I was having a lot of problems with game lag and disconnects (being booted back to the login screen), so after reading up on several suggestions, I did the following:

* Updated the firmware in my router, D-Link DIR-601 from 1.01NA to 1.02NA
* Gave each of the two computers on the network (my wife and I both play SK, she on a desktop, myself on a laptop) a static IP, then set up port forwarding for the ports recommended in the tech help sticky, with half going to one address, and half going to the other.

This is both irritating and incredibly dissapointing.
I attempted to create a gate on the most recent one to become playable (Onyx Serpant) but I'm stuck at 97% when loading the clockworks, and my game has frozen. Attempting to reboot the game only causes it to auto-connect to clockworks which freezes it again, so i'm unable to play the game at all.
It isn't a loading problem as I can join ANY other level just fine, lower depths, training hall, and areas throughout Haven.

Processor: Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.40GHz (2CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)
Video Card: Intel 82865G Graphics Controller
Approx. Total Memory: 96.0 MB

I don't know much about computers, but I'm pretty sure mine meets the minimum requirements.
I've uploaded my video driver, downloaded the latest version of Java and checked on my firewall.

I'm not sure how else to describe it. I haven't played for a while now, because the game freezes every 3 seconds or so. My PC is fine (I can play other MMORPGs and watch videos all at once and have no problem) so I imagine it must be a setting or something that is wrong. I don't know what to look for or what I can try. Any advice?

I have not been able to start the game from Steam without disabling the Steam Overlay UI (seems like it's unique to my computer - running windows 7 64x).
I've tried a steam support ticket already, with the response pointing to a failed solution that I've tried all too many times (disabling Anti-viruses etc.)...

Is there a way to start SK by itself from it's installation folder? As of now it's the only way for steam overlay to work without having both the game I want to start as well as the overlay to both not start (not crash)? (it worked for portal 2 and it's own execution file)

I got disconnected twice today, it was about authentication failure, but only one computer had steam...

I recently downloaded this game from Steam. It installed fine and patched up perfectly.

However, when I go to log in (tried with both my steam account AND an account I made on the website) it doesn't work. It just says "A server error caused authentication to fail." when I try with both accounts.

Help?

With the Steam Interface activated, the game will not launch.

I was playing the other day and it worked fine.
Yesterday I tried playing and the login screen looked like this:

http://sadpanda.us/images/584962-398283B.png

I have no idea what caused this, or how to fix it.

When I log in it gives me a black screen and nothing happens (I gave it over half an hour once, with no change, I just closed it afterwards).

I've already uninstalled/reinstalled the game client. No change.

This always happens.Same old black screen..and I have to reinstall Spiral Knights and delete cookies for me to play for only like 3 days.And when I delete cookies I might delete something important.Three Rings,PLEASE fix the problem!