 October 2009 21:49:54
        Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 19 January 2038 06:14:07

Windows firewall is disabled. I never use antiviruses in windows family systems.
Network link has only TCP/IP stack & QoS drivers active.

P.S.: I am able to join games started on my own dedicated server via router IP (connecting to 192.168.0.10) and local host (connecting 127.0.0.1). My friends can connect to me when I am a host or when I run dedicated server and even play with me only IF the mission starts when they are already connected; JIP doesn't work (they lose connection or stcuk at receiving data).

P.P.S.: Going to sleep...

[oktane]

Running last beta (ARMA2_Build_59323.zip).


P.S.: I am able to join games started on my own dedicated server via router IP (connecting to 192.168.0.10) and local host (connecting 127.0.0.1). My friends can connect to me when I am a host or when I run dedicated server and even play with me only IF the mission starts when they are already connected; JIP doesn't work (they lose connection or stcuk at receiving data).

P.P.S.: Going to sleep...

If you have a friend that lives nearby, maybe you can lug your computer over to his house to see if it is your router or internet. You've basically ruled everything else out!

Here is another thread http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=73692

[tirramissu]

I've read that topic.
JIP dowesn't work for me... I receive messages from server but I don't join.

I'm thinking that it's a specific steam problem?..
I don't have any connection problems with other games.

[zaira]

I had exactly the same problem.

I changed 4 routers (scientific atlanta cable modems), to find out speakin with a friend on SKYPE, that there was interesting corelation of my problems and skype.


With latest SKYPE i cant play any game.

Maybe some software is cousing your modem to behave wierd like skype is doing on my scientific atlanta