Failure Message on Test (Windows Vista)

[Robert Hudson]

Hey Gang,

First, I'm a fan Fantasy Grounds II. I like it....when I can connect. Which I've not been able to do.

:mad: RANT STARTS: Look, I've read thru the posts, I've seen what everyone has to say about the Firewalls on the router and on the computer and quite frankly as a person that is not IT certified with Cicsco System certification, or any certification for that matter, this whole thing is very frustrating. I don't understand why there is problem with connecting. I don't understand why the program just can't 'handle' this stuff like any other program does (WOW, DDO, Skype, etc.) instead, I see forum users direct the customers to have to manually input access to ports, etc. I do understand that the FGII Crew is not huge, that's cool, but I've wasted several hours of game time just trying to get the 'firewalls' down, which, I'm sure you all can understand is why my level of frustration is so high. Anyway, I'm not doing port forwarding manually nor am I shutting off my firewall without a prompt. So If you all can help great. If not, then I guess I'm not playing FGII anytime soon. RANTS OVER (Thank you for allowing me to Vent!):(


Here is what happens when I try to connect. I run a 'test' and get failure. I delete the firewall access for the Fantasy Grounds program and then reboot FGII. Then run a test again. I get the Firewall prompt. I 'Ok' it and then my system promptly ceases up and I have to utilize Task Manager to end the task. When I reload FGII and try the test (now with the program having access to it) it comes up failure. I've allowed the Firewall access to port 1802 as well but still get failure. I've deleted and reinput both and still I end up with 'failure'. A friend of mine in Europe is having the extact same problem. Neither of us can host or join a game.

[Foen]

I'm not that clever with routers and things (since FG was set up, three years ago, I haven't had to touch the settings again) but I don't think you should need to do anything to connect to a game - just like DDO or WOW - the problems normaly arise when you want to host a game.

Unlike other internet apps, hosting an FG game makes you an internet server, with incoming, unsolicited connections from other computers. Needless to say, firewalls are designed to prevent incoming unsolicited connections - hence the problem.

From your description, it may well be that the Windows Firewall isn't your (only) problem. Your router will have a built in firewall too, and the only way to get through it as a host will be to get your hands dirty with the router settings. As I said, that isn't my area of expertise, but there are folks on the forums who can help.

Best of luck: the initial set-up for the GM is something I still recall with horror, but it is worth the one-time aggro.

Foen

[Spyke]

Having to configure your router to allow an application on your computer to act as a server is not unique to FG2. You'll find you have to do exactly the same thing with the other Virtual Tabletop programs that act as a server for your players: MapTool, Battlegrounds, GRiP, Klooge, etc. There are some VTs that get round this by having everyone, including the GM, log into a central server (e.g. iTabletop, OpenRPG). The disadvantage is there's usually a speed penalty, you can't play if the server is down, or you have to pay a subscription for a premium service.

As Foen said, getting your machine to act as a server is a one-time rite of passage. Very few of us are IT network engineers, and we came into this with the same level of knowledge as you. There are usually three points we needed to get our heads round:

1) We need to tell the software firewall(s) on our PC to let Fantasy Grounds act as a server, and use 1802. Sometimes this is as easy as starting to host a game and clicking "Yes" on the pop-up query raised by the firewall software; otherwise you'll need to open the firewall application and open port 1802 manually. Remember that you may have more than one Firewall running. If you're using a separate product, be sure to also go into Windows security settings and check that the Windows firewall is turned off. You only need one on your PC.

2) Open port 1802 in the firewall on your router. Like it or not, if you're connected to the internet via a cable modem, or ADSL, you've put a router in your system to 'route' that traffic to your desktop machine. The router itself will have a firewall, for your security. You need to learn how that bit of equipment works, so fish out the manual or look at the help pages. Add a line for Fantasy Grounds opening port 1802. This may be done automatically as part of step (3).

3) Just opening port 1802 on the router and your PC doesn't finish the job. Your router also needs to know which machine on your network needs to be sent the traffic it's allowing through port 1802. So you need to 'forward' port 1802 to the internal IP address of your PC. This is shown in the top right corner of FG2 when you click the 'Create Campaign' button. Again, check your router manual for 'port forwarding' or 'virtual servers' and add a line for Fantasy Grounds passing port 1802 for TCP to your PC's internal address. In most cases this will open the port on the router's firewall for you (i.e. do step 2 above automatically).

If you find this works one day and doesn't the next, then your router is handing out a different IP address to your PC each time you start up. If so, do a search for help on 'static IP address' and set a permanent one.

Only the GM needs to set this up, and once you've got your head round why it's needed it's not that hard to actually learn and do.

Spyke

[Robert Hudson]

Anyway, I'm not doing port forwarding manually nor am I shutting off my firewall without a prompt. So If you all can help great. If not, then I guess I'm not playing FGII anytime soon.

:D

First thank you both for your responses.

Second, I added the above quote because, I did not port forward manually nor did I have to shut off my firewall without a prompt and more importantly, I am Green for Success on the Test Message - YEAH!

The process was still circticious though. I Contacted my ISP via live chat, explained the issue, then they bumped up to national level chat, which then gave me a help ticket number and told me to call a number, as they can't help on chat.

So I call and after a series of Commerical Firewalls (i.e. automated voice responses) I got a live person to talk with and I gave them the help ticket number. They read the stuff, asked some more questions, and then... I got bumped again to the 'Tier 3 wireless group' now. This mysterious group had an extremely good phone connection and all background noise ceased. They read the ticket asked few questions and then asked me to test the program. I did so and 'Blamo' success. The rep had done all the configuring for me on the router. Which meant that I met the two pre-requisites that I set forward in my rant. LOL!

Anyway, as a recent user of VISTA, and one able to at least achieve a level getting a successful test message, here are the steps I recommend for anyone else running into a similiar problem.

1. Go to 'Start'
2. Go to 'Control Panel'
3. Go to 'Security'
4. Go to 'Windows Firewall'
5. Go to 'Allow a program through Windows Firewall'
6. Go to 'Add port...' (a pop up will appear)
7. Type in under Name 'Fantasy Grounds 2' (or whatever name you choose)
8. Type in under Port Number '1802'
9. Make sure 'TCP' button is filled in
10. Click 'Ok' (the pop-up will close)
11. Verify that 'Fantasy Grounds 2' is now in your list of exceptions and checked off. (if it's not checked go ahead and click the box to check it)
12. Check to see that 'Fantasy Grounds' is also listed as an exception and checked off. If its not checked, go ahed and click the box to check it)
13. Click 'Apply'
14. Go look at your router - get the name/type and serial number written down.
15. Get the number from your Internet Service Provider (Time-Warner, Cox, Verizon, Fred's Cheap Internet, etc.) for Technical Support.
16. Call them and tell your a gamer and you want to talk about Port Forwarding and Fire Walls on your Router.
17. Explain to them that you want to all your computer to host games, but a the Router Firewall is causing problems for you. Then just go with the flow as they can access your router from their location and

Note: If you have the Router IP Address, User Name and Password, then you can do all the stuff the other folks in this forum are talking about, but if you like me and didn't have it, then have the tech folks for your ISP do it.

18.Then before you hang up - ask for you User Name and Password for your router - so you will be able to do it in the future.

Some other helpful things are

a. Go to 'Start' Type
b. At the very bottom in the 'Start search' section the following: cmd (This brings up a pop up)
c. Type: 'ipconfig /all'
d. Look for your IP Address
e. Look for Default Gateway - this should be your Router's IP Address (Note you may have to scroll up and down as a lot of info comes out that looks the same, but you'll find it in there.
f. If you take that default gateway number and type it into address bar of Explorer like this: https://123.45.6.78 (whatever your router IP address happens to be) and hit return/enter/etc. This should bring you up to the user/password area to allow access to the router - that's saying again you have the user name and password.

Anyway, thanks again to Spyke and Foen! For everyone else, I hope my experience will help someone down the line. I'll let you know how things went as soon as I host a game! God Bless!

[TheMetal1]

I wanted to add, that at some point, it is likely that you'll go to test FGII and it won't work. You'll likely be frustrated, but all that has happened is that your server/modem/router thingy reassigned a new IP address for your default gateway. Just go through step 18 above again and log onto your router. Look for IPv4 this will be the new address you'll want to plug into for port forwarding and just update it under the 'forwarding' for your router and your test message should work.