Can't log on to the game

[Raona]

1. Does anyone know how I can log on as an administrator to my own computer, of which I thought I was an administrator anyway? Weird.

2. In case the first question is answered, but the mudconnector advice is incorrect, does anyone else have any idea how I can turn my firewall off? There doesn't seem to be an option to do so!

3. In case neither of the above work (and I can't approach the university, because if they were to say "no, you're not allowed" then any creative way I manage to work out to log on would then be knowingly incriminating, rather than unknowingly), does anyone else have any other possible solutions?

Missing my only MUD.

Hi Ol - Let me try here

1) Is this your own laptop, or one provided by the school? Does it log in automatically when you start it up? To try:
Click on Start > Log Off > Log Off
Hold Control-Alt-Delete until a login box appears
In the user: box, enter "administrator"
In the password: box, enter whatever you are using as your password; if this is a Uni computer, that's not going to work. In that case you would need to find out what the secret password is that your IT folks at the Uni use. At my place, asking will get it, but that's not universal.
If this doesn't work, you may need to shut down and turn your computer back on again to get back in.
I would advise posting or linking to what the web would have you do to fix the problem, before doing it, so some cognescenti can have a look at it before you do it. Not every "fix" that allows you to do what you want to do is a good one! (Like turning off your firewall entirely!)

2) There are several ways, but you will want to unblock JUST the ports that FK uses. However, similar to what Japcil describes above, you'll want to check that it is your computer, and not the university, that's doing the blocking. Both your own computer and the university have firewalls. Once you have 1) figured out, let us know and we can lead you through adding a port permission to your own machine's firewall.

3) There are several relay sites out there, where you point your machine to an "allowed" address, and then they send your information to the "unallowed" place you want to go. They slow everything down, though (middlemen!), so they would be a last resort.

We'll get you there, Ol!

[Lerytha]

Okay, after covertly enquiring from a computer whizz at university, apparently Cardiff has a very dedicated (and alas, intelligent) IT staff, who have prevented anyone using their computer network from sending or receiving to or from ports. Internet is enabled, but direct contact from my port to another port is blocked.

I'm desperately hoping someone here can help with that, but unfortunately it doesn't look likely.

Nonetheless, I keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks for all your help so far,

~Ol

[Lerytha]

Any ideas, folks? If not, I'll update player status soon. But hopefully there's some bright spark out there... (hopefully).

[Layna]

Pinched from another MUD website - is this any use at all? Or this? :/

[Lathlain]

Allow me to wade blindly into this, doing more harm than good!

Firstly, and I'm sorry if you've already answered this, do we definitely know that this is a firewall issue? Have you tried to connect either manually through telnet (not through the website link - it might have a bit of a hissy fit if you're using Vista. In vista you can find the command prompt in 'All Programs' > 'Applications') or even FANG (Marty's Java client) yet? Just making sure! If these don't work, then I think we can agree that it's a firewall issue on either your end, or the administrator's.

One thing in particular interests me about your original comment Ollie - you say that you had to install this version of AVG in order to pass some automated checks and get online. If you, for example, completely uninstall AVG and try to connect then - what would happen? Would you even be able to view webpages? I'd be tempted to try it - if you can uninstall it and still connect, that's a good way of finding out whether it's AVG or the school network that's impeding port 4000. As Raona says this is by no means a fix, but a way to find out where we're going wrong. If it doesn't help, reinstall it with gusto! Just go through the add/remove programs control panel if in doubt.

Another thing I'd be tempted to try (and I by no means advertise or advocate this move publically! ) is to try connecting to a different MUD - preferably something with a port number that's very different (the lower the better, usually).

As an aside, what other internet-based services do you use, and do any of them not work? I'm talking about things like email, messenger clients, IRC and/or anything else along those lines.

I'm going to poke my nose into Vista and the free AVG client you downloaded later to see if I can find out more. I must admit that it's sounding very much like a block at the admin level, though I can't for the life of me work out why.

[Lerytha]

It is, according to my friend (whose very handy with tech), it is the university network security. They block all incoming/outgoing ports, because if someone was able to hack into the university network, they could do a massive amount of damage (grades, student numbers, addresses, credit card details, course information, module information, library services, confidential medical information, and far, far, far more are all stored on this network, to enable the university to "adequately meet the needs of its students"). Basically, the internet works, as does MSN (on my flatmates' computer, not mine - I don't use MSN anymore).

I am going to try Layna's suggestion above, in the meantime, but I may be back to ask further help. Of course, the words of my friend fill me with foreboding ("They're very, very, very good in the IT security department, Ol. Good luck"). It feels all a bit 007, to me.

Anyway, hope that helps you all!

[Lathlain]

Very few security protocols will block all ports - msn's still working, so that gives me some hope ^_^ Certain ports are reserved for certain things (such as 143, 25 and 80 for instance).

To be honest with you I'd be of a mind to come clean and speak directly to your IT about it. Establish whether or not port 4000 is blocked, and why. See if exceptions can be made. Maybe even lie about it being relevant course material I'm afraid I don't know of a way to port forward around a security system like that, or to use a proxy to the same effect :-/

[Mask]

I just set it up so that you can connect to the game on port 23, 80, 443 or 4000. At the very minimum, 443 should be open everywhere.

[Lerytha]

That worked! Thank you so, so, so much.

[Sairaven]

I just set it up so that you can connect to the game on port 23, 80, 443 or 4000. At the very minimum, 443 should be open everywhere.

Mask, I have to say, that is awesome. I've never seen an admin do so much in a case like this.

You rock.

[Layna]

Mask (and indeed all of the FK staff) is made of win.

[Lerytha]

I'd also like to thank the numerous helpers out there, who tried to get me online! It means a lot there were so many people willing to help out (and two of them -possible- Cyricists!)!

~Ol

[Lathlain]

It looks bad when a candidate goes missing. I wouldn't want people to be suspicious, you know!

[Roderick]

Looks like Rod didn't bribe that University IT employee enough gold coins! Curses!!

[Lerytha]

What's that?! Blatant corruption in the electoral system?! I would NEVER believe THAT!!!

*somewhere, far from here... a sarcasm alarm goes off*

[Lerytha]

Hmm... I was wondering if anyone else is unable to log onto the game at the moment? I've tried it with fk.org and 23, 80, 443 and 4000 and it won't let me on?

[Mask]

Hi there,

As part of the downtime a couple of days ago, most machines in the cluster were upgraded, including the firewalls. I just checked in on the currently active firewall and noticed some strangeness which I fixed. Can you try again and let me know how you get on?

Ta.