Bypassing Master Server Authentication checks
Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2015 11:59 pm
Due to Gamespy no longer supporting NWN servers, you would have noticed by now that annoying delay message which the game takes to authenticate a non-existent master server before letting you log in. Here is a way to remove that check.
Firstly, just to be safe, ensure NWN is closed down before you make this change. You should find that after you make this change, you don't hang on the connecting stage and is instead instantaneous.
1. Navigate from your root directory like C drive:
windows > system32 > drivers > etc > hosts
- If you're using Vista or Windows 7:
Open notepad up alone as an administrator. (Right click notepad and "open as administrator")
And then go File > Open: And navigate again through Step 1. to the 'hosts' file.
- Everyone else (XP): Simply open hosts with notepad after you've located it (No need for running as administrator).
2. What you're faced with should look something like this:
# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost
3. Add these lines at the bottom of it:
# Start of NWN entries.
0.0.0.0 nwmaster.bioware.com
0.0.0.0 nwnauth.kr.infogrames.com
0.0.0.0 66.244.193.142
0.0.0.0 203.239.47.115
# End of NWN entries.
4. Click save without changing the name or extension in any way.