FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Astro Empires Upgraded Account Game Account Recruiting Players Guilds Bases Colonization Trade Fleets Commanders Attacks on Bases Recyclers Players Server NPCs Inactivity Others Shared IPs	Shared IPs Why did I get a warning claiming that I was using a shared IP? If you get a warning claiming we detected that your account is using a shared IP with someone else, it means one or more Astro Empires accounts are connecting to the Internet with the same IP as you. Does this mean AE think I am cheating? Does not mean you are cheating and have a second account, just means you have the same IP address as other Astro Empires account(s). Why do Astro Empires have rules about shared IPs? We prohibit the use of shared IPs to free accounts and limit some interactions to help prevent cheating and second accounts. We know sometimes it is a hard rule, but is in order to keep the game fair to all players. Why am I being accused of using a shared IP? I do not think I am using one. If you do not know why it is showing a shared IP it can be the following: - Someone else at your home is playing as well. - You are logging to the game in a public network (school, work, library, cybercafe, hotel, airport, LAN party, etc), which shares the same internet connection (and same IP address) with all computers, and someone in that network plays Astro Empires as well. - You are using a public proxy server to connect to the internet. - You logged to Astro Empires at a friend's house or allowed a friend to log in yours. Just once is enough to show in our system. If this is the case just do not do it again and it wont be a problem. - Your ISP (internet service provider) uses shared IPs for some of their clients. - You are accessing Astro Empires from a mobile connection. What can I do if I am caught using a shared IP? If this happens you will need either to find a way to use an unique IP address or follow the shared IP rules: 1) Your account must be upgraded (the first 7 days trial period does not count) 2) You are forbidden to attack, occupy bases or take debris from players with the same IP 3) You are forbidden to make joint attacks on bases with accounts with the same IP (one or more accounts attacking and another occupying the base or collecting the debris) 4) You are forbidden to transfer occupied bases to other players with the same IP If you are playing with a friend in the same network, but cannot comply with the rules above, then one of you must delete his account, so the other can continue to play. Please bear in mind that if you just receive a shared IP initial warning you just need to stop using shared IPs, your account will not be deleted. My account was suspended while I was absent from the game, what can I do now? If your account is already upgraded you should contact us with your account number. If your account is free you will be required to Upgrade in order to reactivate it. Do not take too long or your account might be deleted from our database. What if I do not want or cannot afford to upgrade my account? Can I still use a shared IP? I am afraid our rules are made equally for every single player in this game and we cannot open any exceptions otherwise it would be unfair to everyone else. If you do not want or cannot upgrade your account then you cannot use shared IPs. Is there any way to use the same IP for two accounts without having to upgrade my account? Yes, you can play one account in one game server and the other in another server. You aren not allowed to use shared IPs in the same server, but you can use the same IP in different servers (one account per server). You can even have one account per server for yourself, does not need to be for someone else. I already upgraded my account, why did the others using the same IP as me were suspended? Other players using the same IP as you have to upgrade themselves, or they will be suspended. How does this IP address thing works? I do not think anyone is using my IP. In the case of a private local area network, such as a school or office network, multiple devices may share the same public IP address. This means that even using different computers, someone else using the same network can have the same IP address as you. Many internet service providers (ISPs) use dynamic IP addresses. This means that your IP address can change over time, and the address you have now may have been used by someone else in the recent past to play Astro Empires. Therefore, it's possible for multiple people to have the same IP address at different closer times. Some ISPs use a system where several of their customers share the same IP address at the same time. This is different from dynamic IPs and is primarily used by mobile and satellite connections, as well as some internet services. If I stop using a shared IP do I still need to upgrade my account? No, if you stop using a shared IP when you receive our first warnings you wont need to upgrade. If your account is already suspended, then you will be required to upgrade in order to reactivate it, so make sure you fix the shared IP problem once you receive the first warning. Can I know which accounts are sharing the same IP as me? Due to privacy laws we cannot share that information with anyone. The person(s) in question may not want you to know they are also playing at the same location as you.

Shared IPs

Why did I get a warning claiming that I was using a shared IP?

If you get a warning claiming we detected that your account is using a shared IP with someone else, it means one or more Astro Empires accounts are connecting to the Internet with the same IP as you.

Does this mean AE think I am cheating?

Does not mean you are cheating and have a second account, just means you have the same IP address as other Astro Empires account(s).

Why do Astro Empires have rules about shared IPs?

We prohibit the use of shared IPs to free accounts and limit some interactions to help prevent cheating and second accounts. We know sometimes it is a hard rule, but is in order to keep the game fair to all players.

Why am I being accused of using a shared IP? I do not think I am using one.

If you do not know why it is showing a shared IP it can be the following:

- Someone else at your home is playing as well.
- You are logging to the game in a public network (school, work, library, cybercafe, hotel, airport, LAN party, etc), which shares the same internet connection (and same IP address) with all computers, and someone in that network plays Astro Empires as well.
- You are using a public proxy server to connect to the internet.
- You logged to Astro Empires at a friend's house or allowed a friend to log in yours. Just once is enough to show in our system. If this is the case just do not do it again and it wont be a problem.
- Your ISP (internet service provider) uses shared IPs for some of their clients.
- You are accessing Astro Empires from a mobile connection.

What can I do if I am caught using a shared IP?

If this happens you will need either to find a way to use an unique IP address or follow the shared IP rules:

1) Your account must be upgraded (the first 7 days trial period does not count)
2) You are forbidden to attack, occupy bases or take debris from players with the same IP
3) You are forbidden to make joint attacks on bases with accounts with the same IP (one or more accounts attacking and another occupying the base or collecting the debris)
4) You are forbidden to transfer occupied bases to other players with the same IP

If you are playing with a friend in the same network, but cannot comply with the rules above, then one of you must delete his account, so the other can continue to play.

Please bear in mind that if you just receive a shared IP initial warning you just need to stop using shared IPs, your account will not be deleted.

My account was suspended while I was absent from the game, what can I do now?

If your account is already upgraded you should contact us with your account number. If your account is free you will be required to Upgrade in order to reactivate it. Do not take too long or your account might be deleted from our database.

What if I do not want or cannot afford to upgrade my account? Can I still use a shared IP?

I am afraid our rules are made equally for every single player in this game and we cannot open any exceptions otherwise it would be unfair to everyone else. If you do not want or cannot upgrade your account then you cannot use shared IPs.

Is there any way to use the same IP for two accounts without having to upgrade my account?

Yes, you can play one account in one game server and the other in another server. You aren not allowed to use shared IPs in the same server, but you can use the same IP in different servers (one account per server). You can even have one account per server for yourself, does not need to be for someone else.

I already upgraded my account, why did the others using the same IP as me were suspended?

Other players using the same IP as you have to upgrade themselves, or they will be suspended.

How does this IP address thing works? I do not think anyone is using my IP.

In the case of a private local area network, such as a school or office network, multiple devices may share the same public IP address. This means that even using different computers, someone else using the same network can have the same IP address as you.
Many internet service providers (ISPs) use dynamic IP addresses. This means that your IP address can change over time, and the address you have now may have been used by someone else in the recent past to play Astro Empires. Therefore, it's possible for multiple people to have the same IP address at different closer times.
Some ISPs use a system where several of their customers share the same IP address at the same time. This is different from dynamic IPs and is primarily used by mobile and satellite connections, as well as some internet services.

If I stop using a shared IP do I still need to upgrade my account?

No, if you stop using a shared IP when you receive our first warnings you wont need to upgrade. If your account is already suspended, then you will be required to upgrade in order to reactivate it, so make sure you fix the shared IP problem once you receive the first warning.

Can I know which accounts are sharing the same IP as me?

Due to privacy laws we cannot share that information with anyone. The person(s) in question may not want you to know they are also playing at the same location as you.

For more Help please look at the Game Forum