had problems with hosting...Monk fixed...

me and a friend spent hours trying to multiplayer...

from Sins Forums

Ok tonight was the first night I actually am cursing at this game and Ironclad. So much so I really am extremely upset.

Let me first state....Im a fairly knowledgable computer user. Been playing game for years. I know my way around in my router control panel and all that.

Tonight me and a new friend (who I just talked into buying the game) spent 2 hours trying to get a game going with no luck at all. We followed the guides on the site including that PDF that one player typed up. We set up port forwarding, trying all kinds of things like turning on DMZ and more. My Vista firewall is disabled.

Hell we even trying taking the router completely out of the loop. I hooked directly from my cable modem to my computer...still got same warnings about people may not be able to connect as Im behind a firewall etc. I have Vista Firewall off....Norton disabled and even took router out of the loop and still have the smae problem.

We both tried everything. We did notice that we both were able to connect to someone elses game. Yet neother of us could host a game. We could see each others games. But cant connect.

Im really upset. I think back to the videos on this game and the producer saying "We have avoided the hurdles of other RTS games as we have beta tested for a long time and dont have the connection issues...". I disagree. A game should not make you jump through hoops like this to get a game going.

I play alot of games. I could list 20+ on this computer right now and none of them ahve ever given me a problem like this to get a game going with a friend. This is really upsetting. If someone has any suggestions on how to get this working...please enlighten me.

We are both using Linksys routers. Mine is a WRT54GS. We are using Vista. My firmware is up to date on router. I set up forwarding under the gaming section of panel. As I said I even tried turning DMZ on. I tried a million things. this is really upsetting.

 

18,582 views 30 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
My hosting panel gives me that warning and it still works every time when I hook the cable modem directly up to the computer. If you have TS or vent contact me and I will walk you through setting up the game to play behind a router. Don't fret.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
I have the same router as you and can host/join games just fine. Even if it gives you the message, you can still host games. I'm also using Vista. I just turn on DMZ when hosting.
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
FNR....sent you a message with our vent info...

To other reply...I have tried that. We both have. Neither one of us seem ot be able to host a game the other can join.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
I also get this warning some times(once I didn't get it, then I did...) and everyone seemed to be able to join my games just fine.
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
It's your router... nothing to do with the game.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
Tekkor,

Please download and read my guide "Networking and SINS" linked-to on page 3 (POST #66) of the the stickied thread "how to: see/connect-to/host servers". It may be that you and your friend are in a "double-NAT" scenario where your cable/dsl modems are also functioning as routers (explained in my guide).

Anyway, as fnr has already offered up his time I won't intrude any further.

the Monk
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
Yeah its your router, not the game. The Linksys routers, frankly, suck.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
Monk..I just sent you a message with our vent info...we are working on it without much luck
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Well with Monks help Im able to host now.

The problem ended up being I guess a double NAT issue. I have a dsl modem that was causing the issue. We were able to figure out how to log into my modem...set it to forward the ports to my router...then forward from my router to my computer. Also had to "allow" wan to lan to be sent through the modem as well.

Then everything started working.

Pretty complicated stuff that Monk had to help me figure out as Ive logged into my router plenty but never into my modem which was where the problem was.

Thanks again to Monk.
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
Ironclad needs to get some tips from Blizzard Entertainment to manage multiplayer connections...  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
Off-Topic:

How exactly do Linksys routers suck? This is an honest question, as I would have thought that having Cisco back them up would mean that their routers would be rather advanced in terms of reconfigurability.
Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top
Ironclad needs to get some tips from Blizzard Entertainment to manage multiplayer connections...   
End of quote


No its routers getting more complicated and gamers getting less so thats all(and yes it is the router not the game causing these problems).
Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top
$50 says 99% of the people having problems also installed Nvidia's Ethernet Controller. I don't remember if that's the exact name, but it's part of a suite of drivers you install if you have an nForce motherboard, among other things. It runs its own shitty firewall that will cause nothing but problems.
Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top
$50 says 99% of the people having problems also installed Nvidia's Ethernet Controller. I don't remember if that's the exact name, but it's part of a suite of drivers you install if you have an nForce motherboard, among other things. It runs its own shitty firewall that will cause nothing but problems.
End of quote


It was disabled by default on my old NForce 4.
Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top
Well again I was able to solve the problem with Monks help....However.....

Im a pretty tech-savy computer user and this was WAY beyond what 80% of your gamers are familier enough to deal with. I mean we had to figure out how to log into my modem (not the router mind you we had already done that) then had to figure out how to port forward on it to the router then forward to the computer.

It was simple it what it was we were doing but was way beyond what your average computer user would figure out.

Somehow Ironclad needs to figure out a way to deal with these issues with the game because we cant have users like Monk hand guide thousands of players through network troubleshooting. 3/4's of your players who have problems wont be as "aggresive" as me to get help either. They will just give up. This doesnt help the community.
Reply #19 from Sins Forums Top
Ironclad needs to get some tips from Blizzard Entertainment to manage multiplayer connections...   No its routers getting more complicated and gamers getting less so thats all(and yes it is the router not the game causing these problems).
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Which no other game is having a problem with. If all games had this issue for multiplayer, I would understand - but they do not. This is not an isolated problem either.
Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top
They will just give up. This doesnt help the community.
End of quote


Yup, correct !
Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top
Im a pretty tech-savy computer user and this was WAY beyond what 80% of your gamers are familier enough to deal with.
End of quote


How many times does it need to be said? This is not the developer's fault, it's an issue of home networking. Whenever you play ANY game where you host the game locally on your computer, be it Neverwinter Nights, or anything else, you will have to open the ports to your computer. People seem to think that because they can play WoW - that is, JOIN another game on somebody else's server - Blizzard are amazing coders and Ironclad is just being lazy or something.

For the last time - the hosting issues people are having have to do with the fact that ICO is just a matchmaking service for people to host their own games, rather than being a hosting service itself.
Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top
How many times does it need to be said? This is not the developer's fault, it's an issue of home networking. Whenever you play ANY game where you host the game locally on your computer, be it Neverwinter Nights, or anything else, you will have to open the ports to your computer. People seem to think that because they can play WoW - that is, JOIN another game on somebody else's server - Blizzard are amazing coders and Ironclad is just being lazy or something. For the last time - the hosting issues people are having have to do with the fact that ICO is just a matchmaking service for people to host their own games, rather than being a hosting service itself.
End of quote


Ok....I wasnt going to reply but felt obligated to since your tone is trying to take the stance of "Hey stupid people dont you get it.".

Yeah I get it. You can say all you want its not the developers fault. In fact Ill agree with you. They dont say in the bullet points of the game "We promise you 100% success on multiplayer gaming!". But I think your missing the point.

This game has no campaign mode. Its single player is essentially multiplayer with computer AI. So the game is totally geared towards multiplayer gaming. Yet....anyone who has a modem that has its own NAT settings and a router is going to have to deal with double forwarding setups and more.

Yeah I totally understand whats going on. I understand this game is not hosting the games for you to play its just connecting 2 players together yada yada yada. I get it. That doesnt make it any better for new players who buy the game who maybe are not network administrators for a living to be able ot host a multiplayer game with a friend.

I guess for me....if all it involved was going into my router and setting a simple port forward...thats easy. But this was more involved. To be honest I had no idea the little cable/dsl modems where starting to put NAT/Firewall etc settings in them. Now that I know I get it. It makes sense. But Im betting many people will not understand it unless they come in here and dive into reading the right thread.

Anyway....again...I understand what your saying. I think all of us do. We are just saying..."Yeah so what? There has to be a better way to get the issues resolved."
Reply #23 from Sins Forums Top
How many times does it need to be said? This is not the developer's fault, it's an issue of home networking. Whenever you play ANY game where you host the game locally on your computer, be it Neverwinter Nights, or anything else, you will have to open the ports to your computer. People seem to think that because they can play WoW - that is, JOIN another game on somebody else's server - Blizzard are amazing coders and Ironclad is just being lazy or something.

For the last time - the hosting issues people are having have to do with the fact that ICO is just a matchmaking service for people to host their own games, rather than being a hosting service itself.
End of quote



Exactly right!  :CONGRAT: 


Having said that, I'm always more than happy to be able to help and was glad I was able to talk Tekkor through solving his issue last night.

I would again encourage everyone to please download and read my guides:

1. Networking for the Gamer (link located in the FAQ and page 1 of my sticky)
- contains "generalized" networking information great to have/know in any situation.


2. Networking and SINS (link located on POST #66 on page 3 of my sticky)
- contains all of the information needed to successfully play/host SINS! Follow the instructions in this guide exactly and you won't have any issues whatsoever.



note: If you're having problems with HOW, please contact me and as Tekkor and so many others have already found out, I'll gladly talk you through the HOW. I only have a problem with people not willing to read my guides which clearly explain the WHAT, and then do nothing but bitch, bitch, bitch, WHY!

have a nice day everyone!

the Monk


EDIT: btw...Tekkor was a perfect example of someone who didn't know the WHAT, but once I explained the WHAT to him, he was more than willing to work through the HOW with me. If only everyone were as willing as Tekkor to accept help.  :D 
Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top
Yes Monk thanks much for the help I appreciate it. With my post above Im not arguing the how and why of the problem either. I understand it...especially after talking to you. I just feel people have to be careful in how they kinda take the "Dont you people get it" stance.

This is much more complicated to get working then most gamers will be able to handle. If nothing else I think Ironclad needs to figure out some way to put together a more effective help file or video or something. Im just saying...yeah i understand why it doesnt work and I understand the issues around it...Im just saying...I dont think thats a good excuse to not try to do something to help make it easier for people to figure out.
Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top
OK, I'm totally confused. I have a linksys WRT54GS. I've been tinkering with this thing for an hour, and did my best to follow Monk's guide. Under the Applications and Gaming Tag there are a number of boxes. Under application, I wrote sins. Start I put 6000, end I put 6003. Someone else who has the same router told me these settings worked for him. Protocol I put both. There's an IP address already filled in 192.168.1. with a blank space after the last dot...I left that totally empty, since I didn't know what to do with it. I clicked enable, and hit save changes...and nothing. I disabled all firewalls. Can anyone help?