Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Sylverant is a homebrew open source server for Phantasy Star Online. Dreamcast users still play PSO online with this server even today! This is the official forum for both the online game server as well as the open source project itself. Feel free to post and get a gathering started online! We can also show you how to get connected!

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Blu
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Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Blu »

Hey All, wondering if some of you might have encountered the same error that I am having. I used to connect to private servers when I lived on a college campus with no problems. I'm done with school now, and have comcast as my ISP. I am using an Arris YN3720 gateway to connect to the internet. I have no problems at all getting my Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 to connect to their respective online services, so I am baffled why I am not able to connect to Sylverant. I have all of the correct server information down and followed the steps provided in the outlien exactly. I am trying to figure out how exactly what is my issue I am encountering, and if there's a workaround. Any help would be much appreciated.

EDIT: Problem solved. Comcast users and those with router/modems that have been manufactured fairly recently: you'll most likely need to connect through the dnsserv program that is available online. I connected directly through my computer's IP using dnsserv. I'm sure BlueCrab can direct you into the download. It's important to make sure your router does not assign your gamecube a static IP. Most routers have a DHCP option, and using this workaround through my router's firmware along with the dnsserv program configured to Sylverant's server solved my issues I was having.

TL;DR:
1. Make sure PSO's BBA settings and your network are configured to allow for DHCP.
2. Boot up DNSSERV on your PC, in all fields make sure Sylverant's IP is entered.
3. Gamecube: make sure the DNS you assign in PSO's network settings is actually your PC's local IP assigned through your network. In my case, it was 10.0.0.30--the static IP I assigned to my laptop computer. Reference your router for your specific network configuration. Basically, your Gamecube will use your laptop and the DNSSERV program to surfboard onto the PSO Server.
4. The Debug field will let you know if your Gamecube is attempting to access the server. This was very useful when troubleshooting. If you're not getting any debug, there's something wrong with your network settings.
5. I hope this helps, BlueCrab if there's anything else I can do to help, let me know!

Blu
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Aleron Ives »

PSO can be picky about the DNS server you use; if it's too many hops away, PSO may refuse to connect. Running a local one is the easiest way to bypass that problem, as you discovered.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by BlueCrab »

Also, I have seen routers that (unfortunately) handle all DNS requests themselves, even if they have a destination address of a foreign IP address. It is entirely possible that your Comcast-provided router did something like this, which saw the DNS request that was bound for the Sylverant server and said, "Oh! I can handle that" and gave you the "real" IP addresses for the servers PSO was requesting.

Either way, I'm glad to hear that you got it working eventually. It is always nice to have new people around the server. :grin:
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Blu »

So, funny thing happened today. I have a completely new network on an on-campus network.

Dreamcast has no problem connecting to Sylverant - configured with a static IP, subnet, and gateway information with my network.
PSO Gamecube won't connect at all - configured with the same logic, static IP, subnet, and gateway information. Also tried DHCP automatically, but it wouldn't discern DHCP information.
PSO Episode III - Automatic settings, connected just fine.
Went back to PSO Gamecube and tried to connect with automatic DHCP and the DNS server for Sylverant, nothing. Same error message regarding DHCP.

All the serial numbers are entered, so I don't believe that's the issue either. What do you suggest as a workaround on this one?

What I find absolutely puzzling is Episode III being able to connect with only the DNS address, and Episode I & II trying to use the same network settings and being unable to do so.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Aleron Ives »

There are some differences between the way Episode III and Episode I&II handle networking, but E3 should be more picky about how it connects, not less, due to its having the same protections as PSO+. The fact that DC and E3 work but E12 doesn't is truly puzzling. The only thing I can think of is that maybe you have a 1.0 disc that has the network bug, rather than the 1.0.1 disc where it's fixed. I don't remember what the bug was, though, so I don't know if it's relevant here.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Blu »

The weird bit is I tried it with both Episode 1 & 2 and Plus discs. So weird!
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Jack L. »

I wonder if using an Action Replay to connect would make a difference.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Aleron Ives »

Some people have resorted to that method in the past when the DNS method didn't work for them.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by Blu »

I'm wondering if deleting the connection information and starting over might remedy the problem. That's all stored locally on the memory card right?
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by BlueCrab »

Blu wrote:I'm wondering if deleting the connection information and starting over might remedy the problem. That's all stored locally on the memory card right?
You're correct that all the connection information is stored on the memory card, although, the only way it'd make a difference to delete and re-create it would be if you made a mistake somewhere putting it in, probably.
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Re: Unable to connect to Sylverant for PSO Gamecube

Post by tueidj »

The settings are shared for EP3 and EP1+2, so if it works for one it should work for the other.
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