Trials & Tribulations of Running a Server

[bluntz]

I don't think even DMZ will work across 2 private LANs,they look the same since the ip's both start 192.168 but usually the subnets are not.one is typicaly 255.255.0.0 and the other 255.255.255.0
My modem was provided by centurylink and hard coded into it had ip pool set to 1,so I had to use my linksys wireless on top of it with the modem bridged to break the ip pool size of the factory modems NAT limit.

[Mezmorki]

I'm not sure what bridge mode is ... I'll look into. For reference I have a separate modem and wifi/router combo.

[bluntz]

putting the modem in bridge mode disables its handling the NAT and passes it off to the router.
Flash the DD-wrt firmware on the Linksys and you will have full control to serve to all networks public and private.

[Mezmorki]

W00t!! Got things working better.

I plugged all the computers into a seperate switch before going to the router and now I can connect locally over Ethernet, and the external clients can connect too (played some DM last night).

Now back to sorting out the DNS. I have the DNS name working with the router correctly. But connecting to the server with the DNS name (13acres.pwnz.org:26000) doesn't seem to work. Host not found errors. Do I need to add the DNS into the quake command line or anything? Or add the DNS name in the computer settings somewhere?

Getting closer ..... Soon .....

[bluntz]

I think you have to have a static ip for DNS,then you add +hostname your.dns.name to the CMD line and it should be able to route you.

[Mezmorki]

If anyone want to test, a proquake server running crmod is up here:

13acres.pwnz.org

OR

68.42.73.113 (if the DNS name above doesn't work).

Port 26000 - running ProQuake with CRMOD

Port 26001 - running a customized version of the Reinc mod (which is server-side only I believe).

Please check both if able and let me know what works to connect (or not).

Any testing would be appreciated

[bluntz]

nope,niether worked for me

[Mindf!3ldzX]

same here, tried both.

[Mezmorki]

Gah ... they were down last night

So currently I'm re-modding a server mod called "Reincarnation" (Reinc) that was made quite some time ago. A friend and I were debugging it last night because some of the features were crashing the server. I've figured out how to disable the stuff that was causing server crashes, so will get the server back up for testing later tonight. It's a server side mod, so no need to download anything.

The DNS still didn't work in my testing last night. Honestly I have no clue what I'm missing there, unless the DNS itself isn't working right. Everything on my end seems like it should be working.

[Mezmorki]

Alright ...

After many trials and tribulations, I am one step closer!

13 Acres of Hell - Custom DM Maps
68.42.73.113:26000

This is running manquake (custom proquake server from Slot Zero) and the RuneQuake mod. However, the default settings mimic normal deathmatch behavior (e.g. no runes or new features, just straight up deathmach). Of course, it being RuneQuake, there is the the option to vote on the sillies if people want, play head hunters, switch to match mode, etc.

I'm making progress on the DNS side (need to fiddle with some windows software for that). But we're getting there! It SHOULD work - which I can safely say because I played last night with some friends that connected externally.

The 13 maps currently on rotation:

- lundm1
- xl1dm6
- rf
- oma
- bovine
- auhdm2
- rtz
- utressor
- efdm8
- baldm6
- gomdm2v2
- uzul
- aggressr

Check it out and see if you can connect - and maybe stick around for some DM

[Mezmorki]

Getting closer on the DNS issue. I can ping, nslookup, and qstat my server using the DNS name (13acres.pwnz.org), but still can't join a game. If I bypass my router and plug the server right into my cable modem, client's can connect with the DNS just fine.

So the issue is with my router, or how my router is passing DNS routed clients onto the the server. Frustrating. I'm looking into picking up some other hand-me-down routers to try out and see if those will work better. Curse you netgear!

[Spike]

dns names are purely a clientside lookup, as far as pretty much every game is concerned.
13acres.pwnz.org -> 68.42.73.113
connect 13acres.pwnz.org === connect 68.42.73.113 - assuming their isp/dns server has the correct name association.
typically their isp/router will make a request to 'pwnz.org' for the current ip address of '13acres' or so
if your computer can't connect locally, then either your isp has terrible dns lookups/caching, or because your router cannot cope with hairpin connections. either way, you can just add the hostname into your hosts file to provide a specific mapping to your local ip so that it just connects directly.

[Mezmorki]

My guess is that my router can't deal with hairpin connections?

If I plug the server directly into my cable modem, connecting by DSN works properly. It's only when I have my router in play that I get these issues.

And the hosts file is only relevant for the client right? So it's not useful if I'm trying to host a public server?

[Spike]

the hosts file is JUST to get around your hairpin, by getting your local client to use your private address instead of the public one.
you could always just use your local address instead

[R00k]

test with different engine, proquake, quakespasm, fte, Darkplaces etc. just in case...