Steam server errors all the time!

[d.stanojevic]

Hello!

As I couldn't find the way to get support from a living person with my Steam client issues, I decided to make a thread here.

So, here it is:

Recent weeks (or even a month) I’m not able to use all the options within Steam Client. That’s including access to my profile, Inventory... I couldn’t send any messages through Discussions and so on.

Strangely, I could play the games, log into my accound through the client AND any internet browser, even to buy more games, but every now and then, I get these kind of messages:


"Error
There was an error communicating with the Steam servers. Please try again later."

Whereever I click, whenever I do it... it displays this!

It loads my library, I can play (even online), but I cant access my inventory, wishlist, profile and so on. I can't even write in discussions... only in rare occasions, like this one when I opened this thread.

I waited for weeks, but the problem persists. I read numerious pages with users complaining about the same or similar issues, but everything ends with something like „it’s a server issue, wait for a while...“.

But, this advice doesn’t solve the problem!

I tried almost everything I could and I managed to find in discussions and Google:

-logout and login (about 1 milion times)
-login from another device
-clearing the cache
-reinstall client
-repeated everything above with another PC and even third one, but without luck

It’s insane that I bought over 300 games for me and my family and I have limited access to my profile, because of some „server issue“ or something and there is no a single Word about it on your site or anywhere!

My profile is not hacked (I’m an IT guy myself, I have 2-step verification activated and I don’t borrow my credentials to anyone. So, that’s out of question as a possible cause.

Do somebody know - is there any possible way to directly contact steam support, cause they killed all the e-mails for support a long time ago. It's insane that one cannot make any contact with living person. The only "support" is google and community. Is that even legal?

[eram]

direct way to contact steam support is via steam support. i have no idea why you cant see the button at the top of the page that says support.

they never used email for support you just get confirmation via email and you dont only use google thats not normal and you made that last part up in your mind sorry.

go here
https://help.steampowered.com/en/

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

They can't help with server issues though.

[d.stanojevic]

I'm pretty sure there's no server issues at all. It seems that it displays this kind of message as a generic one, because the same PC with other steam accounts works as usual. Strange...

[Javininja2]

I have exactly the same problem for more than 1 month, I have already read several posts like this one with the same error, it looks like it is a server problem, but I don't know when this is going to be fixed...

[Iceira]

Test with Friends laptop , sense you are a IT guy, im sure you know someone that hes laptop works at hes place, this is seen as external test, you should be able to do same with 2-3 pc as you said you did, problem he what if all have same security issue or maybe as you know, caould make same mistake, i doubt that with 2-3 pc , this dount ruleout own ISP and router if all go though same gateway, reboot router and pc apox 3 minute , after you know this if you are tech dude, tahts the problem IT dude can be many things

check for bad packets, and do you get what you paid for into own ISP.

https://packetlosstest.com/ ( some do this 3 time to be sure, i sure you know why repeating and continue pakets test was made with ping test, anyway depend on what you know. )

https://www.speedtest.net/


other cmd netsh win sock reset ( google this )
same with steam flush cmd ( i doubt this with 2-3 pc as you did test already ) but see it as steam flush/reset just incase, this could be relevant.

and change steam DL zone. ( this is still steam winter event sale, and i dont trust ISP traffic or should i said congested network and some got dropped by a ISP router, again you know this, if you are tech dude.


ps.
ISP is ISP partner and there partners partner, and you only need 1 of them, that dont live up to service, dont forget im looking at this from network point of view, who and where is the faulth, you , ISP, or steam in other end.

ps.
steam user should know this ( steam event sale can be seen as black friday ) then so many steam user go shopping and DL, this will not be fixed until sale is over and DL cue is normal.
and wont get better just because steam has sale, this just dont add up with month as you explan it, and why you most have other issue in top of this.

anything from change ISP to wifi or to many own user at own network will reduce bandwide, teat with 1 pc onlin at own local network , and test with cable even.

and again watchout for QoS and other app call it network managent or ip traffic, they can set diffrent priority in service and actual not give full bandwide. ( watch out for IP radio they need such, just saying it, and why it stutter if turn off. )

gl and happy new year.

[Iceira]

sorry
forgot the
"Error
There was an error communicating with the Steam servers. Please try again later."

this can be seen as 2 things, either your line into it is low in bandwide, because it did reply.
or they are busy, and last option dont match with steam cant keep up.

https://steamstatus.io/

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Iceira W10:

sorry
forgot the
"Error
There was an error communicating with the Steam servers. Please try again later."

this can be seen as 2 things, either your line into it is low in bandwide, because it did reply.
or they are busy, and last option sont match with steam cant keep up.

It was on Valve's end. His profile was unviewable at the time of his post.

It is back now.

[Iceira]

Good, just dont explan a month issue.

[d.stanojevic]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

It was on Valve's end. His profile was unviewable at the time of his post.

It is back now.:qr:

It`s definitely their fault.

Every day, there`s period in which everything works fine. But tomorrow, the issue is back again, with all the annoying things that you can imagine.

Sometimes, I just can`t do anything. Even my account is displayed just as a bunch of numbers. I can`t access my own profile, nor the anybody else can do it with my profile. I just don`t know what to do. :(

@Iceira [W10]
Oh man, thank you VERY MUCH for the effort. I appreciate it, really!

But, I already tried everything you suggested.

I have two active desktops, laptop and two internet connections, chained through pro-grade load balancer. One connection is ADSL, other iz fibre 600/60. Other than that, I tried with one more cable and 3 mobile networks (4G, full speed).

Also, tried with UTP and Wi-Fi.

My desktop has two LAN cards, one of which is 10GBit Asus XC-100.

Switched LANs, switched routers, switched cables, even tha apartments. I even tried from another country few weeks ago, using my laptop.

The only item which is the same for the whole time is my steam account. Every other steam account I tried with (and I have four, for my wife and nephews) works as it meant to. Only mine is broken.

I'm out of ideas, options and luck.

To make things even crazier, Steam doesn't allow opening a ticket out of profile. You must be logged in, to be able to open a ticket and write something to the support. I spent almost 4 (FOUR) hours just to open a ticket. I lost few hours just to answer your helpful posts.

This is just insane...:(

Thanks, everybody!

[Trans Porn Enjoyer]

What kinda worries me about this whole thing is, that for me this account works perfectly fine, while my other steam account does not

[Iceira]

Pretty sure then sale event is over then you return to normal, this says alot about network into steam, and that is not always a steam issue with fiber or to many user go shopping spree, this is not a proof in itself, but explan alot of why things happend doing event, its like some get dropped and that dont mean its steam that do it , if you cant connect with a line they can feed you with then why bother, same as if i had a server and all connect to it, why bother with 6kbit lines, you just drag me down, this can be a isp that is conggest and why things aient fast enough. as i said only a ISP issue. let them proof its steam that cant delivere it, i have no problem that day steam server get slow or cant keep up with all. ( this can happend if all had 10g network connect or more, pretty sure DL cue list will be enable again. )

hope you do try other DL zone and keep it to yourself, you dont need rest of that area with you to whatever place that might work better for you. ( as i said wont help if this is your own ISP that is the issue, you try get other matrix parh to other steam server feed you better, and so will anyone else, and keep in mind you also try avoid havoc with all who change to zone, and why you keep it to yourself. ( this is not a joke ) make havoc is not allowed, your isp will not be happy then all switch or keep switching. )

happy new year anyway sale event over at 3jan i think it was, lets see how your traffic is at 5jan, then DL cue and most steam user are done.


and we are back at why will any ISP expand Fiber connection on temporary demands. ( say alot about ISP need to route unnessary traffic away from main lines if they even can that or have spare alternative routes, this is not so simple, this is steam and ISP that need to talk with each other. ( Global Network can be a beast to understand, until you see the many ways and issue with it. )

[t.martinovic]

Hello, it's me again (OP), but from my wife's account. This sh** escalated even more, as I can't even login to my account right now! Steam client, web browser... whatever I try, it doesn't work. At the same time, my wife's account, as 2 owned by my nephews, works as they should.

Useless support completely ignores what I'm writing to them and like some bot, repeat usual stuff like "try to logout and login, that should resolve your issue".

Jesus Christ, they're such an ignorants, that I just can't believe it!

Nobody's accepting that this issues are not server, but accounts related. I said "accountS", as many of us have the similar problems and it looks like nobody from Valve care.

They are responding to tickets ONLY through the steam client/profile, so I just can't answer anything to them, because the server refuses any input.

I think that it has nothing to do with sales, because my issue is present for over a month now and only for my account and for accounts of other users complained here.

As a database engineer myself, I'm pretty sure that this is related to certain database records and/or their logs, so someone at Steam/Valve must do some cleaning before anything else. But, I have no clue how to suggest them anything, while their answer to my pretty detailed ticket is something like this:

Thanks for the additional information Dragan.

No worries, if you have selected a different category, we can still assist you with your concern.

Regarding your problem, please restart Steam and log back into your account. This should resolve the issue.

In the future, you can submit a help request using an email address using the link: https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/HelpRequestCantLogin/

If you have any further questions, please let us know - we will be happy to assist you.

Steam Support
John

J-E-S-U-S C-H-R-I-S-T!!!

[Iceira]

Try off peek hour like 05:00 , then your zone is sleeping or not waking yet, this dont prof a thing but should have lesser ppl online so traffic into steam should be better, it just dont help if steam server user have alot cue up and still dl current bought item.

again then we as usre dont have mangement over network, then we use such ideas to test line at off peak hours, because we have no other way to test for such.

this is ISP into steam and back from them issue, i think. ( and event sale dont help in top of this. ) i doubt reduce steam setting to use lesser resource will help you , but all little idea count here.

[Terror28]

I have had this same problem since December 9, then it got worse, because I could not see my profile, only numbers and my avatar appeared with a question mark, then I could not enter until after 5 hours that everything worked normally, just like That only happens to you in my account and it has already been verified by STEAM that it has not been stolen.

I am from Spain and we have reported it in the Spanish Forum since it is happening to many of us, and STEAM ignores us saying that it is our connection or PC, in LATAM it has also happened, the strange thing is that it has not happened to everyone I suppose STEAM doesn't care if it doesn't affect the entire Community, it really is a shame...

PD: Sorry for my English but as I said I'm from Spain and I still don't know how to speak and write very well but I have the same problem as you and I'm surprised that STEAM doesn't do anything and I really know how frustrated you feel like me and many of you...

[Kipplentoast]

I'm in the same boat. Located in North Central US. The steam reddit community has made noises about contacting Game journalists which doesn't seem like a bad idea. However, with every thread I've read it seems like if you're affected it just continues to get worse. Unfortunately it doesn't seem we're anywhere close to hitting critical mass based on the amount of people talking about this. I don't like wishing ill will, but I'm kind of holding out that somehow this issue either hits someone with the ear of valve, or a relative of someone high up in the org. Otherwise I don't have much hope.