Connection help please

[keane]

Hey All,

First, I have scoured the forums/web/etc. and I can't find a fix yet. Maybe I overloaded myself with information, maybe I'm an idiot, maybe both. But if I could get some help, that would be great.

Using comcast as my ISP.

I have the ultimate license and I can start a game and my laptop can connect when I use the 192.168.1.101 (IP of PC running FG). But when I try to use the external IP it just gives me the DNS ip of Comcast. I've tried connecting to that (I didn't expect it to work but had to try) and it fails.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks in advance.
-Kevin

[keane]

Also, I have a linksys e-3000 router and I did port forwarding. Not sure what I am missing.

[Trenloe]

There's a good chance that you won't be able to connect back into yourself using your external IP address - i.e. going out onto the internet and then back into the same place. If you're connecting locally then use the internal IP address (192.168.xx.yy).

to test if you're setup for others joining over the Internet, run the connection test on the "Load Campaign" screen of the GM computer.

[keane]

I tried that and I get "failure".

I have norton installed and I have that port open both ways for both TCP and UDP. And my router has that port forwarded as well. And I have tried running it with Norton turned off (gack!) and it still throws the "failure" message.

[Trenloe]

On the GM computer, what is Windows showing your network connection as? Public or Private? If it's public, change it to private.

[keane]

Showing up as private, wired connection.

[Trenloe]

For the single port forward you've setup for port 1802 (external and internal) with the TCP protocol, make sure the port forward rule has "Enabled" checked. Save settings. Then reboot the router - sometimes you need to do this for it to take the change you've made.

[Nylanfs]

Are you using the comcast cable router in addition to the router you have listed above?

[keane]

I have a comcast modem, but not the a router. I will reboot my linksys router a little later today as Trenloe has suggested.

[damned]

the comcast modem is almost definitely also a router and almost definitely also doing NAT.
log onto the comcast and do port forward there to the linksys.
then port forward the linksys to your pc.

[keane]

I did the port forward to the linksys from the comcast modem (thanks for that tip damned).

The Comcast modem (10.0.0.1) has a port forward to 10.0.0.20 (linksys e3000). The linksys has port forward to my pc (192.168.1.115) and when I run a test it says successful, which is great. However, when I launch a client on my laptop and try to connect to the IP it says I have it fails. But when I use 192.168.1.115, it connects.

Does it have something to do with the laptop using the wifi from the linksys? Should I ask someone else outside the network to try to connect?

[damned]

External (on another network) players should connect to your Alias or External IP
Local (on the same network) players should connect to your Internal IP
Hamachi Users (you must both be on Hamachi) should both connect to your Hamachi IP.
For a GM connection on the same computer as the GM use the special address localhost

[Trenloe]

As mentioned in post #3 - you more than likely won't be able to connect back into yourself - even with correct port forwarding.

As damned says - use the internal address if you're connecting internally.

If you want to do some external testing get one of your players to try or post your alias here (briefly) for people to try to connect.

[keane]

You guys were VERY helpful. With the tips given here I was able to get both my comcast modem and linksys router open so I can host games. Thank you SO much!!!

[damned]

Hey keane please post what was required for your setup for the next person :)

[keane]

damned, good idea.

- Login to the Comcast modem and find the IP of linksys router (under Connected Devices) and assigne it a Reserved IP. (example 10.0.0.11)
- While on the Comcast modem (which does act as a router), enable port forwarding and port forward 1802 to the IP you assigned to the linksys. (ex 10.0.0.11)
- Give the system you are running FG on a static IP (ex. 192.168.0.101)
- On the linksys router, port forward 1802 to the IP of the system you are running FG on. (ex. 192.168.0.101)
- Click the connection test and if it's a green SUCCESS status, you should be good to go. Have someone connect to confirm.

[wwgross66]

Question in relation to this thread. By opening up my computer this way (if I want to GM games), will that also open up my computer to chances of attacks by viruses, malware, and the like?
Also, is there any way for someone who doesn't know jack crap about any of this router, port forwarding, Linksys....stuff to even be able to do all that? I wouldn't even know how to start looking for an IP of a Linksys router or anything like that.

[damned]

Question in relation to this thread. By opening up my computer this way (if I want to GM games), will that also open up my computer to chances of attacks by viruses, malware, and the like?

Every open port does increase your exposure to some degree.
Its like the old letter slots in door ways - designed for letters but someone could try push a snake through too...

There are 65,535 TCP ports and you are opening one of them.
For the hole to be useful to an attacker something has to be listening for traffic on that port when the hacker attempts whatever they are trying.
99.9% of the time the only thing listening on this port is FG (eg when FG is not using the port very occasionally a browser or other app may temporarily use that port, but will reject un-requested traffic) and as a niche application it hasnt as yet been subject to any serious exploitation attempts that anyone is aware of. Ive seen one single report where a user claimed an attack but did not provide any follow up information.

There is always *some* risk but the risk is in my opinion very low.

[keane]

Every open port does increase your exposure to some degree.
There is always *some* risk but the risk is in my opinion very low.

I agree. And to be safe I turned off port forwarding on my comcast router and it caused FG to fail on the connection as expected.