I need help....but you already knew that ;)

[Zak33]

It's a funny one this.

Ready for a Zak thread?

I have a router and hardware firewall....
I have NTL cable......
I have nice network potential.

I have 2 PC's.....they simply plug in....I turn them on....they suss it all out....they are both online.

Its sexual.

TiG did it.....TiG is therefore sexual......I'll change tack now

When playing IL-2 Forgotten Battles on line....I use Hyper Lobby....its a meeting ground and controls the game itself.....its clever software..it launches the game .....pilots, (some as bad as me) get together....and choose a game....and click on it...and fly.

It works....BUT.....

to HOST a game...I have to activate PORT FORWARDING. So I found out that IL2 uses Port 21000....I set it on the router IP address......and gave it my PC IP ....

bingo (not the game )

it worked....BUT..with Port Forwarding activated, I cant then access someone elses game...I can see it....it shows on Hyper Lobby.....but it doesn't let me join....the game TIMES OUT....the server at the other end doesnt grab me and let me in.

Turn OFF Port Forwarding.....jobs done.



ANY IDEAS....? Do I HAVE to keep reactivating it? and then deactivating it?

[Jonny M]

If you change your IP on your pc, then change it back it should have the same effect, but not take as long.

[unrealrocks]

Erm, that is very weird. The router must be doing something else as pf is simply making that port on your computer look like its the one on the modem.

What router is it?

[Zak33]

Netgear model

[Raz316]

Not sure what options you get, but can you choose what traffic to forward? (e.g. Inward, Outward or Both)

[Zak33]

nope...just Port Forwarding on a certain port number.

Some people would just live with it....switch it on or off accordingly...

but I'm not some people

[Jonny M]

Try putting your PC in the DMZ (after deleting the port forwarding rules).

[Zak33]

DMZ?

Explain pleeeze

guesstimate...

Domain Management Zone?

I have noidea really and am not in front of it right now.

[TiG]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DO NOT put you computer in DMZ DO NOT DO THIS,
De-militarised ZONE, - I.E all of NTL script kiddies will instantly flood you with viruses and rubbishrubbishrubbishrubbish etc.

Answer to follow ...

TiG

[TiG]

Right some background to this router, its basically acting as a very very effective firewall, Nothing is allowed in apart from via port forwarding, as in port 21000 for FB hits the router and is allowed in to port 21000 on the PC that Zak specifies.

So to host a game it is absolutely essential (or thats my theory)
As the router will let all traffic starting from inside out, and the reponse by that measure is allowed back in (working on the TCP established type of rule for any of you who have detailed firewall experience)

I am at a loss why port forwarding causes Zak any problems when he joins other peoples games though. As his outbound connection should allow the traffic back through the router but for whatever reason it doesn't look like it is.

The important answer imo will be to establish is why port forwarding on stops zak joining other peoples games?.

TiG

[Blub2k]

Try running ethereal on it to see what happens that will allow you to see what the packets are doing etc, better tool would be tcpdump but ethereal has a nicer gui for beginners and cool filtering etc.

[Zak33]

I'm doing what TiG says......after all...this firewall is a BEAST

Besides....I can live with it....just dont want too

But then I still fall out of the sky in Il2 andI dont wanna do that either

Cheers TiG..I wont fiddle until you tell me what to do...if at all

[Blub2k]

ethereal has the answers no need to ph3ar it