Help getting widnows 8.1 connected?

Hello Folks,
I've got a gentleman who is attempting to install Fantasy Grounds 2 onto his machine. He's been able to install the software onto his windows 8.1 machine using Kaspersky antivirus, along with the windows defender firewall. In addition, his router is a Hitron CGN3 based system.

We've done the following to try and get him set up.

1) we've tried to set up the port forwarding to allow him to pass through his router.
2) We've looked at the Kaspersky settings to allow FG2 to function through there.
3) We've turned off the anti-virus and defender to see if that is causing the problem - and it isn't letting him connect.

What we haven't done is fiddle with the Windows Defender let FG2 through - but if he took it down as he indicated to me in the email, then we'd have determined that the issue was with the firewall/anti-virus system.

I was running FG2 last night, and had ZERO issues for another person to connect to my game, but this individual is from Canada (I'm in Buffalo New York) and he's having a problem.

Anyone got ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Hal

Almost forgot...

His FG2 is the Demo version, to my Ultimate LIcense version. He's showing version: Fantasy Grounds v3.3.1 FREE

Had him do a ping on my IP address, and he's getting a timed out issue. I wonder what causes that!

If he only has the demo version then he can't host games; and he'll only want port forwarding if he wants to host games. If he wants to be only a player then all he need do is install the software and then connect to a DM with the Ultimate or Standard versions of FG. He does this via the Join Game button and then enters the alias or the IP address of the DM.

If he cannot connect to a particular DM then the problem is with the DM's machine not have port forwarding properly set up. It is possible that his antivirus has blocked FG or quarantined it but he should have got some kind of message to say so. He should check though just in case.

Edit: note it is the DM's external and not his internal address that he needs to connect to if not using an alias.

Hi Zacchaeus,
My port forwarding is set up properly. I was able to run another individual through my machine as late as midnight last night. Nothing's changed since then. I'm thinking it may be a network issue. The problem is, I don't know enough to say yay or nay on it. That he can't ping my machine seems odd.

Hal

Hi Zacchaeus,
I did a tracert on the IP address at his end. My trace made it as far as 209.148.231.78, which is located in Toronto Canada I think. Rodgers Cable. I gave him my exertnal IP address to connect to, and he's unable to do so (wasn't using an alias). I don't know if perhaps his ISP is blocking the connection or something else. I think I've run into issues where Roadrunner.com was blocked at other ISP's. But I don't know how to resolve this one (not that I know much!!!)

Hal

I doubt that his ISP would block such a connection but his antivirus and firewall might do so. Try creating an alias and ask him to try that. But he will need to make sure that his AV or firewall are not either quarantining FG or blocking it.

I've never used an Alias. DO I use it the same as I would my external IP address?

Yes, instead of giving out your IP address you give the players the alias. They connect the same way but use the alias instead of the IP address.

Also, he should make sure that his network is set to private. It normally doesn't affect a player, but his A/V might be more restrictive on public networks than it is on private networks.