How to Fix Call of Duty: MW2 Queue Stuck on Connecting?

When queuing for a match, you can get stuck on the connecting screen due to server issues, the Windows Defender Firewall, and more. If you are experiencing the issue on an Xbox while queueing in a party, this seems to be caused by a problem with the game that needs to be resolved by the developers.

With that said, a workaround is available for Xbox players to overcome the issue, which we will be mentioning down below. Follow the methods provided to fix your problem. 

1. Create a New Party

The first thing you should do when starting to troubleshoot the connecting issue in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is to create a new party. In most cases, the problem arises due to a bugged party, in which case you will have to join a new party to resolve the issue.

We have also found that you might have to do this after every match played in case the issue occurs. In such a scenario, this is merely an issue with the game, and you will have to wait for the developers to resolve the issue. 

For now, try creating a new party every time you face the issue and see if that fixes the issue. If the problem persists even in the party, move to the following method below.

2. Queue for Another Game Mode

In some scenarios, when the game is stuck on the connecting screen, you can resolve the issue by queuing for another game mode briefly. 

We have found that queuing for another game mode, such as Ground War, with your party can help get rid of the mentioned problem.

To do this, you will need to leave the game mode you are queuing for and go back to the main menu. Queue for another game mode, and as soon as the screen goes from Connecting to Searching for a match, leave the queue and queue again for the game mode you wanted to play initially. 

This might take a couple of tries in some scenarios. However, it is sure to resolve the issue if a network inconsistency does not cause it. 

3. Turn off Windows Defender Firewall

The Windows Defender Firewall is a vital component of your operating system as it manages and oversees the incoming and outgoing requests from your computer. 

In some scenarios, the Windows Defender Firewall can block specific requests from the game, which can cause connectivity issues as the game is not able to establish a connection to the matchmaking servers correctly. 

In such a scenario, you can disable the Windows Defender Firewall on your computer to see if that resolves the issue. If the problem goes away after turning off the Windows Defender Firewall, it will be evident your firewall is causing the issue. 

If this applies to you, you can whitelist Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in your Windows Defender Firewall settings. Once you do that, the Windows Firewall will no longer block its requests; thus, the game will continue working correctly. Follow the instructions below to turn off the Windows Defender Firewall:

1. First, open the Control Panel app by searching for it in the Start Menu.

   

2. Navigate to Windows Defender Firewall by going to System & Security > Windows Defender Firewall.

   

3. To disable Windows Defender Firewall, click on the Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off option on the left-hand side.

   

4. Finally, select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall option under both Private and Public network settings.

   

5. Click OK and see if that resolves the issue. 

If the problem goes away after disabling the Windows Defender Firewall, you can whitelist the game, which will prevent the firewall from blocking any requests made by the game.

Thus, you will be able to turn on the Windows Defender Firewall, and the game should also work. Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. To whitelist an app, click on the Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall option.

   

2. Afterward, click the Change settings button. 
3. Then, to allow another app through Windows Defender Firewall, click on the Allow another app button.

   

4. Browse to the installation directory of Call of Duty MW2 and open the cod_hq.exe file using the Browse button.
5. Once you do that, click the Network Types button.

   

6. Then, tick both the Private and Public checkboxes.
7. Finally, click the Add button to whitelist the app.
8. Do this for cod.exe and other executable files in the installation directory of Call of Duty MW2. 

4. Disable Third-Party VPN

If you are using a third-party VPN connection on your computer, there is a good chance it is causing the issue. This can happen when the VPN inhibits your internet connection because the game cannot connect to the matchmaking servers.

You can resolve the issue by disabling your third-party VPN if this applies to you. If you have added a VPN connection to your Windows network settings, you will have to remove it to resolve the connectivity problem. Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. Open the Settings app by pressing the Win + I keys on your keyboard.
2. Navigate to VPN settings by going to Network & Internet > VPN.

   

3. There, reveal additional options by clicking the down arrow icon next to your VPN connection.
4. Afterward, remove your VPN connection by clicking the Remove button.

   

5. Launch the game again to see if the issue is resolved.

5. Change DNS Server

Every domain name has its IP address, which is needed to access the contents of the web server. DNS servers are used on the internet to translate a readable domain name to the IP address of the respective domain. 

In some scenarios, the DNS server you are using may not be able to resolve the connection to the MW2 servers, which is why a connection is not established, and you are stuck on the connecting screen. You can resolve the issue by changing your DNS server in such a scenario. 

To do this, follow the instructions below:

1. First, open the Settings app by pressing the Win + I key on your keyboard.
2. Then, navigate to your network adapter options by going to Network & Internet > Advanced Network Settings > More network adapter options.

   

3. Afterward, right-click on your network adapter and choose Properties from the drop-down menu.
4. Open IPv4 properties by double-clicking the Internet Protocol 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.

   

5. Select the Use the following DNS server addresses option. 
6. Afterward, provide either Google or Cloudflare’s public DNS server address:

   Google: 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
   Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1

   

7. Finally, click the OK button.
8. Open the game to see if the issue is resolved.

6. Enable DSCP Tagging (Xbox Only)

If you are facing the connecting issue on an Xbox when queuing in a party of three or more, you can resolve the issue by enabling DSCP Tagging in your network settings.

This will set a Quality of Service (QoS) tag on the outbound packets from the game using the preferred UDP multiplayer port. Follow the instructions to enable this:

1. First, open the Settings menu on your Xbox.

   

2. Navigate to QoS Tagging Setting by going to General > Network Settings > Advanced Settings > QoS Tagging Settings.

   

3. Once you are there, tick the DSCP Tagging Enabled checkbox.

   

4. Finally, select the Apply option to save the settings.
5. Launch the game again to see if the issue still occurs.