steam offline problem

[CU]

My router died over the weekend, so I don't have internet access at my gaming computer. When I try to launch any game I bought from steam it says network connection error, with two choices retry or offline mode. When I click offline mode it says network error cannot connect to steam and exits. Why does offline mode give a network error, it is "offline mode"? Am I stuck without steam games until the new router comes in?

 

[airdata]

I found this to be the problem w\ steam...

Their servers were down several weeks ago when I was trying to play something... and guess what, can't play! (wouldn't let me play single player black ops, or even launch the game)

This is a huge problem IMO. If your internet is out, you can't play your games? That's ridiculous.

 

[Texashiker]

Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer and try it again.

I have been able to play steam games when my internet was out. All I did was disable my network card or unplug the cable.

 

[CU]

Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer and try it again.

I have been able to play steam games when my internet was out. All I did was disable my network card or unplug the cable.

It is a wireless connection, but I guess I can try and disable the nic tonight and try again. But why does that make a difference? Does steam just see a nic and assume it has a connection even when you click offline mode?

 

[CU]

Running Windows 7 by the way, if it makes a difference.

 

[Texashiker]

It is a wireless connection, but I guess I can try and disable the nic tonight and try again. But why does that make a difference? Does steam just see a nic and assume it has a connection even when you click offline mode?

Its been my experience, (from when my internet goes down), if you have a network card enabled, steam will time out trying to connect, and it finally times out after 5 or 10 minutes.

With no network card (card disabled), steam has no way to connect and goes straight into offline mode. Which it should do anyway when you pick offline mode from the menu. I dont know why steam is giving you an error, but it should not be working that way.

 

[Anteaus]

Do you have your login and password saved in Steam? If it isn't then offline mode won't work

 

[CU]

It times out almost instantly, not after 5-10 minutes. I assume because my nic isn't wireless connected to anything. Well I assumed it shouldn't be working this way, but google shows other people have also had this problem. I haven't found an answer yet though. But, I do love the posts from people on the steam forums that say go to File->Settings offline mode, when you cannot even start steam that doesn't really work. First time for me to lose internet with steam and I am not happy with how my steam is handling it.

 

[CU]

Do you have your login and password saved in Steam? If it isn't then offline mode won't work

I believe so. I don't remember the last time I put it in. Any way to check without being online? But, what if I didn't want to save my password for security reason's, then Steam doesn't have an offline mode for the security conscious or paranoid. I am neither of those, just seems like a problem.

 

[Anteaus]

I believe so. I don't remember the last time I put it in. Any way to check without being online? But, what if I didn't want to save my password for security reason's, then Steam doesn't have an offline mode for the security conscious or paranoid. I am neither of those, just seems like a problem.

Well, I don't necessarily agree with how they do it, but offline mode requires your name and password to have been saved because offline mode operates on the assumption that you have the right to access the account. If your password is not saved, then the software can't validate that you're you and thus won't give access to your games. Obviously if your using Steam at home in privacy then it seams wierd, but Steam operates on the premise of being accessible from anywhere and thus has to consider privacy and security in that light.

 

[CU]

Well, I don't necessarily agree with how they do it, but offline mode requires your name and password to have been saved because offline mode operates on the assumption that you have the right to access the account. If your password is not saved, then the software can't validate that you're you and thus won't give access to your games. Obviously if your using Steam at home in privacy then it seams wierd, but Steam operates on the premise of being accessible from anywhere and thus has to consider privacy and security in that light.

Well I would assume it would give some kind of password error if I didn't have it saved. Which it doesn't. It is a network connection error after I click offline mode. Do you know if it does give some kind of password error if it is not saved and not a network error message?

 

[Anteaus]

Well I would assume it would give some kind of password error if I didn't have it saved. Which it doesn't. It is a network connection error after I click offline mode. Do you know if it does give some kind of password error if it is not saved and not a network error message?

I admit that it sounds like it could be something else. You said you have no internet access. Are you complete detached from the router or do you still have intranet access? You might want to try completely taking the computer off the network if thats the case. Other than that I have no idea what to suggest, other than reinstalling Steam which is impossible with no internet.

 

[CU]

My 10yr old router died. External power adapter I think, as the volt meter reads 0 when I test it. So my wireless nic is completely cut off from the network.

 

[Ross Ridge]

Well I would assume it would give some kind of password error if I didn't have it saved. Which it doesn't. It is a network connection error after I click offline mode. Do you know if it does give some kind of password error if it is not saved and not a network error message?

Steam can't verify your password without a network connection. Playing in offline mode means that the Steam client just remembers the fact the computer you're using now is authorized to play the games on yourt account. You'll need to log into Steam at least once in online mode and start each game once for the client to get that authorization in the first place. You also need to have it set to remember your password and account credentials (in the options) for it remember the authorization.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555

Basically Steam's offline mode isn't intended to be used when an unexpected network problem happens. It's ment for when you know you won't have access to the Internet, as you need to plan ahead to use it.

 

[CU]

Steam can't verify your password without a network connection. Playing in offline mode means that the Steam client just remembers the fact the computer you're using now is authorized to play the games on yourt account. You'll need to log into Steam at least once in online mode and start each game once for the client to get that authorization in the first place. You also need to have it set to remember your password and account credentials (in the options) for it remember the authorization.

Will I am 90% sure my password is saved. Also I have played all the games in online mode. I don't know I about the account credentials options, but I haven't changed it so whatever the default is that is what it is set to.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555

Basically Steam's offline mode isn't intended to be used when an unexpected network problem happens. It's ment for when you know you won't have access to the Internet, as you need to plan ahead to use it.

Really, so if your internet just goes down, router dies, etc. you cannot play Steam games. That seems to go against what others in this thread have said.

 

[Malak]

This was one of the biggest reasons people were upset with the idea of Steam when it was launched.

 

[Anteaus]

Really, so if your internet just goes down, router dies, etc. you cannot play Steam games. That seems to go against what others in this thread have said.

Ultimately, Steam is internet based and thus there is implied connectivity to use it's services. As to why your having problems with offline mode, I can't say, but I do feel your pain on this. I personally would reinstall Steam once you get reconnected.

Since your internet is operational (your router is dead, not your modem), in the meantime I would recommend either running a ethernet cable to your computer or if that's not possible due to the length of the run do like many of us have done for years for lan parties......move your computer to a place where you can connect.

 

[CU]

Ultimately, Steam is internet based and thus there is implied connectivity to use it's services. As to why your having problems with offline mode, I can't say, but I do feel your pain on this. I personally would reinstall Steam once you get reconnected.

Since your internet is operational (your router is dead, not your modem), in the meantime I would recommend either running a ethernet cable to your computer or if that's not possible due to the length of the run do like many of us have done for years for lan parties......move your computer to a place where you can connect.

I think I can setup my netbook running XP to function as an access point while hardwired to the modem, and connect to that. Either way, when I get my gaming computer back on online, I am going to make sure Steam works in offline mode also. When I uninstalll Steam I assume it leaves all my games, and the reinstall just sees them again, correct?

Without a working offline mode Steam is now less attractive to me. I knew it had offline mode and always assumed it just worked. But things happen net goes down, modem dies, Value shuts down, etc. Offline mode needs to be bullet proof. And, a google search shows that to be far from the truth.

 

[Anteaus]

I think I can setup my netbook running XP to function as an access point while hardwired to the modem, and connect to that. Either way, when I get my gaming computer back on online, I am going to make sure Steam works in offline mode also. When I uninstalll Steam I assume it leaves all my games, and the reinstall just sees them again, correct?

Without a working offline mode Steam is now less attractive to me. I knew it had offline mode and always assumed it just worked. But things happen net goes down, modem dies, Value shuts down, etc. Offline mode needs to be bullet proof. And, a google search shows that to be far from the truth.

I'm pretty sure your games will be fine if you uninstall and reinstall (I even think it might option you), but if you have the extra harddrive space and willing to take a little time Steam has a pretty good backup system, at least I think so. I've used it quite a bit. I'm not sure if your saved games are also backed up so thats sometime to check.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Yeah this is a huge failure in planning for Steam - essentially, if you want to use Offline mode, you'd better be planning for the outage and switch to Offline before you're actually offline.

 

[CU]

Yeah this is a huge failure in planning for Steam - essentially, if you want to use Offline mode, you'd better be planning for the outage and switch to Offline before you're actually offline.

Texashiker's post suggests that it would work without begin online to switch to offline mode before an outage. There seems to be two groups of answers. One that says you must go into Steam while online and set it to offline mode for it work in offline mode, and one that says it will default to offline mode during an outage. My Steam detects the outage and atleast tries to run in offline mode without me selecting offline mode while online. But offline mode then gives me a network error as strange as that sounds.

I agree with you that this is a huge failure on Steams part. I wish their servers would go down for a week or two just so they catch flack from their customers and have to make offline mode truly offline and bullet proof.

 

[Anteaus]

Let's not jump the gun here. I don't think it's that cut and dry. Many of us have no problems with offline mode, and lets not overlook the fact that Steam is not the one suffering connectivity issues. I agree that Steam should probably engineer their Offline Mode better from a software standpoint, but it is there, albeit imperfect. In addition, software is never reliable in every situation and there will always by outliers. I do consider it an oversight, but not a huge fail. Their service works great 99% of the time.

 

[Mike Gayner]

I'm gonna do a quick experiment - I'm gonna close Steam, unplug my router and start Steam again. I don't know what the outcome of this experiment will be, but I suspect I'll be locked out of my games. BRB.

edit: Yeah Steam fails unbelievably hard in this respect - same problem as OP.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Let's not jump the gun here. I don't think it's that cut and dry. Many of us have no problems with offline mode, and lets not overlook the fact that Steam is not the one suffering connectivity issues. I agree that Steam should probably engineer their Offline Mode better from a software standpoint, but it is there, albeit imperfect. In addition, software is never reliable in every situation and there will always by outliers. I do consider it an oversight, but not a huge fail. Their service works great 99% of the time.

The point is that if your connection goes down you should still be able to play the SP games that you own. That Steam doesn't allow this is a gaping hole in their system in my view.

 

[Jovec]

Just want to point out that the offline mode restrictions may not be entirely because of Steam/Valve. They may have had to give some concessions to the other game publishers.