Connection of laptops at the gaming table

[miklos]

Does anyone know how i make a home network to use FG at the gaming table.Which is the procedure?What else i will need?Is a full license enough or i must have and a lite licence for each player using the program?

[Crusader]

First off, the laptops need Network Interface Cards (or NIC:s), which shouldn't be a problem, because most laptops have both NIC:s and WLAN built into them. Then, for everyone to connect their laptops you'll either need a switch or some sort of access point, depending on whether your going for a wired or a wireless network. One of the laptops need a full license (for the person acting as GM) and the others need either full or Lite license.

I don't know if this answers your question, but just ask away if it doesn't.

[richvalle]

You could probably get away with just a cheap hub and run wires from everyone to it. But everyone would have to be on the same network, which would mean going in and changing the IP address of each system to something like 192.168.10.something.

rv

[miklos]

Thanks a lot!

[Sigurd]

Richvalle is right about the ip settings. Local computers should have local addresses (typically 192.168.0.x) Your mask is usually 255.255.255.0. If your server is behind your firewall and you are sharing the connections with your buddies at the table and someone on the internet you may have to give one IP to whoever is outside your lan (on the internet) and your local # at the table.

(the 255 numbers are correct - thanks Crusader:) )


The local number will make routing requests simpler and faster for your router. Beware that I don't think you can use the alias function to find your local computers internal network address (the one behind the firewall).

Network Address Translation in your firewall shares your internet access by creating new numbers.


Sigurd

[Crusader]

Richvalle is right about the ip settings. Local computers should have local addresses (typically 192.168.0.x) Your mask is usually 254.254.254.0. If your server is behind your firewall and you are sharing the connections with your buddies at the table and someone on the internet you may have to give one IP to whoever is outside your lan (on the internet) and your local # at the table.


The local number will make routing requests simpler and faster for your router. Beware that I don't think you can use the alias function to find your local computers internal network address (the one behind the firewall).

Network Address Translation in your firewall shares your internet access by creating new numbers.


Sigurd

That netmask would actually be 255.255.255.0

[Crusader]

You could probably get away with just a cheap hub and run wires from everyone to it. But everyone would have to be on the same network, which would mean going in and changing the IP address of each system to something like 192.168.10.something.

rv

Can you even get hubs nowadays? Either way, a small switch is really cheap, and you'd get a lot better performance out of it.

[richvalle]

I think so. I know we have a lot of them laying around at my work. :)

Lets see...

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7169262&type=product&id=1110266457493

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7169244&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01033&id=1110266457435

Found a couple on newegg too. Looks like most home use ones are 4-5 ports.

But, as Crusader says a switch would be better. I need to head home... can someone find some price/links for switches?

[festivus]

The cost difference between a switch and a hub is minimal. Unless you plan on doing packet sniffing or other geeky stuff stick with the switch.

[richvalle]

Yeah, looks like switchs cost about the same:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7169244&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01033&id=1110266457435

[Crusader]

The cost difference between a switch and a hub is minimal. Unless you plan on doing packet sniffing or other geeky stuff stick with the switch.

You wouldn't happen to be a fellow network engineer now would you? :)

Sorry for the off-topic question.

[Molchar]

I used to have a dedicated connection with 6 static IPs. However I got out of the serving business and now simply have a home network to a router, connected via cable modem to the internet.

All my PCs are using the routers DHCP for the 192.168.0.xxx subnet.

So, if I want to host a game for both players on my LAN (with laptops there at the gaming table) and a few remote players on the Internet proper, what IP address do I give them for my PC which the command IPCONFIG reveals as a 192.168.xxx.xxx non-routable address?

[festivus]

You wouldn't happen to be a fellow network engineer now would you? :)

Sorry for the off-topic question.

Sort of... it's one of those hats on the rack I wear, along with systems engineer, programmer, analyst, supervisor, manager, husband, father and of course dungeon master. :)


So, if I want to host a game for both players on my LAN (with laptops there at the gaming table) and a few remote players on the Internet proper, what IP address do I give them for my PC which the command IPCONFIG reveals as a 192.168.xxx.xxx non-routable address?

External users should be given the external address of your router. You can get this by going to https://www.whatsmyip.com or https://www.dnsstuff.com. You also need to be sure to open the port you are using for FG and/or setup port forwarding (this all is different based on your router brand). I can only speak to the specifics of a linksys router. If that is what you have then you need to be sure your FG server machine is using a static IP Address rather than a DHCP assigned address, since Linksys routers won't port forward to a dynamic address.