How to solve NAT and firewall problems
Go to C:\Documents and Settings\Name of your account\Application Data\My Battle for Middle-earth files
In this folder you see a file called options.ini, click on it and do the following.
Select all lines that contains the word Firewall and replace it with this
FirewallBehavior = 1
FirewallNeedToRefresh = FALSE
FirewallPortAllocationDelta = 0
FirewallPortOverride = 27901
Once you have done that you must go to your router and go to your NAT options there you open the port 27901 on UDP.
Check if the required ports are opened
6667 (IRC)
3783 (Voice Chat Port)
27900 (Master Server UDP Heartbeat)
28900 (Master Server List Request)
29900 (GP Connection Manager)
29901 (GP Search Manager)
13139 (Custom UDP Pings)
6515 (Dplay UDP)
6500 (Query Port)
EA suggest opening the whole port range: UDP 8088-28088. Opening this whole range helped players before, but we do not recommend doing this.
EA's official readme content:
If you are playing The Battle for Middle-earth™ behind a USRobotics router, you will need to upgrade its firmware to the latest version, v2.7 or later. See the USRobotics support Web site for details on how to do so.
If you are playing the game behind a D-Link router, you must check the "Send Delay" box in the Online Options menu for The Battle for Middle-earth™. To get here from the Main Menu, click on the Multiplayer button, click the Online button, login as you regularly would, and then click on Options after you have successfully logged on. Additionally, if you are playing behind a D-Link DI-704, you will need to upgrade its firmware to version 2.75 build 3 or later. See the D-Link support Web site for details on how to do so.
If you are playing the game behind a D-Link DI-604, you will need to add two lines to the options.ini file. The options.ini is located in your "My Battle for Middle-earth Files" folder. To access this folder, please check the Save Games and Settings section of this readme above. To edit the options.ini file, right-click on it with your mouse cursor, and select "Edit". At the bottom of the file, add the following lines:
FirewallBehavior = 19
FirewallPortAllocationDelta = 2
When you've finished adding these lines, close the options.ini file. Windows will prompt you whether or not you wish to save--choose "Yes". If you update your Options.ini file, you should not refresh NAT. More details about refresh NAT can be found at the bottom of the NAT/Firewall portion of the readme.
Please note that if you have multiple players behind a single D-Link DI-604 connection, you may experience difficulty connecting.
It should also be noted that Belkin and USRobotics routers have irresolvable issues, but only when attempting to connect to each other via Quick Match. Additionally, Belkin and USRobotics routers will also have difficulty connecting to D-Link DI-604 routers via Quick Match.
If you are playing The Battle for Middle-earth™ behind a software firewall, you will need to add the game's executable to the "Exceptions or Allowed Programs" list provided by your software firewall. You will need to provide your software firewall with the actual path to the
game's executable. This file is typically located in "C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth™\lotrbfme.exe". You will also need to add the "game.dat" file, which is located in the same directory listed above, to this exceptions list*.
There should be no need for you to use Port Forwarding/Port Triggering to play the game behind your firewall. The Battle for Middle-earth™ should work successfully behind most personal firewalls.
If you have changed your router settings since the last time you played The Battle for Middle-earth™, you will need to click on the "Refresh NAT" button in the game's Online Options menu. To get here from the Main Menu, click on the Multiplayer button, click the Online button, login as you regularly would, and then click on Options after you have successfully logged on.
The Battle for Middle-earth™ uses UDP ports 8088-28088.
If you are experiencing general NAT connection difficulties, exit the game, delete the options.ini file in your "My Battle for Middle-earth Files" folder, restart the game, and click the "Refresh NAT" button in the Online Options menu.
Additionally, if you are using a combination of a cable modem and a router, you should contact your ISP/cable provider in order to disable your modem's built-in firewall.