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Newbie Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

I have what I hope is a very simple question. I just downloaded and installed zMUD v7.21 to try and connect to Avalon (First Age). When I try and connect, it just tries and tries over and over--no error message. I am running WinXP, firewall off, Dial-up PTP connection that is active when I try and connect, Kaspersky Personal AV.

I verified the connection address (firstage.net), port (23), and tried different varieties of using proxy or IP address--still nothing. I am very new to using zMUD, so any help anyone could give me would be appreciated. Thanks!

Enchanter Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Posts: 593 Location: Canada

EDIT:
I should have read more carefully I thought this thread related to your issue, but you're using XP

Newbie Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

Update: still no luck. I did try to connect to several different game sites using zMUD, no dice. I am getting a connection message "Attempting to connect to ... " that will almost immediately switch to the countdown until reconnection time. I was able to ping the sites and look up IP addresses, so I know that works. But I cannot connect! Arrrgh! This is frustrating because I know it's something totally obvious that I'm overlooking because I'm so new to this. Anyone have any ideas?

Enchanter Joined: 05 Mar 2003 Posts: 593 Location: Canada

Is it possible you have some sort of protection system, firewall whatever thats preventing zMUD from connecting until you authorize zmud to make outgoing connections?

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:45 pm

Something is definitely blocking your connection in some way.

You say you have your firewall off, I'm guessing you mean the Windows Firewall, why is this? Did you turn it off to count that out as the problem or is it always off?

Does your Kaspersky Personal AV have some sort of firewall feature that could be getting in the way?

What is "Dial-up PTP connection" is that just a standard ISP Dial-up connection with a regular run of the mill ISP or is it something special?

EDIT: Ninja! This is getting good, second time today pipped to the post on the same minute! Twisted Evil

Newbie Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

Hmmm...didn't think about the AV software. Ok, I turned off the AV but still nothing. The Windows firewall is also off. It is always off. My internet connection is a standard dial-up. In further researching it, I may have mislabeled it PTP. I think it is just a regular-old network connection. It says I am calling a PPP Dial-Up server, connection using TCP/IP Protocol. Please excuse any lack of understanding on my part--still learning.

Wizard Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1127 Location: London

Newbie Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

I did the ping in zMUD--it was able to do it and also look up the IP address itself. I also pinged firstage.net from the cmd window--ping successful.

When I tried connecting using windows telnet from the RUN function, the cmd window flashed up for a second, then disappeared. I did verify that windows telnet was enabled from the Services console. (Telnet enabled in Automatic).

In addition, I brought up the cmd window and typed in 'telnet'. When I tried to open connection via 198.77.14.129, port 23 it said 'Could not open connection to host. Connection failed.'

When I tried to connect thru zMUD using the IP address rather than the name, I got the same result--no connection. I really do think this is an issue with my computer and the dial-up connection rather than with zMUD itself, but obviously there are lots of people here with good experience to share. Thanks.

Newbie Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

OK--problem resolved. I was able to finally connect. Not sure what did it, but I remembered that I didn't reboot the computer after I enabled the Telnet settings and after I disable the AV and firewall. So after reboot, cMUD works like a dream. Thanks everybody!

Embarassed

Wizard Joined: 03 Mar 2001 Posts: 1127 Location: London

If you're not able to connect using telnet either then it's definitely not a problem with zMUD.
The telnet service is actually for allowing other people to connect to your machine (i.e. a telnet server rather than client) so it's not something to worry about. Having said that, if you've got the telnet service started though you could try 'telnet localhost' from a command prompt and it should connect to your own machine, which should confirm that the telnet client on your machine is working properly. Assuming you can telnet localhost then it'll be a firewall or AV problem.

Edit: Ninja'd, but at least it was with the solution. Glad it was sorted ;)

It'll have been the firewall or AV, not the telnet service. You should actually disable the telnet service as it's nothing to do with being able to use telnet

Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:56 pm

Yes it's more than likely the AV, which you should definitely have switched on at all times if you are online. It's probably got a feature much like McAfee has which has something called Access Protection, this automatically blocks certain ports for instance port 25 which I happen to have turned off but still allow it to report:

30/04/2008 18:50:32 Would be blocked by port blocking rule (rule is currently not enforced) C:\WINDOWS\system32\telnet.exe Anti-virus Standard Protection:Prevent mass mailing worms from sending mail 193.61.234.5:25

It is possible that your AV has port 23 blocked as that is a standard port number for telnet whereas MUDs usually use port numbers over 1024.

Along with making sure your AV is working and up to date you should also consider having the Windows Firewall on too to prevent malicious incoming attacks.