Returning Player = Many Issues

[Cyrho]

Hey there everyone,
Currently trying to get back into game after a while now. Since I've installed though, I have unfortunately been dealing with many issues and would like to resolve them so I can play the game I love again!

First things I was dealing with were error codes in the PlayOnline viewer when I was initially installing the game. Every 20 minutes or so. I had to keep logging back in and continuing the installation until it was finished. I finally got through installation but still kept getting the error of server disconnection. The code that kept popping up was POL-0250.

Amongst all the different things I've read after searching, the thing that kept popping up the most were about letting pol.exe through the firewall on my comp. I'm not super CPU savvy so I'm not entirely sure how to do stuff like that unless someone walks me through it step by step. I tried turning off the firewalls on my comp completely to see if I still got errors when I tried playing and I did unfortunately.

Once I was in game, it didn't take very long to get booted still even with the firewalls turned off completely. The error codes I got during that time were FFXI-4002 when in game and then immediately was shone POL-0512 when it went back to the PlayOnline Viewer.

A friend then said try uninstalling and reinstalling. I uninstalled and reinstalled and once back into the PlayOnline Viewer I tried using the same info to log back in as an existing user and now it's telling me some of my info was incorrect so after three tries it blocked me and told me to try again later.

So, that is the point that I am currently at. If someone out there could help me try and figure out what is happening and how I can fix all this, it would be so greatly appreciated. I truly am chomping at the bit to get back in and play again!

[Dragoy]

Greetings and welcome!

Just to be clear, I'm a fellow adventurer and in no way affiliated with Square and/or Enix, and all that, sharing what I know and trying to help!

I wonder what are the textual messages accompanying those error codes are, if there are any?

(Connection timed out, or something like that...)

When they happen, do you get disconnected immediately, or do you notice some lag before it? By lag I mean in PlayOnline it would be a long loading time, in-game it would be things like NPCs not reacting to you.

Firewalls generally either block, or don't block traffic... so I don't think those should be involved here if the connection sometimes works and other times it does not.

So far it reads like a flaky connection of sorts. Are you able to try a completely different connection, like, wi-fi through a mobile device for example, just to see if it behaves differently?

For the re-install part and information being incorrect, I suspect this might be the notorious Square Enix account PlayOnline account issue, where the PlayOnlikne member account isn't using the correct information, or the PlayOnline account password is being used as the Square Enix account password, or something similar.

There used to be only the PlayOnline credentials, but it became quite the tripwire when they added the Square Enix account into the mix. >.<

As a sidey-note, for the temp-ban from logging in due to that issue, I don't think it happens if you enable two-factor authentication for the Square Enix account.

Just some quick thoughts I had!

Best of luck, and welcome back!

[Ukhisteysubuh]

Thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XI Technical Support Forums.

We appreciate you reaching out regarding the issue you're experiencing while trying to return to Final Fantasy XI. We understand how important a smooth gaming experience is, and we're happy to assist you.

Regarding the [POL-0250] error you're receiving, this indicates that no response was received from the DHCP server. As for the [FFXI-4002] error, it typically indicates a connectivity issue. For troubleshooting steps, please refer to the following support article:

https://support.eu.square-enix.com/f...61288&c=5&sc=0

While additional troubleshooting steps may be available online, we recommend using discretion, as they may not come from official SQUARE ENIX support sources.

If connectivity issues have been resolved but you're still unable to log in, please try deleting the existing Member Info profile from the Member List and registering it again. Before doing so, make sure you have your PlayOnline ID, PlayOnline password, SQUARE ENIX ID, and SQUARE ENIX password available.

When re-entering your login information, please double-check that there are no extra spaces before or after each field and that all capitalization is entered correctly.

You can also check this article on registering a new Member Info profile:

https://support.na.square-enix.com/f...435&id=20&la=1

Please let us know if you encounter any other issues or if the issues are consistent even after the troubleshooting steps so we can continue assisting you.

Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XIV Technical Support Forums!

[Cyrho]

I figured out exactly what was wrong with my PlayOnline account and login issues. So, I am fine in that regard.

Unfortunately, I'm still receiving errors even while in PlayOnline Viewer and while playing the game. It usually lasts about 15-20 minutes until I get an error every time. I tried logging into the game and when I got booted out it showed me error codes POL-0515 and then POL-0207 immediately after closing the window on the first one. I've gone into my firewall and allowed access of the PlayOnline Viewer.

When it comes to the different ports stuff in the link you provided, I'm not sure what to do with all of that. I'm not someone who knows intricate things like that when it comes to computers. I can tell you that I'm not using my Wifi/router. I am currently directly connected through ethernet to my modem supplied by my internet provider. I'm also running windows 11 Home.

I'm not sure if this helps narrow anything down but I hope it does.

[Ukhisteysubuh]

Thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XI Technical Support Forums.

We're glad to hear that you were able to try the other troubleshooting steps we provided and that you're no longer experiencing any login issues.

Regarding the connectivity issue, we recommend reaching out to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance with port forwarding, as they can help determine whether any network configuration may be affecting your connection. This is an important step in identifying the cause of the issue.

Kindly refer to the article provided below for a list of the recommended port ranges for port forwarding.

https://support.eu.square-enix.com/f...61288&c=5&sc=0

Please let us know if the same error appears afterward so we can continue investigating the issue.


Thank you for visiting the Final Fantasy XI Technical Support Forums!

[Dragoy]

I'd be a bit surprised if closed ports was the issue, if the connection drops after a time, assuming something isn't suddenly closing them up.

In other words, I'd guess the ports to be OK if the connection can be made at all, but the connection is flaky due to some other reason. The router/modem/ISP could be doing something weird.

I wonder if your IP stays the same through these disconnections?

A simple test could be asking your favourite web search engine "what is my IP" and they will likely tell you.

Make a note of it and see if it changes after the problem.

My best idea still would be trying a different connection, if at all possible, though contacting the ISP is a good idea of course too, especially if the router/modem is from them.

I've also seen some other users talk about (pre-)installed software messing with things, especially on ready-built PCs, but I've not used Windows since 2010 myself so I am not much in-the-know on those. :\

Can only think of making sure as few as possible things are running in the background, perhaps even the Windows safe-mode with networking enabled, though I'm not sure how similarly that works to Windows 7 and older nowadays...

Again, good luck!

[VoiceMemo]

I suggest time exactly how long from when you login and see your character until disconnect. If it is always the same time ie 20min that's a clear sign of something automated cutting the connection, which would indicate it is some software running on your computer.

[Gwydion]

I agree with VoiceMemo.

Also, to eliminate any random disconnects due to ISP DNS issues, change your router and your gaming PC's DNS settings:

Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4

Also make sure FFXI is not installed in a folder that is constantly being synced to the cloud, like a folder that one drive is trying back up.

[Dragoy]

Also, to eliminate any random disconnects due to ISP DNS issues, change your router and your gaming PC's DNS settings:

Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8

Good idea too, and for a less Google approach, there's also 9.9.9.9 and 208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220 (quadnine / opendns).

[Thampbayoyows]

Thank you for posting in the Final Fantasy XI Technical Support Forums!

Due to no response from the original poster, this thread will be closed.
If anyone is still having this problem, please create a new thread and we will assist you in any way we can.


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