User blog:H3th3r71/ERROR Can't connect. Please check your connections and try again.

After digging and digging and digging on the "internets" until my nails were stubs (given Rockstar never deigned to reply to my cries for help), I found the solution to the issue my friend and I were having after we both downloaded Outlaws to the End. When I would try to invite her she would get "ERROR Can't connect. Please check your connections and try again" over and over. It was the same for when she would invite me.

What we discovered was that our NAT settings didn't match. For whatever reason, it's been fine all these months as we've played Borderlands, etc. and even "regular" RDR multiplayer. Hers was NAT 3, I was NAT 2. NAT 3 is strict and can cause chat and game connection issues

She set hers to NAT 2 and we're fine.

Here are two sites that can help (this is for the PS3, but I'm sure there's similar help out there for the XBox):

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-change-your-nat-settings-open-ps3-333495/

http://rated-m.blogspot.com/2010/02/how-to-change-your-ps3-nat-type.html

Also -- if you can't seem to get the NAT to change, check the firmware on your router. She had that issue, then found she was behind on firmware updates. After she updated the router's firmware, she was able to change it to NAT 2.

All is well now.

I still say it's stinky that Rockstar was so mum through all this -- almost like they were pretending it didn't happen (as my friend said). It's really too bad that companies nowadays feel it's a black mark and insulting to their reputation to say, "Sorry -- we effed up. Here's a consolation prize for all of you." That's what my company's done when something's happened and we've (greatly and even in minor ways) invconvenienced our customers. And -- surprise surprise -- we gain more respect and customer retainability that way, rather than saying nothing, silently fixing the issue and then saying, essentially (either verbally or with more silence), "What's your problem?! We fixed it.  What's the big deal?"

It's their choice to run their business however they want, of course. If they want to adopt the attitude that they don't need to say anything (let alone respond to emails) because we'll just buy the product anyway...that's their call. But, me -- it really makes me rethink if I ever do want to buy something put out by them again. I realize their not getting my one $49.95 or whatever won't break their bank, but it's still one unit of sale they can't count.

Please know I'm not ungrateful for the quick fix for the other issues -- it's the lack of an apology that gets me and the fact separate, but still connected issues (like this one, and others I've read) that appeared after downloading the DLC went ignored is bothersome.

I guess it really is "technical" support.

/off soapbox.

Hope this fix helps other people.

H3th3r71 16:08, June 26, 2010 (UTC)h3th3r71