Uh... log in troubles.

[Marnevel]

SimpleMU - Unregistered - Please Register and gain more features!
Status: resolving hostname address for ginka.armageddon.org port 4050
Status: attempting connection to 64.252.79.51 4050.
Status: opening connection.
Status: Error 10061 in function Connect
Connection refused
Tuesday April 22 11:22:04 AM session closed.
Status: connection is closed.

That's from SimpleMU.  When I tried with GMud, it just left me hanging.

I used to play Armageddon.  I stopped for maybe six months to a year, and now I'd like to come back.  I can't think of anything that would have changed on this computer, and I don't have an active firewall, but for some reason, I can't connect.

Does anyone, anywhere, have any sort of ideas?  Maybe you've experienced this problem before...

I just want to play.  

[Marnevel]

I should also mention that this isn't the only mud I can't connect to.  Any other one I've tried hangs up as well.

[Moe]

Are you behind a firewall that doesn't allow outbound connections?

[crymerci]

I know you said you're not behind a firewall, but that IS what it sounds like. Are you logging on from a university or some other sort of network?

[Marnevel]

It's all very odd.  The Java client works for me.. so do java and web-based clients for other muds.  I'm not behind a firewall.

I'm on a home computer, connected through DSL, running Windows XP Home Edition.  1.5 gHz Intel P4 processor, 512 ram.

[halfbreed]

Doesn't XP have a built-in firewall that can be activated?

[Marnevel]

I'm not sure if it does.  What I find odd, though, is the fact that I can still connect to the game through the Java client.  The port's not blocked.  I just can't connect through any alternate clients.

[Myrdryn]

To me to it sounds like it is problem with the client software.  If I were you I'd email the creator/supporter of SimpleMU.  Make sure you send the error message.  I've found they are very prompt and very helpful with things like this.  They will probably have an answer for you within a day at least.  Or if you'd rather check their support board you can look here http://simplemu.onlineroleplay.com/board/

-Myrdryn

[krelin]

Does plain ol' "telnet" work, from your command prompt?

"telnet ginka.armageddon.org 4050"

And can you ping:

"ping ginka.armageddon.org"

[Marnevel]

Can't ping or telnet.

[Samoa]

See my exciting, neighboring post in the general discussion section!  If reading it all doesn't kill you, I'm sure it'll work.

[Marnevel]

The problem, unfortunately, is -not- a firewall.  I wish it were that simple.

I can't telnet to port 23, either.

[Plazgoth]

Have you tried the IP address? Also I would call your DSL provider and ask them if you can telnet using their service.

[Marnevel]

I think I'll call them.

I know it used to be possible.  But I've not tried since around last August or so, until recently.  They must have changed something.

Unless you guys can think of something else that might be wrong.

[Marnevel]

Well, according to the web site, they support Telnet.

Does anyone know of any programs I might have installed or things that might have been done to limit my telnet ability the way I've described?

I'm terribly confused.

[Plazgoth]

Did you try the IP?

[Marnevel]

Okay.  This is really, really weird.

This is my sequence of events for this afternoon.

I check GMud again.  It still doesn't work.

I go into a MUD I play.  It has a web-based client on port 2930.

I then open up my firewall.  I normally keep it inactive.  So I activate it, look around.. GMud, of course, has already been set to be allowed through.

I then check GMud once more.  Suddenly, with the firewall active, it works.  I'm in Armageddon.  I disconnect.

I close down the firewall and try again.  Works again.

I try another connection, this time on port 443, to another game.  It works.  Try another game (same port, different server), it works too.

Then I go back to Armageddon.  Suddenly, it doesn't work any more.

So I turn my firewall back on and try again, and I'm back in Armageddon.

My firewall, by the way, is ZoneAlarm.

I've not had it open for several months, before today.

And I still have no idea what's going on.

Also, it disconnects me after about a minute of inactivity.

[Savak]

While from the outside this also sounds a bit funkadelic, I imagine it still has a simple answer.  Somewhere.

My cynical suspicion is that WinXP is trying to be clever and is "protecting" you in some strange Microsoft way because it believes you were obviously on crack when you closed down your firewall.  An alternative thought is that your DSL modem or whatever you are routing through also has a built in firewall, which may be speaking a strange language to XP or ZoneAlarm (or some program not showing up in your systray).  There may be a delay between your opening/closing each of these programs and your ability to telnet through them, while they all talk to one another and conspire to make you bald.

Personally, I'd turn on the firewall and play away (although a 1 minute disconnect timeout sounds inane) -- basically, whatever works is a good thing.  You also mentioned that at one point you couldn't even ping ginka, which makes me wonder if there's something bigger going on -- i.e., can you connect to the ginka webpages during that time?  Is there a router or DNS resolution issue between you & ginka?  Sometimes you can find a temporary hole to telnet through, then a server in between you and ginka will die again.  This, in fact, may be the problem, and all your fiddling around on your system might only be bringing you closer to breaking it, heh.  (Although, you did say you could connect via the java/web client, so that doesn't sound like the problem either.)

Alternatively, place a liberal amount of C4 explosives atop your computer and blow the thing to hell.  Try again with something that lets you do your own thinking, like Linux.

* Note, I run Win2k.  Still, it never ceases to amaze me how stupid Microsoft assumes I must be for having purchased their software, constantly trying to take over and change things when I had them JUST THE WAY I DAMN WELL LIKED THEM.

-Savak

[halfbreed]

Alternatively, place a liberal amount of C4 explosives atop your computer and blow the thing to hell. Try again with something that lets you do your own thinking, like Linux.

* Note, I run Win2k. Still, it never ceases to amaze me how stupid Microsoft assumes I must be for having purchased their software, constantly trying to take over and change things when I had them JUST THE WAY I DAMN WELL LIKED THEM.

Don't hold back now...  tell us how you really feel.    :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Heh, sorry... that cracked me up somehow.  I've had similar experiences... but I've learned to make peace with M$ (or go insane).