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11-21-2003, 04:30 PM
Originally posted on 11/19/03 08:49AM (server time: GMT 0)
During the MP testing of Lock On, it became clear that players will need to open up the correct port if you wish to host from behind a firewall. I asked or expert MP beta tester to write up a little explantion for you all. Many thanks to Susto for taking the time to write this up!
-Matt
-----------
Nowadays it is more and more common for people to have several computers at home. In such cases, computers are usually linked together to make up a LAN (Local Area Network), that is, a private network at home. In addition to this, players hoping to fly on-line must also have a connection that links their home LAN to the Internet.
Most of the time, the link between the internal network (the home LAN) and the external network (Internet) is a single computer or a network-enabled device such as an ADSL router. In all cases, there are two points in common:
All home computers must communicate with the Internet via this linking device.
Internal network addresses must be turned somehow into Internet addressess before any kind of communication can take place.
One of the tasks that must be carried out by the device linking our LAN and the Internet, is performing this translation for all computers sitting at home. Keep in mind that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) does only give you one Internet address to be shared among all your home computers. So, when a message comes from the Internet directed at your one and only valid Internet address, how can you tell which one of your home computers should receive it?
Let's see an example before going any further. Suppose you have two computers at home, say one is called "Killer Mig" whose LAN address is 192.168.0.1 and the other one is called "Home Work" (LAN address 192.168.0.99).
Now, as you're in the mood for some LOMAC flying, you sit down in front of "Killer Mig", open up a cooperative mission, and start a network game for your squadron mates to join. As they all know that your Internet address is 80.40.128.222 (this is the address provided by your ISP), they try to join a game that should be waiting for them at that precise address. They start knocking at the 80.40.128.222 door, so to speak.
But, and this is important, when their "I-want-to-join-a-game" message arrives at your router (or whatever device you use to connect to the Internet), little does it know whether this message should be attended by "Killer Mig" or "Home Work". End result: the message is not delivered to your LOMAC game patiently and uselessly waiting on "Killer Mig". Nobody joins the game, no fun and no friends in the long run.
Cutting to the Chase
To avoid the situation described earlier, there's a piece of software sitting on your router or server called NAPT (Network Address Protocol Translation). This is a program used to redirect incoming messages depending on the protocol and the port being used. When it comes to LOMAC, the protocol is called TCP and the default port number is 10308.
So, what you need to do is to configure your NAPT software to deliver all TCP messages arriving via port number 10308 to the computer whose LAN address is 192.168.0.1 In practice, you're sending all LOMAC-related traffic to "Killer Mig", which is the right computer to take care of it.
The good news is that this is only necessary when hosting a game. To join a game open by another player there's no need to fiddle with NAPT.
Of course, besides taking care of NAPT, you have to make sure port number 10308 is open to send and receive data. This means that if you have a firewall to defend your home LAN from unwanted visitors, you must remember to open this specific port for TCP traffic, both incoming and outgoing.
Fast Reminder (at least, try and remember this)
1. If you are behind a firewall, first of all you must open port 10308 to send and receive TCP traffic.
2. If you only plan to join other people games, don't worry, no action is necessary.
3. If you intend to host missions, then you have to redirect all TCP traffic coming in via port 10308 to be delivered to the private (i.e. LAN) address of the computer where you have installed LOMAC.
4. This applies to all Internet games, no matter whether Ubi.Com is being used or not.
5. All of the above is extremely easy to do. In fact, it is much longer and more complicated to write it down than to put it in practice.
Best regards and happy flying to you all.
Juan Andrés "Susto"
Alas Rojas
Matt "Wags" Wagner
Producer / Ubisoft
IL-2 Forgotten Battles
Lock On: Modern Air Combat
During the MP testing of Lock On, it became clear that players will need to open up the correct port if you wish to host from behind a firewall. I asked or expert MP beta tester to write up a little explantion for you all. Many thanks to Susto for taking the time to write this up!
-Matt
-----------
Nowadays it is more and more common for people to have several computers at home. In such cases, computers are usually linked together to make up a LAN (Local Area Network), that is, a private network at home. In addition to this, players hoping to fly on-line must also have a connection that links their home LAN to the Internet.
Most of the time, the link between the internal network (the home LAN) and the external network (Internet) is a single computer or a network-enabled device such as an ADSL router. In all cases, there are two points in common:
All home computers must communicate with the Internet via this linking device.
Internal network addresses must be turned somehow into Internet addressess before any kind of communication can take place.
One of the tasks that must be carried out by the device linking our LAN and the Internet, is performing this translation for all computers sitting at home. Keep in mind that your ISP (Internet Service Provider) does only give you one Internet address to be shared among all your home computers. So, when a message comes from the Internet directed at your one and only valid Internet address, how can you tell which one of your home computers should receive it?
Let's see an example before going any further. Suppose you have two computers at home, say one is called "Killer Mig" whose LAN address is 192.168.0.1 and the other one is called "Home Work" (LAN address 192.168.0.99).
Now, as you're in the mood for some LOMAC flying, you sit down in front of "Killer Mig", open up a cooperative mission, and start a network game for your squadron mates to join. As they all know that your Internet address is 80.40.128.222 (this is the address provided by your ISP), they try to join a game that should be waiting for them at that precise address. They start knocking at the 80.40.128.222 door, so to speak.
But, and this is important, when their "I-want-to-join-a-game" message arrives at your router (or whatever device you use to connect to the Internet), little does it know whether this message should be attended by "Killer Mig" or "Home Work". End result: the message is not delivered to your LOMAC game patiently and uselessly waiting on "Killer Mig". Nobody joins the game, no fun and no friends in the long run.
Cutting to the Chase
To avoid the situation described earlier, there's a piece of software sitting on your router or server called NAPT (Network Address Protocol Translation). This is a program used to redirect incoming messages depending on the protocol and the port being used. When it comes to LOMAC, the protocol is called TCP and the default port number is 10308.
So, what you need to do is to configure your NAPT software to deliver all TCP messages arriving via port number 10308 to the computer whose LAN address is 192.168.0.1 In practice, you're sending all LOMAC-related traffic to "Killer Mig", which is the right computer to take care of it.
The good news is that this is only necessary when hosting a game. To join a game open by another player there's no need to fiddle with NAPT.
Of course, besides taking care of NAPT, you have to make sure port number 10308 is open to send and receive data. This means that if you have a firewall to defend your home LAN from unwanted visitors, you must remember to open this specific port for TCP traffic, both incoming and outgoing.
Fast Reminder (at least, try and remember this)
1. If you are behind a firewall, first of all you must open port 10308 to send and receive TCP traffic.
2. If you only plan to join other people games, don't worry, no action is necessary.
3. If you intend to host missions, then you have to redirect all TCP traffic coming in via port 10308 to be delivered to the private (i.e. LAN) address of the computer where you have installed LOMAC.
4. This applies to all Internet games, no matter whether Ubi.Com is being used or not.
5. All of the above is extremely easy to do. In fact, it is much longer and more complicated to write it down than to put it in practice.
Best regards and happy flying to you all.
Juan Andrés "Susto"
Alas Rojas
Matt "Wags" Wagner
Producer / Ubisoft
IL-2 Forgotten Battles
Lock On: Modern Air Combat