PSN cards

As a side note, since you're signing up using IDM DSL, make sure that your NAT type is 2.

You can make sure using the network settings and testing your connection. It should give out a NAT type 2 connection.

Having this type of connection can really make a huge difference in the quality of your online play.

Thanks for the details, everything looks good so far! :)
Mind if I ask what internet speed you have and how your online play/download is from the US/UAE store? Just checking that I'll have a decent connection. I hate lag. Plus, my PS3 only gets like 50% of the signal. I'm gonna try and fix that when getting the DSL.

I'll also be sure to get NAT type 2, thanks.

I have IDM DSL with a speed of 512.
My online play is usually with people from Europe. We have the best connection with them. Playing against people from the Middle East and the US is laggy. This is from my IDM experience. Ogero on the other hand has the best connections for playing online but you lose the ability of unlimited downloads during the night.

I never really checked on the download speeds from the UAE and US store because I leave all my purchases to download though the night. I usually put my PS3 to shutdown after the downloads are complete and all the time they'll be finished in the morning.

As for the NAT type 2, don't ask the IDM people because nobody at support knows what a NAT is. So don't bother asking them. This is a thing you should try to tweak on your own. You can look up in the internet for many methods of doing so. Or you can even search around this forum for some solutions.

However, I should warn you. You should know what you're doing because you could end up screwing your connection and you won't be able to connect to the internet at all.

I found this tutorial for a NAT type 2 change: http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=psnetwork&thread.id=281242
Seems pretty reliable aside from the port openings, but I guess it'll be fine anyway. Doesn't seem hard at all, I'd just need the router settings site. The default router they give out at IDM will work right?
Can you choose a region to play with? As in, if I want to play with people from Europe (which is actually what I wanted in the first place, with mic and all), can I tell the PS3 to sort of block out the US and ME people?

Glad to know you can download easily, I'll be sure to create a US account and get Wipeout :D
Just one more question: any lag on your end when playing with EU? Do you normally use the 512 or the 1Mbps (when it's doubled at night) for online play? (As in is 512 enough for lag-free..)

Thanks for all your help btw :)

Jimmy797 wroteI found this tutorial for a NAT type 2 change: http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=psnetwork&thread.id=281242
Seems pretty reliable aside from the port openings, but I guess it'll be fine anyway. Doesn't seem hard at all, I'd just need the router settings site. The default router they give out at IDM will work right?
Can you choose a region to play with? As in, if I want to play with people from Europe (which is actually what I wanted in the first place, with mic and all), can I tell the PS3 to sort of block out the US and ME people?

Glad to know you can download easily, I'll be sure to create a US account and get Wipeout :D
Just one more question: any lag on your end when playing with EU? Do you normally use the 512 or the 1Mbps (when it's doubled at night) for online play? (As in is 512 enough for lag-free..)

Thanks for all your help btw :)

Unfortunately, opening ports won't do you any good. I don't have an idea why is that, but I tried opening ports using the modem provided by IDM and it didn't help at all. What I did was the following:
1) Put the modem provided by IDM in bridge mode (meaning that it just functions as a router)
2) Connect a wireless router to the modem and have this wireless router connect using PPPoE (using the IDM username and password). Make sure that the wireless router settings are set with no firewall or NAT configuration.
3) Connect all of your equipment (including the PS3) the regular way wirelessly.

If you don't know what bridge mode is, have somebody to help you out. This is the only way it'll work out.

As for your other questions:
Playing an FPS game usually requires the minimum amount of lag. However, during my play sessions, the only problem I encountered during my online play with CoD:MW2 is when you want to knife someone and he's doing the same. Most of the time, he'll win. But in a gun fight, it all depends who starts firing first among other things. But all in all, its still fun to play online provided you have NAT type 2.

It all depends on which game you're playing. Some games let you select in what region to play (Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5). Other games just search for the best possible games and connect you (CoD:MW2).

I usually play during the 1 Mbps time and it usually is good and fun. However, I also did try out during the 512 Kbps time and didn't notice any huge difference. I guess that is due to the fact that less people connect during the 512 time than 1 Mbps time.

There is no such thing in Lebanon as lag-free. The best you can obtain in terms of ping time is using Ogero (120 ms average, which is still high mind you). Using IDM you get a ping of 350-450 ms. HOWEVER, while playing CoD:MW2, I usually connect to games with pings of less than 140 ms which is great (I don't know why but I read somewhere that IDM provides special treatment for online gaming sessions and they connect players using their main backbone ---- don't take this seriously because its not confirmed but I just read somewhere on a forum long time ago).


Hope this all helps...

Well I finally got the DSL, and successfully bridged it (after two tries :P) using a d-link router (hate that thing though) - and got NAT type 2. One problem: online play isn't working. When I try the internet connection test in the settings, it works up till the download and upload speed tests which say failed. I'm getting 70% of the signal only, maybe that's it? Ping is around 500ms... Haven't tried at night though, yet.
I'm trying the Uncharted 2 multiplayer and it gets to the point where it says "connecting" after I sign into the PSN, and after I wait like 3 minutes on that screen it just goes back to the start menu.
I hate dlink too, can't even change the SSID or WEP key.

Any help on this issue? Thanks for your help mind you. Mind if I add you on PSN?

Jimmy797 wroteWell I finally got the DSL, and successfully bridged it (after two tries :P) using a d-link router (hate that thing though) - and got NAT type 2. One problem: online play isn't working. When I try the internet connection test in the settings, it works up till the download and upload speed tests which say failed. I'm getting 70% of the signal only, maybe that's it? Ping is around 500ms... Haven't tried at night though, yet.
I'm trying the Uncharted 2 multiplayer and it gets to the point where it says "connecting" after I sign into the PSN, and after I wait like 3 minutes on that screen it just goes back to the start menu.
I hate dlink too, can't even change the SSID or WEP key.

Any help on this issue? Thanks for your help mind you. Mind if I add you on PSN?

Sorry man for the late reply.

Don't worry about the down/upload tests. They don't do anything and are just estimates and you don't need to pass them in order to enjoy the online play.

Since you are getting connected to the Playstation Network with a NAT type 2, you're good to go. I've had issues with Uncharted 2 online but lately all is well. They did update the game considerably so you might wanna check it out.

And btw, are you using the D-link router instead of your IDM router?

elchebib wrote

Jimmy797 wroteI found this tutorial for a NAT type 2 change: http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=psnetwork&thread.id=281242
Seems pretty reliable aside from the port openings, but I guess it'll be fine anyway. Doesn't seem hard at all, I'd just need the router settings site. The default router they give out at IDM will work right?
Can you choose a region to play with? As in, if I want to play with people from Europe (which is actually what I wanted in the first place, with mic and all), can I tell the PS3 to sort of block out the US and ME people?

Glad to know you can download easily, I'll be sure to create a US account and get Wipeout :D
Just one more question: any lag on your end when playing with EU? Do you normally use the 512 or the 1Mbps (when it's doubled at night) for online play? (As in is 512 enough for lag-free..)

Thanks for all your help btw :)

Unfortunately, opening ports won't do you any good. I don't have an idea why is that, but I tried opening ports using the modem provided by IDM and it didn't help at all. What I did was the following:
1) Put the modem provided by IDM in bridge mode (meaning that it just functions as a router)
2) Connect a wireless router to the modem and have this wireless router connect using PPPoE (using the IDM username and password). Make sure that the wireless router settings are set with no firewall or NAT configuration.
3) Connect all of your equipment (including the PS3) the regular way wirelessly.

If you don't know what bridge mode is, have somebody to help you out. This is the only way it'll work out.

As for your other questions:
Playing an FPS game usually requires the minimum amount of lag. However, during my play sessions, the only problem I encountered during my online play with CoD:MW2 is when you want to knife someone and he's doing the same. Most of the time, he'll win. But in a gun fight, it all depends who starts firing first among other things. But all in all, its still fun to play online provided you have NAT type 2.

It all depends on which game you're playing. Some games let you select in what region to play (Killzone 2, Resident Evil 5). Other games just search for the best possible games and connect you (CoD:MW2).

I usually play during the 1 Mbps time and it usually is good and fun. However, I also did try out during the 512 Kbps time and didn't notice any huge difference. I guess that is due to the fact that less people connect during the 512 time than 1 Mbps time.

There is no such thing in Lebanon as lag-free. The best you can obtain in terms of ping time is using Ogero (120 ms average, which is still high mind you). Using IDM you get a ping of 350-450 ms. HOWEVER, while playing CoD:MW2, I usually connect to games with pings of less than 140 ms which is great (I don't know why but I read somewhere that IDM provides special treatment for online gaming sessions and they connect players using their main backbone ---- don't take this seriously because its not confirmed but I just read somewhere on a forum long time ago).


Hope this all helps...

Do you still remember the site plz give its link if you do and where is the latency 120ms.... I usually have latency of about 460ms in USA servers of WoW but private ones.

From my Ogero 512 I connect to 50 ms games everytime on Mw2 with my 360

Gomez012 wroteFrom my Ogero 512 I connect to 50 ms games everytime on Mw2 with my 360

Ogero provides the best connection in terms of ping times. However, you'd lose the unlimited nights and for me unlimited nights is important for me.

@Kareem, I don't remember the site. I read it somewhere last year.

Yeah thats true, I do pay an extremely large extra consumption fee at the end of each much because of this.

As a final update for the PSN cards, here is what I've gathered about the whole PSN cards availability.

DLC and expansion packs for games are usually region-locked, i.e. EU DLC will work only with EU games and so forth. Some of the games are region-free, i.e. EU DLC will work with a US game; however, there is no way you can find out if a game is region-locked or free when it comes to DLC (unless you risk trying it out).

In order to find what region your game is under, check the backbone of the game. The backbone is the area of the case where it doesn't open up, basically the hinge of the case.
There are 3 codes you can find there:

BLAS- ##### is for the Asian region
BLES- ##### is for the European region
BLUS- ##### is for the US region

For each region, there is a specific store you need to download the DLC from.

For games from the Asian region ---> Create a PSN account with Hong Kong as the chosen country. The Hong Kong Playstation Store is in English.
For games from the European region ---> Create a PSN account with UAE as the chosen country.
For games from the US region ---> Create a PSN account with the US as the chosen country.

In the creation process of each of these accounts use the following:
For the address, google any of the hotels and use the same hotel address.
For the sign-in email, use the qwerty@spam.la (replace the qwerty with anything you want) (the spam.la domain is a free public domain so be aware that whatever will be arriving from the PSN to the the email qwerty@spam.la will appear to whoever accesses spam.la so DO NOT PUT ANY CREDIT CARD INFO at all in your PSN account)

Now unto to the available PSN cards,

Play-asia.com provides Prepaid PSN cards for both the US and Hong kong accounts for reasonable prices.
Virgin Megastore (in Lebanon) provides Prepaid PSN cards for the UAE store (European region).

Finally, you just have to add funds from your card unto the account you created and you're free to download and install the DLCs, games and expansion packs compatible with your disc-based games. Of course, after putting them on the queue for download, you can return to your original Lebanese account to continue your playthrough of the game (any trophies achieved will be credited to your Lebanese account)

Cheers :D

ditched my lebanese profile when i realised there was no shop. i only use my US account. <- bad idea since i waited for modern warfare 2the us version one month to get to lebanon expecting to see maps for multiplayer in the shop. There are no maps yet :)

by the way Trine and braid are games worth the money paid.

of course there's also Wipeout HD and u can get burnout paradise +expansion pack for 30$.

All games related to the ps3 eye are useless not worth the download...

i recommend you use the US store cause its cheaper than the rest. and yes the numbers do stand for the regions.
1 for US
2 for EU
3 for Asia

@Flakk: yes, BCES also indicates European region games.

@chosen2k: maps for MW2 should arrive at the end of April for the PS3

@Hamboza: its true that the US store has cheaper games but I wanted to list the alternatives in case you couldn't find a US game.

At least with these being activated at the register stores like Wal-Mart will actually continue selling them. Unlike Wii points, these and 360 points can't be stolen, which is probably why a lot of retailers don't have Wii points anymore. Really, how hard is it to steal a little card with no security device, even if in a box.

i already bought 1 from the tsc i got the 20$ one tday ima get the 50$ one :P

i found the UAE store very good and usefull since most games we get in lebanon are region 2, plus its cards are easily available. i already bought a couple games from it plus the stimulus package.