Halo 1 & 2 for PC
This topic has moved here: Subject: More Server Issues...
  • Subject: More Server Issues...
Subject: More Server Issues...
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Alright, I have read up on portforward.com and I have read a lot of the topics here relating to setting up a server on a home PC, but I still continue to have problems...

First off, if I set up a server on my PC, run it (using the dedicated server software from microsoft), and start up halo, and I click Join Game (by LAN), then I click Get List, I see the server (obveously because its running on my own machine). However, if I do the same on a differen't computer, within my LAN, the machine will not pick up the server running, nor can I connect thru Direct IP (it still doesn't see the server).

I have a Linksys BEFW11S4, and here is a screenshot of the forwarded ports:
[http://s11.imagehosting.us/uploadpoint/imagehosting_upload_s torage/nouser_1112/T0_-1_1112402.gif]

And yes, my network (or internal) IP address is 192.168.1.101

I have the ports configured as Server Port: 2302 : Client Port: 2303 - in the Halo Networking options menu.


Please help
Thanks
Josh

[Edited on 1/26/2006]

  • 01.26.2006 1:41 PM PDT
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You have to use different ports for the server and all the clients. The same port can't be forwarded to more than one computer at once.

Example:

server: 2301-2302
client1: 2303-2304
client2: 2305-2306

Of course, you can use any port number you want.

  • 01.26.2006 2:15 PM PDT
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heres what you gotta do: any clients within your network can join with theirs set to whatever ports they want. if you join from the machine you are serving from, you have to use different ports.

to me it sounds like something like firewall or antivirus is blocking the server from accessing your private network. if you have zonealarm make sure your network is in the trusted zone, if you have norton that explains a lot, trash it and get something else. i have had so many problems with opening ports in norton its not even worth it.

it is not enough to open the ports in your router. you have to open them in your software firewall also. if you dont they will most likely not be able to join your game. i used to host a ds on my computer every now and then. never had problems.

if you havent, also make sure anyone from the internet joins your public ip.

[Edited on 1/26/2006]

  • 01.26.2006 5:44 PM PDT
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k after I read what both of you said, opened all the ports like ice said, and I have opened the ports on my firewall (Sygate Personal)

ill try now and ill post back with results, thanks guys

  • 01.26.2006 6:05 PM PDT
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alright now its even worse...

still no one within my network can connect, and unlike before, i cant even see my own server running on the lan...

  • 01.26.2006 6:12 PM PDT
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Did you edit the port numbers in each of the games on the clients?

If client1 has 2303 and 2304 forwarded, make sure you match the network settings in Halo with that.

  • 01.26.2006 6:57 PM PDT
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and as i emphasized before...

the purpose of forwarding ports is to tell the router to route all traffic FROM THE INTERNET to that ip. it makes absolutely NO difference in lan. the reason you can only forward to one ip per port is because it cant send all data from one port to two computers...

my brother joins games on my computer all the time. and both of us use the default port settings of 2302 and 2303 udp. if you havent already, make sure that you have forwarded the ports in the router in UDP.

heres what i would do: kill your net connection (take the cable out of the wan port on the back of your router). you will have all functions of private lan without the dangers of the unfirewalled internet. now turn off all security software on all computers involved with halo. then try it. get it working without security software, and when you do, then try turning the security on. if it doesnt work then, check to make sure halo.exe has access to private lan and internet. if it does, then make sure the firewall does not think that the network connection is a internet connection. make it think it is a private network connection. this may seem risky seeing as the connection really is internet, but if your router has a firewall (most do) then you should be ok. if it works now, then good for us. if not, then check ports. the dedicated server can be whatever you feel like. heck make it port 1337 and 1338 for all i care. 2302 and 2303 are the simplest choices though. make sure that if you join from a client on the same computer as the server, you change the ports in-game to something else. try joining from another computer, and make sure all the aforementioned firewall settings are the same on both computers. if it still doesnt work... damn. next, find out how to open the ports the ds uses in your firewall. try using a method that doesnt apply only to halo.exe, but to all programs. i found in zonealarm if i open ports for halo.exe only it doesnt work. this is where norton sucks. eventually, after 20 mins of searching, i found this setting buried in something that didnt even make sense as context for this setting, and even then it didnt work. if you use norton and wish to host a server, i strongly suggest you get zonealarm pro instead. this only really needs to be done server-side.

if none of the above mentioned processes work, then you will need someone who can look at your network setup in person, because this is just about everything anyone here can say without specific information and observation of your network setup.

P.S.: once you either decide it works or doesnt, you can go ahead and plug the cable back into the wan port ;) internet always is a nice thing (ok not always...lol)

[Edited on 1/26/2006]

  • 01.26.2006 11:38 PM PDT
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thanks a lot guys, works like a charm :)

just, the bad thing is, im getting a new router and modem soon, so i will be back agian, count on it :)

  • 01.27.2006 5:27 PM PDT