Curse

ChrisCo · Apr 18, 2011, 02:08 PM // 14:08

At least some info from anet about the issue would be nice, its been over a month now and some guildies still need 30min to log in and cant go near American dis.

.. its reallly aggravating

garpu · Apr 18, 2011, 09:56 PM // 21:56

Has anyone heard anything else? Last I heard was the 14th that they were working on it. Haven't been able to connect to any US server, NCSoft's website, any ArenaNet page or any Guild Wars page since.

Chrisworld · Apr 19, 2011, 08:27 AM // 08:27

Still unable to access GWW and NC. Can access guildwars and offical website. I can tell my comcast DNS servers are doing their job but the webservers or the ISP's they are on are not.

I'd love to know what is going on at this point. I sure hope I don't need to access my master account for any reasons during this obnoxious outage.

TheGizzy · Apr 19, 2011, 10:33 AM // 10:33

Just another reminder, if you haven't already - file a support ticket - [email protected] and be sure to respond with the information they request.

You can also do a bit of nagging on their Twitter page - http://twitter.com/#!/NCsoft_Support

They really ARE trying to solve this, but from what they've said, it isn't actually happening within their servers. It seems that one of the peers through whom the connection travels for some users to some of the NCSoft servers are failing. In simple terms, the choo choo (your connection) can't get to the station (whatever NCSoft server you were last connected to) because a bridge is out on the way.

Unless you can change where you're logging in from, thus bypassing the bad bridge... or change your destination - by switching to Euro/Int'l/etc. districts - your connection is going to continue to follow the same bad path endlessly.

If you can login from somewhere else and move to a different server (Euro/Int'l/etc. - whatever you are not CURRENTLY trying to connect to), in most cases, you would then be able to login again from home.

At this point, NCSoft really needs to figure out how to manually move users to unaffected paths by manually changing their destination servers - in other words, they need to move accounts with this issue to Euro/Int'l/etc.

garpu · Apr 20, 2011, 03:00 AM // 03:00

Been able to play on US servers today...maybe they fixed something? Hate to jinx myself...

Draca · Apr 20, 2011, 08:27 AM // 08:27

Have the issue too and can only get to mention sites at certain hours.

I only pass two networks to the site which one is my isp and the other AT&T.
Even tho they are down i get full ping traces and sometimes the html header info.

Sounds like either AT&T is doing traffic shaping or the web-server can't handle the load.

As I'm posting this I can get there but it takes 1min to load a page.

da_sunit · Apr 20, 2011, 11:31 AM // 11:31

The issue keeps persisting for me, but what I do to get to Euro districts so it is at least playable is to switch to another OS on my computer (e.g. have Windows and Ubuntu on one computer) and log in from there. For some reason, as I'm logging in from the exact same computer at the exact same location, I am capable of getting through to American Districts, the GW site, and the Guild Hall. From there, just move your characters out of the Guild Hall and to Euro district and you can reconnect on your primary operating system.

garpu · Apr 20, 2011, 12:51 PM // 12:51

Argh, spoke too soon.

I think it's hit or miss, whether or not you actually get in. But when I was doing traceroutes, the problem was definitely with AT&T.

axe · Apr 21, 2011, 12:31 PM // 12:31

Dont know if this will help anyone, but for me (Windows XP Pro) the little "connection" Icon in the bottom right, it will show your traffic over the network, it will also display the number of errors.

This is interesting because when opening GW that number of errors would rise signifying that stuff was getting messed up on the way.

Now I am on Dial up, and in my Connections area of control panel where you setup/configure your internet connections, my Dial Up Modem had the option to turn off compression, and error control. I turned both off (well when you turn off error control, it turns off compression as well) and went from being totally shut out of GW and getting err 058 (after a LONG waiting period) to being able to instantly get to character selection.

If any of you that are experiencing this same issue, if you could check to see if you have any options on the connection to turn off error control, or compression (assuming that compression is related to dial up modems only) and try to disable those, and see where it gets you.

I can definitely say that SOMETHING changed on their end because no other piece of software that I own has trouble connecting, nor requires me to turn those options off, also I used to be able to log into GW fine, This worked for me so far, I will report back if it stops working, fingers crossed.

joea64 · Apr 21, 2011, 11:21 PM // 23:21

Well, time for an update. I pretty much let the issue lie fallow for a week or so (though I told NCSoft to keep my ticket open, which it still is) but when I rebooted my computer this morning I decided to try again. First off, I don't have this Pando Media Booster thing, so that's out as a cause.

I experienced the same old 058/007 errors again this morning, so I started PingPlotter up and started checking various servers - 64.25.39.32, 38, 46, 48 and 51 specifically. EVERY ONE of them returns as "unreachable" with errors at the same group of ATT servers starting with 12.122.84.82 (cr2.n54ny.ip.att.net) and going through 12.122.80.10 (cr82.ftwtx.ip.att.net).

Now, here's the really strange thing. This afternoon about 2 pm, after another epiosode where I had to attempt login twice (058 the first time, as usual), I FINALLY got into the game, and I've been online ever since. What's strange about that? PingPlotter says EVERY server I've been on this afternoon has been "unreachable", including the one I'm on right now (64.25.39.32). I really have no idea what to make of that.

I've sent every PingPlotter run I've taken today to NCSoft - there's a striking uniformity in data among them as to where the breakdown in ping/trace comes, as I noted above.

Crispie · Apr 22, 2011, 12:51 AM // 00:51

I love how they tell us to leave feedback about this issue on the guild wars wiki, which we CAN'T ACCESS. On top of the guild wars site and wiki never loading, the guild wars game for me and my friend (he lives about 10 minutes from me) has been intermittently working, the connection blows. No other game has this issue.

garpu · Apr 22, 2011, 02:30 AM // 02:30

Yeah, it's probably an issue of getting those servers in the 12.122.* range to get off their duffs and do something. It's worse than herding cats, I've been told.

TaCktiX · Apr 22, 2011, 03:36 AM // 03:36

It's not just 12.122.x.x. I connect from the upper midwest and I never hit those servers on my trace route. Instead I hit 152.x.x.x, alter.net. Again, I have crashes at 64.25.32.x, the hubs of which (.10, .26) trace, but the final one (.62) fails. That block is in Austin, Texas. Any chance a data center is getting obliterated by traffic and NCSoft's GW servers are getting faceplanted by it? I've performed a couple of other traces, and GuildWars2.com, Guildwars.com (and consequently the wiki), and Arena.net are ALL on the 64.25.x.x subnet, though all on .35 instead of .39 or .32.

bigalmax · Apr 22, 2011, 07:45 AM // 07:45

POSSIBLE WORK AROUND SOLVED! I was able to run guild wars through a proxy program (ProxyCap) and linked to another computer as a proxy server (probably could try on the same machine) on the same LAN and so far after zoning into multiple areas no problems. The issue seems to be the rapidness of connect and disconnect of servers when zoning. Whenever I am not using the proxy the loading times for me at least is less than 1 second while using the proxy can take about 3-5 seconds while not having the 0% stuck loading screen or 007 error code after 5 minutes. Perhaps a suggestion in resolving this issue that so many have is adding a "sleep/wait" function for 3 seconds prior from entering into a new zone but after disconnecting from the previous server.

Unless Guild Wars Engineers have fix the problem let me know and of course if by chance I still run into the same problem I'll update my post as follows.

Background:
I've been having this issue for over a week and constantly having the 0% loading screen issue. However, a friend of mine with lower system requirements is able to play the game just fine while on the same LAN. I wrote a support ticket to NCSOFT support and followed through all there procedures and still no resolve until possibly now.

Stuck at 0% after selecting "any" character from "any" location and "any" district. This has escalated to a daily recurrence. I tried the following steps to resolve the issue:
1. Reinstall Guild Wars. Also tried -uninstall.
2. Update Windows 7 x64 to SP1 with no more updates available.
3. Updated Video Driver
4. Rebooted the computer whenever the 0% loading screen occurs; same thing.
5. Waited until Guild Wars timed out and received error code 007.
6. Router is custom Business Class Linux using a static IP; during the time of the error no Internet Loss occurred.
7. Ran Kaspersky Anti-Virus scan no viruses. Also completely uninstalled it as requested.
8. Ran Anti-Malware and Spybot search and destroy -- no threats or problems.
9. Ran full defragmentation with PerfectDisk; same error occurs.
10. Copying working gw.dat file and restoring it; same thing. Also tried reinstalling via DVD and Online Game Client.
11. Problem seems to occur and then clears up after 5 minutes. However, have to completely close Guild Wars in order to resolve the issue temporarily. (not true after several attempts)
12. Compatibility Mode via Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, etc. same thing!
13. --image command argument.
14. --repair command argument.
15. With and without proxy "Squid" via proxy.pac auto. Of course Guild Wars don't know one thing about web proxies. Ended up using a third party program to fetch net connections from within Guild Wars.
16. On another computer while having the issue and was able to login just fine.
17. No other game or Internet has caused this issue.
18. Windows and Full Screen Mode.
19. Using video and audio defaults in guild wars; same thing.
20. No it's not the Internet otherwise how the hell would I be typing this message to you.
21. Also tried the MSCONFIG disable all startup and services method. Same damn thing!
22. Doubled checked sound, video, chipset, bios, windows, etc. for updates on drivers -- all up to date!
23. Tweaking network settings to disable flow control, tcp/udp offloading... same thing! Then reverted all settings to defaults.
24. The processor affinity trick on a single core - same thing!
25. On poor video quality - same thing!
26. Complaining on the support ticket! LOL same damn thing!

Windows 7 x64 SP1
8GB of RAM
1TB x 2 RAID0
64GB SSD cache / swap drive.
AMD Hexacore 3.2Ghz ~ 20Ghz total computing power.
Asus Crosshair Extreme IV
Nvidia GTS 250 Primary Video Card 1920x1080p (NEC EA231WMi), Nvidia 8400 GS Secondary 1280x1024 (dual NEC 90GX2) = NOT using stereoscopic 3D!!! AND using default video settings from video driver.
PCIe Intel 1GB dedicated NIC
HTOmega Claro plus+ Sound Card

> - Do you use DSL, cable, dial-up, satellite, or another connection method?
Comcast Commercial Cable High Speed Internet
>
> - Do you use any routers, hubs, or switches? If so, could you tell us the make and model of that equipment?
Business Network and Switches 1Gb throughput.
>
> - Does your computer connect wirelessly, or does it use an Ethernet cable for connectivity?
Wired!!!
>
> - Who is your Internet service provider?
Comcast Commercial.
>
> - Where are you located? Your city and state/province would be helpful.
White Lake, Michigan
>
> - Are you on a home, campus, business, or military network?
Business Network.

...

I hope some of this information can help others as I am godly disappointed in this nasty bug!

Currently playing my main Dark Death Chains if anyone would like to get a hold me.

Groth · Apr 22, 2011, 08:03 AM // 08:03

A friend and I have been doing absurdly extensive troubleshooting on this issue... turns out my issue was comcast related due to low signal quality (after 3 weeks on the phone I got someone to come out to my house and test the line, low signal strength resolved my issue.

His results and (for the moment) solution is as follows:
Friend is on a network via a D-link 615 router, (note: other routers may have similar options but named or accessed differently) THESE ARE APPARENT SOLUTIONS AND HAVE NEITHER UNDERGONE PEER REVIEW NOR EXTENSIVE TESTING

1.) firmware update of router from version 2.25 to latest version (Beware: firmware updates past version 3.xx are irreversible you may wish to save configuration files)
2.) under tools in the web based router configuration, DISABLE "Advanced DNS" which uses openDNS.org as a DNS provider this may be good for some individuals to avoid redundant network hops but for more remote users may have been causing problems for my friend (again these are temporary solutions, as yet they have not withstood the test of time)
3.) Disable DDNS (also in tools tab) Unless hosting a website or other Web-server (teamspeak/ventrillo/apache/FTP etc using a web address i.e. www.rudechildneedsritalinpwnzuslashrank.info)
4.) Check your network connections and port forwarding, many of us with multiple wireless devices have a common computer name we assign to these devices. I doubt it had anything to do with the issue, but I asked my friend to rename these devices to distinguish between them "Mr X 1" "Mr X ipod" "Mr X PSP" etc. instead of all just Mr X. Despite the fact that all mac addresses and ip's were different, why tempt the digital gremlins of windows file sharing?

In our tests, the problem persisted until step 2, however all steps "may" have an impact on connection speed/quality.

Please don't troll, I'm an old guy who a LONG time ago used to do computer work so I was merely checking off a list of random things i could think of... My only hope is that this helps someone having similar problems.

Post Script> Firmware updates may also apply to broadband modems feel free to check with your manufacturer or ISP (internet service provider) for possible firmware updates.

majoho · Apr 22, 2011, 10:27 AM // 10:27

Those things are all good and thanks for the effort but it doesn't address the real problem.

It's a "simple" routing problem and Anet should really have been able to figure it out by now.

Groth · Apr 22, 2011, 10:42 AM // 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by majoho

Those things are all good and thanks for the effort but it doesn't address the real problem.

It's a "simple" routing problem and Anet should really have been able to figure it out by now.

True: However, as the problem does not appear to be universal many persons may benefit from the added error handling (and routing fix - see "advanced DNS") that comes from updated firmware and proper setup of their routers / modems.

While I agree that the root cause in in the line/route, there are some things people who were previously had no problems (until last month) may be able to do to handle bad packets and faulty DNS pathing on their end to enable an established connection. Does the problem with the route exist? Yes. Does it cause connection problems for everyone? to varying degrees.
Does it cause failed connection and disconnects to every one? No.
What are the differences?
1.) ISP > DNS > Route
2.) Hardware, connection speed, error correction, compression
3.) Software Configuration.

I am not denying the root cause, but what I am doing is addressing points 2 and 3 which may mitigate the end result being disconnection and denial of service.

Groth · Apr 22, 2011, 10:53 AM // 10:53

Oh, One other thing i'd like to ask:

Is anyone that HAS problems... NOT a comcast or Xfinity (same thing) customer?

If you are NOT a comcast/xfinity customer and are currently experiencing the same issue please post your tracert data when you run (x.x.x.x your own IP if you like) the "test my connection" link so we can see if you are routed through any comcast servers? (a.k.a. your provider is leasing bandwidth or throughput from comcast)

Thank you and have a blessed day

TheGizzy · Apr 22, 2011, 11:08 AM // 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groth

Oh, One other thing i'd like to ask:

Is anyone that HAS problems... NOT a comcast or Xfinity (same thing) customer?

If you are NOT a comcast/xfinity customer and are currently experiencing the same issue please post your tracert data when you run (x.x.x.x your own IP if you like) the "test my connection" link so we can see if you are routed through any comcast servers? (a.k.a. your provider is leasing bandwidth or throughput from comcast)

Thank you and have a blessed day

I don't use Comcast, nor am I routing through Comcast anywhere in my trace. My stall out was happening at an AT&T hop in Dallas/Ft Worth. Only other ones I hop through after leaving my own are Buckeye & Qwest.

The AT&T Dallas/Ft Worth hop seems to be a consistent factor for people.

Incidentally, in case others missed this information in the myriad of threads relating to this subject - a simple work-around involves logging into your account from another location and moving off the American districts. This changes the destination IP and thus changes the routing so you can bypass the AT&T issue.

A more complex work-around that works for some users is to force a new IP assignment from their provider by changing the MAC address on the router or computer attached to the modem. This is what I did, and my pathing has changed completely. I'm able to connect to the same American districts (on range 64.25.39.XX) that I could not for weeks.

majoho · Apr 22, 2011, 12:09 PM // 12:09

^ same I got that as well (dallas) from my location last time that I had problems.

Right now it says

Quote:

Tracing route to wiki.gtm.guildwars.com [64.25.35.105]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 20 ms 21 ms 22 ms ge-0-1-0-1100.sgnqu1.dk.ip.tdc.net [87.58.128.41]
2 137 ms 136 ms 136 ms as-0.ashbnqp1.us.ip.tdc.net [83.88.31.141]
3 137 ms 137 ms 136 ms sl-st30-ash-.sprintlink.net [144.228.205.57]
4 138 ms 138 ms 139 ms sl-crs2-dc-0-1-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.25.12]
5 140 ms 139 ms 139 ms sl-crs2-rly-0-0-3-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.8.165]
6 141 ms 150 ms 141 ms sl-crs2-pen-0-5-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.19.3]
7 151 ms 152 ms 152 ms sl-crs2-nyc-0-4-0-1.sprintlink.net [144.232.20.143]
8 129 ms 150 ms 128 ms 144.232.18.238
9 129 ms 129 ms 129 ms 0.ae3.XL3.NYC4.ALTER.NET [152.63.16.182]
10 185 ms 185 ms 185 ms 0.so-5-1-0.XT3.DFW9.ALTER.NET [152.63.0.41]
11 186 ms 185 ms 187 ms POS6-0-0.GW13.DFW9.ALTER.NET [152.63.102.213]
12 173 ms 173 ms 174 ms ncsoft-gw.customer.alter.net [152.179.113.90]
13 173 ms 172 ms 172 ms wiki.guildwars.com [64.25.35.105]

Trace complete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groth

Is anyone that HAS problems... NOT a comcast or Xfinity (same thing) customer?

Yeah I'm pretty sure that most people with that problem are since I assume that's a US based company and many of us are from Europe.

I posted it somewhere before but http://www.downornot.com/ pings from different locations and often it reports the gw sites as "down".