ACCESS CODE: what is going on?!?

Blÿthë_Sëgrëdô

When I tried to log into game today, I was met with a random pop-up stating that my PC is not authorized to login to my ESO account. It then stated that an "access code" was sent to my email affiliated with the ESO account.
When I logged into my email, I received an email from ESO stating that someone tried to access my account from an unknown IP address: If I was the one who requested this access to simply type in the code given.....if I did not attempt to log in from this other location then to simple ignore the prompt.
I then tried to relog into the game via the sign-in screen and once again was met with the prompt box requesting the access code.
I am totally frustrated! On one hand if I type in the access code it will allow use to the other "unknown IP address" and on the other, if I do not enter the code, I cannot play the game that I am paying for. Talk about a double edge sword. Additionally, the same access code prompt was applied to my second ESO account.
Anyone else facing this?

Terminus

I can't seem to understand what the problem is...

The purpose of IP verification is to prevent someone from stealing your account information and authorizing your characters. I had to re-verify my own computer this morning, and I was personally happy to see that my account was completely safe.

If you don't want to verify a computer's IP to play on it, why are you trying to play on that computer?
Also, you have the option to set a computer as Guest, so it requires authorization every time you want to log in with it.

Why not just give the code it sends you?
For you to be hacked, somebody else needs to know your account name, the password AND your email and THAT password!

KerinKor

If you're playing on the EU server then Zenimax are forcing all players to re-authorise .. don't ask me why, I asked them and they didn't bother replying to me.

One annoying thing about their system, in comparison with the similar system Trion use in Rift, is that they don't tell you the IP address of the 'unknown' login so you can't actually check!

KerinKor

Blÿthë_Sëgrëdô wrote: »

I am totally frustrated! On one hand if I type in the access code it will allow use to the other "unknown IP address" and on the other, if I do not enter the code, I cannot play the game that I am paying for. Talk about a double edge sword. Additionally, the same access code prompt was applied to my second ESO account.
Anyone else facing this?

While it's annoying I don't get your paranoia?

Since the game locks the account on the FIRST attempt to login from an unknown IP, and since it's YOUR IP that the game is using when you see this lockout in-game then elementary logic tells you it's YOUR PC that's 'unknown'.

I don't see a problem here.

Liedeke

Same problem here unfortunately.....
Logged out because the sound wasn't working correctly, when I tried to log back in I got the same message. I'll just try again in a few minutes, maybe the message won't show this time.

Would entering that code really be a problem? The "unknown IP address" is just your own IP right?

Terminus

Liedeke wrote: »

Would entering that code really be a problem? The "unknown IP address" is just your own IP right?

Correct @Liedeke‌,
unless you happened to change your IP in the last 24 hours

Liedeke

Terminus wrote: »

Liedeke wrote: »

Would entering that code really be a problem? The "unknown IP address" is just your own IP right?

Correct @Liedeke‌,
unless you happened to change your IP in the last 24 hours

In that case I'll just enter the code if it asks for it again. Thanks for the reassurance.

The problem seems to have solved itself for now, I was able to log in without problems a minute ago.

Hyperventilate

The e-mail is in response to you logging in that particular time. They want you to authorize your IP address. It's a new system they rolled out with the new patch, it isn't working 100% correctly since, as you can see, you can still log in after X'ing out of the window.

It's harmless. It's asking you to verify your computer, not anybody else's.

Requielle

I get this from my bank (slightly different wording) every time I clear my cookies, and every time I update my anti-virus files. Ditto in another game that allows me to stay 'authenticated' for long periods - as soon as either one of those events occur, I'd better be able to find that authenticator again.

So, yes - it's just not recognizing YOUR computer for some reason. There are a lot of very harmless reasons for that.

Edit - stupid typo.

Blÿthë_Sëgrëdô

Thank you for the comments. I feel foolish about the situation. As each of you have pointed out, the system has failed to recognize my PC, for some unknown reason.

cheeser123

I'm curious, the email with the code, does it tell you which IP the log-in attempt came from? Because then you can check whether it's your IP or not ... although, if you try to log in and then immediately get this message, it's probably coming from your log-in attempt..

Basil_oz

Yeah, I've had this happen twice over two days. The frustrating thing is that the email that is mentioned, which contains the access code, is very slow in arriving.

Valr

My IP hasnt changed in the entire year that I have been play Beta, PTS, and Live. I just got the access code on login this morning, and ZOS has not sent me an email. I have been trying to get an email for 2 hours now.

If it really is an issue of someone else trying to access our accounts, then the issue begins with them using the whole @name system for ingame communication that gives away 50% of our login.

Herterich

Access codes wouldn't be a problem if the actually sent it to you or before the 10mins it expires.

risks

Valr wrote: »

My IP hasnt changed in the entire year that I have been play Beta, PTS, and Live. I just got the access code on login this morning, and ZOS has not sent me an email. I have been trying to get an email for 2 hours now.

If it really is an issue of someone else trying to access our accounts, then the issue begins with them using the whole @name system for ingame communication that gives away 50% of our login.

I have been having same issue- no e-mail. Tried contacting support and got some basic answers that does not really help. And of course no problem receiving answer from support on same mail. I am now very sad. Like ,making happiest dog in the world depressed, sad.

Liedeke

It's happening again, this time I got an email with the code after 15 minutes.
Apparently the code had expired by then since it didn't work...
Tried two more times after that, still the same results.

Ah well, means I get to study a bit more for my exams tomorrow.

dreildragb14_ESO

This is what im going threw now. Waiting on a code for hardware change that never changed and still have yet to get the e-mail with the code.

I can log into the account on the site just fine, no option to resend the mail anywhere so I guess im stuck waiting 10 minutes per try to get a code that is still valid.

Doxie

I am guessing this is to battle the gold farmers/spammers. I didnt get an email, waited 10 min and tried again. Got an email and was able to login using the access code.

dreildragb14_ESO

Yeah but if your locked out from the game shouldn't their be a lock on the account also incase they decide to change something on that?

You can still change personal info, password.. yada yada so its really not any safer.

genox

IP adresses are not the only thing they check for apparently. Honestly, I wouldn't have a problem with that if I would actually receive the darn e-mail with the access code.

The reason why that email doesn't make it to some people's inboxes or with huge delays is most certainly that their SMTP server isn't properly configured for such a high amount of mail to transfer and some of the mails get dropped from the queue of their mailserver, which they are obviously not monitoring or have a hard time scaling up.

Support only provides generic, not very useful answers.

While stuff like that is to be expected on launch and I am very patient, the fact that no one on their end seems to even know about it, or even care, makes me furious.

Please, just turn the access code feature off, fix the system, turn it back on once you implemented a stable solution and let us play meanwhile. Or go for a token system like Battle.Net did, using a mobile app.

The reason this got implemented so incredibly hasty is probably due to the huge torrent of collected email addresses + passwords discovered this week in europe, plus the whole Heartbleed dilemma.. and of course, like always, nobody told the poor sysadmin in charge of the SMTP system that he has to scale up for 2x the volume over night. That's how it goes. :-)

itchmiester

yes i had this problem 2 days ago and it fixed itself without a access code that never came!!!! but here we are Friday night ready to play hard only to find that it's showed its ugly pop up again, was just wondering are you going to reimburse us the days we miss play time?

AlexDougherty

cheeser123 wrote: »

I'm curious, the email with the code, does it tell you which IP the log-in attempt came from? Because then you can check whether it's your IP or not ... although, if you try to log in and then immediately get this message, it's probably coming from your log-in attempt..

I doubt it, it's probably like the Star Wars The Old Republic system were they are just interested in whether it's you trying to log on. If you enter the code then it's you, otherwise they assume their security is keeping your account safe.

Plus a lot of people (like me) have dynamic IP addresses, which change, so posting the IP address is of limited use overall (and might violate data protection laws)

shadyjane62

After three days of being locked out I finally got someone from customer service to response but only after I e-mailed the home company Zenimax at it's headquarters. Although i talked to a nice lady I am still waiting for e-mail so I guess that was all BS. I have yet to see any action. A lot of crap about how I'm being kicked upstairs to their elite team.


hahahahahahahahahahahaha


So far asking for a total refund from acct/billing was only thing that got any action. My codes never worked either. We'll see today if anything happens.

cybersam

well... i'm not getting any emails... and support is ignoring me... for about a week now...
so... i decided to post this on every post i find about "Access Code" (no matter how old) till the support decides to do its work...

as an info...
i got such an email when i played on the beta...
as i didn't really have the time to do it earlier... i activated my account about a week ago... and wasn't able to login due to this problem...
so i already lost a week of my play time i already payed for (i did a pre-order on the digital emperial edition...)
so now i'm disappointed by the lack of support....
anyway...
have a nice day/evening/whatever

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but i got a message from the system... i earned the "Name Dropper Badge"