Difficulty with LAN connectivity

[MordainThade]

Hello all. Been lurking around in these forums forever (it seems), but only recently have I had a need to post for help from the amazing gurus that populate this site.

So I've been playing this game single-player for a good number of years now, and recently had the fix to reinstall and start playing once again (coincidentally, DS9 is on Nexflix, and I've never watched it all the way through, so am doing so now). Now, I do have two computers, and a friend that comes over pretty regularly, so I thought it would be nice to install the game on both computers, and thus throw down in multiplayer. I actually do own two of the game CDs as well, so no hax here!

Anyways, I came here to get the patches that I knew existed from way back, found the complete installer with Joker's patches built in, and installed that on to both computers. I have not installed any of the mods. One computer is XP, one is Win7, but both machines run the game relatively smoothly (although there are a LOT more random crashes than I ever remember before). Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to connect the two computers to play together.

I can create a game on either machine, but the other machine is unable to see it. It doesn't matter if I type in a specific IP address when creating the game or not, whether or not I type in the game name and / or IP address for the machine that created the game, nothing works. Both computers have their firewalls set to allow all necessary programs full connectivity to the network / internet; the computers are on a LAN, connecting to the internet via a router. Both computers have assigned static IP addresses. The only thing I haven't tried is to connect to the actual ISP-provided IP address, but I'm not even sure how to regularly find that out other than going to a site that can detect the IP address of the browser and using it; even if I did this, I have serious doubts as to whether or not it would work.

I recently read the post regarding playing on eWarzone, and so installed that onto both of the machines. The guide for this program gives a list of ports to forward; however, I cannot forward these ports to two different static IPs (an impossibility in general, from everything I've read), and thus it seems that eWarzone is out of the question as well. At least my main computer should have no problems playing multiplayer against other people, but this is only a secondary benefit at this point.

Any advice that I could get to allow these two computers to play against one another would be much appreciated!

[Flocke]

Welcome to afc community MordainThade!
You're right in that warzone doesn't support multiple connections behind one router. Warzone is for internet games only.
It's good you set up static ips though, takes off the work to identify them on connection via lan.
Edit: Btw I just remember on lan games you shouldn't need to type in an ip at all!

Though you allowed the programs to pass through firewall, there must still be something blocking your botf lan connection. That can be either a second firewall or you have to open ports explictly in your firewalls.

As you want to play on lan, best just disconnect your router from internet and completely disable all your firewalls and whatever security programs might block that connection. As long you're disconnected from internet there's not that much security risk.
That should help to identify your problem.

cheers & good luck

[MordainThade]

Hey Flocke, thanks for the welcome and quick reply!

So, it turns out that I didn't quite have all of my ports forwarded correctly; I forgot about the outbound ports on my Win7 machine. With that out of the way, the computers can now see a created game, regardless of which machine created it. That, is the good news.

The bad news is that as soon as I select the game and hit connect, it immediately crashes (or locks up) the game on both machines. It doesn't matter which computer is hosting the game, the same result happens.

I've been trying to create a T1 game, large irregular, random events off, normal difficulty, and the host computer selects Federation (I have no idea if any of that matters, but I figured it can't hurt to list). I'm still fully hooked up to the network,and lemme tell ya, the last thing I want to have to do is crawl behind a computer every time I want to play multiplayer BotF, especially as doing so may potentially throw off other network settings (aside from the sheer inconvenience of having to do so)... plus this problem seems unrelated to the connectivity issue which just got fixed (although I could be wrong).

After finally getting the two games to actually see each other, the last thing I expected was a crash/lock from them as soon as I press the join button. So now, I'm looking for any advice for this wonderful new problem

[Flocke]

either you have a conflicting version installed and have to reinstall the game or you've still same old firewall issues. If packets get partially blocked you might see the game but it crashes like you described. It doesn't even have to crash on loadup but can still crash later if packets get lost.
did you open all directplay ports? 2300-2400 + 47624 all TCP and UDP ?

[MordainThade]

I double-checked all firewall settings on both computers, and I do indeed have all of the correct ports forwarded; I had done this when I thought that eWarzone might be a solution, only missing the outbound ports for the Win7 machine. I just checked them all again to be sure that they all were indeed opened correctly, and found them to be so. I did notice one minor thing in the Win7 system settings that could have interfered, fixed it, and it resulted in the same problem. I then decided to completely disable the firewalls on both machines and try a game that way. I got the same result as before - I could see the games, but immediately upon joining it, both instances of BotF locked up.

I can't imagine that there would be a conflicting version installed; both computers literally used the same installer to do so! I used that "main multi installer 1.02 must have!" that is available from this site, both with standard (i.e. non-Hades) install selection.

At this point, the only thing I could imagine it to be is the actual router itself, but that doesn't seem likely to me; I have played multiplayer LAN games between these computers before without issue (AoE3, Supreme Commander, even Worms: Armageddon!)... but then, I've never dealt with a game quite as temperamental as BotF before, so who knows I guess I could try the whole "plug-the-cord-directly-between-computers" option and see if that does something, unless you've got another idea for me to attempt that doesn't involve me playing with LAN cables and 3" of work space

[MordainThade]

Update: I have tried a direct computer-to-computer connection, with both firewalls on (ports forwarded) and off. Each time, same result - either a hang-up or full crash to desktop on one or both machines.

At this point, I can only assume that the game hates me for amassing fleets large enough to orbital bombard systems with 400+ population into extinction in one turn, and it simply isn't going to work without some sort of miraculous intervention.

[thunderchero]

Direct connection does not require any ports to be forwarded.

just a couple things for you to try.

1. I suggest using the computer that has XP installed as the host computer.
2. Double check your IP by opening a command prompt and type ipconfig /all enter this IP when setting up game on both game setups.

As long as correct IP was entered on both systems and all firewalls were allowed this has always worked for me.

good luck

thunderchero

EDIT

The bad news is that as soon as I select the game and hit connect, it immediately crashes (or locks up) the game on both machines. It doesn't matter which computer is hosting the game, the same result happens.

What screen does this happen? select race? game setup? MP setup?

[Flocke]

I'm sure MordainThade meant he opened the ports in the firewall, not forwarded them which you do in router settings to configure it for internet games.
Additionally he already found the game so ip can't be wrong.

MordainThade, there still must be something blocking your connection. Could be another firewall or security program.
Windows-Firewall maybe active? Windows Defender? Anti virus software or something?
Is windows7 maybe not configured right for home network. Think there were some settings.

When firewall is activated you should also check dplaysvr.exe in windows/system32 folder to be allowed. It's needed for hosting games.

[MordainThade]

Thunder & Flocke: I appreciate all the help you guys are offering me, trying to fix whatever this problem may be.

RE: port forward / open, yea, I just used the wrong terminology there. Sorry for the possible confusion.
When I shut down the programs that could prevent connection, I killed the firewalls and antivirus programs (the ones I've installed, and window's both); I can't see another program that could prevent connectivity.
The Win7 machine's network is configured right, believe me on that... it took FOREVER for me to get it working right due to being more familiar with XP, but I got it sorted
Double-checked that .exe file in both firewalls (Microsoft DirectPlay Helper), and both have it OK now. So I ran another test, and I'll go step-by-step with the details.

Start the game on the XP machine. New multiplayer game, select host, network, tcp/ip (tried putting in the right IP), game name Test, player name Thade, hit connect, brings up settings menu.
Set game settings T1, large irregular, many minors, normal diff, manual combat, random off, domination, no timers. Hit accept, brings me to the race window. Select Romulans and can go no further at this time, says requires another player to join.
Start the game on the Win7 machine. New multiplayer game, select join, network, tcp/ip (tried putting in the right IP), game name Test, player name Mordain, hit connect, brings up a menu where it looks like lots of games could be seen (if many were hosted on the same network).
Eventually (after ~3-5 seconds), see the Test game name come up. Highlight, hit join.
WinXP machine's BotF crashes. Partial crash to desktop; black box of nothingness on the monitor, sound loop going on, .exe still running but not responding (have to kill it in task manager). Amusingly, the Win7 machine's BotF is still running.
I then did the exact same thing with the Win7 machine hosting instead, and both instances of BotF fail - both machines lock up with the BotF screen filling the view, and require ctrl+alt+delete task manager end task.
I've done this test with the IP plugged in (or not), with the game name plugged in to the joining computer (or not), and with firewalls / antivirus on or off, and all results are basically the same - one or both BotF's failing at exactly the time I hit join.
Out of curiosity, I then uninstalled and reinstalled both games, installing to C:\botf (both were installed there before, as a note), and tried again, to the same results.
I thought that compatibility may be an issue (the Win7 machine is 64-bit), so ran its .exe in XP SP3 compatibility mode, as admin, no change.

So yea, I'm stumped

[Flocke]

the only idea I have now, is to try with a third pc if that works
best xp with xp

[ruthlessferengi]

what brand rounter do u have? all i can suggest is to get a cheap lynksys old router and use it... i have new one, gave old one away and i can't get two pcs to talk... must have something to do with pcs... tried to get rid of router all together, tired hamachi, gameranger?

edit..
ok, have u tried to connect to another human on wz? let me know we can test ur connection... i know u wanted a lan thing first... tried xp compatibility on both machines? and all installs are off self-installer, no disk?

[MordainThade]

ruthless: I haven't tried to connect to another person on warzone, nor have I tried hamachi nor gameranger. I'd be up for trying a wz connection, but not today (Thanksgiving dinner and all). Let me know how you'd like to go about setting up a game, and I'd be down for it.

I did try xp compatibility to no effect. Both installs are from the same self-installer, no disk involved. Tried a direct comp-to-comp connection with no router, no effect (router is a Microsoft MN-500).

[ruthlessferengi]

I am up to it, pm me when rdy

[MordainThade]

Well, that was fun.

One of the gents here was very patient with me and decided to help me out with a few test runs (sadly, I can't remember his name exactly... xdx?). Unfortunately, none of them worked.

However, in the midst of updating various bits of out-of-date software, my entire xp machine decided to take a massive dump on me, completely locking up and preventing me from logging on. The good news is, I managed to save all of the irreplaceable data (i.e. music files, documents) before having to do a full format and reinstall of windows. The bad news (of course) is that I'm in the middle of doing a full reinstall of windows, and don't actually have installers for some of the assorted programs that I previously had installed

Well, it should be interesting to see if I can manage to connect once only the basic programs are installed and tweaked to satisfaction (up-to-date hardware drivers / direct x, audio / video player, image viewer, antivirus / firewall, and of course, botf and warzone).

[xDx]

Thanks for the nod . Sorry too hear about the system crash and I hope everything works out for you. In retrospect maybe doing a format will restore a corrupt registry or installed driver and enable you to play botf lol. Good luck