PTW via AOL UK?

[petemajor]

Hi,

I was just wondering whether anyone has played PTW via AOL UK dialup? I have not been able to join a game via AOL and I was wondering if anyone knows whether they have port filtering or something similar that would restrict gaming?

If you use AOL UK and have successfully played a game please post a message on this thread.

NOW BEFORE YOU FLAME ME FOR USING AOL... it's the only dialup I can get on an NTL line that doesn't have a two hour disconnect... so no smart ass comments plz.

Grateful for any help,

Pete

[Willem]

Are we allowed dumb ass comments?

[petemajor]

uh Willem, please see section entitled 'NOW BEFORE YOU FLAME ME FOR USING AOL' in original post for the answer to your question...

[Willem]

Hey relax, I was just joking! Notice the big grin behind my statement?

[zulu9812]

What do you mean when you say you haven't been able to join a game? You mean no-on will accept you to play in the lobby? Have you tried a directIP set-up with a friend?

[petemajor]

Hi Zulu.

With my old ISP, I was able to enter rooms and play in launched games. Everything works fine, except that my ISP has a two-hour connection limit.

So I changed to AOL, which has no limit... I can view the main lobby chat and enter rooms that hosts create, but when the host launches my computer always times out - and I get the standard "may be behind a firewall message".

At first I though that I was just unlucky and someone else was causing the crash, but since dialing with AOL I haven't successfully joined a game yet ( in at least a half dozen attempts ). I've also tried direct ip, and I get the same message.

I did try calling the AOL support line, but their support guys say that they (employees) don't have access to information about whether or not ports are blocked.

I was hoping to get some concrete info whether or not AOL does indeed block ports... I know their dialup system works on some sort of proxy (that's how they implement all their parental control stuff I think).

Thanks for any help,
Pete

[rob.derosa]

Hahahahahha you use AOL, hahahahaha

[zulu9812]

@rob.derosa - That's a really old joke. I use AOL, so come try that on me.

@petemajor - I take it you're not running a firewall, correct? I had to turn mine off in order to connect.

[petemajor]

Hi Zulu. Thanks for you reply.

I use Kerio Personal Firewall, but I don't start it up when I connect to play Civ (or at all when I use AOL actually).

I'm on XP Pro, and *as far as I know* ICF is not running on my AOL connection *BUT* AOL uses it's own dialer, not the standard windows dialup connection, so I can't look at the connection properties.

Zulu, have you successfully played CTW on your AOL connection. What OS are you using? Can you change your dialup properties?

Thanks again for your help,
Pete

[zulu9812]

I'm using Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 3 with AOL 7.0, I've never bothered with games via the lobby; I always use directIP as I always play ppl I know. I did need to turn off Zone Alarm Pro, but I didn't need to change dial properties or open/close any ports. I recommend you try directIP with a friend where neither of you are running a firewall and see what happens.

P.S. If you never use your firewall, why do you have it installed? Try uninstalling it and see if that changes anything.