41 réponses à ce sujet

[Mooner911]

Just my opinion...
BW will not report that this problem cannot be fixed. It's just not something their Customer Service - Rules Of Conduct And Communication will permit. And it will not be fixed because it's a server hardware incompatability with a relatively small portion of client users, i.e. you's and me. Probably something to do with our hardware, configuration, and the internet hardware we pass through to get to BW servers. It's similar, and probably not unrelated to the problem that a portion of people have connecting to this forum - can you auto-login here or do you have to manually login each time? <-- that problem began when they installed their new-and-improved servers. Anyways, it's just my opinion.

[Caratinoid]

I am building a list of common connection problems in mass effect, even have a script which reports/fixes some of them automatically because there are a lot of thing that can go wrong even if know what you are doing. I think I know everything about join/hosting/mic problems by now.

Can someone run netstat while in your own lobby and say what UDP ports are used by mass effect. I need a confirmation on this? ".458" seems to know how to do it. I can use all info I can get on this.

I don't think you realize folks but if what I think is true then tech support guys are telling us how not to fix a game if anything.

Modifié par Caratinoid, 13 juillet 2012 - 04:04 .

[Caratinoid]

@Carlina Do you know how to capture traffic with fireshark? It would be interesting to see what's going on there when it disconnects you.

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...

I am building a list of common connection problems in mass effect, even have a script which reports/fixes some of them automatically because there are a lot of thing that can go wrong even if know what you are doing. I think I know everything about join/hosting/mic problems by now.

Can someone run netstat while in your own lobby and say what UDP ports are used by mass effect. I need a confirmation on this? ".458" seems to know how to do it. I can use all info I can get on this.

I don't think you realize folks but if what I think is true then tech support guys are telling us how not to fix a game if anything.

I'm on windows 7, so it may be a bit different for others. The trick is you have to run it as administrator with options, which as your normal user is best done by creating a shortcut and editing that. The actual command is in
c:\\windows\\system32\\netstat.exe

From file explorer, send that to desktop as a link. Then edit the link as follows:

• The command has to be forced to execute in a shell without going away, and as administrator. So edit the actual command (right click link), change it to: cmd.exe /k "c:\\windows\\system32\\netstat.exe -a -f -b 5" (the 5 is time interval for continuous polling)
• Under advanced, tell it ot run as administrator.
• Under options, you may want to tell it to use quickedit mode so you can copy and paste easier.
• Under layout, you probably want it wider and taller, adjust to taste. I always use 100 on width or more.
• You may want to tell it to use a larger buffer size and more buffers.
• Start whatever program you want, and alt tab to desktop and use the icon. If you don't know about dos shell and copy and paste, the upper left of the window has some options for the old style copy and paste.
• Remember that there are local and destination ports, that there can be port migration after initial connect, so what seems random may just mean you're looking at the wrong half of the connect, or looking at a migrated connect, or one hit in a range. If you see "127.0.0.1:PortNumber", this is you. Or you can see "YourHostName:portnumber"...there are two halves to a connect in TCP. UDP is connectionless, and a bit different. You are not interested in "well known ports", those below 1024, or ports they are associated with for TCP. Also, "0.0.0.0" may be related to a broadcast, and is a special address (not sure on windows).
• If you want to see more variations on netstat, open a dos prompt and run "netstat /?". The game itself uses UDP, non-direct game ports may be TCP, and a lot is going on beyond just the game. Probably you will want to see the "-a" for all option, "-p UDP" or "-p TCP" for UDP or TCP, possibly the "-f" for fully qualified domain names option.
• You are interested in origin.exe, eacoreserver.exe, and masseffect3.exe. Connections with no ownership information are likely system services. Alter your own IP address, don't post it. I'm making mine 1.2.3.4.

For me, in multiplayer but not lobby, I see:
TCP    1.2.3.4:49647      ec2-107-21-124-221.compute-1.amazonaws.com:5222  ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:49648      a23-3-68-138.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com:http  CLOSE_WAIT
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:49696      383933-gosprapp396.ea.com:14361  ESTABLISHED
[MassEffect3.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:50120      ec2-204-236-229-254.compute-1.amazonaws.com:http  ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]

Looks like pre-lobby includes ports from 49647 to 50120 for TCP.

Once I created private match, but only as host and nobody else there:
TCP    1.2.3.4:49647      ec2-107-21-124-221.compute-1.amazonaws.com:5222  ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:49648      a23-3-68-138.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com:http  CLOSE_WAIT
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:49696      383933-gosprapp396.ea.com:14361  ESTABLISHED
[MassEffect3.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:50132      ec2-184-73-228-94.compute-1.amazonaws.com:http  ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:50133      159.153.235.32:9988    ESTABLISHED
[MassEffect3.exe]
 TCP    1.2.3.4:50137      a96-17-237-89.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com:https  ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    127.0.0.1:3216         thanteros:0            LISTENING
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    127.0.0.1:3216         thanteros:49676        ESTABLISHED
[Origin.exe]
 TCP    127.0.0.1:7878         thanteros:0            LISTENING
[EACoreServer.exe]
 TCP    127.0.0.1:49676        thanteros:3216         ESTABLISHED
[MassEffect3.exe]
 TCP    127.0.0.1:49944        thanteros:49945        ESTABLISHED

I do not use proxy or routers. I also do not have connection issues, and not sure what the failed port looks like under windows (I'm a UNIX/Linux/Solaris/AIX guy), but they will not be in state ESTABLISHED. Likely you will find a TCP connection associated with eacoreserver.exe or origin.exe or masseffect3.exe which is "connecting" or similar, that each time you run the icon shortcut will never establish. That is your gold mine, and related to failure to connect.

In practice, it looks like a 5 second period is best with -p UDP, or a second shortcut icon without a 5 second period for -p TCP. Trying to find some UNIX style tools for windows 7 (grep, egrep, awk) to make it friendlier.

Modifié par .458, 14 juillet 2012 - 01:44 .

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...

I have English Collectors edition (it doesn't get more original then that) and I guarantee you that the ports they mention won't do **** in my game. I want to get to the bottom of this. I thought that some idiots on internet couldn't read but tech support posting this ****? I mean really?

EDIT:
Does anyone see 5659 and 6000 used by origin or mass effect on their system? .458?

The UDP protocol is connectionless, specified as an unreliable datagram delivered with best efforts. The "connection" is entirely in the ME3 software, and not known to be a connection by the operating system. You will see these ports under netstat if you are in a live game and happen to do the right netstat command. They show up on my system when in game. People with a proxy may have altered results for destination. You cannot see data on those ports unless you are in the game.

EDIT: One more thought, netstat will show owner of a port even if no data is transferred. If the ports don't show up, it is because the application cannot take ownership...likely a windows firewall or security issue.

Modifié par .458, 14 juillet 2012 - 12:26 .

[Caratinoid]

You only posted tcp ports, I am not interested in those, because source port is usually random anyway. UDP is connection less but to recieve anything you still need to open that port so you have to see it if it's used. And as I said I was looking at actual data send/received so am sure about the results. Also you can skip the details on how things work there is no need for that (not trying to be offensive here just saying I don't need the explanation to spare you the time).

Modifié par Caratinoid, 14 juillet 2012 - 10:17 .

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...

You only posted tcp ports, I am not interested in those, because source port is usually random anyway. UDP is connection less but to recieve anything you still need to open that port so you have to see it if it's used. And as I said I was looking at actual data send/received so am sure about the results. Also you can skip the details on how things work there is no need for that (not trying to be offensive here just saying I don't need the explanation to spare you the time).

For the game itself, I remember seeing the ports BW published (I forget which, this was a while back, and could not stop to copy and paste anything else). As for in the lobby, I would need someone to join who does not mind me spending the time since netstat has to go continuous and then I need to halt it and do a copy and paste. Then for in game, I would need someone who does not mind me not actually participating for a bit so I can do the same. I don't want to just sit there and do nothing, and with it set to repeat the netstat every few seconds, I just won't be able to remember in the middle of also fighting.

But, this may not say anything, what you really need is the same thing from someone attempting to join who cannot. I don't have that issue, I can't reproduce it. The state may show differently then and be a big flag. People who cannot connect to origin are going to need this same thing for TCP only, and look for ports not in established or listening state...this would be a huge clue.

[Caratinoid]

.458 wrote...
For the game itself, I remember seeing the ports BW published (I forget which, this was a while back, and could not stop to copy and paste anything else).

That's the thing, which ones? 3 ports keep coming up: 3659, 5659 and 6000. 3659 and 6000 were published in the very beginning (that post I linked) but now tech support gives 5659 and 6000 instead of original ones. Because the difference is only one digit I suspect that they made a typing error there. It's also possible that port 6000 was indeed used before (as separate voice data transfer channel maybe? who knows) but is not used now. In my tests I see 3659 being used from the moment I create a lobby. During a match only this port is receiving and sending data.
 

.458 wrote...
But, this may not say anything, what you really need is the same thing from someone attempting to join who cannot.

I tested that and guess what happens? My game tries to connect to another computer on UDP port 3659 but doesn't receive anything back because the person who use that computer has that port blocked. Game will try to connect for some time and than give up. Just in case you have problems with word connect being used for UDP protocol, I say connect because mass effect implements it's own connection handling protocol on top of UDP.

I don't worry about TCP connections that much because NAT takes care of them automaticaly. You only need to know which ports are used if you are planning to use a very strict firewall.

I personnaly don't have problems with disconnects but I do see frequent packet loss (retransmission) in some TCP connections used for autorization and out of sync acknowledgements being send. So maybe there is indeed a small problem with ea servers.

Modifié par Caratinoid, 15 juillet 2012 - 11:19 .

[XTR3M3]

I was having massive problems with the "lost connection" bug. for my last attempt, I reinstalled the game AGAIN, but this time did not allow the EC DLC to download or install. I was able to play like 6 out of 7 matches without a disconnect. It still wasn't perfect but at least I qualified for my commendation pack. I think there is something wrong with the EC DLC.

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...

.458 wrote...
For the game itself, I remember seeing the ports BW published (I forget which, this was a while back, and could not stop to copy and paste anything else).

That's the thing, which ones? 3 ports keep coming up: 3659, 5659 and 6000. 3659 and 6000 were published in the very beginning (that post I linked) but now tech support gives 5659 and 6000 instead of original ones. Because the difference is only one digit I suspect that they made a typing error there. It's also possible that port 6000 was indeed used before (as separate voice data transfer channel maybe? who knows) but is not used now. In my tests I see 3659 being used from the moment I create a lobby. During a match only this port is receiving and sending data.
 

.458 wrote...
But, this may not say anything, what you really need is the same thing from someone attempting to join who cannot.

I tested that and guess what happens? My game tries to connect to another computer on UDP port 3659 but doesn't receive anything back because the person who use that computer has that port blocked. Game will try to connect for some time and than give up. Just in case you have problems with word connect being used for UDP protocol, I say connect because mass effect implements it's own connection handling protocol on top of UDP.

I don't worry about TCP connections that much because NAT takes care of them automaticaly. You only need to know which ports are used if you are planning to use a very strict firewall.

I personnaly don't have problems with disconnects but I do see frequent packet loss (retransmission) in some TCP connections used for autorization and out of sync acknowledgements being send. So maybe there is indeed a small problem with ea servers.

Ok, I did something different...I set for repeat UDP with nothing running. Then I started, and noticed it also uses punkbuster, pnkbstra.exe; appears to be game anti-cheating software. It used port 44301, which might not be a fixed port. But it may be required for games to connect. There is a certain range of upper ports (I forget which) that tend to be left open with nothing listening (this is just tradition I think...security requires not listening if you are going to leave it open).
http://www.neuber.co...kbstra.exe.html

Going into multiplayer, and joining a lobby, I see masseffect3.exe uses 3659. I'm not sure if this came about during multiplayer mode start, or if it was from joining a lobby. It does seem to need to be open though for being in a lobby.

Port 9999 UDP seems to be coming up during games, owned by masseffect3.exe. I have seen 6000 in the past, I'm wondering if they migrated after start (just played a couple of games and used the mic and it never showed up). Port 9999 UDP came up on the few matches I checked (I'm not doing much testing it is distracting, hard to play well).

Port 62903 UDP opened during a game, and remained with masseffect3.exe ownership  after the game and after exit of lobby. It is a high numbered port, and may not be fixed.

I'd suggest people who can't get connect to try temporarily opening all firewall as a test just to see if it is firewall; or try opening 9999 UDP and then 44301 UDP...don't know if any of these will help, nor how permanent those port numbers are. Really, the most versatile way is if you have configuration to allow pnkbstra.exe, masseffect3.exe, and origin.exe to be "trusted"...then it would not matter if you know specific ports (lots of situations don't allow this though).

FYI, did some research and pnkbstra.exe seems to install from a lot of games, and then runs even against games it was not installed for. If you have this, expect it to have an effect on games it was not installed for.

Modifié par .458, 15 juillet 2012 - 07:39 .

[XTR3M3]

I was connecting fine for a while but then Origin installed the damn EC DLC during a match I was playing and now I am having connection issues again. I can't see where to turn of "auto install" in Origin. I must be blind. The EC DLC didn't fix the ending for me and it causes connection problems as well so I don't want it but Origin installs it anyway when I play a match.

Is there a way to keep Origin from installing the EC DLC?

[Caratinoid]

.458 wrote...

Going into multiplayer, and joining a lobby, I see masseffect3.exe uses 3659. I'm not sure if this came about during multiplayer mode start, or if it was from joining a lobby. It does seem to need to be open though for being in a lobby.

Port 9999 UDP seems to be coming up during games, owned by masseffect3.exe. I have seen 6000 in the past, I'm wondering if they migrated after start (just played a couple of games and used the mic and it never showed up). Port 9999 UDP came up on the few matches I checked (I'm not doing much testing it is distracting, hard to play well).

Port 62903 UDP opened during a game, and remained with masseffect3.exe ownership  after the game and after exit of lobby. It is a high numbered port, and may not be fixed.

I'd suggest people who can't get connect to try temporarily opening all firewall as a test just to see if it is firewall; or try opening 9999 UDP and then 44301 UDP...don't know if any of these will help, nor how permanent those port numbers are. Really, the most versatile way is if you have configuration to allow pnkbstra.exe, masseffect3.exe, and origin.exe to be "trusted"...then it would not matter if you know specific ports (lots of situations don't allow this though).

Thank you for doing more tests, this is exactly what I see here too.

3659 : Used for game data and microphone data
9999: Used for broadcasting your origin id over your local network along with some other data. Don't know why but it's local so no need to open that port in router or anything.
62903: This one is always random, don't know what it's used for (could even be dummy) but since it's random there is no way you can forward it anyway, so don't worry about it.

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...
...
62903: This one is always random, don't know what it's used for (could even be dummy) but since it's random there is no way you can forward it anyway, so don't worry about it.

My guess is that 62903 is the result of offloading from a lower known port. It lets the known and fixed port open for other data. Any proxy or router would not have an issue if that is the case, since the application would have initiated it (it wouldn't be initially from the outside world with a number of machines to guess at for destination).

There could still be firewall issues, but not likely. Typically it is ok to open a range of upper ports for outbound without any worry.

[OneMore1968]

Caratinoid wrote...

@Carlina Do you know how to capture traffic with fireshark? It would be interesting to see what's going on there when it disconnects you.

Caratinoid,

sorry, lost this post in all the other posts.   WOW this is fast becoming a huge problem for EA.  Not sure if this is because more ppl are playing MP coz they've exhausted SP or other reasons.

Anyway's, I managed to connect yesterday (15/7) for 2 hours, uninterrupted as a host.  Then unfortunately, had to leave computer for a bit, came back up and usual "lost connection..blah blah"  tried joining several games and couldn't back to the usual disconnect problems, though not as bad.   On Friday, my Origin was updated to 8.6.0.357. 

I will look into the capture via Fireshark.   Will get back to you.  It may be that the unused UDP port is for audio only, I don't use this feature anyway so maybe ask someone else who does, TeamTalk is it??? 

Also got an open support ticket in with EA since beginning of July but I don't hold out much hope, they don't seem to be able to read and well there is a rather funny post elsewhere of a guy with similar probs.

Someone else says that a bod at EA wrecked all the servers ????   It was probably an ex-ME fan who sabotaged them.    Who knows.   If it's not resolved soon, I think will just give up on ME altogether, coz I can't play it as is. 

Thanks for your help.

[Caratinoid]

Caratinoid wrote...
Do you know how to capture traffic with fireshark? It would be interesting to see what's going on there when it disconnects you.

@Carlina
Ooops soory I mispelled that it's called wireshark not fireshark lol:whistle:. It would be very interesting if someone could capture the moment of disconnect with it. I can't reproduce that on my system because I don't have disconnects. However I do have a small problem after last patch and EC: it can take up to 3 minutes to see weekend operation screen. And I keep seeing it again and again when openning multiplayer (if anyone has this problem: you can select one of your friends who is in game and get in the game that way, bypassing loading screen). Never had this problem before. I guess it's the price you have to pay for not having disconnects.

Did I mention that I find it very stupid that you can get "You lost connection message" at all. If the game can't connect to authorize something it should try to reconnect for at least 5 minutes (nobody is that unlucky) before dropping you out of the game. If it loses connection to that server then again it shoud try to reconnect in the background.

Modifié par Caratinoid, 16 juillet 2012 - 10:16 .

[.458]

Caratinoid wrote...

Caratinoid wrote...
Do you know how to capture traffic with fireshark? It would be interesting to see what's going on there when it disconnects you.

@Carlina
Ooops soory I mispelled that it's called wireshark not fireshark lol:whistle:. It would be very interesting if someone could capture the moment of disconnect with it. I can't reproduce that on my system because I don't have disconnects. However I do have a small problem after last patch and EC: it can take up to 3 minutes to see weekend operation screen. And I keep seeing it again and again when openning multiplayer (if anyone has this problem: you can select one of your friends who is in game and get in the game that way, bypassing loading screen). Never had this problem before. I guess it's the price you have to pay for not having disconnects.

Did I mention that I find it very stupid that you can get "You lost connection message" at all. If the game can't connect to authorize something it should try to reconnect for at least 5 minutes (nobody is that unlucky) before dropping you out of the game. If it loses connection to that server then again it shoud try to reconnect in the background.

When I do analysis it is with a transparent bridge. I don't usually trust any kind of traffic analysis software on my windows box. Been a long time since I've had that out though, used it for tracking down security issues. Unfortunately I don't really have the resources to put that back together. I do lose connect at times, but I am not one of those who are losing connect constantly. I'd hate to think of the size of the traffic dump for something like a 30 minute game. Unfortunately it would not matter, EA/BW does not seem to have even a slight interest in fixing networking...there would be no point to it.

[Caratinoid]

.458 wrote...
When I do analysis it is with a transparent bridge. I don't usually trust any kind of traffic analysis software on my windows box. Been a long time since I've had that out though, used it for tracking down security issues. Unfortunately I don't really have the resources to put that back together. I do lose connect at times, but I am not one of those who are losing connect constantly. I'd hate to think of the size of the traffic dump for something like a 30 minute game. Unfortunately it would not matter, EA/BW does not seem to have even a slight interest in fixing networking...there would be no point to it.

Full game (about 20 minutes with someone else as host with all the local traffic on network) only takes 15MB of data and consists of 100k packets. Allot to analyse but because of the filters you can find what you are looking for very quickly afterwards. For instance typing UDP.port=53 will show you all the server names used in session. Speaking of which mass effect tries to connect to novafusion.ea.com during start up on my system but never succeeds.

With sarcasm: but ea does care look at this:
http://social.biowar...4802/1#11404802

Modifié par Caratinoid, 16 juillet 2012 - 01:55 .