steam not updating (sorry..)

[melat0nin]

Apologies for posting this but i'm at my wits end.

I've been trying to update my Steam installation all afternoon. It stalled at 26% about 15 times over, then it worked, so I downloaded Blue Shift which was cool. Wanted to play, so I tried to get into Offline mode and then Steam messed up and I had to re-install. Now it won't update.

According to HTTP Tunnel the connection only ever receives 530kb, nothing more, before it stops. Then the connection just dies (I monitor it in TCPView). I've no idea why, because it connects and transfers data so obviously it's capable of it.

I know everyone says this, but I really am utterly frustrated with Valve and Steam. This is just unnacceptable.

What annoys me most is that I have to pay a subscription to HTTP-Tunnel on top of the HL2 purchase price just to get it working, and now it doesn't!! Maybe I should invoice Valve for the unneccessary expense and anguish.

 

[giant384]

umm what connection do u have and what do u mean by steam messed up

 

[Chris D]

Firewall? You need the following ports opened on your Windows/third-party/Router firewall:

UDP 1200 (used for friends service)
UDP 27000 to 27015 inclusive
TCP 27020 to 27039 inclusive

 

[melat0nin]

The firewall shouldn't be a problem - I'm on a campus but I use sockscap and HTTP Tunnel, and I've not had any problems before getting Steam to work. Things seem to have cocked up with this update (I hadn't updated for a couple of months prior to today).

Given that not everyone who has Steam wants to play online, I don't see why Valve couldn't have made Steam support HTTP ports (i.e. 80 and 433) for updates. It would be nice and quick and simple and would doubtless result in a lot fewer disgruntled consumers.

 

[giant384]

i heard some of the campuses block the ports needed for steam

 

[Dekstar]

Yeah you haven't used steam for a while. Maybe they updated the firewall then...