Authentication server and official forums down [UPDATED x10]
by Alex Ziebart 
Jan 9th 2009 at 4:15PM
As of 4 PM EST (WoW Insider's timezone), it seems that the authentication servers are down for the count. It's very likely this is related to the midday rolling restarts they were planning for many realms, but we don't know for sure at this point. Along with the login servers, the official forums are down as well. That's pretty expected, as the two generally go hand in hand.How long will these two stay down? We don't really know, but hopefully it won't be terrible long. We're coming dangerously close to primetime, so I suspect that things might get worse before they get better if the authentication server doesn't come up within the next hour or so. Hopefully it will be solved much more quickly, though.
Keep an eye on this spot, and we'll let you know if we learn anymore. All updates will be behind the cut below.
4:20 PM: Tipsters have mentioned that and outage at the Dallas data center may be the source of the problems this afternoon. Along with the forums and authentication server, Blizzard.com and account management is inaccessible.
4:25 PM: Login screen confirms that the authentication server is down for emergency maintenance, as well as a whole load of servers which are listed below. Even if you play on a realm that isn't down, you're out of luck unless you were already online before the login server took a dive. Your server may be up, but you still can't log on right now.- Agamaggan
- Alexstrasza
- Alleria
- Arathor
- Azjol-Nerub
- Azshara
- Baelgun
- Balnazzar
- Blackhand
- Bloodscalp
- Bonechewer
- Boulderfist
- Bronzebeard
- Cho'gall
- Crushridge
- Daggerspine
- Dark Iron
- Darkspear
- Destromath
- Dethecus
- Detheroc
- Draenor
- Dragonblight
- Dragonmaw
- Dunemaul
- Eldre'Thalas
- Emerald Dream
- Feathermoon
- Firetree
- Frostmane
- Garona
- Gorgonnash
- Greymane
- Gul'dan
- Hellscream
- Illidan
- Kael'thas
- Kalecgos
- Kirin Tor
- Lightninghoof
- Maelstrom
- Malfurion
- Moonrunner
- Nathrezim
- Nazjatar
- Perenolde
- Ravencrest
- Sargeras
- Scarlet Crusade
- Shadow Council
- Shadowsong
- Silvermoon
- Skywall
- Smolderthorn
- Spinebreaker
- Spirestone
- Staghelm
- Stonemaul
- Stormreaver
- Stormscale
- Suramar
- Terenas
- Twisting Nether
- Uldum
- Ursin
- Whisperwind
- Wildhammer
- Windrunner
4:45 PM: Official forums are definitely up, but no luck on everything else. You can bop around on your realm forums for awhile, at least!
4:55 PM: Access to account management doesn't seem regional, but there are people reporting they've been able to get in. Luck? Beats me.
5:10 PM: Many people stlil reporting an inability to login, this time stuck at 'connecting' instead of 'authenticating.' New problem? Maybe, maybe not. We'll see!
4:57 PM: Down go the forums!
5:00 PM: Login server seems to be working! Forums still down, account management still down, Blizzard.com still down, but actual game servers all mostly seem to be working now. Yay!
5:20 PM: There are some lingering login issues, that seem to be relatively widespread. It doesn't seem regional, as there are some players in the Midwest unable to connect, and I'm online right now from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Possibly tied to specific realms? Is anybody from Cenarion Circle still stuck offline?
5:25 PM: Adam here. Alex is off raising his cooking skill IRL. Meanwhile, we're getting reports in of some battlegroups being down. That would indicate certain datacenters are having problems still.
Filed under: Realm News, Realm Status
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Ulurjah Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM
Yeah, it actually went down about 45 mintues ago. I was trying to switch accounts and boom, done.
Jasperwind Jan 9th 2009 4:36PM
YOU TRIED TO SWITCH ACCOUNTS!!!!!
OH NO, YOU BROKE IT!!!!
nbcaffeine Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM
I was able to post on the forums at about 3:42 that the auth servers were down, by the time I clicked "view message", they were gone.
Greckel Jan 9th 2009 4:47PM
I also am unable to get on the Blizzard.com page or the forums. I am located in Minnesota.
vrogy Jan 9th 2009 4:55PM
FAIL.
Jesse Jan 9th 2009 5:07PM
5:06 PM EST (KY) auth server still down, can't reach any blizz site...
Beep Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM
EVERYBODY PANIC
Xero Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM
Then I guess the tip I just sent in is pointless . Lawls
Xero Jan 9th 2009 4:25PM
Blizzard.com and Account Management were up for a few short seconds, but have now crashed again
Xero Jan 9th 2009 4:49PM
I was able to access Account Management about 10-12 minutes ago with very painful lag/load times. I went to a blizzard.com standard login page instead of the fancy scroll WoW login in page. I was able to login and view everything in Account Management very easily (which only confirms that it's just the authentication servers).
I now can no longer log out of Account Management to test if I can access it again, which I guess reverse answers my question anyways.
I am in Alabama, using the god-awful ISP Charter
mdmikemd Jan 9th 2009 4:21PM
Yeah, right in the middle of a fight, things go down. What's really annoying is that I have toons on some of the servers that are up, but because the sign-in screen has one of the down servers listed as default, I cannot switch to one of the up servers. It's really annoying that there isn't a way to let me switch to a server that is up and running, come on blizz, show me some love.
AyaJulia Jan 9th 2009 4:28PM
The auth servers are down. As in, the server that checks to see that your login information is valid. ALL of the servers just might be "up" beyond it, but you can't get in to see.
TheSipe Jan 9th 2009 4:21PM
I was going to bitch because I just found this out and I beat you to the punch, but I'll be damned if you weren't on it already. Good show chaps, Good show.
BuzzDX Jan 9th 2009 4:21PM
You folks work quick! I might go re-install Diablo 2 now.
Thyago Jan 9th 2009 4:21PM
Just when you come back from work thinking you'll get some WoW time :P
Sad Pandaren Jan 9th 2009 4:44PM
Just when you thought you could screw around at work on a really boring conference call. :(
aj Jan 9th 2009 4:23PM
/facepalm
Who'd have thought rolling restarts would bring the system to its knees?
/waiting
Roboticus Jan 9th 2009 5:22PM
In the world of 5-second instant cast abilities, anything can bring the servers to their knees. Just last night on, I single-handedly crashed my server by shifting into aquatic form.
Scottyy Jan 9th 2009 4:22PM
Noooezz I haven't been able to access my account for an hour now
Carlos Jan 9th 2009 4:22PM
Haha yeah I wondered why I couldn't log in. It stuck on the Authenticating part of the log in...so I went to my home forums of Cenarion Circle to see if others were having the same problem, and it was down too.
Kinda figured it was a hick up on Blizzard's end at that point. Damn, and I was just getting off work, ready to do something. Maybe farm the Baron mount for a bit.