# Ventrilo connection "loop"



## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

My Ventrilo is suddenly not connecting. When I press "connect" the message goes through its usual machinations but instead of connecting it resets and starts a countdown. Then it does it again. And again.

According to the Ventrilo web site this can be the result of being banned from a server, but it's happening on every server I try and I verified with the server I was trying to connect to that I wasn't on the ban list.

It was working last Friday and other than the usual safety downloads from Windows Defender and AVG nothing I'm aware of has changed on my computer.

I deleted the version of Ventrilo I was using (3.0.4) and downloaded the more recent version (3.0.5) but that did not solve the problem.

I've done extensive searches on the web and this forum, to no avail.

Help! Without it I can't raid.


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## Lord Sirian (Jan 14, 2007)

Try disabling your anti-virus before you attempt a connection.

Let us know what happens.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Also, do you have a port open for Ventrilo?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

I disabled AVG and that didn't fix it.

I followed the directions at the Ventrilo web site to open ports and that didn't fix it either. Then again, I'm not sure I have XP Pro firewall, so maybe it's a different port.

Maybe I need to restart for some of this to take affect. I'll try that next.

"Q: Running a server with XP Pro firewall on.

If you are trying to run a server on XP Pro and have the XP Pro Firewall feature enabled then you must explicitly enable port 3784 for both UDP and TCP. Some firewall programs, like those that ship with Windows XP, do not have an option called "Both" or "UDP/TCP". In these cases you must create two entries in the firewall: One for UDP and another for TCP. This is easy enough to do by simply giving each entry a unique name such as Ventrilo TCP and Ventrilo UDP and assigning the appropriate network protocol to each one.

If you are running a local server you must have both UDP and TCP enabled for port 3784."


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## Lord Sirian (Jan 14, 2007)

Have you tried turning off both Windows Defender and AVG and trying it?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

I've turned off both Windows Defender and AVG.

I also just tried reinstalling Vent again, hoping that it would reset my settings, but it didn't.

I'm at my wit's end. I can't find anything on the web about this problem so I'm left with it being something wrong with my computer or set-up.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

What is the make and model of your router?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

I don't use a router. I'm on a Sierra Wireless connection through a cell phone tower.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Go to start>run. Type *cmd*, then in the command prompt *ipconfig*. Take note of the IP address that is listed, then go to www.portforward.com and check the external IP address listed there. Are they the same or different?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

No they are not the same. This does not bode well does it?


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Unfortunately, no. That means there is some NAT somewhere from where your connection is. Have you checked with your ISP to see if the block ports?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

No I haven't. How do I do that?


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Do you currently have an Internet service plan with an ISP? Or do you not use any external devices, and are just picking up the signal from the wireless tower?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

I don't think my connection comes with a service package, it's just a little device a bit larger than a memory stick and it plugs into my computer via a USB port. It's called a Sierra Wireless 597. There's some software for its operation but it's not much. The whole thing is Sprint mobile broadband, designed I assume for laptops but it's the most cost-effective way I have where I live to get a connection. It's even assigned a phone number and I am picking up the signal from a cell phone tower. Two actually, and I even know where they are in relation to my house.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Are you using a software firewall besides the the Windows firewall?


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

Windows is the only firewall I'm aware of on my computer, but I'm not terribly familiar with what all my protection software does, or even how many of them I have. I know that I have Windows Defender, AVG, and Malwarebytes installed.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Do you have the port open in Windows firewall?
Try downloading and installing the PF port checker to see if the ports are really open.


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

I downloaded the application and tested the ports but it says they aren't open. At least I think I did. The firewall application doesn't tell me which ports it's using for which applications so I used the 3784 ports Ventrilo says to open.

One thing I don't understand is that the application says to "Forward the port you want to test in your router to this IP address: 68.29.7.38" but I don't see where to do that.


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

OK, this just got weird.

I was shutting down my computer and accidentally launched Vent after I had shut off my internet connection.

I hit "connect" to see what would happen and it told me that it couldn't connect to that particular IP address but that it had the last one I had connected to in memory, did I want to connect to that one? I clicked OK. It tried to connect. So I launched my internet connection and lo and behold Vent connected.

OK, so I closed the Vent connection and tried to connect it again. It went back into the loop. So I tried closing my internet connection, hitting connect on Vent, then reconnecting my internet. It worked.

What does this mean? Does this help or deepen the mystery?


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

When you say the PF port checker said *68.29.7.38*, I think maybe that the wireless service has NAT from somewhere.
But since it's now working, if you feel the problem is solved, you click the Mark this Thread as Solved option under Thread Tools.:smile:


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

It's solved in the sense that I can get onto Vent but I was hoping for a solution where I don't have to disconnect my internet to do it.

Is that a possibility or should I just count my blessings and move on?


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

It's possible, but the port may still be the problem.
I have attached a screenshot of where the place to enter the port is in the PF port checker (circled in red.)


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

Ah. OK, I did do that correctly then. So no, those ports aren't open according to the checker.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Does this sound like the service you have, but without a router.


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## Mark Krikava (Jun 26, 2009)

Definitely possible. I don't have a router or modem and I looked at my network settings and there are none at all. No LAN or WAN available, just dial-up.


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Then my next suggestion would be to contact Sprint to see if in their service they are blocking ports.


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## tcoakley (Jan 23, 2010)

I am having this exact same issue with my sprint sierra 598U. Starting the ventrilo connection process and then connecting the modem works 100% of the time, but I would like to actually resolve the problem. 

Did you ever solve this?

Thanks
-Tom


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## Jason09 (Jan 3, 2009)

Hi Tom and welcome to TSF!
Can you check if the IP address in ipconfig is the same or different than the IP address shown at portforward.com?


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