Error Message
"Guild Wars was unable to connect to the game server due to a network or server error. If this problem persists; please visit the Guild Wars support website."
What is an Error 5?
Error 5 is an error message that points to one of two network issues:
- In most circumstances, the error is due to a router or network issue preventing a stable connection to the game servers.
- In the event that multiple people are experiencing an Error 5 at the same time, it can also indicate a server network issue, which is handled by the ArenaNet and NCSoft Operations teams.
How do I fix an Error 5?
If you are connected to a weak or variable internet, you may want to find a more stable connection before reconnecting to the game. You can also follow these troubleshooting steps if you continue to experience issues while playing on a stable connection:
- Reset your router and modem. Rebooting your modem can fix connection problems, improve slow connections, and clear out any issues stored in the memory of your router.
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Reboot your PC. Giving your computer a chance to reset can fix any number of issues that might impact your connectivity to the game.
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Temporarily disable any security software such as Norton, AVAST, AVG, or McAfee, and then re-launch the game.
ERROR WHEN PLAYING A PARTICULAR CHARACTER
If you're noticing the problem on a particular character (i.e. you cannot login with a particular character, or you're kicked from the game when playing one of your characters), you can use a command line parameter to try and fix the issue:
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Create a shortcut to your Guild Wars 2 client (gw2.exe, Gw2-64.exe) by right-clicking the file and selecting "Create Shortcut."
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Now right-click the shortcut and choose "Properties."
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In the line that reads "Target," add a space at the end of the line and then add the following: -prefreset
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Your target line should now look something like this: C:\Games\Guild Wars 2\Gw2.exe” -prefreset
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Click "Apply" and then "OK."
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Launch your client and log into a character on which you've been experiencing issues.
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If the issue appears to be resolved after a few minutes of playing, exit the game, open your shortcut Properties, and remove the -prefreset tag from the Target line. Click "Apply" and then "OK."
ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS
If these basic steps do not help, try these more advanced troubleshooting steps:
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If this does not work, adjust the 'security' setting within your firewall settings. Lowering this setting to 'medium' or 'low' will often clear up connection issues.
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Guild Wars 2 requires TCP ports 80, 443, and 6112 to be fully unrestricted and accessible—both inbound and outbound. You can learn more about how to configure your firewall and router ports in this article.
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In the event that adjusting your security and port settings does not resolve the issue, please try temporarily uninstalling your security software completely. If this does resolve the issue, please contact the software manufacturer for instructions on how to configure it correctly if you wish to reinstall it.
Code Variants
You can receive few different Error 5 codes if you're experiencing a network issue. Please be sure to include the full error code if you decide to contact support about the problem:
- 5:11:3:157:101
- 5:11:3:159:101