Router problems for hosting.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

I am wondering if the majority of the players who are having problems hosting MP games due to their router, if they are using Windows XP. Also, I am wondering if upgrading too Windows 7 would correct the hosting problems?

Also, I am wondering if a person can create a switch box that you can say select "A" to bypass the router, and select "B" to use the router, is this possible?

Just wondering.

[norb]

I think it's more of a router issue than a OS issue, but I'm not 100%.

The job of the router and what it needs to do is pretty simple. If you get a packet on this port, send it to this machine. We have been able to work through everyone on the team hosting. The only one we can't is Reb, as he had two routers and it would be a lot of work.

[Marmusman]

I doubt it has anything to do with your operating system. Port Forwarding is pretty simple in concept. Once you understand the difference between your LAN IP address and your WAN IP address.

The most difficult part in explaining to people how to do it is the fact that every router manufacturer does it a different way.

[norb]

Our map port function works for many routers. The one issue with it is that if your lan ip changes, then it will fail because the port is already mapped to your old ip. In those cases I have had to go to my router and delete the old mapping, then it works again. Need to find some code to wipe the old entry, but I have not found it yet.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

hi.

Here is another question, and yes it can sound crazy, but since I don't know all that much about this...here it goes.

I am wondering since my ip changes everytime I sign in to my server, and I use http://www.no-ip.com to setup my new ip so people can reach me no matter what my ip would change too, wouldn't this work for this as well?

I mean this service looks at your changed ip, and sets it to your predefined address, for instance, since my ip changes the small software for no-ip takes my ip, lets their server know, and applies it to my web address I setup when I joined their server, so when someone types in paranorbbs.no-ip.org they will immediately be sent to that ip address.

Just wondering here. Instaed of having people tell others their ip, why not just give them the address instead.

later!

[norb]

I have not used that service. The lobby sends the IP, so you don't have to send it when you do games there.

I'm not sure I understand because you say that it changes when you sign into your server, that would suggest you are talking about a lan ip. But then you talk about giving it out to play which suggests that you are talking about a wan ip.

You can set up a static ip on your lan, or some routers will map the port to your computer name rather than the ip. So you don't have to worry about it changing.

With your wan ip, just use the lobby. Then you don't have to give it out.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

norb wrote:

I have not used that service. The lobby sends the IP, so you don't have to send it when you do games there.

I'm not sure I understand because you say that it changes when you sign into your server, that would suggest you are talking about a lan ip. But then you talk about giving it out to play which suggests that you are talking about a wan ip.

You can set up a static ip on your lan, or some routers will map the port to your computer name rather than the ip. So you don't have to worry about it changing.

With your wan ip, just use the lobby. Then you don't have to give it out.

Hi.

I don't have an lan, and to be totally honest here, what is a WAN? I was thinking since some people are having a problem hosting games because of their router not updating itself with a new IP, then maybe using a service such as the no-ip service (which is free) can help those people host.

I'm not that tech savvy where routers are concerned.

For myself, I have no problems with playing mp except I only have dialup.

Later!

[Marching Thru Georgia]

mikesla:
A lan is a local area network. Even if you only have one computer in your home, it is a lan. In that case it likely has an ip address of 192.168.1.1 A wan is a wide area network, the internet. When you get on the internet, you do so through some provider. He supplies you with an ip address. This may change from time to time. It sounds as if it changes everytime you boot up, which is unusual. But just use the lobby button and you shouldn't have any problems.

[Michael Slaunwhite]

Marching Thru Georgia wrote:

mikesla:
A lan is a local area network. Even if you only have one computer in your home, it is a lan. In that case it likely has an ip address of 192.168.1.1 A wan is a wide area network, the internet. When you get on the internet, you do so through some provider. He supplies you with an ip address. This may change from time to time. It sounds as if it changes everytime you boot up, which is unusual. But just use the lobby button and you shouldn't have any problems.

Thanks MTG, I knew of the acronym, but never knew what it actually meant, tell you truth I never really needed to know until now.

Okay, knowing the lobby will take care of it for me is good too know.

Thanks again MTG.

[John Buford]

norb wrote:

Our map port function works for many routers. The one issue with it is that if your lan ip changes, then it will fail because the port is already mapped to your old ip. In those cases I have had to go to my router and delete the old mapping, then it works again. Need to find some code to wipe the old entry, but I have not found it yet.

Norb,

What actually happens internally when you use the map port button? I got the impression from the above that it writes a rule in the router to port forward to your static (or should I say lan) IP since you indicated you had to delete the rule if you have a dynamic lan IP address and it changes on a reboot or something.

Thanks!

~B