Allow me to detail what has happened and what I have done to try and resolve it - any advice that can be given - no matter how silly or obvious it may sound - I would be grateful to hear because I could have overlooked it.
Thanks in advance.
Starting back in September, as I got my mule bazaaring all the chocobo items in Bastok, I began to DC a lot out of the game, which was quite unusual because my connection has been totally wonderful for the past 2 years (and I've been playing FFXI for a huge majority of that time).
My ISP had reported some problems of disconnections, especially noting loss of web pages, e-mail and other internet activites but every time I would DC, I would never lose the ability to check out a webpage or e-mails etc. - it only seemed to affect FFXI.
This went on for well over a month into the end of October with me corresponding with my ISP because they thought it was not linked to the problems they were having. They offered me some new DNS addresses which would not work with FFXI (but worked fine on my PC) and by the time November had come around, they had resolved all their issues at the ISP but I was still having the following problems:
1. Unexplained DCs from the game, even when everything else on my network was fine.
2. An inability to log into the game in a timely manner - i.e. being stuck at the POL screen whilst the PS2 checked "ID, password and DNAS". Sometimes, after a few minutes, I would get logged in but the game would take ages on moving through the bar for "Online Status" and "Friend List Data" so much so that I would either click "Cancel" or the game would provide an error and put me back at the POL Login screen.
I found that disconnecting my router from the internet and then logging it back in again would sometimes do the trick immediately or I would have to attempt this two or three times and I would get logged in. However, sometimes it would then time out at the ToS Screen and I'd have to go all the way back again.
3. When actually logged into the game, after a period of 30-120 miunutes the Search / Linkshell and AH functions can become really slow or completely unresponsive but everything else is fine and I have no lag on the system at all. I am unable to search for players or LS friends and looking for items on the AH will require a /logout to the POL first screen and a reboot of my internet connection.
My thoughts from the very beginning were: this is an ISP problem because FFXI has worked without problem connected to a Wireless Bridge over to the router for well over 2 years now - I was so convinced that it was an ISP problem that I requested the code from my ISP so I could move to another ISP and asked them to look at my broadband connection. The information they gave me made me think I was being too quick in my accusation though...
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After checking to make sure it wasn't just a PS2 problem (for I have FFXI on my PC as well but it has the same problem), I knew it was not a problem with my console.
I plugged the Network Adapter into the router without the use of the Bridge so a direct wired connection - this also did not help. Similarly I removed the WEP encryption on my Wireless Network - this also did not help.
Next, I remembered about port opening - something I have never had to do with FFXI but I followed this web page - http://ffxi.allakhazam.com/forum.html?forum=25;mid=1078714696783744968;num=1;page=1
Dread Lord Kaolian wrote:
VI. Router settings.
Make sure the following ports are open on your router/firewall:
-TCP 25, 80, 110, 443 or 50000 - 65535
-UDP 50000 - 65535
Make sure the following ports are open on your router/firewall:
-TCP 25, 80, 110, 443 or 50000 - 65535
-UDP 50000 - 65535
I created a new Service on my router to open the ports 50000-65535 on UDP and did the same on TCP but I have not opened 25, 80, 110 or 443 because of the word "or" in the middle there, plus I can't see why I would need HTTP or HTTPS etc. open on a PS2 but I am open to suggestion.
I allowed the outgoing service and then made 2 Firewall rules for the incoming connection because there is the IP address of the Wireless Bridge (004) and the the PS2 itself (006) - the IP addresses are set dynamically by the router.
Overall, I don't know if this improved things or not because it is very unpredictable still.
After this, I thought, all PS2 games use DNAS etc. so I could see if it was the ISP by loading something else up online on the PS2. Unfortunately, both SOCOM 2 and MGS3: Snake Eater loaded up first time to their online sections witout requiring a single reboot of the router. Quite evidently this was only linked to FFXI and not all online games on the PS2.
To confuse the issue more though, I got my Wireless Bridge seeking for other SSIDs and I found one that had no encryption on it so I hooked into it with my PS2 attached and the game loaded up immediately and with out delay - I do not know which ISP this other Wireless connection was on, nor could I think that the correct ports were open, but this loaded and played without problem.
I felt guilty about whoring someone else's ISP so I disconnected after a few minutes but this has clearly muddied the waters further.
I have re-installed the firmware to my router and Wireless Bridge (and I have "Checked Files" on both POL and FFXI to no avail) and my ISP is able to offer no more suggestions about what to do next so I come here in the hope that somebody might be able to offer some more ideas about how to proceed.
Seriously, any thoughts or ideas I will be glad to hear and thank you for taking the time to read this rather lengthy text - I hope it has read well and makes sense.