[FIXED] root cause of many login issues - with workaround for error 209

rophez_ESO

I don't think they realize how many people are affected by this problem, or they'd give us an update on the dev tracker, and they wouldn't point us at a help document with a convoluted work around that doesn't work. Make sure you submit a help ticket/feedback even if you are using this workaround to get into game.

Darzil

rophez_ESO wrote: »

I don't think they realize how many people are affected by this problem, or they'd give us an update on the dev tracker, and they wouldn't point us at a help document with a convoluted work around that doesn't work. Make sure you submit a help ticket/feedback even if you are using this workaround to get into game.

That might just overwhelm them, the ticket I logged about it yesterday hasn't been responded to yet.

Saerydoth

I think they are severely understaffed and are working so hard on other major issues (like the bank bug) that stuff like this is on the back burner.

Darzil

Saerydoth wrote: »

I think they are severely understaffed and are working so hard on other major issues (like the bank bug) that stuff like this is on the back burner.

I suspect this is another team. This will be a networking (or third party server hosting company) team issue.

AstroCat

Yes, for sure submit a ticket if you can.

Dreyfron

Hey dude, CHEERS! It works like a charm!!

elderscrollsb16_ESO109 wrote: »

EDIT :
Seems that was is stated below is not perfectly exact since we can reach the "bad" servers on port 80 (thanks to @Darzil ) so it looks now more like a firewall or maybe proxy issue.

But that do not change the workaround.

The workaround is required for people that did not manage to patch the launcher and the game yet, and who have verified that their issue is not due to Anti-Virus (some players report that disabling their A.V. like Norton, allow them to play)

If your already have the correct launcher and game version, it's better to simply launch eso.exe directly.




I think I've (Edit : well that's giving too much credit to myself, thanks to @Saerydoth for the starting point actually) pointed out the root cause of various error including :
"Unable to determine current version"
and Error 209

There's (at least) 10 servers (actually 10 IP addresses) that can respond to the launcher to check version and download patch.

Those IP belong to 2 different "networks" (AS numbers)

One of those 2 networks are NOT routed properly or are somewhat filtered by SOME ISPs.
(This is IPs in AS16509)

So when you open the launcher it request to DNS for an IP for "launcher.bethesda.net"
the DNS give him 1 IP from this 10 IP pool
you have 50% chance to receive a good IP or a bad one.

this is what cause some randomness in the issue.

For information the AS numbers are Amazon Web Services ones.

WORKAROUND

to bypass the DNS you have to edit your local host file and set in it one of the "good" IP address

IP AS OK ?
54.197.248.206 AS14618 GOOD
54.197.250.95 AS14618 GOOD

54.217.220.128 AS16509 BAD
54.217.220.134 AS16509 BAD
54.217.220.144 AS16509 BAD
54.217.220.147 AS16509 BAD
54.217.220.152 AS16509 BAD

54.243.115.56 AS14618 GOOD

174.129.248.207 AS14618 GOOD
174.129.249.106 AS14618 GOOD

How to edit your host file (Windows)
(Mac Users, see post from @pscheible1nrb18_ESO below)

- open notepad as administrator
- click File Menu , Open and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
- on bottom right , in the drop down list that shows "Text Documents (*.txt)" select
"All files (*.*)"
select the "hosts" file and open it
- at the end of the file add a line like
54.197.248.206 launcher.bethesda.net
- save and quit

(please everyone choose a random IP in the 5 good ones to balance the load across those servers)

The same issue may concern game servers but I didn't gathered the list yet.

Edit2 : please note you will have to remove those line when the cause will be addressed.


Credits to @Saerydoth for having given the host file tip and @Rhoric for the IP list.

alcidenb14_ESO

For anyone who wants to use TextEdit on a Mac you can use the terminal command:

sudo /Applications/TextEdit.app/Contents/MacOS/TextEdit /private/etc/hosts

This will still require and administrator account, but is far more user friendly then either nano or pico.

For those that wonder how this works it is simply invoking TextEdit from the command line as root while giving it the file to open.

VertigoTX

Maestro_Sartori wrote: »

Exactly, agree 100%. I'm a computer tech and there's no way I'm going to do any of that. Its not our fault....patch the damn launcher so it works or patch whatever is broke on your end. Seriously...

I agree that they need to resolve the core issue so that no one has to use workarounds to connect. If you actually are a "computer tech", then you should know that editing a host file is no big deal. In fact, it is how we resolved named to hosts before DNS existed in the original Arpanet. It is still used today in both Windows and Unix environments for specific applications, and to block spyware/malware.

This isn't a big deal, and it won't break anything that can't be fixed by deleting the entry.

VertigoTX

Snit wrote: »

I have no hosts file to edit. I checked in C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc, and the folder is empty.

The game is trying to reinstall itself. Again. For the third time. Launching directly from the .exe leads to login timeouts.

You may need to enable the viewing of hidden system files.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/show-hidden-files#show-hidden-files=windows-7

Varking

DNS redirect worked. Well done finding it, extremely sad that it's come to that, though.

crggamesnub18_ESO

You may want to try just flushing your DNS cache before editing your HOST file.
This worked for me, hopefully for you.

Start CMD (C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe)

then type in the ipconfig command to flush the DNS cache:

C:\Windows\System32>ipconfig /flushdns

Note:
This resulted in a new (correct) launcher IP address
C:\Windows\System32>nslookup launcher.bethesda.net
Server: cdns01.comcast.net
Address: 75.75.75.75

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: launcher.bethesda.net
Address: 54.197.248.206

rophez_ESO

crggamesnub18_ESO wrote: »

You may want to try just flushing your DNS cache before editing your HOST file.
This worked for me, hopefully for you.

Start CMD (C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe)

then type in the ipconfig command to flush the DNS cache:

C:\Windows\System32>ipconfig /flushdns

Note:
This resulted in a new (correct) launcher IP address
C:\Windows\System32>nslookup launcher.bethesda.net
Server: cdns01.comcast.net
Address: 75.75.75.75

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: launcher.bethesda.net
Address: 54.197.248.206

Thanks! I will try this when I get home.

andrewb14_ESO45

If you played beta here is another possible solution that worked for me:

1. I got error 209 and used the "versions fix"
2. I logged in for a bit last night, then this morning error 209
3. I realized my client still said it was beta
4. Uninstalled beta client from Start>Programs>Zenimax (not control panel)
5. Logged into ESO Account management and downloaded the installer.
6. Ran the installer which reinstalled the launcher but thankfully did not have to redownload the 22GB+ game file.
7. Launch game from start menu, works consistently now.

Seems like there are several causes and possible fixes. The host file thing is a bad idea as other people have posed since it could be a dynamic instance in AWS for all we know, removes load balancing and generally sets you up for something to break in the future if they change IP addresses.

jcooper1784

andrewb14_ESO45 wrote: »

If you played beta here is another possible solution that worked for me:

1. I got error 209 and used the "versions fix"
2. I logged in for a bit last night, then this morning error 209
3. I realized my client still said it was beta
4. Uninstalled beta client from Start>Programs>Zenimax (not control panel)
5. Logged into ESO Account management and downloaded the installer.
6. Ran the installer which reinstalled the launcher but thankfully did not have to redownload the 22GB+ game file.
7. Launch game from start menu, works consistently now.

Seems like there are several causes and possible fixes. The host file thing is a bad idea as other people have posed since it could be a dynamic instance in AWS for all we know, removes load balancing and generally sets you up for something to break in the future if they change IP addresses.

I am going to try this method before messing with my host file. Thanks for the tip, I was wondering if that might be the case if the beta launcher might be the issue.

Rhoric

Just so you know. There really is no way to screw up your host file. It will either route you thru that one IP or it won't. And if you don't edit it right it won't have an effect on your computer or it's performance.

ShoudenKalferas

This thread seemed to provide useful information, an explanation, and a fix for the 209 error: http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/80209/found-the-root-cause-of-many-login-issues-with-workaround-for-error-209/p1

The short of it is that when you open your Launcher, it randomly connects you to one of many servers they run. About half of their servers are not functioning for some people. Each time you close and re-open the launcher, you have roughly a 50%/50% chance of getting a good server. So if you don't want to go mucking about with hosts files and system configuration.. just keep closing it and reopening it and after a few tries you are bound to get a good server.

elderscrollsb16_ESO109

@ShoudenKalferas we are in the thread you are linking

BTW I did completely reformat and update the original post.

elderscrollsb16_ESO109

update : from
forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/79726/error-after-patch-cannot-verify-version/p2

ZOS_AmeliaR wrote: »

The 209 Error (inability to verify version) should be resolved as of earlier today. Please let us know if anyone continues to encounter this issue.

Pyr0xyrecuprotite

Just a reminder that if anyone did use the workaround fix of updating their hosts file, it is important to go back and remove (or comment out) the temporary line from the hosts file. (It should be working ok now without needing this workaround). Likewise, anyone who disabled their antivirus in order to play, should re-enable it (although I suspect it wasn't anything to do with the antivirus at all, just that the launcher was randomly sometimes connecting to a "good" IP instead of the "bad" ones in the list.

If you have a specific IP address hard coded in your hosts file, it should still work for now, but your launcher will break and it will be hard to figure out why (until you remember about the hosts file) if any of these issues happen in future:
1. if Amazon or bethesda/ZOS changes the IP address list that they use (and your IP is not there)
2. if the specific server with that IP goes down (crash or maintenance) separately from the others, or if there is a network issue connecting to that specific IP.

I do very much appreciate the original poster for suggesting this and identifying at least part of the problem (yes I also had this weird error 209 this morning).

ShoudenKalferas

Apparently I keep too many tabs open

jarrellj

I'm not sure why WE should be doing anything! THEY broke the game! Why aren't THEY fixing it! Unless they plan to pay me, I'm not doing their work for them. And I have Unsubbed until they fix this mess.

I think the lack of communication about this issue is disgusting. What is WRONG with these people? I see FTP just around the corner.

JJ

Korereactor

Yeah seems fixed for me - and I didn't do anything yet to fix it as I was at work. No more error when I got home today.

Rhoric

jarrellj wrote: »

I'm not sure why WE should be doing anything! THEY broke the game! Why aren't THEY fixing it! Unless they plan to pay me, I'm not doing their work for them. And I have Unsubbed until they fix this mess.

I think the lack of communication about this issue is disgusting. What is WRONG with these people? I see FTP just around the corner.

JJ

They did fix it. It was just a temp fix to correct the error until they got it fixed. They were already aware of the issue when I talked to support early this morning. I even passed this topic onto them and they passed it onto the right department hence why it is fixed.

jarrellj

Rhoric wrote: »

It was just a temp fix to correct the error until they got it fixed. They were already aware of the issue when I talked to support early this morning. I even passed this topic onto them and they passed it onto the right department hence why it is fixed.

It's fixed with a 'temp' fix until they can get around to a 'real' fix? Gee. That's big of them

Moonraker

@elderscrollsb16_ESO109

To flush the DNS Cache on a Mac (those supported for ESO Mac client)

Reset the DNS Cache

Step 1: Open the Terminal

Navigate to Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal

Step 2: Flush DNS - Type the following command and hit enter.

Mac OSX 10.9 (Mavericks): dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Mac OSX 10.7 & 10.8 (Lions) : sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Press Return and enter password at prompt.

Rhoric

jarrellj wrote: »

Rhoric wrote: »

It was just a temp fix to correct the error until they got it fixed. They were already aware of the issue when I talked to support early this morning. I even passed this topic onto them and they passed it onto the right department hence why it is fixed.

It's fixed with a 'temp' fix until they can get around to a 'real' fix? Gee. That's big of them

They have said the real fix was done earlier today.

stealthdf2b14_ESO

jarrellj wrote: »

I'm not sure why WE should be doing anything! THEY broke the game! Why aren't THEY fixing it! Unless they plan to pay me, I'm not doing their work for them. And I have Unsubbed until they fix this mess.

I think the lack of communication about this issue is disgusting. What is WRONG with these people? I see FTP just around the corner.

JJ

you need to read better man, they already fixed it and issued a statement saying so and its been mentioned in this thread yet you are here blasting them on it.

hypnoticflow

Well, except I've tried both workarounds and have no issues with the launcher (no 209), but the game is not updating (still running the 4/5 patch) and cannot find a way to actually get past that. I can access the login screen but am hit with login timeouts and a lot of 301 errors.

elderscrollsb16_ESO109

@Hypnoticflow is it possible for you to copy the game folder from a friend's machine ? I'm pretty sure it would fix at least the patching issue itself.
The very thing that prevent you to patch could also affect your ability to play, but it worth a try.

@jarrellj please read again the original post. We provided a WORKAROUND until a real FIX come.
See the definition of those terms in the O.P.

CaptainOrganic

Why don't they offer a link to download the patch directly?! Launcher is a joke. No doubt they've got thousands of employees, how about you attempt to fix the problem instead of rely on community members to provide a fix for you.