i'm havin the same problem any solutions yet? i dont have that folding thing either

A few of my Friends Are havin the same problem (They Gotta Reset the wireless option on their router(s))
Mines Ok though,but when I take my Ps3 down there it plays up as well so its def something to do with their wireless/Router settings

Well to my cousin this happened.
He found a soultion that worked sometimes.
When you go online to find game. Go to where your name is and just leave it there for like 5-10 minutes. Watch tv or something so you won't get bored. Then after that just find a game it should work. It fixed for him over time.
Hope this helps.

sorry if it is allready posted but after seeing so many threats on other forums about this problem i just wanna say how i solved it.. i never got troubles with it, but yesterday i solved my party connection troubles (cause i couldn't connect to some parties of some ppl, but that's in the past for me now) but wenn i started cod, and i did 'play online' i got my golden cross 55 back, but wenn i did join game it stayed (like you) on downloading game settings...
So i restarted my router/modem and all troubles were fixed, hope it helps for you guys!

__________________
Forgivness is between them and God, I arrange the meeting

well hopefully this may shed a light of hope for someone in this forum. I had the same problem that everyone here is describing. Basically i tried to wait it out, jsut watch tv or turn it on and leave it searching all day for when i came home, well my stepmom actually found a fix that is extremely simple, goes like this:

if when u click the find game option and it shows a grey box with "downloading game settings..." perfect! if you are connected through a router, all i did was disconnect my routers power cable for about 5-10 seconds, and plug it back in so all the lights will blink off on the router, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in(described 2 times btw, only unplug once). for some reason when u unplug it, it resets the internet connection, now go back to your ps3 which you leave at the find game, barracks, party invite, etc... main online screen while you reset the cable, press your PS button and quit game. Once at ur ps3 menu go back into COD:4 and load it up once more, this time when u go to online join game? it will ask u to sign in first, accept the sign in, if it fails to sign you in its ok, that should happen, Retry, then once it signs you in the whole main screen will be frozen with the box "downloading game settings..." let it go for the 5-15 seconds it takes and it will load up again, when u click join game all should be fine.

I hope you understand this and it worked for me GL all

I'm having the same exact problem as the original poster, but I've only had problems since 2.4. Also, resetting the router is only a temporary fix, if anyone finds a near permanent fix please feel free to message me here or through my PSN: RockHail. Thanks in advance.

Well, I have this problem to somtimes...
if ur using wireless, then it could be that the signal is to weak...
if ur using wired, then try to reset your router.

Hello everyone,

I would just like to tell you how I fixed the problem of the Downloading Game Settings screen and how I couldn't get passed it until now. All i did basically was pull out the power cord to my router first and then my modem power cord, plug the router cord back in first then the modem cord, wait till everything is back online,go back to COD and sign-in again and thats it.

Hope this helps

If anyone is still having this problem (or in fact, is still viewing this thread). I just made a new thread about the FIX to this problem, try it out, it fixed it for me.

Downloading Game Settings- FIX!

try resetting your internet modem works for me