GTL Lobby Fix

[Ramon van Rijn]

Reason for GTL going down is the expired domainname. So if the lobby is not going to us anymore, we just go to the lobby ourself.

The old IP Address of the Lobby server (www.gtl-server.net) was: 81.3.59.61
So to cheat the domain name system we just edit our local host file and tell Windows the www.gtl-server.net is this ip address and not the new godaddy ip address.

In command line language the fix is:

@Echo off
Echo. >>%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts
Echo 81.3.59.61 www.gtl-server.net >>%SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts

Thats the contents of the included FixGTL.cmd file
I have updated the RD server (.198) and started a Dedi Server. Checked it on my own pc and I can connect as usual.

Have fun!

[Edit]
If someone did the "antideco patch" patch first then you have to undo that one first. They can't work both together.

Open your hosts file with notepad

With Windows Explorer browse to the folder
c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\

Right click the file 'hosts' and select Open or Open With
Open it with Notepad

Make sure you delete all lines containing "127.0.0.1 www.gtl-server.net"
And just add this line once: "81.3.59.61 www.gtl-server.net"

Save and close the file and (re)start GT Legends. Thats it.

 

[Warren Dawes]

I found this info which allows you to connect to any server directly using it's IP address, and it doesn't need the antedeco patch:

http://www.nogripracing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=165369


Unfortunately, I can't raise any games at RD by this method either, but I have successfuly joined many other GTL servers with it.

 

[aj2good]

i cant get mine to work, i did the cmd thing but i still cant connect to the sever , or something

 

[Stuart Thomson]

OK - let's clear this up one last time.

There are 2 problems preventing us from running GTL events.

Problem 1. The GTL lobby is down. That's on SimBin's side, affects absolutely everyone in the world and is out of our control. The fix Ramon presented last time allowed us to circumvent the domain that was used to publish all the servers running events. Now clearly something else has occurred meaning that the lobby function, however it was accessed, is non operational. That is still a global issue.

Problem 2. The RD servers are not allowing any of the workarounds to be used. Let's say that again - the RD servers. All the workarounds - the Anti-Deco patch or the Remote Ruby - require you to select a game using the LAN/Direct IP multiplayer option, requiring an ip address to be entered, and the RD server that GTL is installed upon is not showing up. Not only that, but it is the only one not showing up. There definitely is a game running, I've left one there for > 1 week so I can keep testing as different workarounds become available. All my testing and what little i know about networking are telling me that the problem preventing us from racing using the workarounds is the RD server, and it's configuration.

The server is heavily locked down preventing the use of any settings or administrative or configuration functions if you don't know the admin password. I have to admit that I wouldn't know what to do, and leaving those functions available to anyone would leave the server open to attack, so I have to agree with the overall decision there. That doesn't make the realisation that it's our servers stopping us driving any less of a bitter pill to swallow.

So, in summary - Problem 1 is still affecting everybody, but Problem 2 is only affecting us here at RD, because it's our server that is configured so it prevents connections via the workarounds.

Unfortunately, I cannot fix this issue the way it stands, I cannot get onto the server to look around properly to see if anything stands out as being "wrong", and all I can do is keep trying to contact the people who can help.

This, I have done, but right now, and I don't think I'm being dramatic, the future of GTL at RD is in the balance.

If it doesn't get resolved soon, people will start drifting away to places where they can race, and frankly, where they donate to servers where they get their money's worth. When I donate, I donate specifically towards the upkeep of the GTL server - I don't drive Race anymore, I have hardly ever driven rF - so now, my donation euros are going towards a server that actually prevents me from driving online, and towards games that I don't use, and players that I don't know. If I'm thinking that, then others are thinking that, and frankly, I wouldn't be overly impressed with my updates so far if I were any of you. I honestly, hand on heart, wouldn't blame a single one of you if you said "sod this for a laugh, I'm off to <insert racing site of your choice here>"

We are at an impasse with the servers (I can't fix them, the people who can fix them aren't around), and considering the amount of work I've done for the GTL Club & League, and other sections on RD, trust me when I say that no-one wants this resolved more than I, but that resolution is out of my hands, much as I would want to be able to actually do something.

 

[Stuart Thomson]

This thread is not about an anti-deco patch Ryan! The problem with the lobby is a global problem, the anti-deco is just a workaround, not a structural solution

Well, it sort of is about the anti-deco patch as much as it's about the lobby, to be fair Bram.

The lobby being down sucks, but just as importantly from the RD GTL drivers point of view, we're being blocked from the workarounds, one of which is the anti-deco patch, by our server.

And no other racing community is having this problem. Just us.

 

[Stuart Thomson]

I hope it will be solved before pur league starts.

Me too Krzysztof, but honestly, breath holding not recommended.

 

[Ulli Haus]

I wouldn't be overly impressed with my updates so far if I were any of you. I honestly, hand on heart, wouldn't blame a single one of you if you said "sod this for a laugh, I'm off to <insert racing site of your choice here>"

no matter how long this takes... I've enjoyed the racing and community activities with you Stuart and with the entire crowd that raced GT Legends with us! I love GT Legends and our GTL Racing Club and I will surely not drift off! Problems always óccur in any given situation in life and throwing in the towel isn't an option!
You (stuart) have put in so much time and effort to provide us each week with interesting, well organized events.... have helped each and every one of us when troubles were apparent!

I believe that we owe you that!
It's only been a little over a week... so come on, this WILL NOT BE THE END OF THIS GT LEGENDS Community :skywalker:


I know quite a lot of people with IT knowledge (networking)
who do you need??? Maybe I can find sb who can help us!!!

 

[memo]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and I wanted to ask for help, can not get online with GTL ... I read almost everything, I changed the string in the hosts file, but every time I say generic error
Excuse the English

 

[Stuart Thomson]

memo, the Generic error is the one you get when you try using the "internet" multiplayer button.

all the fixes require you to use the LAN / Direct IP button instead.

 

[memo]

she says .. no game available

I put in Lap .... \ ... direct IP 81.3.59.61 www.gtl-server.net "

 

[Tom Wilson]

This whole episode has been a pain for every single one of us. I know i've only been a member here for a couple of months, and for quite a lot of that time i've been out with a crippled PC, but I refuse to accept that GTL is going to merely disappear from RD.

Obviously supporting this game in the long term is a total pain in the neck for anyone, and the amount of effort and organisation that goes into the simplest little club event is mind boggling. So i'm not going to up and leave over something like this after everything that you do to ensure a fantastic racing environment. I understand the current problem is frustrating, especially with the deadline for the league looming ever closer. So I think it is important that those working to resolve the issues I.E Stuart know we are behind them 100%.

Personally, I don't care how long it takes to get back on track with this - I'm willing to wait it out until RD is restored to it's former glory, as I'm sure it will be.

Stuart - I hope I speak for everyone on this website when I say we are still here and we are still part of the Race Department community, and WHEN this problem is solved - we will still be here ready (if a little rusty)

Also, I think now is probably a good time to mention I am an IT Support Engineer with some pretty useful contacts, so please don't hesitate to let me know if there is anything I can do to assist, i think my email is visible in my profile....if not i'll pick up messages on here every so often.

Keep you chin up, we will be racing again soon - and i'll be total mince since i've had no PC for over a month..........................

 

[Stuart Thomson]

she says .. no game available

I put in Lap .... \ ... direct IP 81.3.59.61 www.gtl-server.net "

only add the ip address in the game Memo - you don't need to add the "www.gtl-server.net"

 

[Piotr Misiorek]

there is already community lobby beta test: http://www.nogripracing.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167890


seems to be working fine, you need only use the file from that thread and register new account in lobby

 

[Stuart Thomson]

Thanks for the heads up Piotr, I'll check that out and see what's what.

 

[Guy Moulton]

I had the Multiplayer working and everything was fine and I actually got into the game and started driving on the RD server. It was perfect. But someone pointed out that I had registered using my forum name of guybo instead of my real name of Guy Moulton. NP... just log out, re-register with the name Guy Moulton right? WRONG.

Now I can't log on to the Multiplayer at all. I re-registered did everything exactly like I did before and I get either General Error or can't connect to lobby. What do I do now? WTF is wrong with this game?

 

[Guy Moulton]

NM- I figured it out. this game is confusing to get running. Here's what I did in case this happens to anyone else. Delete your account and start over

http://www.nogripracing.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1254065