Getting kicked from the server all the time

[Monocause]

Hey. I'm having trouble with the game. Every couple of minutes the server would kick me out back to the login screen. When I try to log in again it states that I'm already logged in. I understand that some sort of a token has to expire since it always takes about ~30 seconds to get back in the game.

Why is it happening? I've got a stable connection. Is the fact that I've got a private IP number (and thus connect via NAT) relevant? Happens to me both on the official client and the one with IRC added. I've got XP 32-bit and the latest Java. I usually play online games without any problems, those java-based too.

I really like this game, but - to be honest - it's pretty much unplayable that way. I'd appreciate any tips and can provide any necessary additional information.

Cheers!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that this happens all the time. I've heard that other people have this problem too, but not as severe one. Regardless of what I'm doing or how many people are connected to the server etc. I always get kicked. Sometimes it takes five minutes, sometimes fifteen seconds ;>

[sabinati]

make sure you have UDP port 1870 and TCP port 1871 open on your firewall or router or whatever is doing the NAT as well as on your computer

[Monocause]

make sure you have UDP port 1870 and TCP port 1871 open on your firewall or router or whatever is doing the NAT as well as on your computer

Wouldn't having blocked ports prevent me from connecting with the server altogether? And the NAT is a local server from my ISP. I'd have to call them for port forwarding, too much of a hassle - and frankly I doubt that's the problem.

[sabinati]

shit if i know. routers are weird sometimes.

[Monocause]

I think it may be that I have the private IP. Does the server have fe. a some sort of a security measure that prevents two users to log in from the same IP, even if under different usernames?

[loftar]

I think it may be that I have the private IP. Does the server have fe. a some sort of a security measure that prevents two users to log in from the same IP, even if under different usernames?

It does not. However, if your ISP's NAT is flaky, that could very well be the problem. Such flakyness could include, for instance, dropping a UDP mapping after a very short time-out, or changing the outside port of the connection from time to time.

FYI, according to the logs, your connection times out, and the only way that happens is if the server does not receive any packets from your client in 30 seconds (where the client is identified by IP address and source port). The client sends heartbeat packets every 5 seconds, so something has to be weird with the connection somehow.

[Haba]

On my older machine (and my laptop) H&H hogs up 100% of the CPU, and even though I am able to play, it will occasionally drop me out from the server. No problems on my newer machine. And all this while using the same firewall settings, router etc.

Maybe it is the same issue for you as well.

[Monocause]

I think it may be that I have the private IP. Does the server have fe. a some sort of a security measure that prevents two users to log in from the same IP, even if under different usernames?

It does not. However, if your ISP's NAT is flaky, that could very well be the problem. Such flakyness could include, for instance, dropping a UDP mapping after a very short time-out, or changing the outside port of the connection from time to time.

FYI, according to the logs, your connection times out, and the only way that happens is if the server does not receive any packets from your client in 30 seconds (where the client is identified by IP address and source port). The client sends heartbeat packets every 5 seconds, so something has to be weird with the connection somehow.

This is strange. In the other topic I wrote that I opened the H&H client and pinged the game server (sh.seatribe.se) at the same time; I got booted even though no packets were lost. The response time was also rather constant.
Do you think there might be a solution to this problem aside from changing the ISP? I'd rather not do that

On my older machine (and my laptop) H&H hogs up 100% of the CPU, and even though I am able to play, it will occasionally drop me out from the server. No problems on my newer machine. And all this while using the same firewall settings, router etc.

Maybe it is the same issue for you as well.

Nah. while the official client takes ~50-90% of the CPU, Pacho's one tops at 50%. The problem is definitely network-related.

[loftar]

This is strange. In the other topic I wrote that I opened the H&H client and pinged the game server (sh.seatribe.se) at the same time; I got booted even though no packets were lost. The response time was also rather constant.

Indeed; as I mentioned, it could be that the NAT router doesn't keep the UDP mapping persistent (and might therefore, for instance, map a new outwardly visible source port every now and then), which would make it appear as a different client to our server.

Do you think there might be a solution to this problem aside from changing the ISP? I'd rather not do that :D

If my assumption that it is the NAT router that is messing things up is correct, the only solutions I can think of is either getting rid of the NAT somehow (which I guess is impossible for you without changing ISPs) or, perhaps, using a proxy of some sort outside the NATed zone. Maybe you could call the ISP and yell at them to fix their NAT? :)

[Monocause]

If my assumption that it is the NAT router that is messing things up is correct, the only solutions I can think of is either getting rid of the NAT somehow (which I guess is impossible for you without changing ISPs) or, perhaps, using a proxy of some sort outside the NATed zone. Maybe you could call the ISP and yell at them to fix their NAT?

Getting rid of the NAT is not an option. While it has some disadvantages, I like the increased security; what about the proxy? This might work, the connection would be obviously slower but the problem should be resolved, do you have any tips on how I could set it up?

Calling them wouldn't do me any good. This only happens to me with Haven and Hearth, I don't have any problems with other stuff at all (aside from the usual private IP fare - no direct connections, can't host games etc.). The techies from the call center have a tactic of asking for many, many details which I probably couldn't provide