If you are having problems connecting to the World of Warcraft game servers, please try the following steps one at a time and then attempt to connect again, as each step has the potential of solving the connection issue.

# Check the Server Status

Please go to the World of Warcraft Server Status Forum ("http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/board.aspx?fn=wow-server-status") and check the status of the game servers before continuing to more advanced troubleshooting steps. If the servers are indicated as being unavailable, please try your connection again at a later time. If the page indicates that the servers are available, or if you cannot reach the page to check the status, please continue on to the next step.

# Confirm your Internet Connection

Before attempting to connect to the World of Warcraft game servers, please confirm that your computer is able to connect to sites on the internet. One simple way to do this is to open a browser and try to connect to our World of Warcraft Website ("http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/").

### Broadband Internet Users

If you are unable to connect to any websites or other internet-based applications even though your modem is on and the cables are all connected correctly, then please contact your Internet Service Provider for further troubleshooting steps.

### AOL Users

First, you will need to make sure you are connected to AOL and logged into your account. Then, minimize the AOL program and run World of Warcraft. Once at the game's main menu, select Log In, and you should be able to connect. Also, please confirm that you are using the main account and not sub-accounts created for other household members.

If the issue persists, please make sure you have the newest version of America Online (AOL). You can find it on AOL's Webpage ("http://www.aol.com/", choose the download link at the bottom) or by using AOL Keyword: Upgrade.

To check your current AOL version:
- Start America Online.
- Click on the Help menu.
- Click on About America Online.

Due to its online nature, World of Warcraft is considered by AOL Parental Controls to contain mature content and will be blocked. To ensure this does not happen, please ensure that Parental Controls are completely disabled on your AOL account.

### Other Dial-Up Service Users

If your computer is not set up to dial your Internet Service Provider automatically when an application attempts to access the internet, then you may need to manually initialize the connection before starting the game. Most ISPs provide a desktop shortcut or similar means for initializing the connection. If you are unsure how to do this or are unable to connect to your ISP successfully, then please contact your ISP directly for further assistance.

# Check for Updates

Out-of-date drivers or operating system files can cause connection issues. Please check for the following updates:

### Operating System Updates

Be sure that you have the latest updates for your operating system.

- Windows updates are available at ("http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/").
- Mac OS X updates can be obtained by clicking on the "Apple" icon and choosing "Software Update...".

### Broadband Users: Modem and Network Card Updates

There are several drivers that, if out-of-date, could cause issues for broadband users. If you need more help in locating drivers for your hardware, please contact the hardware manufacturer or a qualified technician.

- If you access the internet through an external broadband modem, be sure you have the latest firmware and drivers available for your modem.
- If your computer connects to the modem via USB, be sure you have the latest drivers for your motherboard or your USB PCI card.
- If your computer connects to the modem via Ethernet, be sure that your network card has the latest drivers installed.

### Dial-up Users: Modem and ISP Software Updates

If you use a dial-up modem to connect to your ISP through your telephone line, be sure that you have the latest software from your ISP and the latest drivers for the model of your modem.

# Firewalls, Routers, and Internet Connection Sharing

If you are using any type of firewall, router, or you are sharing your internet connection between multiple computers, you may need to set your system up to allow access to the World of Warcraft game servers. The firewall or router will need to allow unrestricted communication on the following ports:

- 3724
- 8086
- 8087
- 9081
- 9090
- 9097
- 9100

Please note that these settings are suggested settings only. Blizzard Entertainment is unable to assist with the configuration of firewalls, routers, or network configurations. If possible, try uninstalling any firewall applications on your computer, and physically removing the router from your internet connection (by having your computer connect directly to your modem). This will allow you to identify whether the firewall or router is responsible for the connection problem. If this turns out to be the case, please consult the documentation that came with that networking product, or contact the manufacturer for further assistance setting it up properly.

# Test your Internet connection

Running a 'tracert' (short for Trace Route) command can help identify where the connection problems are occurring. The tracert program tests the connection from your computer to the target location you specify and every "hop" in between. Using this program you can determine at what location the data you are sending is running into a problem.

### Steps to run the tracert command

- Click Start and then Run
- Type command and press Enter
- In the command window, type 'tracert us.logon.worldofwarcraft.com > C:\tracert.txt' (without the quotes) and press the Enter key.

A file will be created on your C: drive called tracert.txt that contains your route information. Please be patient when waiting for the tracert command to complete, it may take several minutes. When you are returned to the command prompt, then the trace is complete.

- Type exit and press the Enter key to close the command window.

### I ran tracert, now what do I do?

Open the tracert.txt file. You will see 3 kinds of information regarding the route that internet traffic is taking from your computer to the game servers:

- The number on the far left is the hop number.
- The next 3 numbers (with 'ms' after each one) is the length of time, in milliseconds, it takes for your computer to receive a response from the computer you are trying to contact. A high value, for example greater than 200 ms for broadband or 350 ms for dial-up, indicates that traffic is slow, and can cause latency or 'laggy' play. Asterisks (*) indicate that your computer did not receive a response from the computer you are trying to contact at all, which can keep you from connecting to our servers altogether, or cause you to be disconnected abruptly.
- The final piece of information is the DNS (or 'name') and/or the IP number of server you are trying to contact on this hop. If you did not receive any responses from this server, you may receive an error message such as 'Request Timed Out' or 'Destination Net Unreachable'.

IMPORTANT: Since our World of Warcraft servers are protected from unsolicited traffic and attacks, the final hop of your trace may give you an error message such as '12.123.0.37 reports: Destination host unreachable'. This message is normal and does not indicate an issue with your internet connection.

If you see any error messages or asterisks in your tracert.txt for the hops before you reach our World of Warcraft game servers, you may need to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and provide them your tracert results for further assistance. Once the information has been submitted, it may take several days for the problem to be identified and resolved. Remember that Blizzard Entertainment can only ask your ISP to fix an issue; the best results come when you contact your ISP directly.