Problem with hosting internet game. Suggestions?

[Zetareticuli]

I am attempting to host a 3 player game via the internet so that my brother and I can play my other brother in California. I can successfully set up a networked game, but it only works when I specify a local IP address specified by my router. I know that won't work for my brother in California since the only IP address visible from the outside is that of my router.

I've edited the settings for my router so it forwards both UDP and TCP/IP packets to my hosting computer and to test it I've been trying to access the hosting computer from a second one within my lan. The second computer tries to connect to the router address and gets the error: could not resolve host or something to that effect.

I have the Qrack version of quake, but I also downloaded the ProQuake files for my multiplayer attempts. I've tried it using the -listen command line argument as well as just creating a standard multiplayer game.

I'd really like to get this to work. Does anyone have any suggestions for other things I can try? Thanks.

-Nate

[Canadian*Sniper]

You sound like you know what you're doing and just running into dumb luck so don't take any offense if you think I'm insulting your intelligence (Because I'm not! It sounds like you're doing everything right).

Your brother should connect to your ip (whatismyip.org). You said you're forwarding ports to your server computer. What about personal firewalls? Personal firewalls will also play a big role in the problem if they aren't configured to allow certain ports through.

You might want to try the -ip option when you run your server. Not sure if this helps with the situation though.

Best of luck!

[Baker]

Machines on the LAN connect to the local IP, like 192.168.1.xxx

Machines on the Net connect to your Internet IP which is shown beneath your name in the User Menu over that way <------ (Above Portal CP, your avatar, etc. above the links block.)

On the SERVER, type "STATUS" in the console (whether in listen mode or dedicated) and the IP that shows is the proper IP address for a LAN game.

Make sure the computer on the lan "is on the LAN" by doing START -> RUN -> CMD (press Enter) and then in the black DOS screen type PING 192.168.1.XXX (where 192.168.1.xxx is the IP address that shows when you type "STATUS" in the Quake console).

It sounds like you are doing almost everything right.

And ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SOFTWARE FIREWALL (Norton or what not) on client machines

[Baker]

If the problem persists even after doing the above, one thing that might be the issue ...

I've edited the settings for my router so it forwards both UDP and TCP/IP packets ...

Hmmm, this might be a problem for other computers connected to the router.

If you have those packets forwarded, how is the 2nd computer on the LAN ever going to get a reply from the server. The reply to the client would probably be forwarded back to server (unless routers only port forward external packets, and not local packets, when forwarding is on ... I'll have to find out the answer to that sometime).

One solution might be to undo the forwarding and open the DMZ for the server.

[Canadian*Sniper]

You could try using ethereal and test if any quake packets from your bro are reaching your computer. http://www.ethereal.com/

[Lerster]

open port 26000 in your virtual server in your http or telnet config of your router for tcp so 26000t or just 26000 in virtual server depending on your router setup... and he should be able to connect to you're guys game if you give him your real ip from your routers status page/status that displays the real ip that is shared between the two networked pc's.

Have fun.

Note, replace 26000 with whatever port your running the quake server on / game.

[kbdrate]

You could try using ethereal and test if any quake packets from your bro are reaching your computer. http://www.ethereal.com/

Ethereal is dead. It's wireshark now.

http://www.wireshark.org

[Canadian*Sniper]

I still use ethereal that or tcpdump

[scaramanga]

Just in case you hadn't figured this out I had the same thing happen. Instead of forwarding just the 26000 port I made the port range 25995-26005. That did the trick for me. Not sure why but it worked.

[Canadian*Sniper]

I don't think that would work if you wanted clients to connect to you (haven't tried your method yet). I'd think it's most effective to allow clients coming in from ports 1024-65535. We'll have to see.