Quote from the_angry_angel :

What happens if you do this in a command prompt?

telnet master.liveforspeed.net. 8080

Does it tell you that it cannot open the connection to the host on port 8080? Or do you get a blank window with a flashing cursor?

Blank window flashing cursor.
I'll bet that is not good huh?

-NZ- yes mate, done that as well. There is not one genuine tip for help I have not tried, from victor's, on down, that has worked.

If there was something wrong with my inhouse configuration, I would not be posting here. I think.
All my network, IP, NAT, ISP DNS, IPTables firewall, router, all tally exactly with the addresses and ports given. I even have the secondary numbers set as my secondaries. Still to no avail.

kaynd. Calm down? I am a former front line fighter. I AM CALM.

I will admit to a certain elevated level of "what the?".
You will find most people like me use an urgent black humour to "break the ice". Something younger people may not understand and take wrongly, as aggression or anger.
Quite often, as it happens.

The one thing I point blank refuse to do however, is to drop my router IPTables firewall. Not ever gonna happen.

Just every so often this happens, whether to me, or the machine I custom built, I haven't quite figured out yet.
But, just every so often I find a program that just won't work, for anybody, on this machine.
Oh, how I would hate this to be one of those times.
Anything, at all, by Codemasters refuses to run properly on this machine.
Now there seems to be glue in this one somehow.
Tuesday, Wednesday, now most of today, I've had enough for today.
If you can come up with anything, thank you for your efforts.
I'll log in again tomorrow.

Thank you all for your help.

Shorty.

Umm, No Gunn, didn't you read the thread?
I'm with an Adelaide South Australia company called Internode.

http://www.internode.on.net

They are the mirror LFS.net send me straight to for the download and they run a server set, but, only for licensed racers.

Okay Franky. I'll give it another go,, what the hell can it hurt. It might even work.

I'll be back in 10 to 15 minutes with news.

Thank's mate.


Edit:

Here are the results of the ping\tracert batch file tests done at 1500 Adelaide time.



Pinging master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.20.2] with 32 bytes of data:



Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=381ms TTL=44

Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=376ms TTL=44

Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=376ms TTL=44

Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=376ms TTL=44



Ping statistics for 213.40.20.2:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 376ms, Maximum = 381ms, Average = 377ms



Tracing route to master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.20.2]

over a maximum of 30 hops:



1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.254

2 15 ms 19 ms 14 ms loop0.lns5.adl2.internode.on.net [203.16.215.249]

3 18 ms 14 ms 14 ms v14.cor3.adl2.internode.on.net [203.16.212.254]

4 227 ms 224 ms 229 ms gi0-3.bdr2.adl2.internode.on.net [203.16.212.145]

5 193 ms 199 ms 194 ms pos3-3.bdr1.syd6.internode.on.net [203.16.212.178]

6 203 ms 194 ms 194 ms pos4-1.bdr1.lax1.internode.on.net [203.16.213.149]

7 192 ms 189 ms 189 ms ge-7-11.car3.LosAngeles1.Level3.net [4.71.32.61]

8 202 ms 194 ms 204 ms ae-31-55.ebr1.LosAngeles1.Level3.net [4.68.102.158]

9 206 ms 194 ms 199 ms ae-68.ebr3.LosAngeles1.Level3.net [4.69.135.10]

10 200 ms 199 ms 199 ms ae-2.ebr3.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.69.132.9]

11 204 ms 214 ms 214 ms ae-83-83.csw3.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.69.134.234]

12 202 ms 204 ms 209 ms ae-84-84.ebr4.SanJose1.Level3.net [4.69.134.249]

13 286 ms 274 ms 269 ms ae-2.ebr4.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.135.186]

14 278 ms


That seems OK.
But the game does exactly the same thing

Cannot connect to the master server.

This could be for,,,,


I'm running my monthly download meter into the red, and I'm on a 5 Gb monthly limit, and I'm running out of download mirrors to pull from. I'm down to 4% of my quota for this month left.

This is getting ridiculous.
HELP ME PLEASE!

Last edited by shorty943, Thu 6 Dec 2007, 04:38.

Quote from the_angry_angel :

The hosts file shouldn't magically change, and its 29339 or 8080.

Thank you Angry.

I must have got some dis-information about port numbers.
I got the alternate alright, but the primary may be my problem.

I'll drop in the X10 update and try again with the correct port number opened in my router firewall.

I'll let you know.


Edit:

Still nothing, and as you can see, I have the x10 update just in case the master is an x10 server.


That is my game config file, to add to all the rest of the diagnostics.

Ip is correct.
Master server port correct.
Server and game ports, correct?
DNS set to OpenDNS, as suggested as primary, my ISP nominated DNS as secondary.
Windows and router both DNScache flushed and shutdown and rebooted.
Windows firewall and router firewall opened to LFS.EXE, on the master server port, at the above IP address.
System files over-written with files posted by a really good hearted person.
Path variable problem found and fixed.
All suggested tests now show every thing is right.

And still my copy of S2 Alpha 0.5x10 can not connect to the master server to unlock.
Why won't this resolve?

Last edited by shorty943, Thu 6 Dec 2007, 02:16.

Quote from AndroidXP :

Yay! Good to hear you could finally unlock

For environment variable editing, I think you can do it with:
- WinKEY + Pause (opens system properties)
- Tab "Advanced"
- Button "Environment Variables"

and then in the lower half, edit the path variable.

Don't get the cart before the horse mate.

It all fell to crap still.

I found there were no pointers to C:\ or C:\Windows in path, so I added them at the front of the path variable statement as in old DOS.

Ripper. ping and tracert now resolve out OK.

Just went to connect with the master server to unlock.

I'm gonna nuke this bastard. The game still can't find the server.

Shorty, do not pass go, do not get jolly just yet.

I'll have another look in \etc\hosts, and see if anything has changed since about 5 minutes ago. 213.40.20.2 right? port 63392 or 8080 right?


Edit.

Nope still no good. THIS IS BULLSHIT guys. Sorry, but as a pensioner ex Navy man, I had to save to purchase this damned liscence. This is just no frigging good at all.

Thanks for all the very best intended help, I'm off to chat with the developers.

Last edited by shorty943, Thu 6 Dec 2007, 00:39.

Quote from franky500 :

other thing to check that there is not an old entry in your windows / system32/ drivers / ect/ hosts file. if there is not entry for master.liveforspeed.net in there then personally i would try adding it (at least it would be a temporary fix... hopefully) if there is already an entry in there for master.liveforspeed.net then remove it.

I'll explain further if androids and others suggestions turn out not to work....

Been there done that Franky.

I think I have found my problem.

Ping and tracert were already in my system32 folder.
I have a path variable problem. I had to drill down old fashioned DOS wise to get into ~\windows\system32\.
Then and only then did my machine respond correctly to the commands, and found the master server.

Now. Can somebody please refresh my crusty old memory on how to edit my path statement so that Windows can bloody well see itself?

Quote from AndroidXP :

Ok, this might look a bit stupid now, but I've attached the ping.exe and tracert.exe from my windows\system32 folder. Hopefully that way you can finally check what's happening.


Please... don't derail this topic. The topic starter is obviously pretty frustrated about his unlocking problems - your lazy moment just struck at the wrong time

Thank you very much AndroidXP.

I've just this minute downloaded your zip file.
I'll log out, unzip into ~\System32\
Try to ping again.
And let you know. Should only take 10 minutes.

Help please. I am still unable to connect to the master server to unlock my copy of LFS.

Check 1.
The Game.

Running a fresh downloaded copy of LFS S2 Alpha 0.5x

Check 2.
Hosts file.

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost


Test 1.
Ping test.

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>ping master.liveforspeed.net
'PING' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

Test 2.
Tracert test.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>tracert master.liveforspeed.net
'TRACERT' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>


Test 3.
Echo %path% test.

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>echo %path%
C:\PROGRA~1\Aqsis\bin;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\W
bem;C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\GTK\2.0\bin

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>


Windows firewall shutdown, all tests repeated with exactly the same results.
Dedicated ports opened in my router firewall, tests repeated with the same results.

Redirected myDNS to OpenDNS as suggested.
No resolution to the problem.

At Angry Angle's suggestion I even tried editing the cfg file to redirect the game to the alternate master server port, with the server IP address.
Nothing works.

ISP is Internode, they have a game server running.
LFS.NET Downloads redirected me to the mirror download server at my own ISP.
Downloads and expands and runs beautifully. But it will not connect to the master server to unlock.

A thought for the coders out there.
If my installation of Windows is somehow missing ping.exe and tracert.exe, and the game needs these to contact the master server, then there is my problem.
If the game does not need these network diag utilities then the problem is somewhere else.
Or is my "path variable" looking unusual to a more knowing eye than mine. There appears to be no pointer to the C:\ or to C:\Windows.

Any suggestions, apart from all the above failures, will be appreciated, and tried.


Regards Shorty.


Edit:
It was my router blocking LFS. All fixed now, thank you to all who tried so hard to help me.

Last edited by shorty943, Fri 7 Dec 2007, 21:29.

Quote from pom456 :

try to write your command while you're directly on c:

type " cd.. " until the path change from C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY> to c:\>

after that try to ping master.liveforspeed.net

Yep, tried that too, mate.
I tried every trick I can think of. I am absolutely at a loss to understand what is going wrong.

Quote from Jakg :

You do know that you need to type "ping whatever" right? Typing ping on it's own wont work.

Tried ping google.co.uk?

Mate. I do disparate networking for a computer scientist.
Consider yourself Pinged. The Navy way. You've been torpedoed out of the water.

Quote from AndroidXP :

Have you even read his posts?

Quote from pom456 :

hehe i don't think so !!

Thank's guys.

In desperation last night, I wiped the entire game folder, went to "LFS.NET" to do a fresh download. LFS pointed me straight back to the mirror server at my ISP in Adelaide SA. My home state capital city. The very server set I want to join, to enter my state league.
I can log in to the LFS site, the entire system recognises me as a paid up legit S2 liscence holder.
But, I still can't connect to the master server to unlock my game.


I am pissed right off.
At the moment, they have my ****ing money, I can't unlock my legit purchase, and I get a mouth full of shit, from some toolhead YOUNG geek.

To those who have genuinely tried to help.
Angry Angel, pom456, AndriodXP.
My most sincere thanks.

I'd just like to get my legally liscenced game to unlock.
Then there would be at least one more Aussie racer.
A retired real life racer, been stuck in demo mode with no internet connection (Installed the game from a magazine CD) for years.

Finally got ADSL, got my liscence paid for, my game can't find the master server to unlock.

Nothing shits me.

On ya Mickey.

I've played this on a single, non internet connected PC since S1.
Since getting connected, I've found and reported to the developers a couple of nasty things I thought they should know about. Got a couple of polite thank you emails in return. Nice people who are doing a hell of a job.

Yesterday, I finally managed to get my liscence. Got all signed up legal and proper.

Some frigging bull crap thing is wrong, either in my system or my game files or some thing.
I can't get my legally liscenced copy of this game to contact the master server to unlock.
And some people brag about cracking the best damned thing going if you like racing of any sort.

To those who get wrongfully accused of cracking, connecting through the legal demo, chin up. At least you get to race against real people. I haven't yet, not in sim form any way.

To those who crack. Even hiding via email changes and so on can't hide who you are. Install it on another PC. Use a new connection. But, your style is still showing.

You gonna get got.

Nice thread Mickey.

That is ugly man.

Try a double check on your graphics drivers, they may have fallen off the hard drive.

Indicators?

I suppose you can at least warn you are entering pit lane.

I use an EBest combo, wheel and peddle set. It plugs into any and all games consoles, and has USB for PC as well. Comes complete with handbrake lever, sequential shifter lever and many many more toys.

Last edited by shorty943, Wed 5 Dec 2007, 04:26.

Thank's for the quick reply Angry. Just a bit frustrated with this unlock lockup.

It took a while to get this right, but.

Here goes.
Check 1.
I am running the 0.5X version of the full client.

Test 1 and 2.

16 bit command ping and tracert results.

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>ping master.liveforspeed.net
'PING' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>tracert master.liveforspeed.net
'TRACERT' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>

Test 3.

16 bit Echo %path% results.

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>echo %path%
C:\PROGRA~1\Aqsis\bin;%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\W
bem;C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\GTK\2.0\bin

C:\DOCUME~1\SHORTY>

Test or check 4.

Hosts file.

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost


Not looking good there.

Is there something I should know about my Windows XP Pro SP2 Corporate edition? A spare number from a friends MS Partners Pack.

It is not in a corporate network of any kind, it's the only machine I have that runs XP.
I also have a 1.6GB Acer, that runs Linux for fun, and an Acer 3000 laptop also on Linux, for real work.
Neither of which, are even plugged in or running at the moment.

This machine is an MSI K8 series M\b, Athlon 64 bit 3.4 Gb CPU, 1 Gb of DDR2 RAM, nVidea 5500 Graphics with 512 Mb of VRAM, onboard Realtek sound (AC97), connected to ADSL via a Billion VoIP router through ISP www.internode.com.

Windows is installed in C:\Windows, as you would expect, LFS is in a ~\Games\LFS\X folder, (I still have S1 in its folder there as well.), under F:\My documents, on a 120 Gb SATA drive, but, that shouldn't make any difference.

I tried port 8080, even tried telling the system to go to the IP address 213.40.20.2. No go.

I don't know what else to do, I have followed every instruction, to the letter. To no avail.
As we say out here in Aussie, "She's stuffed, mate".

Last edited by shorty943, Wed 5 Dec 2007, 04:42.

I think I may have a whacked installation of WinXP. I can't get the commands "ping" and "tracert" to function, I think you may be right. They may be missing.

CMD responds "ping not recognized as an internal or external command"

Same with tracert and DNSFlush.

I haven't been able to resolve the master server in any way at all.

My system doesn't even respond to the batch file, kindly written and posted by a member, just for retired ex-Navy steam ship engineers like me.

[url]file:///F:/My%20Documents/My%20Received%20Files/LFS/LFS_CTESTRESULTS.txt[/url]

See? I ran the batch file and THAT is the total result.

It's exactly because my system just won't give me the information you need, that I could not see my way free to post in the MOST obvious place. I read that thread from end to end, I even copied and pasted parts of it so I did not make a mistake. So I thought. Downloaded the batch file when all else failed.
I double checked my "hosts" file, it's empty, see?

[url]file:///C:/WINDOWS/system32/drivers/etc/hosts[/url]


Even the last ditch effort in the firewall system is mentioned in Victor's thread.

The information on ICMP packets is news to me, thank you. I'll try redirecting LFS to the alternative master server port.


As for the rest? Call it a frustrated desperate plea for help.
So if there is anything useful up your arse, it would be appreciated.
Dick!

Every thing else has utterly failed to connect to the master server.
And as an ex-serviceman pensioner, who has saved for almost a year to buy a liscence to unlock this simulator, at the moment this is a total waste of money, and this trouble is pissing me right off.

EDIT.

Great. Even the damned text files don't show up in the damned post.
Bah, I let you know how I go with port 8080.

Last edited by shorty943, Wed 5 Dec 2007, 01:01.

Twelve hours.
Ping, isn't there.
Can't tracert.
DNSflushing, down the drain.
Reboot windows with each change.
DNS lookup set to OpenDNS, as primary, ISP as secondary (for safety).
Reboot router, reboot windows.
Hole in Windows firewall dedicated to LFS and required port in and out.
Reboot.
Linux powered IPTables firewall in router opened to LFS and correct port.
Reboot both again.

WINDOWS firewall shut down, right bloody now.

And still I can't get this simulator to connect to the master server to unlock my brand spanking new best toy ever.

I can't think straight any more, I'm going to bed.

Yeah. Be damned glad you got on at all.