Connection Troubleshooting Guide (2XKO)

If you tackle this troubleshooting guide step-by-step, by the time you reach the end, you’ll have either leveled up to a Tech Expert and solved your problem or gotten much closer to helping our Support team help you do so. If you're still stuck after following the steps below, drop us a ticket using the button at the bottom of this page!

Switch to a Wired Connection

Wireless connections tend to be difficult to troubleshoot due to potential interference from the environment and other radio signals. This often causes lag spikes and/or packet loss in the game. In order to eliminate this factor from our troubleshooting, we recommend switching to a wired (Ethernet) connection whenever it is possible.

Do not use Proxies or VPN Connections

Make sure that you are not using a VPN or a Proxy to connect to a game server, as they can cause a number of connection issues which will be impossible to resolve!

A VPN should only be used to test your connection routing path in very specific cases when advised by our Technical Specialists.

Update your network adapter driver (Windows)

Sometimes, outdated network drivers can cause issues playing the game. Here's how to update your drivers.

1. Press the Windows Key (the key on the left side of the spacebar, between ctrl and alt)
2. Type "device manager" and hit enter
3. Expand the "Network adapters" category
4. Right click the network adapter you're using and click "Check for updates..." or "Update driver"
5. If you're not sure which adapter you're currently connected with, try updating each one in the list.

Firewall Troubleshooting

Firewalls serve two main purposes: they block both incoming and outgoing communications. Blocking incoming connections prevents external "hackers" from accessing your computer, usually by manipulating a flaw in an Operating System or a commonly used application.

Most firewalls are built to protect users from themselves. They do this by blocking outgoing connections. Outgoing connections are opened by applications running on your system. These are usually harmless; web browsers, the game and instant messengers, for example, open outgoing connections.

Based on that your firewall might be gatekeeping the fun, here’s how to give 2XKO a VIP pass:

Updating your firewall

We have contacted a large number of firewall manufacturers to identify the game as a harmless application and add exceptions for the game automatically. It is possible that your firewall simply needs the latest update from the manufacturer to apply these exceptions.

Visit your firewall provider's support site for the latest drivers and updates. Keep in mind, that some firewalls require an active subscription in order to receive the latest virus definition updates.

Disabling your Windows Firewall

The quickest and easiest way to solve your problem is to temporarily uninstall and disable your firewalls.

1. Click on Start
2. Click on Control Panel or search for it, then click it
3. Click on System and Security
4. Click on Windows Firewall
5. Click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off (You might need to provide the Administrator password at this step)
6. Under each Network location, select the Turn off Windows Firewall option

⚠️Turning off your firewall should be for troubleshooting purposes only.

Adding exceptions to your firewall manually

Here is a list of executable paths that you will need to add to your firewall's exceptions list:

• C:\Riot Games\2XKO\Live\Lion.exe
• C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgc.exe
• C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgm.exe

There are many different types and versions of firewalls. It is outside the scope of this article to go into detail about how to configure each one. You may need to contact the manufacturer of your firewall in order to properly configure exceptions for the game.

Generally, this process requires three steps:

1. Right-click on the firewall from your system tray and access Options or Settings.
2. Find a tab on Exceptions\Allowances\Applications.
3. Add each of the four executables above. Be sure to give them "Full Access" or the equivalent setting.

Uninstalling third party firewalls

It is important that you fully uninstall these pieces of software during this step. Sometimes firewalls will still block connections even when they are disabled. Once you have found the source of the problem, you can re-install these firewalls and configure them to properly to allow for the game network traffic.

Configure Your DNS

Changing to a public Domain Name system

The game launcher uses server aliases that have problems connecting to some Internet Service Providers' default Domain Name System resolver. If your launcher never seems to start downloading a patch, you may want to change to public DNS servers in your network settings. Most often, this only applies to players outside of the US.

Changing these settings can cause problems with your internet connection if you have specified network configurations for another purpose. Be prepared to revert to your old settings and save any information you are about to change. 

Release/renew IP and flush DNS (Windows)

1. Open the Windows Start menu
2. Type cmd
3. Right-click the Command prompt shortcut and select "Run as Administrator" from the drop down menu. You should now see a black window with white letters.
4. Type ipconfig /release in the command prompt.
5. Press [Enter]
6. Type ipconfig /renew in the command prompt.
7. Press [Enter]
8. Type ipconfig /flushdns into the command prompt
9. Press [Enter]
10. Close the command prompt and attempt to make a connection.

Port Forwarding

Want a tl;dr? Watch our awesome video about Opening Ports on your Router below!

Why forward ports manually?

Sometimes the ports that need to accept connections from the game servers are closed by default on a router. If that is the case, you will need to forward them manually.

Connecting from a restricted network?

If you are connecting from a restricted network, such as a college campus, you will need to provide the ports below to your network administrator so they can forward them for you. Send us a ticket if your network administrator requires any additional information.

Step 1: Obtain your default gateway and internal IP address

Step 2: Access your router's configuration page

Setting Up Your Permissions

Update Windows

To make sure your version of Windows is up-to-date, search for "Windows Update" in the Start menu and run the program.

Disable UAC

1. Type “UAC” into your Windows taskbar
2. Select “Change User Account Control settings”
3. Select the “Never notify” option in the UAC settings box
4. Click “OK”

Run the Riot Client as an Administrator

1. Right click on the shortcut for the Riot Client
2. Select Properties
3. Check the box labelled "Run as Administrator" under the Compatibility tab

Note: Running the Lion.exe (this is your game shortcut in your install folder) as administrator without also running the Riot Client as administrator may cause your game to not work properly.

Still having issues?

If none of the above points helped, get in touch with us by submitting a ticket to Player Support. Simply make sure you attach your Logs and we'll do everything we can to resolve your connection issues and get you back in the game!