If you are experiencing issues trying to connect to multiplayer games with other players, first ensure that your network configuration and in-game network options are setup properly.

- Ensure that your Connection Type option in the in-game Network Options is properly set for your Internet connection.

- If you are playing behind a router or other NAT device, be sure NAT Negotiation in the in-game Network Options is enabled.

- UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) allows the game to automatically open the proper ports on your router that the game requires to use for online play. If you are playing behind a router that supports UPnP and you wish to use the UPnP feature of the game, both your router and operating system must be properly configured. Please see your router documentation for more information on configuring this.

- If your router or operating system does not support UPnP, disable it in the in-game Network Options.

- If you are playing behind a router that does not support UPnP, you may need to configure port forwarding to properly connect to an online game. You may also need to open ports in your firewall configuration if you are running behind a firewall. More information can be found in the Empire At War troubleshooting guide located on Disc 1.

If you are confident that your network setup is properly configured and are still seeing issues, we suggest the following:

- An online game involving multiple routers may take some time to connect. We suggest all players wait at least one full minute at the Forming Connections screen to give the game a chance to resolve the necessary connections between systems.

- Have another player try hosting the game.

- Be sure everyone playing in your online game has their network setup properly. It only takes one person with an improper network setup to prevent a game from successfully starting up.

- Your router may have a compatibility issue with another particular model, which is preventing your system from connecting to a particular player. Consult your router documentation for possible solutions