Playing FG on a network

[nathal]

Can two people play FGs at the same time on a wireless network? If I wanted to DM a game, and have my wife join on the other computer in the house, as well as others in distant locations, would it be possible?

[Crusader]

Yes.

[devinnight]

I tested the demo on my network with no trouble, one machine hosted the other joined it, and I had someone connect from outside at the same time.
-D

[Alkaven]

This actually makes me ponder on a question of my own. Could you technically use Fantasy Grounds using a local area connection between two or more computers NOT connected to the internet?

Obviously, this could be remedied by creating your own network of computers and manually assigning IP addresses accordingly, but for the standard tabletop fan who is computer-illiterate, how would you go about doing that?

[nathal]

That's good news. Thanks for the feedback.

[Prince Bertram]

This actually makes me ponder on a question of my own. Could you technically use Fantasy Grounds using a local area connection between two or more computers NOT connected to the internet?

Absolutely. I have done this at home both on a wireless and wired basis. And it is also possible, as mentioned above, to have someone connect remotely using the Internet while the rest of the players are part of the local network.

See my post in this forum "Using Fantasy Grounds at the Gaming Table" as it describes exactly the situation you mention Alkaven.

-Prince Bertram

[Alkaven]

Absolutely. I have done this at home both on a wireless and wired basis. And it is also possible, as mentioned above, to have someone connect remotely using the Internet while the rest of the players are part of the local network.

See my post in this forum "Using Fantasy Grounds at the Gaming Table" as it describes exactly the situation you mention Alkaven.

-Prince Bertram

I couldn't quite find the solution in your topic, Bertram, although perhaps I might've overlooked it accidentally. My concern was being able to use FG in a local area network. For example, there are five computers in one room with monitors and a network cable connecting them to a hub or switch with NO internet connection whatsoever. That's right. One switch, five cables, no modem. Not even a wireless modem. Hell, just to make sure, no phone-jack, cable-jack, or any possible connection to the outside world other than a power jack.

As said, you could just manually assign an IP to each computer and have no trouble connecting that way. However, for someone who doesn't know how to do that, how would you go about connecting that way?

Granted, you COULD just use one computer for all the tools while gathering around a table. But I'm just asking for the sake of knowing the capability.

[Sixpak]

It depends on what you're connecting everything to. A hub, switch, or router all operate a little differently. Most likely a switch or router *could* auto-assign a dynamic IP address to any computer that plugs into it, as long as the system is configured to use DHCP.

In most cases hubs are dumbed down and you must manually assign an IP address on each computer. This is what the IP 192.168.x.x is normally reserved for (internal networks).

So in a nutshell, YES, once you have your computers all communication to each other (no outside internet connection needed) you could use and connect with FG.

There are numerous articles that can show you how to manually assign an IP address depending on which version of windows you all use and how you have them connect to each other.

[Prince Bertram]

It depends on what you're connecting everything to. A hub, switch, or router all operate a little differently. Most likely a switch or router *could* auto-assign a dynamic IP address to any computer that plugs into it, as long as the system is configured to use DHCP.

Sixpack is right on the target here...

Most of the inexpensive home wireless networking products from D-Link, LinkSys etc. will act as a DHCP host out-of-the-box assigning a dynamic IP address for each compter you connect wirelessly or by wire -- most of these are 4 port hubs so you can connect 4 computers via a wired connection, and for pratical purposes, an unlimited number via a wireless connection. Simply do not connect your cable modem to the WAN (Wide Area Network) port on the wireless router/switch and you're up and running a completely local network. Because of the built-in DHCP in the router/switch chances are VERY GOOD you not going to need to assign individual static IP addresses - although that too is easy enough to do.

So what you need is Wireless Router/Switch/Hub - functionality provided by just about any wireless home networking product you can buy. And with the rebates, you might be able to pick one up for free or $25 or less if you scour the weekend papers.

Of couse you then need a PC with a network card (10/100 Base-T Ethernet interface) if you want to connect the PC by wire or a USB wireless Network adapter. Many newer laptops have the wireless adapter built in.

To connect to the game you simply supply the IP address of the computer hosting the FG session on the local area network - as Sixpack says it will be 192.168.x.x something - in the range of IP addresses reserved for local area networks. No connection is needed to the Internet because in Fantasy Grounds you are specifying the host IP address directly on the local network -- you don't need a server alias (nor can you use one if you do not have an Internet connection!). So, for example, on my local network, the Lite client connects to the Host Full FG computer using the Full FG host's IP address of 192.168.2.16. The IP address you will need will be the one assigned the Full FG host PC by the wireless router/switch DHCP functionality.

Hope this helps.

-Prince Bertram