Connection help?

[littleo]

Hi. First timer here. Recently bought the full version with the COC ruleset. I've tried everything I can think of, can't get it to connect with the connection trial tool or canyouseeme.org. I've got DSL coming in to a qwest zyxel q100 modem, then over to a linksys wrt160n router running the wireless, then over to my desktop running windows vista. I've got port forwarding on both the modem and router set up using portforward instructions. Fantasy Grounds is listed as port 1802 with my windows firewall. I've set a static IP for the desktop. I've tried the tests with all firewalls off(router and windows) and AVG disabled. Hoping someone can give me a tip, as the program looks very cool. Thanks.
Mike D

[Trenloe]

Do you have any other network connections on your PC? Such as a VPN for work, a wireless connection, a wired connection, a virtual network connection? If you have any of these, disable them all except the one actually connecting to your local network.

Can you connect on the same PC running another instance and connecting to a host address of localhost

Only do the canyouseeme.org check when you have fully loaded a Fantasy Grounds campaign - FG does not listen for connections on port 1802 until it is ready for players to connect.

If you have access to another PC, install FG on that PC and try to connect over the local network using the internal address specified by Fantasy Grounds. What is this internal address by the way? Is it something like 192.168.x.y?

[littleo]

Just the wireless LAN and the desktop. Nothing else connected to the desktop. I did turn the wireless off at the router while trialing- nothing. I can connect with localhost. The free version of FG can't connect to a full version, is that right? So load my full version on one of my laptops and try to connect using the static IP? Sorry, don't know much about networking. Yes the static IP follows your example. Thanks.
M

[Trenloe]

The free version can connect to a full version - it puts the full version in a 1 player demo mode. So, if you have second PC just install an unlicensed version on that and try to connect to the static IP - you should see this as the "Internal" address in the top right when the GM goes to the "Load Campaign" screen, check that this matches your static address on the same PC, just in case FG is seeing another (incorrect) IP address.

[Trenloe]

Another thing to check: on your Linksys wrt160n, go to the Status -> Router page. Have a look at the "Internet Connection" section and the internet IP address - if this address is something other than 192.168.x.y or 10.x.y.z then you need to turn off port forwarding on zyxel modem and only have it on the linksys router.

[littleo]

Yeah, static IP is correct for the desktop(GM). Loaded demo version on netbook and tried to connect to internal IP- could not connect.
M

[Trenloe]

Yeah, static IP is correct for the desktop(GM). Loaded demo version on netbook and tried to connect to internal IP- could not connect.
M
OK, so it looks like something is blocking the connection on the local network - so we aren't even looking at port forwarding here.

Have a look at the windows firewall settings on the GM PC and make sure they match the network type of your connection (Home, Work or Public) for the "Allowed programs and features" settings in Windows firewall - whatever network type you have in Windows "Network and Sharing Center" - it is usually "Home/Work (Private)" or "Public".

Also, make sure *everything* to do with AVG is disabled for your testing - not just anti virus but any other services that AVG has running.

[littleo]

Internet IP on the router conforms to 192.168.x.y
M

[Trenloe]

Internet IP on the router conforms to 192.168.x.y
M
OK, so you just need the port forwarding on the zyxel modem, not on the Linksys. Setup the port forwarding with a starting and ending port of 1802 for both, Protocol TCP and the LAN IP address as the IP address of the GM PC.

But, if the second PC on the local network can't connect using this IP address, then we still have problems with something on the GM PC blocking port 1802.

[littleo]

Interesting. Ok, both Windows firewall and network and sharing see the network as private. I just turned both the firewall and AVG off, and the netbook now joins the COC campaign. Canceled out of that and tried the connection test on the desktop- failure. Seem to be making some progress.
M





OK, so it looks like something is blocking the connection on the local network - so we aren't even looking at port forwarding here.

Have a look at the windows firewall settings on the GM PC and make sure they match the network type of your connection (Home, Work or Public) for the "Allowed programs and features" settings in Windows firewall - whatever network type you have in Windows "Network and Sharing Center" - it is usually "Home/Work (Private)" or "Public".

Also, make sure *everything* to do with AVG is disabled for your testing - not just anti virus but any other services that AVG has running.

[Trenloe]

Interesting. Ok, both Windows firewall and network and sharing see the network as private. I just turned both the firewall and AVG off, and the netbook now joins the COC campaign. Canceled out of that and tried the connection test on the desktop- failure. Seem to be making some progress.
M
Cool.

Try removing the port forwarding you setup on the linksys and enable it on the modem as mentioned in post #9 above. Also, ensure the modem firewall is off.

[littleo]

Port forwarding on dsl modem on, firewall off, port forwarding on linksys off. Connect test failure.
M

[Trenloe]

When you go to canyouseeme.org, what is it showing for the "Your IP"? Don't tell me the whole IP address, just the first 2 numbers.

This is an example of what I see when I run the test, with a campaign loaded in Fantasy Grounds (I've removed the last 2 numbers of my IP address):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/39085830/Screenshots/CanYouSeeMe.jpg

[littleo]

71.
M

[Trenloe]

Can you try connecting your PC directly to the modem using the network cable?

We need to eliminate the linksys router -> modem connection from the equation.

[littleo]

Yeah, give me a few. I appreciate the help. If you need to bail, just let me know. I'll be heading off to sleep pretty soon. You're in Denver? I'm down in Albuquerque.
Mike D

[littleo]

Yeah, that didn't work. Desktop has never been connected to this modem. Don't want to blow my internet right now, as I have a skype game to run Tues night. That seems like the right idea though- take the router out of the equation. If that works, what's my long term solution- get a dsl modem/wireless router combo?
M

[littleo]

Will try again after I safely run my Skype COC game. Later.
M

[Trenloe]

That seems like the right idea though- take the router out of the equation. If that works, what's my long term solution- get a dsl modem/wireless router combo?
M
Perhaps, or we may be able to get the setup working properly - there may be something clashing on the wireless router and we just need a bit more config to get it working. It will be good try remove that from the equation after you've played your Skype game...

[littleo]

Well, after a hellish work week I'm back to trying to get this guy to work. I can't get my desktop(the pc I intend to use for hosting) to connect to the qwest modem. It just registers a local area connection and an unidentified network. Tried 1.5 hours of phone tech support with centurylink. They gave up, not their equipment problem. Next I hooked up my Toshiba netbook to the modem. It connected immediately. I loaded a full version of FG2, assigned a static IP, port forwarded the modem to the netbook, and the connection test was successful without messing with windows firewall or turning off AVG AV. Had a friend connect remotely and was successful! So, what do I know? Not sure, either the linksys router or the desktop is the problem, or both? It was cool to see someone connect and start playing around with the program- creating a character, rolling the dice, etc.
Mike D

[damned]

are you online now?

[littleo]

Yes, but I might have missed you.
M

[littleo]

Damned kindly helped me work out my connection issues. Up and running now. Thanks so much.
Mike D

[Trenloe]

Damned kindly helped me work out my connection issues.
He's a good one that damned.

What was the problem?

[damned]

internet <-> modem doing NAT <-> router doing NAT <-> PC with FW rules changed but still too tight

[littleo]

What he said. He actually possessed my pc and slapped it around for about an hour until it cried uncle.
M

[Trenloe]

What he said. He actually possessed my pc and slapped it around for about an hour until it cried uncle.
You let damned possess your PC? Oh, oh! :-o

[littleo]

Yeah, I'm expecting to wake up in the middle of the night, the soft glow of the monitor coming from the computer room. It's going to go all Chuckie on me...
M