Can't host any games

[Sleet]

Hi,

Anytime i set-up a net game for people to join they can't connect; EE, age of empires etc. Have similar problems if i try to host other utilities like roger wilco, they connect but it won't work.

The problem i know but the solution i don't!

BB line comes into my house, splits into three at the modem/router for my bros comp, parents and my own. We can use the 3 comps to play Lan games, but if say i host a game to get someone out of the house to join then no joy.
Any way to fix this?

Ultimately i would like it so i could have 3 comps playing LAN games, Be able to host games from my computer for others outside to join and be able to host games for others outside to join and the other 2 comps in the house.

All comps in the house are on winxp and 1Ghz +. Using a nildram 1mb line.

Any help or guidance would be most appreciated!!

 

[fatbusinessman]

Ok, as far as I can see you've got 3 possible points of buggerage:

1. Your broadband ISP - they may have blocked incoming connections, so no-one can connect into your network remotely. If this has happened, you're pretty much screwed. Asking them to unblock it isn't going to work, as hosting servers is generally a violation of the terms and conditions.

2. Your router - this could be blocking incoming connections too. If this is the case, you should be able to connect into it and specifically open up the ports your particular game uses. Can't provide any more detailed information than that without a model number, I'm afraid.

3. Your computer's firewall - Again, this should be reasonably easy to configure, but can't provide any specifics without knowing what (if any) firewall software you have.

 

[The-Don]

My money would be riding on the port forwarding option. Nildram don't block any ports apart from port 25 (SMTP)

Considering LAN games are fine, it's doubtful that the firewall (if there is one) is causing issues.

Check the port forwarding options on your router and if necessary forward the specific ports the game needs to the computer hosting the server.

 

[babs]

Yup. port forwarding all the way. I'd assume the router has a nice friendly front end so you can soon find out and alter it. If you know the port numbers you need, you can soon see if they're open or not go here, click proceed, enter the number of the port(s) you want testing and click on user specified custom port probe.

 

[Sleet]

i know absolutely nothing about what you said but great help so far as i can brush up on the manual to check out about ports

Its a DSL504 modem/router, if anyone knows information specific to that product would be fantastic!

 

[babs]

OK, enter the IP address of the router in a web browser (probably 192.169.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) which should take you to a configuration page. Select configuration from there.

You should see an option for Port Redirection. Go to that and set the options in the following way...

Port redirection state - Enabled
Select index to set - (not selected should give you a new one and possibly an option to give it a name)
State - enabled
Protocol - TCP (depends, if you know it uses UDP choose that instead)
Internet - Well known port
Start port - If it's a range of ports, put the first one in here (eg Roger Wilco basestation = 3782)
End Port - If it's a single port enter the same as above, otherwise put the last in the range you need (eg Roger Wilco Basestation = 3783)
Local IP Address = Your PC's IP address.

Now you should be able to click Add and then Apply, and you'll probably have to restart the router for the changes to take effect.

Note: I'm guessing that the router you have is the D-Link DSL504, if not you should find the same options available on other routers, maybe with different wording.

 

[Sleet]

OK, enter the IP address of the router in a web browser (probably 192.169.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) which should take you to a configuration page. Select configuration from there.

You should see an option for Port Redirection. Go to that and set the options in the following way...

Port redirection state - Enabled
Select index to set - (not selected should give you a new one and possibly an option to give it a name)
State - enabled
Protocol - TCP (depends, if you know it uses UDP choose that instead)
Internet - Well known port
Start port - If it's a range of ports, put the first one in here (eg Roger Wilco basestation = 3782)
End Port - If it's a single port enter the same as above, otherwise put the last in the range you need (eg Roger Wilco Basestation = 3783)
Local IP Address = Your PC's IP address.

Now you should be able to click Add and then Apply, and you'll probably have to restart the router for the changes to take effect.

Note: I'm guessing that the router you have is the D-Link DSL504, if not you should find the same options available on other routers, maybe with different wording.

I could kiss you!

going to try it now...and you guessed right on the router

 

[Sleet]

local ip address = my comps address?

but this fluctuates i think, is this an ISP upgrade i need for fixed IP?

 

[babs]

No, if you're behind a router, the router is assigned the IP. Through the wonders of NAT you will just have an internal IP on your network. Chances are if your router's IP is 192.168.1.1 then you'll be 192.168.1.x where x is 2-4 (as you have 3 computers). go start > run > cmd > ipconfig /all and you'll soon see your IP. It shouldn't really change if you're all connected all the time, but if it does you can always make a static assignment on the router, but let's just worry about this for now

The IP you want to enter in that box is your IP on the network.