Fantasy Grounds and IPv6

[Guenni1985]

[MODERATOR - created new thread from FGU thread]

I recently changed my ISP and now have no ip4 line to HOST any Games (online). I have NO clue about installing VPN Clients and i think that it shouldnt be necessary to do it.
Thats why i want FGU the most. Im aware that you cant upgrade the old FG to work with IPv6 so i long for a fast release.

[Targas]

What major brand IP provider in your region won‘t support IPv4 anymore? Just curious, because I know the majority is providing IPv4. Maybe you can even ask them, if using IPv4 would be possible somehow.

[Trenloe]

I have NO clue about installing VPN Clients and i think that it shouldnt be necessary to do it.
Unfortunately, if your ISP is purely IPv6 then your main option with the current FG application is to use a VPN. The core networking of the current FG is not going to be changed just to support IPv6 (it probably isn't even possible with the current network libraries used) when a new architecture is on the horizon.

If you want help setting up a VPN then please start a new thread with your questions/needs for assistance. I'm sure we can help get you up and running. :)

[Guenni1985]

Unitymedia in NRW, Germany . They are a newer Company, so most of the ip4 adresses are already bought by the older ones. they are saving theirs for buisness accounts.

[Guenni1985]

@trenloe
I know that FG cant easily change its networking with the current engine.
I had one VPN running for an old game without online Multiplayer once, but that particular one seems not to exist anymore.
I just have opened a free hamachi server, but that will only enable up to 4 players and that may not be enough all the time, since my actual home game has 6 players.
Any recommendations for free VPN solutions?

Oh new thread Material ;)

[Trenloe]

I just have opened a free hamachi server, but that will only enable up to 4 players and that may not be enough all the time, since my actual home game has 6 players.
Any recommendations for free VPN solutions?

Oh new thread Material ;)
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?20309-GM-Connection-Issues-Tried-Everything-Try-Hamachi

See "How to get more than 4 players connected" at the bottom of post #1 in that thread.

And, yeah, any further discussions should be in a more relevant thread. :) Thanks!

[lostsanityreturned]

@trenloe
Any recommendations for free VPN solutions?

Oh new thread Material ;)

As you haven't created a new thread yet I couldn't reply there (sorry trenloe)

Have you tried a dynamic DNS? For free ones you could go with something like noip.com ; you would need to confirm your free account once per month but I believe it can route to IPv6 addresses.

Be easier than a VPN and have less impact on your connection.

[Guenni1985]

there is no new thread because it already existed

[Trenloe]

As you haven't created a new thread yet I couldn't reply there (sorry trenloe)
No worries. I've moved the relevant posts to a new thread.


Have you tried a dynamic DNS? For free ones you could go with something like noip.com ; you would need to confirm your free account once per month but I believe it can route to IPv6 addresses.

Be easier than a VPN and have less impact on your connection.
I'm not sure how that's going to help, to be honest. Everything in FG Classic is IPv4 - it doesn't use IPv6 at all. From the local communications, to UPnP attempts on the router, to the FG alias functionality. There may be some ways of converting IPv6 to IPv4 (NAT64 for example, if that's possible with the FG IP packets - it might not be) but this could get very complex - as the players and GM would need to do things differently than just running FG, and the alias functionality probably wouldn't work as that uses IPv4 only. I don't think this will be less complex than using Hamachi, probably much more complex.

A paid VPN, like PureVPN with a static IP, is even easier than Hamachi - just the GM has to use the VPN and the alias functionality works, the players don't need to do a thing. But, it's paid, not free.

However, there may be some other option or process that might be possible out there. Perhaps someone in the community might know of a way of bodging this together?

[damned]

Dynamic DNS wont help in this situation.
Another service that should work - paid again - is https://portmap.io/

[Valhingen]

I'm in the exact same postion as Guenni1985 - we used FG without issues (on the connecting side) until I moved and my ISP (same, Unitymedia NRW) used that chance to switch from ipv4 to ipv6.
Ever since we can only play using Hamachi (and using it twice as above to go beyond 4 connections.

However, most of us are rather uncomfortable with using VPNs...partly for security concerns, partly for technical issues - when something doesnt work, its not easy for the average person to fix it, compared to before where all they had to do was start FG and enter those 4 words to connect. Also, changing ISP isnt really an option. For one, most are heading this route but also, Unitymedia hosts all of our services in a package, TV, Phone, Inet and overall we have no issues.
As for asking them for an IPv4 address...I think that is still possible but only when you register a business account. For us thats approx 20-25 EUR per month additionally.

The brings me to my core question....is it already a given that whenever FGU is out, that it will support IPv6? Can we expect (ok, hope) that with FGU we no longer need any VPNs?
(nice new features aside, thats the big, number ONE reason we are waiting for FGU)

[Trenloe]

The brings me to my core question....is it already a given that whenever FGU is out, that it will support IPv6? Can we expect (ok, hope) that with FGU we no longer need any VPNs?
(nice new features aside, thats the big, number ONE reason we are waiting for FGU)
Yes, IPv6 will be supported. Many people who use VPNs now with FGC will not need them with FGU.

Some info here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W3pXhhoTQwM. (Doug talks about FGU networking for a couple of minutes from 49:10).

There will always be the edge cases where some groups may still need to use VPNs - but these will be where there are restrictions at the GMs location (hosting from work, China, hosting on a restricted apartment complex shared network, hotels, etc.).

[Valhingen]

Thank you - thats a big relief for us :) Now, what did you say the date was for its release? j/k ... looking forward to it.

[damned]

Now this is based on a conversation I had with someone other than Doug and it was some time ago...
At that time it was not a given that IPv6 would be implemented.
What was going to be implemented were other methods of doing the connections - eg via a brokered server connection where players and gm can connect to a central server to establish the sessions.

It was some time ago and thus early in the piece.

It is worth noting that the vast majority of applicattions and networks today are still IPv4 - even in countries like Germany - the traffic is (not so?) simply NATd to IPv4.
The worlds biggest and busiest sites are dual stacked but most of the traffic hitting those sites is still IPv4.
And the vast majority of sites are still IPv4 only.

[Andraax]

Since my ISP supports IPv6 (but does not require it) I took the opportunity of being on vacation to get IPv6 setup here at home, as well as a TOR relay / bridge and an onion website. So, I'm all set for the future. :-)

[Nylanfs]

Why dodn't you setup a VPS, that way you just need to send the group that IP address?

[Targas]

Another possibility we just successfully tried out is, to rent a Win10 server on the cloud (we used amazon aws, t2.medium for approx. 5 cent an hour) with the demo license of Fantasy Grounds, and the player with IPV6 remotely connects from his Win10 client using ‚mstsc‘ to this server, starting Fanasy Grounds and connecting from there.

[Tabatha]

A short heads up for other users of unitymedia.

If you book the power upload option you'll get IPv4 as a byproduct, but it costs additional 2,99€ per month.

[Valyar]

All cloud providers have IPv4 in the stack so I use the smallest possible Linux VM in Azure and remote port forwarding over SSH session. My players connect to the machine without issues and the only drawback with this configuration is that the alias system does not work, as it has no idea that there is port redirection and tunnels that deliver the traffic on the local IP.

AWS offer Amazon Linux as free tier and can be used for some time free of charge, paying only for the public IP.

[damned]

All cloud providers have IPv4 in the stack so I use the smallest possible Linux VM in Azure and remote port forwarding over SSH session. My players connect to the machine without issues and the only drawback with this configuration is that the alias system does not work, as it has no idea that there is port redirection and tunnels that deliver the traffic on the local IP.

AWS offer Amazon Linux as free tier and can be used for some time free of charge, paying only for the public IP.

Are you SSH tunneling?
The other downside to that is the connection is throttled to a fairly low speed.
I do this as well when Im somewhere tricky and while the lower speed has never been an issue for me it could be if sharing lots of stuff.