Ports are open, yet my programs still can't connect to the Internet

[Sandor Clegane]

Greetings,

Before I fully elaborate on my problem I want to give you the backstory:
Since about a month I am faced with a quite irritating problem. 5 weeks ago, all of a sudden, most of my programm and applications could not connect to the internet anymore. I note that no changes whatsoever where made (regarding both computers and our modem). Internetbrowsers (IE, Chrome...) and Skype still work fine, but the rest refuses to provide me with anything other than the message "Could not connect to the server". Those programs include:

Battle.net
Hamachi
Steam (the Steam-Shop sometimes works after some login attempts, the games that require an Internet connection don't, e.g. Team Fortress 2)

Our Household consists of three computers and we use a "Technicolor tc7200" modem/router provided by the cable company UPC (Austria). One PC is connected via an ethernet cable, the others use a WLAN-connection. Other gadgets would be two smartphones and an iPad. This problem affects every device in our household.

I could already narrow the problem down. When I try to bridge the modem by using a Hotspot (from my Phone) everything works fine. Wherever I use one of the Computers or the Tablet, all programs function and can establish a connection. For both the Hotspot and the modem connection I used the Network option "Home network" and made sure that the firewall and antivirus options are the same. Therefore the problem should either originate from the modem or the cable company. When I called them, they stated that on their side everything seems fine ("All ports are open", they said)
Resetting the modem did not work, so I tried configuring the port forwarding options. I entered all the ports required by the applications and then checked with several PortCheckers. According to them all ports are now open, yet the programms still do not work. Their servers are fine as I can connect to them via the Hotspot at all times. What happened?

Regarding error messages, this is the log-file of my modem:

Spoiler

2014-05-17 14:48:07: [Info] TLV-11 - unrecognized OID;CM-MAC=8c:04:ff:a3:fe:99;CMTS-MAC=0...
--- -- --:--:--: [Warn] DHCP WARNING - Non-critical field invalid in response ;CM-MAC...
--- -- --:--:--: [Info] Honoring MDD; IP provisioning mode = IPv4
--- -- --:--:--: [Info] WiFi Interface [wl0] set to Channel 6 (Side-Band Channel:N/A)...
--- -- --:--:--: [Major] No Ranging Response received - T3 time-out;CM-MAC=8c:04:ff:a3...
--- -- --:--:--: [Major] SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire QAM/Q...

I hope someone can help me with my problem.
Thanks in advance

PS: I made Virus-Scans. No malware was found.

 

[drtweak]

what antivirus do you use and also do you use any 3rd party firewall apps? Like Zonealarm or PeerBlocker?

I know for people who use AVG and when it updates from 2013 to 2014 it installed the Trial Only of the full version and enables the firewall and a lot of stuff gets cut off (Most clients who this happens to have shared printers and connects to server shares are all inaccessable)

I had an issue with Dead Space 3 connecting to EA to play multiplayer...Peerblocked ended up blocking it.

I don't think its any issue with your Internet or any of your networking equiptment, but a software issue or something on your PC. And for the most part when dealing with opening ports thats only for apps INCOMING not Outgoing. So if you connect to a game server, you don't need to open any ports because its going out to the internet. If you are hosting a game server then you need to open the ports so that people can connect to you.

I know Zonealarm has the ability to block incoming and outgoing items, and you can set windows to block outgoing items as well but you have to set that up.

So give some more detail about your PC. Highly doubt its your network.

 

[Sandor Clegane]

what antivirus do you use and also do you use any 3rd party firewall apps? Like Zonealarm or PeerBlocker?

I know for people who use AVG and when it updates from 2013 to 2014 it installed the Trial Only of the full version and enables the firewall and a lot of stuff gets cut off (Most clients who this happens to have shared printers and connects to server shares are all inaccessable)

I had an issue with Dead Space 3 connecting to EA to play multiplayer...Peerblocked ended up blocking it.

I don't think its any issue with your Internet or any of your networking equiptment, but a software issue or something on your PC. And for the most part when dealing with opening ports thats only for apps INCOMING not Outgoing. So if you connect to a game server, you don't need to open any ports because its going out to the internet. If you are hosting a game server then you need to open the ports so that people can connect to you.

I know Zonealarm has the ability to block incoming and outgoing items, and you can set windows to block outgoing items as well but you have to set that up.

So give some more detail about your PC. Highly doubt its your network.

Thanks for the fast reply
I use Avira Antivirus. Apart from that, only the standard Firewall. One of our computers uses Comodo (The computer that uses the ethernet cable), but ,as with a normal firewall, deactivating it does not help either.

 

[SirSub42]

Just to clarify. When you connect to your Phone's hotspot via your modem, the problems no longer exist? So bypassing your ISP's internet connection appears to solve the problem?

Do you have the option to configure which ports Battle.net or Steam use to connect to the internet? At first glance, this would appear that your ISP is filtering the connection for some reason, which is why your internet browsers keep working, but the programs fail to connect.

My first piece of advice would be to try testing your connection with a VPN connection. Most are relatively free or offer a money back option within 30 days, but you could also try one of the companies which offer a free trial such as iPredator.se or any of these sites. Connecting to a VPN should bypass the filters, if any, your ISP has set in place. You could also try HotSpotShield. This option is probably the simplest, but will come with ads if you chose the free version.

Anyhow, if this works, then we can be fairly certain it is because your ISP is filtering or blocking certain ports on their end which is keeping you from connecting to your games. Hopefully this solves your problem, but if not I look forward to your response and we can try a Plan B. Either way, best of luck to ya - Sub

 

[Sandor Clegane]

Just to clarify. When you connect to your Phone's hotspot via your modem, the problems no longer exist? So bypassing your ISP's internet connection appears to solve the problem?

Do you have the option to configure which ports Battle.net or Steam use to connect to the internet? At first glance, this would appear that your ISP is filtering the connection for some reason, which is why your internet browsers keep working, but the programs fail to connect.

My first piece of advice would be to try testing your connection with a VPN connection. Most are relatively free or offer a money back option within 30 days, but you could also try one of the companies which offer a free trial such as iPredator.se or any of these sites. Connecting to a VPN should bypass the filters, if any, your ISP has set in place. You could also try HotSpotShield. This option is probably the simplest, but will come with ads if you chose the free version.

Anyhow, if this works, then we can be fairly certain it is because your ISP is filtering or blocking certain ports on their end which is keeping you from connecting to your games. Hopefully this solves your problem, but if not I look forward to your response and we can try a Plan B. Either way, best of luck to ya - Sub

If i set up a hotspot on my phone and use it instead of the WLAN connection to the router/modem (its both in one device) the problem is solved. This applies to every computer, Phone and Tablet in our household.
Regarding port configurations, I am afraid I cannot change the ports used but they should be open anyways. As said before, according to my ISP all ports on their end are open. I tried to call them again yesterday and described my problem exactly. The UPC Guy tried to reset the modem (which I have done 10 times already) and after I told him it didn't work he terminated the call after telling me I will be redirected and will receive a call shortly (which I obviously did not :S ).
Thanks for the suggestions, I will look around and respond if anything happens

 

[Sandor Clegane]

I just found out that for whatever reason the online game "World of Tanks" actually works after some (5-20) retries. I tried the same with other applications, but without success. Steam on the other hand is now unable to connect no matter how often I try

 

[Sandor Clegane]

Just to clarify. When you connect to your Phone's hotspot via your modem, the problems no longer exist? So bypassing your ISP's internet connection appears to solve the problem?

Do you have the option to configure which ports Battle.net or Steam use to connect to the internet? At first glance, this would appear that your ISP is filtering the connection for some reason, which is why your internet browsers keep working, but the programs fail to connect.

My first piece of advice would be to try testing your connection with a VPN connection. Most are relatively free or offer a money back option within 30 days, but you could also try one of the companies which offer a free trial such as iPredator.se or any of these sites. Connecting to a VPN should bypass the filters, if any, your ISP has set in place. You could also try HotSpotShield. This option is probably the simplest, but will come with ads if you chose the free version.

Anyhow, if this works, then we can be fairly certain it is because your ISP is filtering or blocking certain ports on their end which is keeping you from connecting to your games. Hopefully this solves your problem, but if not I look forward to your response and we can try a Plan B. Either way, best of luck to ya - Sub

Welp, I tried installing Hotspot Shield but it is"waiting for response from secure server" and then informs me that it "can't connect to secure server" 🙁

 

[Sandor Clegane]

Bump?