AO Macabre: Steam connection issues.

MoNkEyMiKeY

MoNkEyMiKeY

MoNkEyMiKeY

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Joined
17 May 2004
Posts
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What kind of firewalls do you have running have you ever tried just shutting them all down. Then see if it connects. Uninstall and reinstall steam?

This is the first page they have for connection problems where you could'nt login:

Questions

* Which ports do I need for Steam?
* I have Steam installed, but I cannot connect - what should I do?

Answers

* Steam Connection Test
* Required Ports for Steam
* Known issues with Internet Service Providers (ISP's)
* Troubleshooting Network Connectivity Issues

Answer

Steam Connection Test

Please use the link below to diagnose potential connectivity issues - the Steam client will report any potential conflicts which may be interfering with Steam.
Run the Steam Connection Test

steam://support/?Issues=*&Tests=Ports

Note: If you do not receive a report from the Steam Connection Test, you may not have the latest version of the Steam client application.
Required Ports for Steam

Your network must be configured to allow Steam access to the following ports:
Steam Client

* UDP 1200 (For the Friends service)
* UDP 27000 to 27015 inclusive
* TCP 27020 to 27050 inclusive

Dedicated Server

* UDP 27015 and 27020 (Default HLDS, SRCDS and HLTV ports)
* TCP 27015 (SRCDS Rcon port)

Note: Windows XP SP1 firewall users running Source Dedicated Server must open TCP Port 27015 for Rcon to work
Known issues with Internet Service Providers (ISP's)

There are several ISP's which interfere with Steam traffic:

* Dutch Telecom (Steam traffic blocked)
* ISPFree (Steam traffic blocked)
* TalkTalk (bandwidth throttling reduces download speeds)
* Bluewin (Firewall blocks Steam from provider side - must be disabled through provider's service portal)

Troubleshooting Network Connectivity Issues

Please follow the steps below for troubleshooting network connectivity issues within Steam:

1.
Programs which interfere with Steam

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=451
2.
Using a Firewall with Steam

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=234
3.
Using a Router with Steam

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=246
4.
Spyware, Adware, and Viruses Interfering with Steam

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=249
 
Programs Which Interfere with Steam
Question


Are there any programs which interfere with Steam?
Answer

Important Note

This FAQ does not address firewall applications - for more information on firewalls, please follow this link:
http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=234
Run the Steam Background Applications Test

steam://support/?Issues=Background*

Any applications running in the background will affect gameplay and video performance. The applications listed below are known to generate connection errors, however, it is recommended that you close all background applications when playing through Steam to ensure the best performance. Please follow the link below if you would like instructions:
How to Disable Background Applications

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=423

Issues related to any of the programs listed below may be resolved by exiting the program and then exiting and restarting Steam.

*
Virtual Private Network (VPN) Software

VPN software will prevent the Steam client application from accessing the Steam network.
*
Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

P2P programs such as Kazaa, LimeWire, BitTorrent, E-mule, and Exeem can consume a large portion of your bandwidth, which may prevent Steam from connecting.
*
FTP and Web Server Applications

As with P2P programs, these programs are generally very bandwidth-intensive and may generate errors in Steam.
*
IP Filtering Programs

Peer Guardian, CYBERsitter, and Netlimiter have been found to cause Steam connection issues.
*
IP Masking Programs

Programs designed to mask your IP will impact Steam's ability to send and receive data.
*
Other Programs

Look'n'Stop has been reported to cause issues with Steam when its "Unknown UDP Packet" filter is enabled.

PowerStrip custom display modes software may cause issues with load time and crashing in games - it is recommended that you select the "Restore to default" setting in PowerStrip before playing (you may resume using PowerStrip normally once you are done).

VIGuard antivirus software has been found to conflict with Steam games - an error message stating "Failed to duplicate pipe handle" will be generated when attempting to load the game. Add the contents of your Steam installation folder to VIGuard's authorized folder exceptions list to correct this issue.
 
Using a Firewall with Steam
Question

Error Messages

* Error: Steam.exe (main exception): Unable to load library Steam.dll
* Steam Servers Busy or Servers are Busy
* Steam is temporarily unavailable
* Secure Connection Failed
* Could not connect to Steam Network
* Could not connect to Master Game Server to Retrieve Server List
* SteamProcessCall(Login) failed with error 200: Connection Reset, WinSock error 10054 Connection Reset by Peer

How should I set my firewall to work with Steam?
Answer


If you are installing Steam for the first time - or if there has been a recent Steam update - a firewall may be preventing Steam from connecting to the Steam Network.
Run the Steam Connection Test

steam://support/?Issues=Connection*
Firewall Provider Resources

If you are using a firewall program listed below and have questions about setting permissions, please take the opportunity to open the program and use its Help feature or review the support site for the software:

*
Windows XP

The Windows XP firewall is included with Service Pack 2 - this firewall is enabled by default.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/internet/sp2_wfintro.mspx
*
Norton

http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/support_options.html
*
McAfee

http://www.mcafeehelp.com/selectSupportType.asp?siteID=1
*
Zone Labs

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/techSupport.jsp

Troubleshooting Steps

1.
Remove Permissions for Steam Executables

Close the Steam client application and remove all instances of the following executables from your firewall's permissions list:
* steaminstall.exe
* steam.exe
* hl.exe
* hl2.exe
* steamTmp.exe

Permissions for these executables will need to be re-learned by your firewall.
2.
Set New Permissions

Open Steam to allow your firewall to re-learn permissions for the Steam executables. If your firewall does not prompt you to set new permissions, the security settings may be to strict - you will need to change these settings so you will be prompted to set permissions.

Give the Steam executables permission for all TCP and UDP ports when prompted.
3.
Reboot

Restart your computer and load Steam.
 
Using a Router with Steam
Question

Error Messages

* Unable to connect to Steam Network

How do I configure my router to work with Steam?
Answer

Important Note

Steam does not support gameplay on machines operating in a network DMZ - you will need to remove your machine from the DMZ in order to play through Steam.

Router issues will generally be encountered upon your initial installation of Steam, or in the event that the router's settings or firmware have been changed.
Run the Steam Connection Test

steam://support/?Issues=Connection*

There are several routers and versions of router firmware which are not compatible with Steam - please follow the link below to review the list:
Router and Router Firmware Issues

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=64

In addition to the list linked above, Dual-WAN routers are not compatible with Steam.

If you are using a wireless connection to access Steam, you may encounter intermittent connection issues related to low signal strength - it is recommended that plug your machine into your wireless router to ensure the highest level of connectivity.
Basic Router Troubleshooting

To determine if your router may be causing issues with connectivity, please observe the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Close the Steam client application
2. Bypass your router by plugging your machine directly into the incoming line from your modem
3. Restart Steam

If you are able to connect to Steam after bypassing your router, it is highly recommended that you reconfigure your router to work with Steam.
Find Instructions to Configure your Router

There are many different router manufacturers - if you do not have the original instruction manual for working with your router, please check your router for the manufacturer or brand name and the router's model number.

You will need to run a search for your router manufacturer's website to find instructions for configuring your router to work with Steam.
 
Spyware, Adware, and Viruses Interfering with Steam
Question


How do I...

* Find and Remove Spyware and Adware?
* Find and Remove Viruses, Trojans, and Worms?

Answer


Spyware, adware, viruses, trojans, and worms may directly impact your ability to access Steam - if you have exhausted other troubleshooting steps, or if you have noticed unexpected behavior and decreased performance on your machine, please download and install a spyware and adware scanner and a virus scanning utility.
Run the Steam Background Applications Test

steam://support/?Issues=Background*
Find and Remove Spyware and Adware

*
Ad-Aware

This program (licensed free for home use) provides a broad-spectrum scanning capabilities - if you find many spyware or adware programs when running Ad-Aware, you may need to run more comprehensive scans with another utility.
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/
*
Spybot Search&Destroy

This program (free to use) is a very popular spyware and adware removal utility.
http://www.spybot.info/
*
Windows Defender

This program (free to use) was released by Microsoft to find and remove spyware.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

Find and Remove Viruses, Trojans, and Worms

*
AVGFree

AVGFree offers basic virus, trojan, and worm detection and removal free for personal use.
http://www.avgfree.com/
*
Norton Antivirus

A commercial antivirus program.
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/virus_protection/
*
McAfee Antivirus

A commercial antivirus program.
http://us.mcafee.com/
 
I'm getting an Invalid Steam UserID Ticket, how do I fix this?
Answer


You are trying to connect to your own server.
If you have a server and a client behind the same router:

You will not be able to connect your client to your server from behind the router using the external IP address. You will not be able to connect to the Server by clicking on it in the full server browser window.

In fact, you will probably not be able to even see your Server in the ServerBrowser Window.

You must use the internal IP address.

What you do is go to:
Steam > Servers > Favorites then add your internal Server IP and port

For example: 192.168.1.100:27015 if this is what your Server says when you type in "Status" in the Server console.

Then always connect to your server from the favorites menu.

Two or more clients behind the same router
You might get this or an "expired" SteamID ticket if you are behind a router with other players and you are all trying to connect to the same server. Here is a detailed FAQ with information on how to fix this:

How can I have multiple clients playing games behind a router at the same time?

Log out and exit
If this is a problem for you on all servers then you can try fixing this problem by logging out of Steam and then logging back in again.

Check your Clock Settings
If this doesn't work then you need to check the date, time and year on your computer to make sure they are set properly. This isn't as much of an issue anymore with Steam, but it can't hurt to get things set correctly.

Two Computers, one Account Problem
Something else that can cause this is if there is another computer that is using the same Steam account.

When you log into a second computer with the same account that is running on the first, the Steam Ticket will invalidate on the first machine and transfer to the new Session.

This means that the first machine will then eventually prompt for a login to establish a new SteamUserID Ticket, and if the person on that machine logs in, then the ticket will then transfer back to him.

You need a unique Steam Account for each computer that is going to be online at the same time.

Stand-alone Server Uses a Steam Account
Stand-Alone Steam Dedicated Servers use a Steam Account, and if you are using the same Steam Account for your Stand-Alone Dedicated Server that you are using for your Client then this problem can occur as well.

Client Listen Servers and Client Dedicated Servers use the SteamID Ticket for the Client that they are run from so they don't have this problem.

Incompatible Networks
Complex Computer networks might be configured in such a way that the Steam client gets NAT translated twice before it can get to the Server. NAT translation is the process where many computers can share one IP address.

Steam works very well with NAT, but will not work with double NAT, Steam must be able to verify the identity of the client and validate the SteamUserID Ticket and double NAT will prevent this from happening. There are no plans to modify Steam for this situation.

Router Issues
Another cause of this problem is if you are trying to connect to your own server and both the server and client are behind the same router.

In this case, you must connect to the server using the internal IP address and not the external IP address. An easy way to do this is to add the Server internal IP address and port to your client "Favorite Servers" and connect that way.

Dual WAN Networks and Routers
There are a few routers available that will accept two Internet connections and then manage the bandwidth so the client computers get better performance than just one connection. Unfortunately, since each WAN connection has a unique IP address, and client packets have a 50/50 chance of traveling through either path, this will also cause Invalid SteamUserID Tickets to happen.

If you are trying to connect to a local server where your LAN has two paths to the internet (two parallel NATs) and you are hosting a Server on one side, you can try to connect via the "external" IP instead of using the LAN IP. It might be best however to dedicate one WAN connection to just the Server and then have the other WAN dedicated for Clients. Clients would use the external (normal) Server IP then.

The bottom line is that one of these two things must be true:

a. The IP that the Game Server sees you connecting from is the same IP that the Steam network sees you connecting from, or

b. It must appear to Steam that your Client and the Game Server are using the same IP (you are both behind the same NAT).

If you are unable to meet these requirements then your network will be incompatible with Steam.

Other Possibilities:
If this happens when you try to connect to a server, it might be because the Server or the Steam network is having problems. You need to try a different server or check on the Steam Status page and see what the current status is:

http://www.steampowered.com/status/status.html

Normally, if this is a problem on your client (game) it will prompt you to renew your Ticket.
 
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