dinantes

Join Date 02/2006

A host of problems (pun intended)

Ok, so.

I seem to be having that problem where I can't host. I played with one friend who could host, but now trying to play with another, it seems that both of us cannot. We each get the 'greyed-out' join bar and a pause, then 'Disconnected from server' message.

In searching for a problem, there is a pdf troubleshooting thing by (sorry, forgot his name, but he seems helpful) that I found referenced often. Now, I'm fairly good with computers, but this thing was gibberish to me!

We tried a LAN game over multiplayer...he used my IP. It still didn't work. Now, we didn't have my port number--one was already in the space provided, I think.

Anyway, a question. Can those who can't host games on ICO still host a LAN game?

I've removed any firewall that may be causing problems. Had windows defender and disabled it. Still nothing. Anyone have any ideas, or any simpler way of enabling my machine to host games than explained in that pdf thing? I mean, sometimes the steps/folders/files mentioned in it simply did not reference what I was seeing at all.

Thanks

multiplayer

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RonLugge

Join Date 05/2004

+50

Hosting a LAN game is easy -- its hosting on ICO thats the problem.

The router won't interfere with LAN games, so anyone can host. But the router does interfere with hosting on IRC, because it also acts as a firewall to prevent hackers from getting in.

E. G.

internet <--- router --> all the other computers on the LAN

Since your computers are allon the "same side" of the router, no problems.

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the_Monk

Join Date 01/2008

+222

That's as simple as it gets dinantes for the SINS-specific guide I wrote (Networking and SINS)

http://wwww.kiclan.com/monk/Networking_and_SINS_by_the_Monk.pdf

If you followed the guide, what are your answers to the following?

1. Your network map. I don't see it posted.

2. Makes/Models of your network device hardware.

3. etc.

If you followed my guide step-by-step (reading each step carefully and not skipping any) you should at the very least be able to provide the above-requested information.

The steps I wrote in that guide have been used successfully by a host of (pun intended) SINS-players to successfully setup their machines/networks!

the Monk

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Heya.

Thank you both for replying. Hopefully I can get that LAN game working ok.

Monk, I didn't mean to disparage your guide in any way. It's actually very well written and instructive. It's more that my mind groans upon seeing such a complex path to follow when I simply want to be able to connect and play like any other game.

Part of it's my problem, yeah. Laziness, I guess. I don't want to have to make a Network Map and find out the make of my router to play a game online, you know? I can play all kinds of stuff online...I just want a product that works as simply as it should.

Heck, I don't mean to speak ill of ICO either. It's a complex thing, I'm sure, to host an online network. And what a fantastic game!

If I invested more time in troubleshooting then sure, maybe I could play online earlier. But I already invested time in acquiring money to get the game. Now I just want to play...

It just bugs me when one single game suddenly requires all kinds of rare configuring to work properly.

One of these days, perhaps, I'll have the time and inclination to do a lot of work in order to play online...or maybe they'll just fix it so it works like every other game in the history of time. Regardless. I thank you for your answers anyway. Sorry you have to put up with such a lazy, recalcitrant poster as I...

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the_Monk

Join Date 01/2008

+222

For clarification:

What Ron said is for a true LAN game (ie. you can look at the other person). If you're using the LAN option as a "direct-IP" connection over the internet to another person you will still need to forward-ports, disable router firewalls, etc.

ICO is actually just the "match-making" service and connects people with people. In other words, once certain people agree to play a game together all network traffic goes between only those players and not through ICO.

There is absolutely no difference (from a network transport point of view) to using the multiplayer LAN option for "direct-IP" or ICO except that with ICO you don't have to know the host-player's IP address.

Again, since SINS is P2P and uses TCP (most other games are client-server and use UDP) we have to forward ports etc. The only way this can change is if IC implements NAT-T type connection processing and starts "encapsulating" data to "tunnel" through routers/firewalls (the way something like Hamachi does).

I hope this clarifies things a tad!

thanks,

the Monk

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Blair Fraser

Join Date 10/2006

+292

Thx once again Monk for all your help.

Hopefully, this won't be an issue as of version 1.1 - we have some awesome new network technology which means no more hosting problems, no more port forwarding and no more messing around with routers

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the_Monk

Join Date 01/2008

+222

Thx once again Monk for all your help.
Hopefully, this won't be an issue as of version 1.1 - we have some awesome new network technology which means no more hosting problems, no more port forwarding and no more messing around with routers

Ahh yes... the benefits of NAT-T.

Forgive me if I say, I wish (because I'm always more concerned about security and data integrity than usability) it would stay the way it is.

*sigh* I know, most people want usability over security.....and yet everyone hates Microsoft...hehe

Onwards, and upwards.....as they say!

the Monk

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Blair Fraser

Join Date 10/2006

+292

I hear you which is why you will have the option to run Sins using the current or the new way. If you are concerned with security just don't activate the new method.

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the_Monk

Join Date 01/2008

+222

I hear you which is why you will have the option to run Sins using the current or the new way. If you are concerned with security just don't activate the new method.

and there are people "out there" who doubt the wisdom of SD/IC???

Fantastic news.

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Well thank you both for posting. The Monk for his clarification and Blair for the promise of these issues being addressed in the future.

I very much look forward to playing this phenomenal game with friends...even my drastically computer illiterate ones. Okay...maybe I'll go try and wrap my feeble mind around that pdf guide of yours.

Thanks again for the replies,

Dinantes

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Oh yeah, in mys search for finding my correct ip address and port number I've been given numerous different ip addresses for myself from various sites. I've forgotten what the easy way to do this on your own computer is...

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To Monk. Sorry to blather on and on, but here is the first block I run into while following your guide. When I try to login to my router it sends me through this bizarre registration process. After I finish I am in the status screen, but there is no way to navigate to the 'port forwarding' area, or any other screen. When I hit the 'home' button on this page it restarts the registration process.

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Following the instructions of other sites, I'm beginning to see that my main problem lies in being unable to log on to my router. It has a login screen that requires a password.

My router is an AOpen AOR-401. I've searched the internet...admin does not work as a password as many sites say it should, and I have no way of reaching a port forwarding configuration.

Meanwhile, I have set up a...what was it called...like a permanent ip address for myself.

But gosh, this is exactly what I was talking about earlier. Hours wasted this afternoon because of this..and maybe it'll work in the end, maybe not. Looking VERY forward to 1.1 update...

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You're not gonna friggin believe this, but I think I got it done.

What a mindjob!

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