Launcher not working and can't connect to lodestone and forums

[Legewiel]

I solved the problem of my Chilean friend by using Tunnelbear, it gives you 500MB for free that is enough to just login on the game.
So basically you'll:
1- google tunnelbear and download and install it
2- Open it and choose United States
3- When on the top of the program appears written "connected to United States" you'll open your xiv and login but don't press the play button yet
4- Click on the ON button to turn it OFF and now you finally click play
5- Profit

Unfortunatelly i have no fix for the ppl on PS4 =(

[DoppelShifter]

I solved the problem of my Chilean friend by using Tunnelbear, it gives you 500MB for free that is enough to just login on the game.
So basically you'll:
1- google tunnelbear and download and install it
2- Open it and choose United States
3- When on the top of the program appears written "connected to United States" you'll open your xiv and login but don't press the play button yet
4- Click on the ON button to turn it OFF and now you finally click play
5- Profit

Unfortunatelly i have no fix for the ppl on PS4 =(

It also doesn't work for people who also need to download a patch (like me). The patch's file size can easily explode most free transfer limits of popular VPNs, and contrary to the normal game communication data, the patch data still comes from addresses affected by this issue.

So while a small data quota can easily fit the tiny authentication data used by the launcher to log you in (to the point that you can just turn the VPN off after clicking "Play"), it can't fit the rest of the things that also use those connections.

Also... a feeling of deja vu here... Remember the Level 3 shenanigans?

[Legewiel]

It also doesn't work for people who also need to download a patch (like me). The patch's file size can easily explode most free transfer limits of popular VPNs, and contrary to the normal game communication data, the patch data still comes from addresses affected by this issue.

So while a small data quota can easily fit the tiny authentication data used by the launcher to log you in (to the point that you can just turn the VPN off after clicking "Play"), it can't fit the rest of the things that also use those connections.

Also... a feeling of deja vu here... Remember the Level 3 shenanigans?

Doppel, try to use Cyberghost then oo i remember i used it to download BDOnline cause their launcher is horrible and I were actually able to download 50GB of data with the free account! I hope it works for you ^^


Also for ppl on PS4 that don't have to download a patch, maybe you guys could use that tethering option on your mobile to share your 3G/4G to your PS4 using wifi, so you can login to the game and then when the play button appears you go back to your normal wifi and play the game!

[MomoeMoe]

Just an update. They emailed me so I sent the information I had. As people posted here and as can be seen here https://arrstatus.com/tracker not only Chile and Brazil were affected. Although someone posted here about another player under the ISP CLARO being affected I know another player using NET that belongs to CLARO and he didn't notice anything so it could be an isolated case differently to MOVISTAR and VIVO.

[Xeon]

Well, yeah, but the brazil problems have been going on since July. You all's problem just started today. The problems the Brazilians are describing are latency oriented because the server was moved, and probably can't be fixed without, once again, moving the servers. Those guys can connect, but they can't stay connected because of latency (lag).

This pretty much eliminates it being a browser issue. I can also confidently tell you that it is not a SE problem. It is either something to do with your ISP. Maybe one of their nodes in between you and the game server in california is malfunctioning which is why you can browse other things but not FFXIV, and also why FFXIV forums works on your phones... With that said, these same things could be the result of a DDoS attack on one of your ISP's nodes, or somewhere in between your ISP and SE servers in California, and as a result, it might be out of the scope of both companies.

I would start by contacting your ISP and asking them if they're having any routing issues to north america first. You also may try changing your DNS settings to google's or another free DNS server. You can find this info and how to change DNS settings by doing a google search. If this works, great, but if it don't, you do not have to remember or take note of your current DNS. Just re-check obtain automatically.

You also can try using a VPN such as WTFast. This is a paid monthly service. With that said, I'm not suggesting that you pay for this service or one like it to be able to play this game, but rather to use the free trial, because if using this fixes your connection problems, then that means that it's a routing issue. You can create a paypal account for this. A new paypal account without a funding source should work for this if any of you would like to try and report your findings back here.

[Xeon]

Doppel, try to use Cyberghost then oo i remember i used it to download BDOnline cause their launcher is horrible and I were actually able to download 50GB of data with the free account! I hope it works for you ^^


Also for ppl on PS4 that don't have to download a patch, maybe you guys could use that tethering option on your mobile to share your 3G/4G to your PS4 using wifi, so you can login to the game and then when the play button appears you go back to your normal wifi and play the game!

Switching between tethered phone ISP and wifi will cause the games connection to time out and the game will error out. That will not work.

[Xeon]

It also doesn't work for people who also need to download a patch (like me). The patch's file size can easily explode most free transfer limits of popular VPNs, and contrary to the normal game communication data, the patch data still comes from addresses affected by this issue.

So while a small data quota can easily fit the tiny authentication data used by the launcher to log you in (to the point that you can just turn the VPN off after clicking "Play"), it can't fit the rest of the things that also use those connections.

Also... a feeling of deja vu here... Remember the Level 3 shenanigans?

As I recall, the launcher actually torrents the files from one user to another.

[MomoeMoe]

...and also why FFXIV forums works on your phones...

It doesn't for me. My bet would be a DDoS attack so Square DDoS protection blocks any connection coming from one of the nodes. Also I don't play in the NA server.

[Xeon]

I solved the problem of my Chilean friend by using Tunnelbear, it gives you 500MB for free that is enough to just login on the game.
So basically you'll:
1- google tunnelbear and download and install it
2- Open it and choose United States
3- When on the top of the program appears written "connected to United States" you'll open your xiv and login but don't press the play button yet
4- Click on the ON button to turn it OFF and now you finally click play
5- Profit

Unfortunatelly i have no fix for the ppl on PS4 =(

Instead of using tunnelbear, try my suggestion and get the free WTFast trial. I think it's two weeks and there isn't a data limit on it. 500MB isn't a whole lot when concerning FFXIV.

If tunnelbear is working, then you guys need to get in touch with your ISP and inquire.

[Xeon]

It doesn't for me. My bet would be a DDoS attack so Square DDoS protection blocks any connection coming from one of the nodes. Also I don't play in the NA server.

If the guys are getting in with the tunnelbear VPN app, then its not likely a DDoS on the servers, but rather a node in between. In any event, you can't really do squat about a DDoS attack. Theres no real way to shut that down short of the offenders ISP yanking his cord to the internet.

Also, getting mad at SE because you think they can do something isn't going to help matters. As a matter of fact, there is nothing they CAN do short of buying your South American ISPs, because it's not on their end. So don't get mad at SE because you can't login. All you can really do is continue to take it up with your ISP. There's gotta be some way of getting in touch of someone who isn't a lowly rep.