How to Fix Final Fantasy XIV Error 2002 and 90002 on PC

Final Fantasy XIV error 2002 and error 90002 cut your session short at the worst times. Error 2002 stops you from connecting to the lobby server. Error 90002 drops you mid-session after a successful login. Both feel random, but they almost always trace back to your PC network configuration, not Square Enix’s servers.

This guide covers eight fixes for Windows players, starting with the quickest and working toward more advanced options.

What Causes FFXIV Error 2002 and 90002?

These two errors have different triggers:

• Error 2002 means your PC cannot reach the FFXIV lobby server. Your connection fails before the game even loads your character list.
• Error 90002 means your PC connected successfully but then dropped the session. Square Enix classifies this as a client-side disconnect.

Windows handles network instability more aggressively than PS5 or Linux. If another player on the same network (using PS5, for example) plays fine while your PC keeps disconnecting, the issue sits on your machine, not your internet line.

Fix 1: Flush Your DNS Cache

Stale DNS records on your PC can block or misdirect traffic to FFXIV servers. Clearing them forces Windows to fetch fresh routing data.

1. Press Windows + S and search for Command Prompt.
2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Close FFXIV completely before running this command.
5. Restart your PC after the flush completes.
6. Launch FFXIV and test.

This fix resolves errors for many players after patches or server maintenance windows.

Fix 2: Switch to Google DNS

Your internet provider’s default DNS servers can route traffic poorly, especially to game servers in specific regions like Light (EU) or Chaos (EU). Switching to Google’s public DNS gives you a more stable path.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Network & Internet.
3. Click Wi-Fi (or Ethernet if you use a wired connection).
4. Click your connected network name.
5. Scroll to DNS server assignment and click Edit.
6. Switch the dropdown from Automatic to Manual.
7. Toggle IPv4 on and enter the following:
   • Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
   • Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4
8. Click Save.
9. Restart your PC and launch FFXIV.

Tip: If you use IPv6, set the Preferred DNS to 2001:4860:4860::8888 and the Alternate DNS to 2001:4860:4860::8844.

Fix 3: Reset Winsock and TCP/IP Stack

Winsock is Windows’ core networking interface. Corruption or misconfiguration in Winsock causes dropped packets and unstable game connections. Resetting it clears those issues without affecting your other settings.

1. Press Windows + S and search for Command Prompt.
2. Right-click and select Run as administrator.
3. Run each command below one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

netsh winsock reset

netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /flushdns

ipconfig /renew

4. Restart your PC after all commands complete.
5. Launch FFXIV and test.

This reset sequence clears corrupted socket entries and renews your IP assignment from scratch.

Fix 4: Adjust Your MTU Size

MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) controls the packet size your PC sends over the network. Windows sets it to 1500 by default, but some routers and ISPs drop oversized packets silently. Lowering the MTU prevents packet fragmentation that causes mid-session disconnects.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run this command to check your current MTU:

netsh interface ipv4 show subinterfaces

3. Note your adapter name (for example, Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
4. Lower the MTU to 1400 with this command (replace Wi-Fi with your adapter name if different):

netsh interface ipv4 set subinterface "Wi-Fi" mtu=1400 store=persistent

5. Restart your PC and test FFXIV.

If 1400 still causes drops, try 1350. If the errors stop but your connection feels slower, try values between 1400 and 1500 to find the sweet spot.

Fix 5: Disable IPv6

FFXIV’s servers communicate primarily over IPv4. Windows sometimes routes game traffic through IPv6 first, which can cause handshake failures when the IPv6 path is unstable. Disabling IPv6 forces all traffic through the more reliable IPv4 route.

1. Press Windows + X and select Network Connections.
2. Right-click your active network adapter and select Properties.
3. Uncheck Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
4. Click OK.
5. Restart your PC and launch FFXIV.

Fix 6: Update Your Network Adapter Driver

An outdated or corrupted network adapter driver causes packet loss and connection instability that FFXIV interprets as a client-side disconnect. Updating the driver takes about five minutes.

1. Press Windows + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Network Adapters.
3. Right-click your active adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and select Update driver.
4. Choose Search automatically for drivers.
5. Install any available update and restart your PC.

Alternatively, visit your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s website and download the latest LAN or Wi-Fi driver directly for the most current version.

Fix 7: Switch Your Wi-Fi Band to 5 GHz

If you play on Wi-Fi, your router likely broadcasts on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The 2.4 GHz band carries more interference from neighboring networks and household devices. Switching to 5 GHz reduces interference and improves connection stability.

1. Open your router settings (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in your browser).
2. Find your wireless settings and locate the 5 GHz network.
3. On your PC, connect to the 5 GHz network instead of the 2.4 GHz one.

If both bands share the same network name (SSID), log into your router and give them separate names so you can control which one your PC connects to.

Note: 5 GHz has shorter range than 2.4 GHz. If your PC sits far from the router, 5 GHz may actually perform worse. Test both and stick with whichever gives you fewer drops.

Fix 8: Use Cloudflare WARP or a VPN

If the above fixes do not resolve the errors, your ISP may route traffic through unstable hops between your location and FFXIV’s data centers. A VPN reroutes your connection through a different path and bypasses those unstable nodes.

Cloudflare WARP (free option):

1. Download Cloudflare WARP from one.one.one.one.
2. Install and open the app.
3. Toggle WARP on.
4. Launch FFXIV and test.

Paid VPN option: If WARP does not help, try a paid VPN and connect to a server in the same region as your FFXIV data center. For EU Light players, connect to a UK or German endpoint.

Still Getting the Error?

Check the FFXIV Server Status page for active maintenance or known connection issues. Square Enix posts status updates there during outages or DDoS events that affect specific data centers.

Drop your situation in the comments below and include your data center region (for example, Light, Chaos, NA, JP). That helps narrow down whether the issue is regional or specific to your setup.

FAQs