[HunkFam]

Hello all,

I can see both the router address and the Powerbook IP address in the Airport utility. However, my kid wants to host a game on the PC (Windows XP) and the other user needs to know the IP address. The IP addresses given in the Network Connections and in the Game (Age of Empires) properties don't work.

Any ideas on how I find out what IP address my PC has so that others can connect to play a game?

Thanks,
Thad

[mdc]

on the pc

start -> run -> command (for win9x) cmd (nt,2000,xp) [in the command prompt (like the terminal)] -> ipconfig /all

it will give youthe ip address of the pc in there

[HunkFam]

Ok,

That worked, but it didn't give me any new info. The IP addresses are still the "bogus" ones. By that I mean, none of the given addresses have the router address integrated.

The router address is 217.x.y.z so I expect an IP address of 217.a.b.c to show up for the PC (kind of like the Mac). That way the "outsider" will first find the router (217) and then the attached computer.

Any other ideas?

thanks,

Thad

[krove]

Unless your internet service provider has given you more than one IP address, then you cannot pull more than one "public" ip. It sounds like the 217.xxx.xxx.xxx address on your router is the public ip address, so the router uses NAT (network address translation) and DHCP to share that one ip accross a set of "private" ip addresses (usually in either f these ranges: 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x).

To access a computer behind a router from the outside world, you need to turn on port forwarding on your router. Basically, when the router receives an outside request on a specific port, it will forward it to the private ip address and port you assign.

Any help?

[HunkFam]

Yes, that is helpful! And indeed, my Airport Configuration DOES specify that IP Sharing is going on using DHCP and NAT. And yes, the numbers on my PC are 10.x.y.z type numbers.

But I still don't see how to "port forward." The Aiport has a tab for Port Mapping, but it's empty and it isn't intuitive (for me) how to make it forward incoming gamers to the PC.

Any ideas?

thanks,

Thad

[iDriveX]

Hi Thad,

You need to find out which ports that the game will be played on. The game will request data packets on a port number or a range of ports. Take for instance, HTTP operates on Port 80 and a program like Carracho operates on Port 2000. If you can find out which port the game operates on, you can open up the Airport Admin and type in the public and private port (will be the same) and the PC's IP Address (will be 10.0.1.x), then you will tell your son's friend that the IP address to connect to the game is "217.x.x.x:y" where the x's are your IP address that the router has and "y" is the port that the game operates on.

Also it would be a lot easier, if it's possible, to connect the PC directly to your broadband line while he's playing the game. That way you can by pass all of this. Hope that helps!

[chabig]

In Airport Admin Utility, you have to turn on port forwarding. Click the "New" button and fill in the port the game uses, the IP address of your son's PC.

Assuming the game uses port 2345 and your son's IP address is 10.0.1.5 it should look like this:



All you will need to know is the port number. Either it will be in the game documentation, or on the game publisher's tech support web site.

Your son's friends will use the 217.X.X.X IP address of the base station.

Chris

[HunkFam]

Ok, that makes sense. So now I need to figure out which port Age of Empires uses on my XP machine. Hmm. Anyone know how to do this?

Connecting the PC to my broadband is an option, as you mention, but then my line is dedicated to the PC and Internet options for my MAC are gone. Unless there is some fancy piece of hardware out there that I can plug my Airport, PC, and DSL modem into and it'll do the sorting...

So...anyone know how to determine specific ports for games on a PC?

thanks lots,
Thad

[aaanorton]

You'd also be better off NOT getting an IP via DHCP for the PC. Instead, if you manually set a static IP on the PC, you won't have to worry about it's IP changing.

[chabig]

So now I need to figure out which port Age of Empires uses on my XP machine. Hmm. Anyone know how to do this?

I searched google with "which port does age of empires use".

I found this FAQ (http://artho.com/age/faq.html) that says "AoE uses DirectPlay from DirectX 5.2a; The ports are assigned random; it does not work with firewalls."

However, I also found a program at http://www.puffinsoft.com/ that is supposed to allow DirectX games to work behind firewalls.

And finally, I found info (http://www.u.arizona.edu/~trw/games/example.htm) that says it will work if you forward a range of ports. Specifically, forward port 47624 and ports 2300-2400.

I think you're on your own now. The Puffinsoft program might be the easiest solution.

Good luck,
Chris

[HunkFam]

Thank you SO much...I'll try to input that range of ports and see if it works...

Somehow, I thought this would be easier. I guess the hardcore gamers out there don't go through their wireless routers!


thanks again,
Thad