Nothing says XP waste quite like OSRS servers being down. If you’re having trouble logging in, the problem may possibly be on Jagex’s end. Here are the steps you can take to ensure that the issue isn’t on your side and that Jagex servers are having problems.
How to Check if Old School RuneScape Servers are Down
If you’re having issues logging into OSRS, you’re probably wondering whether the issue is on your end or OSRS’s end. Here are some methods that you can use to find out the current status of Old School RuneScape’s servers.
1) Game Status Information Centre
The first place that you should check is RuneScape’s Game Status Information Centre. This page will tell you the current status of the servers, as well as any current and upcoming maintenance that will need to take place. On top of this, it will mention the time duration and whether the issue is resolved. So, if Jagex is aware of an issue, you will be able to view it here.
2) OSRS News Page
Another official source for updates is the Old School RuneScape’s News page. Often times when there is both scheduled or emergency maintenance, Jagex will post it as a news piece to alert the player base. As they most recently did with the name issues.
3) Jagex Support X/Twitter Account
Following the Jagex Support X (formally known as Twitter) account will provide you with real-time information about RuneScape and OSRS. They will post when there is a problem, update, and again when it has been resolved. On top of this, they also respond to questions from the player base.
4) OSRS’s Subreddit
When players are having an issue with logging into the game, one of the first places that they often go is to the OSRS subreddit. If you’re unsure whether OSRS is down, visiting the subreddit and toggling to New posts will show you whether or not there is an issue, as quite often multiple people are posting about the same thing. Mods do reply to people in the subreddit, so if there is something of significance happening, you will likely find out here.
If everything is all dandy, and you cannot find anything with the above sources, then the issue is most likely on your end. In that case, try the below.
5) Temporarily Disable Firewall and Anti-Virus Software
Sometimes, OSRS doesn’t get along with your Firewall or anti-virus software. The easiest way to check if the above is causing your failure to connect to the server issue is by temporarily disabling either of them and then trying to log in again. If the OSRS client has no problem logging in when your Firewall or anti-virus software is disabled, you will need to circumvent them while playing OSRS in the future.
6) Router Issues
Sometimes being unable to log into OSRS is directly caused by issues with your router. This may be a problem with your ISP or the hardware itself. It can sometimes be a case of just hard resetting the router, but if that doesn’t help, attempt to connect an ethernet cable, and if that fails, you may have to contact your ISP directly.
With all of the above, you can discover whether the issue is on Jagex’s end or your own. Whichever way, hopefully, a fix won’t be too long in the making, and you will be able to get back to the OSRS grind. Otherwise, there are possible solutions if you are hit with the Unexpected Response 26 error.