I'm confused though, if you have UPnP and SSDP set to automatic, and you try to connect directly through your modem (as opposed to through a rotuer) what would reasons be for it not working? When I tried hosting with no router, I would actually time out and get disconnected from game server.

Where do I go in the computer to adjust these for Windows XP?

how exactly do I direct my IP address?

Hi ive opened the right port "6112" both protocols are enable but it still wont work "1. UPnP has to be enabled on your router." where do i do this exactly? can anyone help me

OK, I'm at my wits end.

I followed the guide for setting up a static IP. I changed the settings on my router to permit the proper ports, and I set those ports to redirect to my static IP. I made sure to permit both 6112 and 6000 just even though I wasn't sure I needed to do both of them. I made sure Upnp was enabled on the router (it was by default).

Then I turned on Upnp on my computer. I used the Manager to turn on and set to Automatic both SSDP Discovery and Upnp device host.

I turned off my software firewalls, just to be sure they weren't causing any problems.


And I STILL get the error message when trying to host a new game.

I repeat: I'm at my wits end. Is there anything else to set up or try?

Please download and read my guide "Networking and SINS" linked-to from the "Technical FAQ" stickied in the "Technical" forum.

thanks,

the Monk

You get "the message" that some players may not be able to connect? Has anyone tried to connect to you though and failed? If you followed all those steps (in the_Monk's guide) and nobody can connect still, then you'll need to try some more conclusive testing, like my nmap test...that is much more difficult to do however.

If you can connect to ICO to host a game, alt+tab out of the game, run the "netstat -abn" command at a system prompt, do you see the sins.exe listed in the appropriate listening and/or established connection correctly? If so, have someone you trust port scan (nmap) your public IP to verify those ports are open. If they ARE, then there is seriously something wrong with your game.

I suspect you are just getting that message like I (others) do and still can host OR your fowarding may appear to be setup correctly, but isn't still. Sorry I can't give you a click this, check that, kind of answer...

Now where is that Genie in the bottle I have??? hehe

Nah, I've had people try to join and be unable to. They can see the game, but not join it.

I've discovered a few more steps to try, but they haven't helped.

Monk, thanks for your guide, it made me realize I have to set my modem's settings as well as my wireless router.

I just thought of something else to try. Be back.

Got it! YES! It's working now!

I had the DMZ of my DSL modem set incorrectly. I had it pointing to my computer's static IP instead of to my wireless router's IP.

Again, thanks for the guide Monk. My only critique is that it assumes the user has some sort of intelligence, and makes him think about what he's doing and figure stuff out on his own a bit. I could handle that, though it took me some fiddling. Some people will just throw up their hands in frustration - they just want to click a button and have everything work on its own instantly.

First I think it's great how Monk and others are trying so hard to help others. But, I have to say, this has been, by far, the morst difficult game I've ever had to get to work MP. I can host and join, about half the time now, but a majority of the time, people try to join my games and get kicked when they do, or, I try to join a game and get kicked. Seriously, my roommmate, who does Lans/computers systems/hubs for a LIVING almost charged me for the ammount of work he did to get this game going MP. Like NameLips said, I would have thrown up my hands otherwise.

I played a game last night, and my oppoenet turned out to be a kid (not sure how old, 15 I"m guessing). Anyway, we chated a lot during the game, and he plays on his father's server it seems; he said the farther knows all about routers/Lans, but that his dad had been tearing his hair out trying to get the game to work for his son. Only via the kid's begging is his dad going to continue to try.

It should not be this way, period. I can play every other MP game I have just fine; not this one. And I'm more than willing to learn a bit, and go into my system and tweak a thing or two to get things going, but this is almost rediculous. And if this is the way it's going to be, they should put "Technical Knowlege of Lans/Routers" under the "Minimum Requirements" on the box. . .

On the other hand, I have to say that the vast majority of my computer knowledge has come from, over the years, trying to get hundreds of games working. Back in the day it was autoexec.bat and config.sys, and trying to get the IRQs set correct for the sound to work, and assign the correct amount of memory.

I have learned probably 10x more about networking trying to get this game to work. I've never, ever seen a game that made me get into my modem and router settings in order to get it working. But now I know how, and I know what several of those settings do, and I know that you really need to leave certain other settings alone (found THAT out the hard way).

And now that I can host games, I can play whenever I want, because there are lots of people who haven't figured it out who will join a game almost instantly, at almost any time.

Awesome...It usually is PIBKAC (no offense!), but working in the tech sector, troubleshooting networking issues for as many years as I have, it usually is something simple (e.g. missed step)! It happens to the best of us...as in I've been burned a couple of times with, "Holy

How do you know it is YOU that is having the hosting problem? Maybe the other users are having their own set of issues! Low ping and latency are murder on p2p games. Ever have your avatar run in place for 10 minutes in your favorite MMO or get the blinking RJ-45 icon indicating a connection issue? There's SO much involved, it's hard to blame just one thing!

I had a LAN game going with three of us. One player and myself are connected via Gigabit Ethernet and the third player was going over wireless (dot11g)...ummm...bad idea. I figured it would have been OK since he was getting excellent signal strength, but holy crap, talk about synching issues! I ran a cable to his laptop and even though it was only 100Mbps, the synching issues significantly decreased and we were able to play for 5 hours straight!

I don't blame the game though...I would have, only if we were all running identical machines all connected the same way (no networking problems, etc...) and having serious lagging issues, as that would indicate the networking code was buggy to me, but it's apples to oranges in 99% of the cases! Was it a rotten apple or a moldy orange causing the problem??? hehe

@NameLips
I'm glad the guide was able to point out WHAT you needed to do. I realize some people won't be able to understand the HOW (as I've described in the guide) however I believe people "wanting" to follow my instructions will be able to, and those who really have no idea how to implement them can contact me (which is why I keep making myself available to talk them through the HOW via my TS Server), all I ask is that a person "try" before asking me to do it all for them.






@Slimpinto
Well I have run into the old "...I did update the GP on that that DC over there, before downing that remote server didn't I?...." hehe   


the Monk

HEHE! You have to be SUPER careful when dealing with any remotely controlled devices, that's for sure!

How about, locking your customer out of their wireless bridge (it went down/down hard)...which was a 4 hour drive, up a mountain (very steep fire-break dirt road), that was causing them to lose money every minute it was down??? He was extremely LIVID with me! Umm, yeah, let's just say that wasn't one of my shinier moments! In my defense, I was a n00b at the time still! ROFL!

Sorry to stray so off-topic...hehe!

Yeah, this is my problem.

wait, so because of the fact that I'm on a university network, i'm completely boned? GODDAMNIT

That's how the cookie crumbles (for hosting anyway)........at least until patch 1.1

I agree with the other gentleman: This is absolutely the most frustrating game I've ever had to deal with (technically speaking). Using Vista 32bit Prem., and Windows Firewall shut off: I could not host. I wasn't even using a router: I was directly connected to the cable modem. Monk's tutorial confused the shit out of me, because I was left with what looked like an instruction manual on how to do port-forwarding on a router (what if I'm not using a router?). When I eventually got a router (to connect my PS3 to the net), I followed his guide and I still can't host a game.

When I host a game: Everyone is just sitting there with 0k. Why won't this game work for me? What the hell kind of computer magic or university degree do I need to make my computer worthy of playing this game?!

I'm not a moron, but I don't know all this NAT, UpNp, or TCP stuff, and Monk's guide makes no sense to me. I'm not shitting on Monk, but his guide makes very little sense to me.

MrMcSinister,

You're not following my guide (Networking and SINS) step-by-step.

From what you just posted you're cable/dsl modem is probably also doing NAT (functioning as a router) so as my guide states it doesn't matter that you're forwarding from your router because the traffic isn't even getting to your router, it's being stopped at your cable/dsl modem.

Although I've helped many in your situation (talked them through the steps needed to correct a "double-NAT" scenario via my TeamSpeak server) I don't have the time to do the same for you at the moment. If you like, please contact me via PM or xfire (the info is in my sticky) and we can try to set up a time when it works for me.

Otherwise, suffice it to say I've given you all the information necessary and with a little more effort on your part you should be able to set things up correctly.

thanks,

the Monk

Yeah sorry about that, I actually fixed the problem very shortly after I made the above post. It turns out the SSDP was on manual (duhrrrr me dumb), but I actually managed to host a full game yesterday (first time ever). I would have corrected myself, but there was some sort of bug preventing me from accessing the forums yesterday.

In either case: Thanks for your help Monk. Stardock should pay you a fat salary and send you free Hawaiian shirts for all the contributions you make to their community.

Free Hawaiian shirts?    Is this Leisure Suit Larry? hehe

Seriously though, you're welcome and glad you got it all set up correctly. Happy gaming/hosting!

the Monk

EDIT:
Forget what I said--I had to look under C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data to find it.
Thanks

I would be wondering as to how one would open or even find port 6112. I humbly request help. I also ask for forgiveness for my ignorance in all computer matters and request a simple explanation.

I think you should be able to find what you need with the_Monk's guide found here under the green text.