I have solved the problem .

I guessed from everybodies help that the hosts file I was checking was not the one being used. I changed my window settings to show all hidden files and folders and did a complete hard drive search.

Sure enough, the hosts file being used was hidden but still in the drivers/etc folder. It has lots of entries in it which doesnt seem right but there was an old one for LFS. I've deleted the entry and I can now connect.

One happy bunny here.

Thanks to everybody for helping, we got there in the end.

Andy D

Ok I tried that and it resolves ok. Same answer with different server.
Heres the cmd cut and paste.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>nslookup

Default Server: resolver1.opendns.com
Address: 208.67.222.222

> master.liveforspeed.net

Server: resolver1.opendns.com
Address: 208.67.222.222
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: liveforspeed.net
Address: 213.40.20.2
Aliases: master.liveforspeed.net

> server ns.interbusiness.it

Default Server: ns.interbusiness.it
Address: 151.99.125.1

> master.liveforspeed.net

Server: ns.interbusiness.it
Address: 151.99.125.1
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: liveforspeed.net
Address: 213.40.20.2
Aliases: master.liveforspeed.net
>

Andy D

I've flushed, rebooted 50 times. I'm on openDNS now and i've set the router to use opendns too.

Victor, If we can arrange a time and you're happy to I can let you into my system through 'logmein'. That way you can check I'm not being a complete numpty.

Thanks for help but still no resolution.



Andy D

No, that didn't work. Heres the ping for master.liveforspeed.net.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ping master.liveforspeed.net
Pinging master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.196.103] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Ping statistics for 213.40.196.103:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>

Thanks for trying tho.

Here is the the content of the hosts file.



# Copyright (c) 1998 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP stack for Windows98
#
# 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

I'm not convinced this is the problem, but hey, what do I know.

Thanks to you guys for your help so far but still no connection.

Andy D

Ok, here you go. I hope.

I probably am being a moron but thank you for your help.

Andy D

Tried that and did a reboot. Exactly the same result.

Grrrrrrr.

Yes still having trouble. If you look at test 1 when I ping master.liveforspeed.net I get destination host unreachable.

I'm hoping Victor can help.

Andy D

OK. Triggered by something I spotted in Bean0's post. I tried ping on both "master.liveforspeed.net" and "liveforspeed.net"

I've also found I can trace to liveforspeed.net.

Does this help??



Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ping master.liveforspeed.net
Pinging master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.196.103] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Ping statistics for 213.40.196.103:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ping liveforspeed.net
Pinging liveforspeed.net [213.40.20.2] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=56
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=56
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=56
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=56
Ping statistics for 213.40.20.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 36ms, Maximum = 37ms, Average = 36ms
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>tracert liveforspeed.net
Tracing route to liveforspeed.net [213.40.20.2]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 34 ms 34 ms 35 ms lo99.mk-0-ips.as9105.net [212.74.111.5]
3 35 ms 35 ms 35 ms ge0-1.mk0.as9105.net [80.40.119.137]
4 40 ms 36 ms 35 ms pos3-0.lon10.as9105.net [212.74.108.10]
5 37 ms 36 ms 37 ms pos2-p0.lon11.as9105.net [212.74.111.230]
6 * 35 ms 36 ms ge-7-1-0.lon11.ip.tiscali.net [213.200.77.49]
7 37 ms 36 ms 37 ms xe-0-0-0.lon20.ip.tiscali.net [89.149.186.77]
8 39 ms 44 ms 37 ms ge-7-1.core2.London1.Level3.net [213.200.77.1
9 37 ms 36 ms 36 ms PACKET-EXCH.car2.London1.Level3.net [212.187.
.98]
10 38 ms 45 ms 45 ms loncat01-ge-lon01.core.netline.net.uk [213.40
1.73]
11 36 ms 38 ms 37 ms lfs4.hosted.netline.net.uk [213.40.20.2]
Trace complete.
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>

Andy D

Quote from Bean0 :

Are you sure you do not have an entry in your hosts file ?

The DNS is not resolving to the correct IP, it should be as follows...

C:\>ping master.liveforspeed.net

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

Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=47
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=47
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=50ms TTL=47
Reply from 213.40.20.2: bytes=32 time=47ms TTL=47

Ping statistics for 213.40.20.2:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 46ms, Maximum = 50ms, Average = 47ms

C:\>

There are no entries in the hosts file.

Strangely, you ping master.liveforspeed.net and then it says 'pinging liveforspeed.net' without the master at the front. Whats going on there.

Andy D

Ok Here are my test results.

TEST 1.



C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>ping master.liveforspeed.net
Pinging master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.196.103] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 213.40.192.249: Destination host unreachable.
Ping statistics for 213.40.196.103:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms
C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>

Test 2.

C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator>tracert master.liveforspeed.net
Tracing route to master.liveforspeed.net [213.40.196.103]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 40 ms 34 ms 34 ms lo99.mk-0-ips.as9105.net [212.74.111.5]
3 35 ms 37 ms 35 ms ge0-1.mk0.as9105.net [80.40.119.137]
4 39 ms 37 ms 39 ms pos3-0.lon10.as9105.net [212.74.108.10]
5 37 ms 37 ms 36 ms pos2-p0.lon11.as9105.net [212.74.111.230]
6 38 ms * 40 ms ge-7-1-0.lon11.ip.tiscali.net [213.200.77.49]
7 38 ms 36 ms 87 ms xe-2-0-0.lon20.ip.tiscali.net [89.149.186.85]
8 226 ms 222 ms 225 ms ge-7-1.core2.London1.Level3.net [213.200.77.130]
9 37 ms 38 ms 37 ms ae-31-53.ebr1.London1.Level3.net [4.68.116.94]
10 45 ms 45 ms 46 ms ae-4-4.car1.Manchesteruk1.Level3.net [4.69.133.1
01]
11 44 ms 46 ms 45 ms ae-11-11.car2.Manchesteruk1.Level3.net [4.69.133
.98]
12 49 ms 45 ms 53 ms 195.50.119.134
13 47 ms 49 ms 49 ms noc01-ds3-man01.core.netline.net.uk [212.111.130
.21]
14 50 ms 49 ms 50 ms cyclone.core.netline.net.uk [213.40.192.249]
15 cyclone.core.netline.net.uk [213.40.192.249] reports: Destination host unr
eachable.
Trace complete.

Hope this helps.

Andy D

Quote from Victor :

Was that huge font not big enough? You must include all the test results in your post. It's not asked for the fun of it or something - it's so we can see all the details of your tests that will help pinpoint the problem.

I'm going to ignore further posts from people who don't read the first post.

This isn't in huge font!!! 'Without any test results, we just do not have the information required to assist.'

I see it now and I'll post my results when I have worked out how to cut and past from cmd.

Thanks

Andy D

Ok, I'm sure I used to have a hosts file but now I have a 'lmhosts'. If this is the same thing then there are no entries.

'Ping' of the masterserver comes up as unreachable.

Please Help.

Andy D

I'm fairly sure thats what the problem is. Shame cos this game loses its appeal with no online racing.

Quote from MOSS_DJ23 :

I'm on Tiscali broadband 2mb.

I thought that might be it so I downloaded patch U from scratch yesterday...but am still getting the same problem.

Might it something to do with new programs that have been installed????

I'm with Tiscali and have same problem. I'm convinced its overload at exchange cos playing at 3am in morning is fine!!!

I'm with tiscali in uk. Broadband 2mb. I get the problem through both wired and wireless connection. Using Netgear router which I've reset after discovering problem but its still there.

Thanks for the threads. Seems I'm not the only one.

Tiscali have confirmed they have no port restrictions.

Strange one, restoring to earlier in year doesnt work either.

I get very low pings to all the servers I try race on, but I keep disconnecting. This just happened last weekend for no apparent reason. Anybody got any clues???