Multiplayer trouble, unable to host/join

[Swuul]

I have no port forwarding in this apple airport interface but when opening ports I must indicate a "private IP" which is the one of the client that will use the opened ports. So that should be the equivalent of port forwarding.

Correct.

When I told the airport to open all ports, I had to specify the ip of the pc that would then become the "defaut host". And I had to manually change the tcp/ip set up in this pc. It is possible that at this level I did something wrong but I cant figure out what it was... maybe not enter the DNS and such information in the tcp/ip setup ?

Err... DNS should not be fiddled with in port forwarding. Sounds like there is a problem with what you are trying to do if you have to fill in DNS and such info...

Sorry but I can't give anymore advice, all I have is the web-manual and I still believe I did quote the correct part earlier.

 

[unmerged(7276)]

All routers have port fowarding they just might call it different names to confuse u. DNS wont affect EU at all so dont worry about that. Asuming you can browse the internet then it should be set up ok anyway. You local settings in general must be correct if you are able to browse internet etc. You should have your router set up as both gateway and DNS. You should also set your ip of your PC to be the same as they 'virtual host'/default host you specify in your router. DONT use dynamic IP. Use static IP. This could be your problem actually. Make sure the default host is the same as the static IP you assigned to the PC you play EU2 on.

eg how mine is set up...

router (internal 192.168.0.1 external 82.11.16.205)....

port desfault host/virtual server

80 192.168.0.3 All these ports are fowarded to my UNIX box
24 192.168.0.3
25 192.168.0.3
22 192.168.0.3
21 192.168.0.3

DMZ 192.168.0.2(EU2 PC) - note all DMZ does is foward ALL ports to the default PC that are not specified to go somewhere else(ie the ones listed above).

packets sent to port 3000 for example would be catured on interface 82.11.16.205, sent out on interface 192.168.0.1 and recieved on interface 192.168.0.2. Packets sent to port 80 would be captured on interface 82.11.16.205, sent out on 192.168.0.1 and recieved on interface 192.168.0.3.

 

[unmerged(6147)]

If possible, then do as I did. Get rid of the "router" and buy a simple modem. Then it works.

------------------

First I spent 2-3 years not playing MP just because I feared of all the troubles I would have to go through to get it to work (since it is a technician's world and they have generally speaking proved themselves unable to construct simple to use and bugfree environments).

Then I finally decided to join with my brand new PC and a nice new router. Consequently according to my prediction I ended up in exactly the hell I had imagined. I spent about 10 hours trying to get it to work (including trying to decipher endless of incompetently written instructions of providers and companys) but failed. Then I took the router in my right hand and slowly compressed it to a single entity.

Then I made a phone call to my friend the computer salesman and ordered a simple ordinary modem and asked him to come home to me and install it. "I will not have anything to do with the installation" I said, "I pay you to do it". He did and apparently the OS installed it by itself when it detected it existed (I am on XP) so he was finished within a minute.

I then tried to play and it worked perfectly! I was amazed!!! No trouble at all. The only thing I had to do was to familiarise myself with EU MP in general, by e.g. reading Jarkkos excellent guide on MP in general.

Death to all routers!

Ask yourself
1. Do you really need the router?

If not then get rid of it.

If you do, then ask yourself

2. Can you easily switch between the router and a simple modem?

If you can, do it.

If you can't: then read a nice novel instead of playing EU MP. That will bring harmony to your life.

 

[kurtbrian]

you do of coruse realize that being behind a router is very very safe compared to connecting to the internet through just a modem, right..?

and even mroe important, you can't really have a LAN connecting to the internet if there isn't a router.

 

[Umbre]

All routers have port fowarding they just might call it different names to confuse u. DNS wont affect EU at all so dont worry about that. Asuming you can browse the internet then it should be set up ok anyway. You local settings in general must be correct if you are able to browse internet etc. You should have your router set up as both gateway and DNS. You should also set your ip of your PC to be the same as they 'virtual host'/default host you specify in your router.

Exactly what I did. It's at this point that I entered the DNS and such info and NOT when opening ports and forwarding them.

DONT use dynamic IP. Use static IP. This could be your problem actually.

I did use dynamic IP. Indeed I dont have choice, the interface let me choose between NAT and DHCP or DHCP only.
The only way I see to make it static would be to activate the "default host" option which open all ports and direct traffic to a manually entered IP. As I said before, I tried this and it didn't work, but I'll try again removing the DNS and such info in the client pc tcp/ip config.
I note at this point that this solution, should it succeed, would remove the protection from the router since the default host pc would be wide open to the internet and I'd have to firewall it.

When we will have found the solution I will sumarize it for apple airport extreme users to avoid them 3-5 hours of tentatives.

Daniel, before going wireless I had a cable modem and it worked fine i was able to play MP with friends
I hope that the programmers of HOI2 will make the MP game playable for the grand public.

 

[unmerged(6147)]

you do of course realize that being behind a router is very very safe compared to connecting to the internet through just a modem, right..?

No I did not, I am technical idiot and will happily stay so for the rest of my life (this was not a joke, but the truth). But anyhow I prefer to be able to play EU in a not-that-safe environment than not be playing it all (or be able to do it but having to suffer the torture needed to get it to work ).

and even more important, you can't really have a LAN connecting to the internet if there isn't a router.

This was the sole reason I believed there was to get a router, and that is why I wrote in the post "Do you really need the router".

-------------

BTW KB, I even play with my XP Firewall down as I have understood that else there might be connection problems. Is this right or can I have it on?

 

[unmerged(27108)]

BTW KB, I even play with my XP Firewall down as I have understood that else there might be connection problems. Is this right or can I have it on?

Daniel, install a software firewall at least. You set permission to allow Eu2.exe to access internet and you should be fine and relatively safe.

There is zonealarm. Other software exist.

 

[unmerged(6147)]

Thanks for the advice Balinus! I will look into it.

 

[unmerged(7276)]

I did use dynamic IP. Indeed I dont have choice, the interface let me choose between NAT and DHCP or DHCP only.
The only way I see to make it static would be to activate the "default host" option which open all ports and direct traffic to a manually entered IP. As I said before, I tried this and it didn't work, but I'll try again removing the DNS and such info in the client pc tcp/ip config.
I note at this point that this solution, should it succeed, would remove the protection from the router since the default host pc would be wide open to the internet and I'd have to firewall it.

i would e very suprised if you couldnt disable dynamic IP. This int really even a traditional router function. Its just something 'thrown into' routers these days. The idea of it eing mandetory seems very odd to me. The default host option you talk aout (sounds like DMZ to me) does not disable dynamic IP. It has nothing to do with it. If your using dynamic IP then your router assigns IPs to your PCs under your LAN. This would mean youd need to check what IP your PC has each time the IP is released to see WHERE to foward the ports to. DO i understand that you choose dynamic IP under the TCP/IP settings on your EU PC? If so then how can you be sure your fowarding to the right address?

Yes dmz, or default host as your router calls it, does remove all security the router would normally provide. I wouldnt loose any sleep over it though.. Install an EU2 compatale software firewall if your worried.

 

[Umbre]

This would mean youd need to check what IP your PC has each time the IP is released to see WHERE to foward the ports to. DO i understand that you choose dynamic IP under the TCP/IP settings on your EU PC?

Right now I am running under dynamic IP and this setting allows me to join sometimes games on Valkyrienet. 2 weeks ago you and me tried to launch a game just to test that and it worked. Of course, when trying to join the DBD game last wednesday it didn't.

If so then how can you be sure your fowarding to the right address?

I check everytime. However, it proved to give always the same IP except one time where I had another comp turned on in my lan.

Yes dmz, or default host as your router calls it, does remove all security the router would normally provide. I wouldnt loose any sleep over it though.. Install an EU2 compatale software firewall if your worried.

OK fine.

 

[Umbre]

Working connection found by luck

I've been messing around with these settings for an hour or two and randomly found a working connection

Basically it's with the router not having DHCP and the pc client having DHCP turned on (which seems totally illogical). My client pc was attributed a never seen before IP similar to the one of the router, and even though I could only test with one game I have the feeling it will work.
I'll continue to test during the coming days.

Who said computers were rationals ?