Issues connecting behind school internet

[lostmonster]

I'm an undergraduate student with limited access to gaming ports during specific times on the weekends.

Why is it that Gears of War 2 is the only game that doesn't work, whereas every other online multiplayer game I have -- farcry 2, left 4 dead, gears of war 1 -- works just fine?

My IT department isn't the best IT team, for they neither knew what the problem was nor attempted to further look into the issue on their side of the system.

So, any information or similar problems and ways to fix the issue would be great.

[lostmonster]

I'm bumping this because I find that this is a much more important thread than some of the thread replicas that replaced this concerning the all non-powerful "Cliffy B" on x-play tomorrow.

[DrFace007]

Just saying "it doesn't work" is not much to work with. What issue are you having in particular? Do you receive an error message?

[lostmonster]

Just saying "it doesn't work" is not much to work with. What issue are you having in particular? Do you receive an error message?

When pressing "search for match" or whatever is associated with pressing the A or Start button, the matchmaking system continually refreshes its search for team members.

The other four spaces contain "SEARCHING," and I am always, every time, given the message that the player has restarted the matchmaking process.

This continually happens.

[lostmonster]

I'd take a video of what happens, but the ports are down until Friday at 5pm CST.

[mrdylan284]

Welcome to matchmaking I get this too and it takes minimum 10 minutes to find a match alone. Letting it find people and then canceling and restarting it can speed it up at times but otherwise this is just how it is now. There are loads of threads around here about this already and they released update that was supposed to help with it but it did not help me what so ever. And my NAT is open for the 360.

[Julian Casablancas]

When pressing "search for match" or whatever is associated with pressing the A or Start button, the matchmaking system continually refreshes its search for team members.

The other four spaces contain "SEARCHING," and I am always, every time, given the message that the player has restarted the matchmaking process.

This continually happens.

This happens to everybody. Nothing is wrong with your school's internet. The problem lies in Gears 2's matchmaking.

It's broken.

[Endless77]

It takes me 2-15 minutes.

[lostmonster]

Well, no. It is the school's internet.

I suppose I left this out: when I play Gears 2 at home or at a friend's house, the problems I get at school are not the same as the length-of-time-problem with finding a match.

I've let the game sit for an hour to an hour and a half without a successful search.

It is not the matchmaking issue and it is an altogether separate issue that seems to be quite unique to my situation, making it quite apparent to me that the help I need will not be found here unless someone knows the difference in ports used between Gears 2 and other games.

[Julian Casablancas]

Well, no. It is the school's internet.

I suppose I left this out: when I play Gears 2 at home or at a friend's house, the problems I get at school are not the same as the length-of-time-problem with finding a match.

I've let the game sit for an hour to an hour and a half without a successful search.

It is not the matchmaking issue and it is an altogether separate issue that seems to be quite unique to my situation, making it quite apparent to me that the help I need will not be found here unless someone knows the difference in ports used between Gears 2 and other games.

There is no port difference dude. It's 3074 TDP/UDP, and 88 UDP.

I don't know what else to tell you.

[lostmonster]

There is no port difference dude. It's 3074 TDP/UDP, and 88 UDP.

I don't know what else to tell you.

Well, at least you gave me the ports used. This might help IT with fixing the issue.

[Julian Casablancas]

Well, at least you gave me the ports used. This might help IT with fixing the issue.

As long as your Network test runs smoothly, you should be fine.

If it tells you that your network is moderate or strict, you will not find matches in Gears 2.

To get an open NAT, this is what Microsoft suggest on their official website:

The following ports must be available to your Xbox 360 console for Xbox LIVE to operate correctly:

* TCP 80
* UDP 88
* UDP 3074
* TCP 3074
* UDP 53
* TCP 53

[SecrtAgentMan]

Thread closed

JK :)

[lostmonster]

As long as your Network test runs smoothly, you should be fine.

If it tells you that your network is moderate or strict, you will not find matches in Gears 2.

To get an open NAT, this is what Microsoft suggest on their official website:

The following ports must be available to your Xbox 360 console for Xbox LIVE to operate correctly:

* TCP 80
* UDP 88
* UDP 3074
* TCP 3074
* UDP 53
* TCP 53


Like I said, Xbox Live works fine with other multiplayer games, and I only have problems connecting with Gears of War 2.

And when I say 'problems,' I mean that I have yet to be able to play a multiplayer game on my school's internet due to my inability to find a match.

[Julian Casablancas]

Like I said, Xbox Live works fine with other multiplayer games, and I only have problems connecting with Gears of War 2.

It may be that some of those ports are closed, and since other games simply have a better multiplayer (for lack of a better phrase), you aren't impacted as greatly as you are in Gears 2.

[lostmonster]

It may be that some of those ports are closed, and since other games simply have a better multiplayer (for lack of a better phrase), you aren't impacted as greatly as you are in Gears 2.

If any one of those ports are closed, none of my multiplayer games would work; however, all of my multiplayer games work just fine...

...unless the other multiplayer games demand less than the given six ports? IT told me that xbox live uses the same ports for every game, essentially being a tunnel through which every xbox 360 game can travel to connect to the internet -- something you just told me.

The information you've provided is extremely helpful and I thank you, but there is some other problem occurring when L4D works just fine and uses those same six ports, and Gears 2 doesn't work and uses those same ports.

[Julian Casablancas]

If any one of those ports are closed, none of my multiplayer games would work; however, all of my multiplayer games work just fine...

...unless the other multiplayer games demand less than the given six ports? IT told me that xbox live uses the same ports for every game, essentially being a tunnel through which every xbox 360 game can travel to connect to the internet -- something you just told me.

The information you've provided is extremely helpful and I thank you, but there is some other problem occurring when L4D works just fine and uses those same six ports, and Gears 2 doesn't work and uses those same ports.

Look, I had the same conflict when I initially purchased Gears 2. (Not that it's gotten any better since, but now I know it's the same for everyone) Matchmaking was/is horribly slow and inefficient, whereas Call of Duty 4 was/is finding me 18 players matches in a matter of seconds.

Got nothing else to suggest :/

[Psychophrene]

The other four spaces contain "SEARCHING," and I am always, every time, given the message that the player has restarted the matchmaking process.

This continually happens.

welcome to gears 2... you should try quiting out as soon as you have been waiting for more than 5 mins and re-try

[TechnoNG]

The online with GoW2 isn't so great as GoW1 is why

[lostmonster]

Look, I had the same conflict when I initially purchased Gears 2. (Not that it's gotten any better since, but now I know it's the same for everyone) Matchmaking was/is horribly slow and inefficient, whereas Call of Duty 4 was/is finding me 18 players matches in a matter of seconds.

Got nothing else to suggest :/

Again, my problem isn't a length of time issue; rather, it's the fact that I am completely incapable of finding a match, ever.

I wouldn't be posting about this problem if I didn't think it was different from the issues concerning the time it takes to find and play a match.

EDIT: I enjoy Gears of War 2 far too much to care about having to wait 2-15 minutes to play a match. I'd easily hand over my current problem for having to wait 30 minutes for a match, let alone 15.

[Julian Casablancas]

Again, my problem isn't a length of time issue; rather, it's the fact that I am completely incapable of finding a match, ever.

I wouldn't be posting about this problem if I didn't think it was different from the issues concerning the time it takes to find and play a match.

Damn, well I hope someone solves it for you, because I'll be at a university in 6 months.

Actually, I doubt I'll be playing this stupid wanker game by then, so it doesn't really matter.

[lostmonster]

welcome to gears 2... you should try quiting out as soon as you have been waiting for more than 5 mins and re-try

Again, my problem isn't a length of time issue; rather, it's the fact that I am completely incapable of finding a match, ever.

I wouldn't be posting about this problem if I didn't think it was different from the issues concerning the time it takes to find and play a match.

[lostmonster]

welp..............

[lostmonster]

After posting about this issue in the xbox.xom gears 2 forum, I've been told that there is a different set of NAT usages for each game, and that for Gears 2, there have been a bunch of players that have has similar problems when playing the game behind a router or community internet system.

Essentially, the problem is a NAT problem, apparently. If this is true this means that the only way for me to effetively fix the issue is to talk to IT about my problem and ask them, nicely, if they'd give me more access.

[wazups2x]

As long as your Network test runs smoothly, you should be fine.

If it tells you that your network is moderate or strict, you will not find matches in Gears 2.

To get an open NAT, this is what Microsoft suggest on their official website:

The following ports must be available to your Xbox 360 console for Xbox LIVE to operate correctly:

* TCP 80
* UDP 88
* UDP 3074
* TCP 3074
* UDP 53
* TCP 53
I have never heard of port 80, or 53 need to be opened for xbox live. Where did you get this information?

[wazups2x]

If any one of those ports are closed, none of my multiplayer games would work; however, all of my multiplayer games work just fine...

...unless the other multiplayer games demand less than the given six ports? IT told me that xbox live uses the same ports for every game, essentially being a tunnel through which every xbox 360 game can travel to connect to the internet -- something you just told me.

The information you've provided is extremely helpful and I thank you, but there is some other problem occurring when L4D works just fine and uses those same six ports, and Gears 2 doesn't work and uses those same ports.

Actually games can run without all the ports, it will just take longer to connect to a match and some things might not work like party chat with certain people.

[Lil Lay-Z]

ummmm i have a moderate NAT and i dont have many problems finding a match just the occasionally rare disconnect

[Julian Casablancas]

ummmm i have a moderate NAT and i dont have many problems finding a match just the occasionally rare disconnect

You should fix that, ASAP. Even a moderate NAT will greatly increase disconnections and wait times.