The past few days saw a surge in reports of the Braro/Negative 345 Blazing Gator error in Black Ops Cold War. The error prompts a network issue, telling the players that they are unable to connect to online services.

But don’t worry if you’re seeing this problem. Based on our users’ feedback, we’ve gathered several fixes that prove to be working. Try them and get back to your team right away.

Try these fixes

You might not need to try them all. Simply work your way down until you find the one that does the trick.

  1. Check the server status
  2. Restart your network
  3. Update your network driver
  4. Change your DNS settings
  5. Use a VPN

Fix 1: Check the server status

Before you start troubleshooting, first you need to check if it’s simply a server issue. If the server’s down, then you’ll need to wait until it’s restored. If you don’t wish to wait, you can jump directly to the final fix.

To check the server status, you can visit the Activision Online Services page for an overview, or you can check out the Activision Support Twitter for the latest updates.

If all servers are online, you can move on to the next fix.

Fix 2: Restart your network

The next step you should take is reboot all your network equipment. This will purge the DNS cache and allow you to get a new IP address, which might fix the issue right away.

  1. At the back of your modem and router, unplug the power cords.
    Modem
    Router
  2. Wait at least 30 seconds, then plug the cords back in. Make sure the indicators are back to their normal state.
  3. Open your browser and check the connection.
Rebooting might only be a temporary solution. If you’re using an old router, consider upgrading to a better gaming Wi-Fi. Also don’t forget your modem.
Also, consider an upgrade if you’re using an old router/modem.

Once the connection is restored, launch Black Ops Cold War and check if it’s working now.

If this trick doesn’t help you, simply check out the next one below.

Fix 3: Update your network driver

In some cases, you’ll experience connection issues when using a broken or outdated network driver. We always recommend gamers to keep their drivers up to date so as to make the most out of the hardware. This is especially true if you’re on a high-end setup, which might have some edgy features that require additional drivers.

There’re mainly 2 ways you can update your network driver: manually or automatically.

Option 1: Update your network driver manually

If you’re a tech-savvy gamer, you can try to update your network driver manually. To do so, first you can visit the website of your motherboard manufacturer and look for your model. Then navigate to the driver download/support page and download the latest installer that’s compatible with your operating system.

If you’re not comfortable playing with device drivers, we recommend using Driver Easy. It’s a tool that detects, downloads and installs any driver updates your computer needs.

  1. Download and install Driver Easy.
  2. Launch Driver Easy, then click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
  3. Click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system.
    (This requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All. If you don’t want to pay for the Pro version, you can still download and install all the drivers you need with the free version; you just have to download them one at a time, and manually install them, the normal Windows way.) 
The Pro version of Driver Easy comes with full technical support. If you need assistance, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com. 

After updating your drivers, restart your PC and test the connection in Black Ops Cold War.

If the latest drivers don’t give you luck, simply continue to the next fix below.

Fix 4: Change your DNS settings

It’s likely that the connection error comes from a DNS resolution failure. You can try changing your DNS servers to well-regarded ones and see if there’s any improvement.

  1. At the bottom right corner of your screen, click the computer icon. Then click Network & Internet settings.
  2. Under the Advanced network settings section, click Change adapter options.
  3. Right-click your network adapter, select Properties.
  4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
  5. Select Use the following DNS server addresses:. For Preferred DNS server, type 8.8.8.8; and for Alternate DNS server, type 8.8.4.4. Click OK to save the changes.
  6. Next you need to purge the DNS cache for the changes to apply. On your keyboard, press Win (the Windows logo key) and type cmd. Select Run as administrator.
  7. In the pop-up window, type in ipconfig /flushdns. Press Enter.

Now you can launch Black Ops Cold War and check if the problem persists.

If changing DNS servers doesn’t give you luck, you can try the next method.

Fix 5: Use a VPN

Some gamers managed to fix this issue with a VPN. So if none of the fixes above can help you, consider giving VPN a shot.

With a VPN, you don’t need to worry about NAT settings or firewall configurations — VPN takes care of them all. But be advised: free VPNs are almost always packed with people. A paid VPN guarantees premium access even during peak hours.

And here’re some VPN services we recommend:

There’re sporadic reports claiming VPN might result in accounts being banned. To be safe, consider it as the last resort.

Hopefully, this tutorial helps you fix the 345 Blazing Gator error. If you have any ideas or questions, just tell us in the comments below.

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