Freelancer: Known Multiplayer Issues

This article describes the known multiplayer issues that you may experience when you play Microsoft Freelancer.

Issues Between Server and Client Computers

The server cannot initiate console-to-player chats with characters from earlier Freelancer versions under the following conditions:

• When you try to copy files to the server’s multiplayer accounts folder while the Freelancer server is running, newly created characters will function correctly, but the console will not be able to initiate chats with copied characters. To resolve this issue, shut down and restart the server.
• This behavior may also occur when you try to copy one character file multiple times in the multiplayer account folder. Restarting the server does not resolve this issue.

Note Microsoft does not support or recommend either of these actions.

Issues with Home Networks and Dial-Up Connections

If you have a network card and you connect to the Internet through a modem, you may have trouble starting multiplayer games. If this issue occurs, turn off the device that is not providing your Internet connection and try again.

Disconnect from Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)

If you are disconnected from your ISP during game play, you will be disconnected from the multiplayer game. Upon your return, your character will be placed at your last location.

Two TCP/IP devices

If you cannot connect to the network or the Freelancer server, and you have two TCP/IP devices on your computer, try the following methods:

• Quit Freelancer and make sure that you have a functional network or Internet connection.
• Turn off the device that is not providing your Internet connection and try to connect again.

For information about setting up Internet Connection Sharing or disabling your second TCP/IP device, visit the following Microsoft Web site and search the knowledge base for instructions specific to your operating system:

Routers

Make sure that you have the latest firmware updates from the manufacturer. You can use a computer without a perimeter network to run a Freelancer server.

For more information about how to configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows Me and 98 SE, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to troubleshoot network issues, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about the ports that Freelancer requires, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: