Port already in use

[Roakana]

so im trying to set up 2 computers to be able to run as host for FG. i got my tower set up and working... took awhile. when i now try to also set up my laptop with the same permissions it says port is already in use by the Tower and thus cannot be used again. are there alternate Ports that i can use or is there another process to fix this problem.

Reason being i cant always predict which machine i will be running.

thanks for your help.


Ro

[darrenan]

I don't believe you can have two instances of FG (same machine, or different) acting as Host at the same time.

[Roakana]

not trying to have it at the same time. Im attempting to set up 2 comps where either can act as host at different times. ie sometimes i can play on the tower, other times i need to play on the laptop.

i believe the challenge is in the router that is holding the port open for the Tower and so when i try to point my laptop at the same port it says it is already taken.

it would be fixed if i removed the port from the Tower to allow the Laptop to use it. However that isnt optimal for flexibility.

[LordEntrails]

So there are two ways I know of you can approach this.

1) You can use a command line to run FG on a different port. I believe you add "-p####" to the command line. But then your players have to do the same thing.

2) If your router allows it, PnP or UPnP or something like that will mean that you do not need to do port forwarding. One of the networking guys will have to step in and tell you more. I only know its possible, if your local network hardware supports the function.

[darrenan]

The router needs to know which machine on the local network should get port 1802 traffic. I don't think there's any way it can automagically figure that out. Essentially, the router needs to map traffic coming in on <routerExternalIP>:1802 to <hostIP>:1802 on the internal network. For most routers this is a 1:1 mapping.

You could change the router configuration prior to starting up FG, using the IP:Port for the machine you're using as the host. Just go to the routers admin UI and change it before you start up the host.

Or you could use an alternate port on one of your machines by using the -pNNNN (ex. -p1803) command line argument. Then your router would have two mappings: one for 1802 to <host1>:1802, and the other for altPort to <host2>:altPort. However, if you do that then your players will also need to use that command line argument when they start up FG, because their FG will need to know to connect to the alternate port number.

[Roakana]

ok. good to know. sounds like i should just try to run games from the tower and the laptop can be for when i join games. Thanks for the notes on the alt port info. i might try that in a pinch.

thanks for all the advice.

if i did want to do alt port could i just run a short cut with the -p1803 in the Target line? if that is the case it is probably pretty easy for me to communicate to players.

i would also have to open up the fire wall and router to a port range correct (lets say 1802-1803)?

[damned]

The easiest way is to change your router if you ever have to host from the other computer. That will take you about 90seconds. Way quicker than explaining and walking every one of your players through setting up an alternate port and how to change it back when done.

[GarthGiantbane]

I do this as well - desktop and laptop alternating the host. When I set up the router for the port, I had to tell it the IP of the computer. So I set a static IP on the computer I'm using and set the other to dynamic. It's an easier back and forth swap and I do not have to access the cryptic router each time.

I hope this helps.

Garth

[Roakana]

ok. thanks.