This can sometimes solve disconnect issues, and is simple to try.
* Start a commandprompt (On a Windows PC: Win+r, type cmd + ENTER)
* At the commandline type: ping google.com (press ENTER)
Most likely you will send/recieve 4 replies.
If you get 4 timeouts you either have a DNS or internet connection problem.
Try (at the commandprompt): ping 8.8.4.4
This is worth to try.
Wifi is not suitable for latency sensitive applications such as online gaming.
If you’re using a network cable, try using a different network cable and/or plugging the cable into a different port on your router.
Cables and ports sometimes become faulty. Replacing a network cable is one of the cheaper hardware faults to fix.
You can find a comprehensive guide to troubleshooting your connection with MTR tools here: MTR and Connectivity Issue Primer
There are many VPNs available, some of them are even free. If an MTR reveals a problem in the public internet, you may be able to get around it by using a VPN.
Make sure Path of Exile is allowed through your firewall. The client does not listen on incoming ports – port forwarding is not required. If you have an outgoing firewall, allow your Path of Exile client through it.
* Check your “Windows Firewall”. You shouldn’t have a problem unless some joker with access to your PC have made changes without your knowledge. (You do NOT need to disable Windows Firewall, with default settings, to play PoE!)
* Are you running ANY other kind of internet “security/shield/protection” software? This is NOT a trick question: Programs such as Norton, Bullguard, Comodo, Whatever Internet Security are well known for causing a variety of with network connectivity. (Their firewall/proxy components – I have limited knowledge of their anti-malware/virus components).
UNINSTALL your 3.rd party “internet security/shield/protection” (Unless ofc it is a corporate requirement but in that case: Gaming on your corp. pc?), reinstall WITHOUT any internet “shield/webshield” components.
Close/exit all programs running on your PC (do not close all services – just browsers, spotify, media players and whatever you know needs a network connection)
* Wait 3 minutes
* Start a commandprompt
* At the commandline type: netstat (press ENTER)
You should see no more than 3-5 lines in the output, all of them with TCP as the protocol.
Recheck/close your running programs and repeat step 3.
IF you see more than 3-5 lines of output you have some unknown/rogue network processes running: Post output here and I will try to identify them.
Assuming your PC is ok, the rest of your troubleshooting is your LAN. (WiFi/LAN in this context is the same! A wireless accesspoint works like a LAN switch, just with lower performance.)
* Are there other devices on your network? (Any computer/idevice/TV-streaming box can be the source of network congestion/exhaustion) Familymembers running P2P (either knowingly or not) is the killer of many networks – Repeat step 3 on their computers if they agree.
* Reboot switches and gateway/router (this includes any AP’s)
Now try the game again. If it works: Great! But you need to find out why rebooting worked.
In most cases when rebooting your LAN infrastructure works the reason is that your router/gateway is running a UPnP service.
(This is a service that automatically forwards ports to PC’s running programs that request UPnP portforwards: Instead of arguing with your younger brother because Skype or his P2P program hooked the PoE port just disable UPnP services on your router! You may need to check the manual to do this)