[SOLVED] "Can't connect to Steam network" - No solution for weeks! :(

[Abaris]

EDIT after the issue has been solved, now:
PLEASE READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE THREAD, IF YOU HAPPEN TO ENCOUNTER A SIMILAR PROBLEM, I'M SURE SOME METHOD MENTIONED WILL WORK ON YOU :)

The solution for me was given by http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198030616898
and summed up here: http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/1/828935673158964273#c828936719140986153 <------
Yet, you still can contribute to this thread, if you encounter a similar problem and don't seem to be able to solve it OR you have a suggestion as to what a possible solution might be ;)

(And show some love for the people here - they're trying to help :P)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


First, let me apologize - I know there are a few other different threads concerning this - but since I haven't got an answer through Steam Support, yet AND my problem seems completly unsolvable...well, here we go:

I'm experiencing this very problem ever since a few days.
Every time I try to start steam and log in, I get this message:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/3365/connectiontosteamnetwor.jpg (German client)
Or the other one, where it gives me the additional option to retry connecting or running in offline mode.

The system I'm experiencing the error(s) on, is a laptop with wireless internet connection and administrative rights - Steam was running absolutely fine, until some days ago, or so. Other specs and stuff:
_______________________________________
General:

Intel Core2Duo CPU P8700 @ 2.53 GHz
4 GB RAM
500GB HDD in 2 partitions (Steam being on D: )
Some RADEON Mobility Graphics Card
Windows 7 64bit

Security:

Avira Antivir PE
Comodo Firewall
Spybot Search&Destroy
Ad-Aware
Windows Firewall DEactivated
Windows Defender DEactivated

Network:

"Realtek RTL8191SE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC"
on a
"ASUS RT-N66U" router
- German Steam client, German ISP
________________________________________

Again, it's been a couple of days to a couple of weeks, I wasn't using my laptop for a while.
When I first tried to start Steam again, I hadn't done ANY change to my system, before.

So I went and tried everything I could possibly find on google plus any forum I stumbled across.
Here's what I did so far:
(not in chronological order; some things I've done a couple of times in a different order)

- Checking internet connection per se (=> Running fine)
- Checking if other PCs in the network can connect to Steam (=> Working like a charm)
- Logging in to steampowered.com (=> Yup, changed nothing, though)
- Resetting both internet connection and PC (=> Changed nothing)
- Deleting all files in the Steam folder, but Steam.exe + Backup of SteamApps (=> Updated fine, but error messages keep popping up)
- De-installing Steam, rebooting PC, reinstalling Steam (=> Updated fine, but error messages keep popping up)
- Checked update history (WLAN drivers??) (=> not updated - in fact, I had Windows Update turned OFF, the entire time)
- (see above): Updated via Windows Update (=>125 updates and several reboots later, the problem still occurs)
- checked steampowered's list for possibly interfering programs that I might have installed (=> deleted a few[LogMeIn, Hamachi, Daemon Tools, etc.], but didn't expect the problem to change, since I didn't install anything around the time, when the problem first occurred)
- Updating WLAN drivers manually (=> didn't fix it, rolled it back [still no fix :P])
- Again, reinstalling Steam at this point (=> didn't fix it)
- Copying the Steam folder (except SteamApps) from another PC (which could connect just fine) (=> didn't fix it)
- Since I didn't have a system restore point .... I could'nt use that method..
- Tried to fix the registry entries, concerning offline mode (=> already set to 0 ; didn't change anything)
- Don't have the possibility to run wired instead of wireless, so... meh..
- Tried WinFixIt (or something like that) - updated again via Windows Update (=> didn't do anything)
- Used HotSpotShield to circumvent the problem (VPN to connect) (=> didn't change anything)
- Deactivated my Comodo Firewall and Avira AntiVir (=> didn't change anything)
- Portforwarded all necessary ports for steam (=> didn't change anything)
- Set Steam.exe and...well..the entire folder to "trusted file(s)" in Comodo (=> didn't change anything)
- Tried to connect to Steam on the "Administrator" account (=> didn't do anything)
- Tried to connect to Steam in safe mode with network drivers (=> didn't change it a bit)
- Connected to the router via another WirelessLAN stick (=> didn't change anything)
- Tried out different DNS-Servers(eg OpenDNS) on my wireless connection settings (instead of auto) (=> nothing)
- Re-Edited Portforwarding and Portriggering on my router (ASUS RT-N66U) (=> no change)
- Re-activated Windows Firewall and explicitly allowed any Steam-exe's. (=> no change)
- Rolled back ANY Windows update that I could possibly roll back (=> no change; repatched)
- Tried to connect to Steam through another VPN (=> nope)
- Tried deleting single files from the Steam folder (instead of the entire folder) and restart (=> updated instantly, no change)
- Checked the "hosts" file for any funny business, as far as I could tell (=>no change made, no change occurred)
- Checked Hijackthis for any malware or suspicious entries (=> some changes made; no effect)
- Set up msconfig a little different (start less processes and services) (=> no effect after reboot)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Running out of ideas here -.-
There's IMHO no solution I could find on google, these forums, youtube and any other platform that helped :(
And I'm sure as hell not going to set the system up anew...just because Steam doesn't do, what it so proudly promises.
I payed for my games and I can't access them??? Not good, Steam, not good at all.

...Meanwhile, I've submitted a ticket, did get "http://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1456-EUDN-2493" as a response.

Followed through those steps again - no change.

My thoughts so far:

- It HAS to be a client side problem.
- It does NOT have to do with anything already on my system (drivers, software)
- Since I didn't change anything on my system, it MUST have to do with a patch or sth.
- If the problem was actually caused by Steam, would it be justified to demand any compensation ? :D :D

No, but really...
WTH is wrong with my Steam?
I'd be thankful for any thought or solution on this :)

[76561198030616898]

wow.. someone actually described his problem and listed what he has tried so far.. a rare thing here. :)

Anyway. While you wrote you tried with administrator account .. I'd also try to create a new account on the computer and try with that.

Since you don't have Lan it's hard to take out the router entirely of this picture. But that's something you might as well try if you are running out of possibilities. Use another computer with lan and wireless to connect to the internet and use the wireless card with connection sharing (windows 7). (or alternatively another router)

also maybe if you can make room on one of your partitions.. install another windows7 and see if it works there.. (that result of course doesn't provide a solution, yet it indicates that it's a problem with your current installation)

try to change the mac address of your wireless card. (depending on the driver this can be done in the driver options)

Jess

[Marble]

"It does NOT have to do with anything already on my system (drivers, software)"

Actually this is almost certainly what it is. Since it works for most people, any issues with it are certainly going to be with your configuration.

Most likely it's a problem with the way your security software is configured.

With the amount of stuff you have installed/uninstalled and settings you've changed, you may have eliminated the problem already and just created new ones.

I'd suggest removing all the security software and using alternatives. The built-in firewall is perfectly fine for normal users and doesn't interfere much. Windows Security Essentials is also a good, free and low-usage antivirus.

[Syd]

i have the same problem, i fixed it once by completly deleting steam (there was a corrupted file that time) but that doesn't work anymore and there's no corrupted file

[Syd]

oh...this time it seems to be a problem with steam cu'z a friend is having the same problem

[Abaris]

okay, finally some input :D I'm referring of course to Steam Support :P

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172229977:

wow.. someone actually described his problem and listed what he has tried so far.. a rare thing here. :)

I'll take that as a compliment :D

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172229977:

Anyway. While you wrote you tried with administrator account .. I'd also try to create a new account on the computer and try with that.

Well, I created a new account on the laptop "STEAMtest" with administrative rights (of course, it did start with all standard services etc) => no change to the problem.

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172229977:

Since you don't have Lan it's hard to take out the router entirely of this picture. But that's something you might as well try if you are running out of possibilities. Use another computer with lan and wireless to connect to the internet and use the wireless card with connection sharing (windows 7). (or alternatively another router)

I don't see why the router is still in the picture.
As far as I'm concerned, the connection worked fine - no change made to neither router, modem, WLAN adapter or firewall.
But, yes, I'll consider it a last resort (since I'd have to buy a cable and what not :P)!

( EDIT: In this correction process, I've used Tethering via my Samsung Galaxy S 2 once, if this info helps you help me :P In addition, I've used another WLAN-Stick(which all by itself, works totally fine) => no change to the problem :/ )

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172229977:

also maybe if you can make room on one of your partitions.. install another windows7 and see if it works there.. (that result of course doesn't provide a solution, yet it indicates that it's a problem with your current installation)

This doesn't seem like a good solution to me - but I'll give it a shot, just to be able to identify the problem.

( EDIT: btw: circumventing a totally new installation (or another) by installing Steam on a USB Stick doesn't work - I just tried :P )

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172229977:

try to change the mac address of your wireless card. (depending on the driver this can be done in the driver options)

Jess

I'm not sure I can. Are you referring to the MAC address maybe being blocked by the router's firewall? I'm 100% sure, it blocks nothing - the only few changes I made on the router are portforwarding and -triggering [read somewhere, how].

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172905935:

"It does NOT have to do with anything already on my system (drivers, software)"

Actually this is almost certainly what it is. Since it works for most people, any issues with it are certainly going to be with your configuration.

Most likely it's a problem with the way your security software is configured.

Okay, I agree with you, it HAS to be client side.
But what I meant by saying that is: I'm 99,9% sure, I hadn't done any change to my system in weeks, if not months, before the error occurred.
Can't seem to remember any visible update, either...

..which brings me to:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von ;828935673172905935:

With the amount of stuff you have installed/uninstalled and settings you've changed, you may have eliminated the problem already and just created new ones.

I'd suggest removing all the security software and using alternatives. The built-in firewall is perfectly fine for normal users and doesn't interfere much. Windows Security Essentials is also a good, free and low-usage antivirus.

That might be true. It's possible I just lost track of the entirety of how I was trying to fix the problem, which might have created new ones.
But isn't disabling and de-installing ALL security software enough, to check their configuration's influence on Steam?
As I stated above, I had neither Win Firewall, Avira Antivir, Comodo Firewall, Win Defender, Ad-Aware or Spybot S&D installed, at one point.

( EDIT: I just de-installed every security software I have and rebooted => no change :/ )

I might have overlooked some parts...still dizzy from my last few attempts :P

But THANK YOU guys, so far,
I appreciate your help SO MUCH :)


EDIT: One more bit of additional Info: I just checked Steam.log (freshly installed), after Steam popped up the error message.

It states:
CsCom Session 31. Dez. 1969 um 16:00[772] ReconnectThread (772) Starting
CsCom Session 31. Dez. 1969 um 16:00[772] ReconnectThread (772) Told to exit

And on several other attempts, exactly the same, but with a different set of numbers in the brackets (which I assume are simply PIDs) - so not much info, there... sorry. :/

And another piece of information:
www.firebind.com/test/steam checked Steam's necessary ports and all are open:


Ports: TCP 27014-27050 UDP 1500,3005,3101,3478,4379,4380,27000-27030,28960
Firebind has detected Oracle Corporation Java 1.7.0_17 for Windows 7 (x86)

TCP Result: SUCCESS
Testing TCP Port: done
TCP Passed: 27014-27050
TCP Failed: none

UDP Result: SUCCESS
Testing UDP Port: done
UDP Passed: 1500,3005,3101,3478,4379-4380,27000-27030,28960
UDP Failed: none

Detailed Results

TCP Passed: 27014-27050
UDP Passed: 1500,3005,3101,3478,4379-4380,27000-27030,28960

[76561198030616898]

hmm yeah after re-reading my answers.. if you tried with another wlan stick the MAC change is pointless. And yes if you tried with your mobile phone over the mobile network that should negate the router as well as a source of the problem.

I've found this unusual solution by googling a snippit (CsCom Session)of what was written in your log file:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showpost.php?p=33884423&postcount=38

But if that would be the case.. you'd probably run into more problems of programs/windows complaining about not having a temp folder.. anyway doesn't hurt to check. Also make sure %userprofile% is properly resolved (even tho i've never encountered this not being correct)

iobit - advanced system care present in your system?

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1525940

also regarding the link given to you by the support.. did you try the launch options? -tcp and -clearbeta (in case you were in a beta?)

Jess

[schnitzeljaeger]

Did you check your network connection for timeouts? That could explain the errors in the steam.log.

-> "ping 8.8.8.8 -t" for a few minutes...

[Abaris]

Hey :)
THANKS for still answering ;)

Well, my TEMP folders are set up correctly and there seems to be no problem whatsoever with resolving the %userprofile" :P

I read already about IObit's interference - it's not and has never been installed :)

Yes, at one point I had different links to the .exe with different launch options on the desktop - none of which I tried had any influence :/

Pinging 8.8.8.8 worked perfectly - the only thing I noticed was the latency swinged between 18 and 106ms - but I guess, that's due to wireless? Also, 106ms doesn't seem like a big influence on connecting to Steam. I didn't have any timeouts - so, no solution there :/

Thank you, you guys :)
I'm still hoping that any of you does have THE one bit, I was missing all the frustating time :/

[schnitzeljaeger]

Did you try setting up a VM? If Steam works in there you can pretty much rule out your network connection.

Other things to try:
- INet connection via cellphone?
- deactiate all 3rd party network drivers in the adapter's settings

Can you upload your logs somewhere?

[Abaris]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von schnitzeljaeger:

Did you try setting up a VM? If Steam works in there you can pretty much rule out your network connection.

Other things to try:
- INet connection via cellphone?
- deactiate all 3rd party network drivers in the adapter's settings

Can you upload your logs somewhere?

I mentioned before, I tried tethering already - since I got my cell lying around :D

3rd party network drivers?

When I lookup driver details of the adapter I'm using (Realtek RTL8191SE Wireless LAN 802.11. PCI-E NIC), I'm getting:

rtl8192se.sys ->
version 2015.1.0427.2010 built by: WinDDK
by Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

and

vwifibus.sys ->
6.1.7600.16385 (win 7_rtm.090713-1255)
by Microsoft Corp.

But I can't seem to deactivate a single one out of them, just deactivate the adapter entirely, or deinstall both (apparently).

I don't know what logs you mean :P
Steam.log?
I posted that somewhere above :)

Also..I'm trying to find an easy-to-set-up-VM right now and give that a try...
(EDIT: Downloading Windows XP Mode right now..)
(Another EDIT: I have overlooked the fact that I can't run Windows XP Mode in Win7 Home Edition :P - meh)

Thanks, guys :)

[76561198030616898]

doubt it's the network driver since you tried with another wireless card, unless it was the exact same model/brand.

but maybe try to uninstall all the VPN Software you might have installed as they usually install virtual adapters. Also check device manager -> View -> display hidden devices (or something simiar) and review the "network adapters".

do you usually save your password in the client? If you do try to set your date back a few weeks. I've read in another "offline mode" thread that it looks like steam credentials seem to expire after a while and then you are required to connect to the internet again. So if you save your credentials try to set the date a few weeks back.. try offline mode and from there try to switch to online mode.

another thing you might try to "FIDDLE" with is.. all the registry entries regarding steam
maybe delete them and reinstall steam... or export them from a computer with properly working steam (there might be a problem with steam install path here if it's not default) and import them on your computer.

as for VMs you can try "Microsoft Virtual PC 2007" or "Virtual BOX". These should be free and not require you to register anywhere.

You could also try this ( {LINK ENTFERNT}www.youuuutube.com/watch?v=Pz1hB_yBHpM ).. and see if you can connect with it. (it's safe from what I can tell and I've used it myself before; remove the additional u's)

Jess

[Abaris]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Jessi:

doubt it's the network driver since you tried with another wireless card, unless it was the exact same model/brand.

but maybe try to uninstall all the VPN Software you might have installed as they usually install virtual adapters. Also check device manager -> View -> display hidden devices (or something simiar) and review the "network adapters".

it's not :P

I have already uninstalled the VPN software I had - but I did have a Teredo tunneling thingy AND several ISATAP adapters in the list - I read somewhere that one ought to deacitvate those anyway, so I did :P (but AFTER the problem forst occurred)..

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Jessi:

do you usually save your password in the client? If you do try to set your date back a few weeks. I've read in another "offline mode" thread that it looks like steam credentials seem to expire after a while and then you are required to connect to the internet again. So if you save your credentials try to set the date a few weeks back.. try offline mode and from there try to switch to online mode.

I do, yes. So..I set the date back a month - but the error persists. I can't even choose to run Steam in offline mode - it's "create new acc", "ps3 blabla" or "log in" - after I try to log in, the "connection to the Steam network .. blabla... offline mode not available" thingy pops up. :/

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Jessi:

another thing you might try to "FIDDLE" with is.. all the registry entries regarding steam
maybe delete them and reinstall steam... or export them from a computer with properly working steam (there might be a problem with steam install path here if it's not default) and import them on your computer.

as for VMs you can try "Microsoft Virtual PC 2007" or "Virtual BOX". These should be free and not require you to register anywhere.

You could also try this ( www.youuuutube.com/watch?v=Pz1hB_yBHpM ).. and see if you can connect with it. (it's save from what I can tell and I've used it myself before; remove the additional u's)

Jess

In fact, I did the registry thing yesterday :P it's not the path either, as far as I could tell.. :/ AND I pretty much copied the entire Steam folder + registry keys onto my laptop - wouldn't work. :/

As of "Vapor" - mh, I don't know about that ... it doesn't seem like a perfect solution + I kind of worry about the safety D:

I'll try those VMs then :)

Thanks, Jess :)

[Abaris]

Well running XP in Windows Virtual PC worked fine.
Installed and patched Steam - fine.
Logged in, put in code for Steam Guard - fine.

So, ultimately: Running Steam in a VM worked !!

Any thoughts ? :)

[schnitzeljaeger]

Sounds like your Windows 7 installation has some obscure problem ;)

Did you try installing Steam into another directory btw (eg C:\Steam\)? Maybe it's a permission problem.

A asked for log files earlier - I meant the steam.log and the stuff in the logs (mainly the connections_log.txt) folder.

[Abaris]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von schnitzeljaeger:

Sounds like your Windows 7 installation has some obscure problem ;)

Did you try installing Steam into another directory btw (eg C:\Steam\)? Maybe it's a permission problem.

A asked for log files earlier - I meant the steam.log and the stuff in the logs (mainly the connections_log.txt) folder.

Yeah, I tried to make sure that all of the necessary permissions were set up correctly and ended up with pretty much giving full access to every "group" there was :P

EDIT: I just re-installed Steam on C:\ (instead of my original installation on D:\) again - no change to the problem :(

These are "fresh" logs from a freshly installed Steam on C: on my laptop.
I tried running it once - the localization is German :P (But, I'm guessing..from the sight of your username, that's no problem :D)

> fbe.am/jME <