Turning off norton allows me to get passed initializing but I still can't join games for some reason, it tells me every game I try to join is full, even if its 1/16. Also, are there any convenient ways around shutting down Norton? Don't like exposing my computer.

How do you open your ports?

Hmmm.when gaming you dont need a virus program running in the background as long as you have the built in windows firewall enabled. Shut down virus program and stop all its background processes in taskmanager. YOU WILL NOT get a virus especially if you are going through a router. so lets see here when you guys are gaming with a router and and a virus program running.
1-router has a firewall
2-windows has a firewall
3-anti-virus program has a firewall
4-dsl modems have a built in firewall

are you getting the picture. How much protection do you want? all you need is the built in Windows firewall enabled and you are good to go.

You wont get a virus from surfing the net with IE7. You actually have to except something and download it. like an active x, they can be nasty. And if you except it with all that firewall stuff you will have a virus on your pc anyways or a root-kit attached to a driver(even worse). xp windows is super safe....now a days you get them through your e-mail.

So you guys are SUPER SAFE but you cant connect to any servers. gully jee wiz i wonder why?

Argh, I'm having this issue. The only thing I changed (admittedly it's pretty big) was to switch from XP to Vista.

It worked before on XP perfectly, same settings. The only thing that is different is Vista.

I've tried turning off my Firewall and uPnP on my router. Still no dice.

Okay, so I've narrowed down the problem.

I'm not using any third party firewall software or anything like that. No Norton, no Kaspersky, no NOD32, no nothing.

Windows Firewall is OFF.

Router firmware is most recent.

Here's what I've tried:
- Turning off uPnP on my router. Does not work.
- Re-forwarding ports on my router. Does not work.
- Not using a router at all. Does not work.

So...I'm pretty sure it may have something to do with the game and Vista. It worked 100% fine before I upgraded to Vista (via a reformat, reinstall of everything). Nothing else in my network setup has changed.

I have the same problem - the 'failed to initialize network service' message preventing any multiplayer. I also have Vista, with AVG free edition. R6V is included in the Windows Firewall 'allow access'box.
If its a Vista issue, is there a solution?
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Virginia

wth is going on new 1.06 sucks cant get on line aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Cripes, seems like the 1.06 patch has done nothing to alleviate my problem.

to open a port you have to go to your fire wall in system configuration and then just open the ports on the screen!

exactly i just downloaded 1.06 and it just causes more connection problems and runs slower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the same problem as wel1! Disabled all antivirus and firewalls, turned Unpn what ever it is off on my router, forwarded the ports even made a static ip and still not working! I even hard reset my router.. Please can a dev sort this out!!!

This seems to be nothing more to me and my friends than an UBi server outage. I have 5 people that could login earlier from their homes, but cant now. Thanks Ubi for making us your *****es, waiting on you to get ur **** together so we can play your game that we paid good money for. You rock!

can someone help me i have windows vista and i have vegas (v1.06.215) and i need help with multiplayer i havve tried to turn off firewall and anti-virus and i need some more help can anyone help me please?? my email is slappin_donkey@hotmail.com

I too have the same problem; I was able to connect and play a game for about an hour before getting disconnected. When I attempted to reconnect, I received the operation time out error. I have opened up my ports on my router and tried all the suggestions on this thread. Any help is appreciated.

my problem is not "failed to intilize network service, up till saturday 19/01/08 all was ok apart from the usual server shut down early a.m each day, since saturday, i get to the log in prt and get"login failed"the few times i have actually logged in the server has stopped during a game, then i get"connection lost" close down vegas restart and after starting network service again i get "login failed" at log in, i have asked ubisoft support why and not received a respose within the 24 hr period so i it would appear the support also sucks,whilst online today for the very brief time every one i asked had had the same "login failed "error so ubisoft WHEN? ARE YOU GONNA FIX IT????????

oh and further to my last it is not a problem with the game its self as i have the 1.06 patch and the pbuster setup so it is upadated, it aint my firewall as all the nessacery ports are open and the game is registered ONLINE.so what is this then, a move to stop people who have paid there money for this game playing online? perhaps because you are gonna launch the new vegas 2 and you want us all to go and buy that when it comes out in march? well the online part of that game better not suck as much as this one doies as if so ill be demanding a refund, after all if other game companies can get it right why cant ubisoft,? you may have some great games like this vegas but if you cant play the online bit as and when you want to,in a reasonable quality then the greatness of the game goes down the pan equaliy if the support is non existant as well

I've written to Ubi's tech support site about this. Will let you know if I get anywhere.

just to say when you get the faiuled to login as it took too much time ect, that meens the ubi server is down, usually for in game adverts ans a,i tweaking ect, ubi should have a advertised time for this so players dont get disconected during a game,if the connection has to go through ubi soft i personally cant see why they dont do like avtivions cod4 direct to the host server my connection traces from uk to new york, then montreal canada and finally linking to the host who is in europe or the uk, so high pings every where, loads of lag gr8 joke

HEY GUYS!

OK HERE IS MY PROBLEM (WITH VEGAS 1 AND 2)

I GET THAT "FAILED TO INITIALIZE NETWORK SERVICE MESSAGE", BUT I DO NOT HAVE NORTON. I HAVE NOD 32.

I DISABLE IT, BUT I STILL GET THE MESSAGE.

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO DISABLE, AND HOW DO I DO IT?

I WOULD APPRICIATE ANY HELP BY ANYONE!

BE HAPPY!!

Same here. I'm using NOD32 as well.

Close or not problem still there. I thought at the first moment that the problem is only happened an unlucky guy like me, not knowing that this has been an issue ever since Jan....

Glad that there are so many 'lucky' guys a round No offense