Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
lostrealms
Newbie

Since upgrading to FIOS internet a year ago, I have been unable to connect to the Steam Client.  I have been in contact with Steam support and after months of trying all thier suggestions, I am still unable to connect.  I keep getting the message that "Steam is having trouble connecting to the Stream servers".  I am currently using the Actiontec router, but I have also tried the Westell and it also failed. 

I have used a program called PFConfig to set the correct port forwarding in the router (I verifed that it is correct).  At Steams request, I disabled all non Microsoft services and uninstalled Norton Internet Security and was still unable to connect.  I have tried using 3 different PC's.  One with the Vista OS and two with Win 7.  I am in the southern California area.

I am at wits end.  If I cannot correct this issue, I will not be able to install any game which uses Steam as the DRM.

Anyone have a suggestion?

Art

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Delete the port forwarding.  Pick a PC, determine the IP address it presently has been assigned and place that address in the DMZ on the router and try it.  If that works, then you have the port forwarding wrong ... if it doesn't, then there's something goofy with your PC firewall configuration most likely.

Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

Steam doesn't require any special kind of Port Forwarding. As long as the requests Steam makes does not get blocked by a Firewall (perhaps the one in the router is a consideration, too. DMZ should get around that but it should not be needed), it works just fine. Back in the day when Steam was first made it did use Port Forwarding as it operated on a Peer-to-Peer basis, however they now use HTTP-based CDNs instead.

So certainly investigate your PC and Router Firewall. Bet ya one of them is blocking the Steam client from connecting properly.

Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
jladd45205
Newbie

One way to determine is by doing a wire shark session.  Start it on Computer A by run wireshark on a Different computer but put a filter in for Src and Dest address as Computer A.  This will help limit it down if it is a router problem or a PC problem. 

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

Just a point of clarification to the last post ... since most wired networks, including the ActionTec, are "switched" networks, a Wireshark won't show the traffic if run from a different system, it would have to be running on the system from which you initiate the session to see the traffic.

The DMZ suggestion I made previously is the quickest way of ruling out the router as the cause.  I wouldn't recommend it long term, but it will help focus where you need to be looking for the problem -- router or PC.

Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
Hubrisnxs
Legend

It should be noted however that Steam currently does not support operation through a network DMZ. Quoting a steam tech support email: "If your machine is currently in a network DMZ, you will need to reconfigure your network to play through Steam."

He may need to portforward.  I would recommend using www.simpleportforwarding.com

it worked for me

Typically, Gaming needs Steam and the only inhibitor is not the outbound, but rather the failure to port forward

  • Steam-1 27000--27015
  • Steam-2 27020--27050

to the gamingsystem's ip address (obviously it must be a static LAN address)



Read more:  

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
lostrealms
Newbie

As I said in my original post, I have used a utility called PFConfig to set the required port forwarding in the router as directed by Steam support.  I have browsed into the route to insure they are correct.  It has made no difference.  I have tried to connect on three different PC's, 1 Win Vista and two Win 7.  I get the same error on all three.

I have been through months of work with Steam support.  As I said above, they had me set the port forwarding, they had me disable all services other than microsoft and uninstall Norton Internet Security.  After doing all that, I still could not connect.  I am beginning to suspect there is something inherent in the Actiontec router or FIOS in So Cal that is causing this problem. 

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
lostrealms
Newbie

Steam does not support DMZ.   From the Steam support site:

Important:

Steam does not support gameplay on machines operating in a network DMZ. You must remove your machine from the DMZ in order to play through Steam.

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
Hubrisnxs
Legend

well definetely not something regional, I am in so cal and it works fine for me. 

I know that I used the one that I mentioned, I didn't use pfconfig and it worked for me.  So I also have an actiontec, and this is a national message board, so if it was something wrong with the actiontec in general, it would be more of an issue, but we don't see them very often here. 

Do you have a second router?    maybe you can piggy back it to the actiontec and it would work with the settings from the new router?

BEFORE DOING ANY OF THAT

I would recommend looking at this page, there are a lot of common problems and fixes for portforwarding in here, that a lot of people don't realize.

maybe one of them will be a golden goose for you?

http://www.pcwintech.com/common-problems-fixes-port-forwarding

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Re: Unable to connect to Steam Client using FIOS
JOSEm441
Specialist - Level 2

Is this the port forwarding info you used : https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8571-GLVN-8711 ?

I used to turn off my router firewall to connect, once I set up port forwarding I could use Typical security setting on the router firewall and Steam worked fine. I would never turn off or disable my AV, if that is truly needed switch to Microsoft Security Essentials. Note I am still on DSL and will be going to FIOS next week so I am interested in how this turns out.

If you want to try an alternate account PM me, have a "dummy account' that you can use.

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