[Dysko]

Yesterday evening, I was trying to join a Falcon 4 multiplayer session, but the connection timed out. I already had a similar problem, and I knew it was caused by non-forwarded ports. I checked in the router configuration window, and all the needed ports were correctly forwarded.
Then I checked the internal IP of my PC (I recently changed the USB adapter for the wireless connection, so I thought the internal IP may have changed while installing the new drivers). However, the internal IP, gateway and DNS config were correct.

I tried other programs which needed forwarded ports, and none of them could connect despite being correctly configured.

Do you know a way I can get everything working? As I already said, all ports are correctly forwarded, and my PC has a correctly configured static internal IP. I don't have any active firewall.

Thanks in advance!

[Nuke]

might help if you stated what router youre using. my linksys is ok, but i have a dlink router that used to toss the same problems. i think someone flashed it with the wrong version of the firmware. i usually just unplug the thing and plug it back in a few seconds later. even my linksys locks up from time to time, the same remedy is uesd.

if you have a router you technically have a firewall. or at least all the routers ive used had built in firewalls. but anyway i think there might be a trigger port or something you need to use. check the game docs.

[Dysko]

I use a USRobotics 9108 router, and the USB adapter is a NetGear WG111v2 (I used the original USRobotics USB adapter until it mysteriously stopped working).

Both of them worked fine until yesterday. I already used them in multiplayer sessions without problem (the last successful one being 3 days ago, with exactly the same configuration as now), so I'm fairly sure the problem is not the router/USB adapter combo or old firmwares.

I already tried unplugging and replugging both devices, but it didn't work.

[Nuke]

is there a reset button?

[Dysko]

is there a reset button?

Yes, I just pushed it, but nothing happened.
I have even deleted and rewritten all the port entries, but the ports aren't forwarded anyway.

[IceFire]

You can't just press the reset button.  Hold it for anywhere between 10 and 30 seconds depending on who made the router.

[Dysko]

You can't just press the reset button.  Hold it for anywhere between 10 and 30 seconds depending on who made the router.

Done. And reconfigured everything.

Guess what? I still have that problem

[Stealth]

worst comes to worst, i'll just remote into your computer and fix it.

that's worst case scenario.  let me know in a day or two if you still don't have it, and i'll do it for you

[Nuke]

did windows firewall manage to turn itself on?

[Dysko]

did windows firewall manage to turn itself on?

No, it's not turned on, I controlled it.

Is it possible that this problem may be caused by XP SP3?

[Nuke]

possible, i havent used sp3 yet.

but i have seen windows firewall turn itself on after an update. id try turning it on, adding your ports to the exceptions list, and then turning it off again, just incase it still manages to stay running even though you told it to stay off.

another thing you may have not set the proper protocol in your router config. my linksys usually lets me pick tcp, udp or both, for each port/range i add to the list. be sure youre using the right one. if you have the both setting use it, otherwise you may need another entry to open both ports for udp or tcp protocols.

[Dysko]

I had an issue with the Windows Firewall not working, so I needed to fix that before listening to Nuke's advice...

Now, I fixed the Windows Firewall, activated it, added both programs and needed ports to the exception list, then deactivated it again.
Unfortunately, the problem is not solved yet

I also tried setting both TCP and UDP protocols for each forwarded port, but still I can't use them.

[Stealth]

send me a PM with contact info... i'll fix it for you.

[Dysko]

send me a PM with contact info... i'll fix it for you.

Thank you for your kind help, but now... the problem is solved...

This morning I still had that problem, but now everything is working fine... and the PC wasn't even rebooted (well, I rebooted it many times yesterday evening before posting, and rebooting didn't solve the problem)

Anyway, thank you everybody!