After choosing one of the preconfigured Nasomi configs in Ashita 2, and registering an account in the bootloader, it gets stuck at "Sending Account Id.." then just times out and closes.

I've tried running as administrator, with and without --hairpin, using the nasomi ip directly, re-checking files in POL...

Would love to try the server out but I'm at a loss for how to proceed!

Some further details:

Win 8.1 x64
Have not attempted 32-bit POL, only the 64-bit POL supplied in torrent

Have tried uninstalling/reinstalling the Visual C++ redistributable packages. I also tried getting them from microsoft directly
md5 VC 2010 package: b88228d5fef4b6dc019d69d4471f23ec
md5 VC 2012 package: 7f52a19ecaf7db3c163dd164be3e592e
md5 VC 2013 package: 0fc525b6b7b96a87523daa7a0013c69d
md5 VC 2015 package: 1a15e6606bac9647e7ad3caa543377cf

And from torrent
md5 VC 2010 package: b88228d5fef4b6dc019d69d4471f23ec
md5 VC 2012 package (filename mislabelled as 2013): 7f52a19ecaf7db3c163dd164be3e592e
md5 VC 2013 package (filename mislabelled as 2012): 99e3d99d8ed70ac88f59e31757ed3d62

So the 2013 package is a mismatch, though neither package changes the behavior of the error.

Is it possible the retail POL/XI data I performed the update with is newer than that which you guys run on the server? Or would that result in a completely different error/behavior?

In my case I added Ashita (and FFXI/POL) to firewall exception and also disable my anti virus before I can connect to the server.

Yeah I've had an exception for Ashita\ffxi-bootmod\pol.exe (which is just a renamed xiloader.exe as far as I can tell) the entire time. I've even tried briefly disabling firewall entirely and had no change in the problem, ruling that out.

edit: just ruled out router as well by going straight into the modem, no change in symptoms.

Here's most of what I installed(started with a Win7 x64 and migrated to WinX) minus a few of the packages you installed also. It seems as though it can't find the files to launch or tries to and gets an unspecified error in launching so it thinks FFXI has been exited. Try them or not(or find the MS official version). Could be an DirectX thing. Seem to recall the newest versions don't support/contain the same drivers as older installations even though it claims to. I think this may also apply to the x86 vs x64 versions of some of the driver installs as well. It supposed to be compatible...doesn't mean it really is though.

Doubt it's an update issue as you'd still be able to connect and then FFXI would give you an error itself.

Sabin you hit it you beautiful bastard. I hadn't considered directx at all during this whole troubleshooting process, but your whimsy that it might be directx had me do a lazy google search and indeed... tons of windows 8.1 related results (for the retail game even, folks having similar problem).

Solution: Control Panel -> Programs & Features -> Turn Windows features on or off -> Legacy Components -> make sure DirectPlay is ticked

voila!