4th September 2002
Question: I recently got a Verizon DSL broadband connection installed on my computer. I have noticed since then that games like Tribes 2 states that it can't connect to the server at sierra.com. Is there any way to configure my new DSL to be more compatible with my computer games?
Answer: There is some needed information missing from your question, but I will still try to answer it the best I can. First, I would need to know if you can get on the Internet outside of the games, we'll assume the answer is yes in this case. One of my first thoughts would be to check the game manufacturers Web sites, to see if they have any new patches out. Many times these patches include networking fixes that would apply to DSL. Another thing I would need to know is if this is a desktop computer or a laptop, we'll assume it this case that it is a desktop. Most DSL connections use a virtual network connection known as a Point to Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) adapter. Since you added a DSL connection to your computer, did you remove the old dial up connection? If not then you will want to do this and reconfigure your Internet Explorer Option to "always dial my default connection" where your DSL connection is the default connection. To configure these options you need to open Internet Explorer and then go Tools|Internet Options|Connections. On the Connections tab you can add/remove Internet Connections and set the default connection. If you are on a laptop and still need to keep your dialup connection installed then you may need to manually turn it do "never dial a connection" when you are on DSL. I hope this helps bring you back to the digital playground.