Anytime your computer connects to another computer, it uses an address and port. Battle Pirates connects to a "battle server" when fleet-to-fleet or base battles occur. If the addresses and/or ports that are required for this are blocked in some way, such as by a firewall, you will not be able to view battles or play properly in some cases.
Opening Ports in the Windows Firewall
Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 each have slightly different ways to configure the built-in Firewall, but they are fairly close. Instructions for configuring the Windows 7 Firewall to open the required ports are below.
-
Click Start
-
Click Control Panel
-
Click System and Security
-
Click Windows Firewall
-
Click Advanced Setings
-
Click Inbound Rules
-
Under Actions, click New Rule
-
Select the "Port" option and click Next
-
In the "Specific Local Ports" box, type the following: 80, 8080, 8000, 50000, 53, 443, 843
-
Select "Allow the Connection"
-
Select a Network type and click Next
-
Name the rule
-
Click Finish
All the ports used by the Battle Pirates battle servers should now be open. As long as a connection can be established on any one of these ports, you should be able join battles. If Flash is able to make a connection on port 843, it will significantly speed up the connection progress.
Mac Firewall Configuration
Mac OS X also has a built-in software firewall; to make sure that this firewall is properly configured to work with Battle Pirates, do the following:
-
Click the Apple menu
-
Click System Preferences
-
Click Security & Privacy
-
Click Firewall Options
-
Make sure that "Block all incoming connections" and "Enable stealth mode" are not checked, and that your web browser is not set to Block Incoming Connections
-
(Optional) Add your web browser to the list, and set it to Allow Incoming Connections
Third Party Firewall/AV
If you are using a third party firewall or antivirus application, you should consult the publisher's website for instructions on how to whitelist, add to an exceptions list, or add an address as a trusted site. Below are links to some of the more common programs, as well as a typical "path" to locate the whitelisting within the application. However, because each version of a program may have a different menu structure, your particular program may vary.
Options - Internet Security - Personal Firewall - Trust Control - Trusted - Add
http://service.mcafee.com/default.aspx
Firewall - Definitions - Addresses - Create Range
http://www.avast.com/en-us/support
Firewall - Firewall Settings - Expert Settings - Friends
http://www.avg.com/us-en/support
Tools - Firewall Settings - Profiles - Firewall Profile - IP Addresses Whitelist
Routers
If you are using a router, before you try the following you should first try connecting your modem directly to your computer. Also make sure to reboot or "power-cycle" all of your computer hardware, including computer, router, and modem.
Because there are many different brands of router, it's not possible to provide specific instructions for each one here.