Looking for Help: Players can't connect to my game.

[KaviCordi]

We've tried and tried and now I'm hoping for an answer quickly. My players can't connect to me, and my dad and I, (running separate licenses) can't connect to each other on the same network.

I've been told the modem is set up for FG correctly several times.
I've personally set up and verified my Firewall's settings for Fantasy Grounds and opened port 1802 on it, as suggested by FG's connection test.
I've verified that I didn't make any typos while sending any of the connection information.
Clearly, I have internet access.

If anyone could please help me find and solve the problem as fast as possible, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

[Trenloe]

Can you connect on the same PC? Start another instance of Fantasy Grounds on the same PC as the GM and then connect with the host address of localhost

If this works, try connecting on the local network again from another PC - make sure you use the Internal Address to connect on the same network, not the external.

[KaviCordi]

Tried both, and they work perfectly.

[Trenloe]

OK, so being able to connect on the local network from another PC means that it is definitely your modem/router setup.

A few things to try:

Try the "Connection Test" on the Load Campaign page. I'm guessing this will fail or you may have already tried it. If it works, then there is a problem on your player's side connecting over the internet. But, I'm guessing its going to fail.
Log into your modem/router and check the UPnP settings. If your router has this, enable UPnP (this automatically makes the changes to the router for you). Then go to port forwarding in the router and remove any port forwarding you may have added for port 1802 - we want UPnP to configure the forwarding for you and don't want any static port forwarding to get in the way. Once you have done this try the connection test in step 1 again.

[KaviCordi]

We're unable to access this particular router namely because Time Warner is ridiculous. We're using a different modem to host the campaign that I'm capable of reconfiguring myself. Everything seems to be working now! Thank you for your time!

[Trenloe]

Everything seems to be working now! Thank you for your time!
Great to hear you're working now! :-) Was it the UPnP setting that got it working or something else?

[KaviCordi]

Well damn.

Unfortunately it only looked like it was working for a moment. Also unfortunately the router I'm on doesn't appear to have UPnP settings. If I'm wrong, please do correct me: it's an AT&T Unite mobile hotspot.

[Trenloe]

Well damn.

Unfortunately it only looked like it was working for a moment. Also unfortunately the router I'm on doesn't appear to have UPnP settings. If I'm wrong, please do correct me: it's an AT&T Unite mobile hotspot.
Ouch! The problem with mobile hotspots is that their internet IP address can change without notice - so it is possible that you will be connected to your players and then get disconnected and your players will need to close Fantasy Grounds and reconnect to your new internet IP address.

Also, make sure the IP address of the PC where you are running the game (GM) does not change as this will break the port forwarding you have setup.

It may also be work the GM machine "tethering" to the hotspot with a USB cable - so that it has a better connection than WiFi.

[KaviCordi]

If the problem is my external constantly changing, then unfortunately I don't know what I can do. The hotspot was honestly my /last/ option. I can say that my signal to the hotspot is extremely reliable, and that my internal IP is static. I can't make the same promise, unfortunately, for the external.

[Trenloe]

Some GMs who have difficulties with their modem/routers have had success setting up a VPN with Hamachi: https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/

I think you can connect 5 computers with the free version - so 4 players and the GM. Everyone needs to install the Hamachi client and then connect into the Network ID created by one of the 5 users (usually the GM, but it doesn't have to be).

The players will then use the Hamachi virtual IP of the GM to connect to Fantasy Grounds - there will be no need for port forwarding or anything like that as Hamachi creates the communication for all users as if they were all on the same local network.

[KaviCordi]

Well, it seems to be working alright. Granted it's roundabout and a little messy, but it seems to do what I need. This will certainly not be how I run my campaign in the future, with any luck I can set up a proper network again next time. :P