MTW Firewall Problems ??

[YAKOBU]

Hi everyone

I used to play MTW:VI with a friend in Belgium no problems until RTW came along. Now we cannot play MP on either MTW:VI or RTW. I think during this time I moved my service provider to NTL and added a firewall to my home system. Before going on-line I would take down the firewall. On MTW: VI I can host but others cannot see my game and also my friend can host and I cannot see her game. Is it possible I have another firewall that is not showing? How can I check this?

Thanks for your help

[Tomisama]

I am no expert at this, but beyond turning off your Windows firewall and knowing that MTW and MTW/VI players can not see each others hosted games:

If your added firewall was hardware, like part of a router package, you will also have to configure the router.

If you want to deal with port switching, there is a no-brainer software package called Port Magic you can try for free at:

http://www.purenetworks.com/products/

If your firewall is software. I have had a software firewall that even when shut down, sill would not allow me to host. I had to uninstall it in the end.

You can check the Org Apothecary forum, and the GameSpy forums for more help.

Good Luck

[Clips]

I am expert in this, i sorted many people problems in VI and Rome, ive done business networking as part time job before and i research alot, but can you please state whether you are using a home network, router, or just 1 standed connection to web and if any firewalls are installed on your pc and which ones if they are, also what operating system are you using?

[YAKOBU]

Hi Clips

I'm on a single home PC but have added a wireless internet connection for my lodger which is linked to my PC. I have ZoneAlarm which I switch off when I try to MP. I am using Windows XP. I previously has AOL as a service provider but now have NTL but don't think they have a firewall.

Appreciate the help

[Elkwyn]

I, too, would like to be able to host, and am looking for some help on the matter. I'm on a home PC with a Norton Personal Firewall. I've tried disabling, disallowing firewalls from the control panel, and opening ports, but I can't seem to find the problem. I'm on DSL. Thanks in advance!

-Elkwyn

[Clips]

@Yokobu: One last question, the wireless connection between the 2 pc's, is this through a router for your wireless network or just a networking card from your pc to the other pc/laptop your friend is using, and please state whether its a pc or laptop, helps as some laptops have built in networking settings. But i think i have a answer to ya question if you provide this last piece of information mate.

@Elkwyn: is your pc a straight connection to the internet, or is it on a home network? as for norton firewall isnt that mate, i have this on my computers at home and its fine for hosting ones you enable it access which it should ask about when you first access the game, click permit then at bottom tick box to make it take action every time, then after this all flows to and from game are authorised. have you done that already? and after ya tell me that last information i can help your case also.

[YAKOBU]

Clips - I have an Actiontec Wireless Cable/DSL Router on my PC. My lodger uses a laptop. Does this help?

[Elkwyn]

It's a home LAN network. I don't remember about a firewall thing coming up when I first accessed the game, is there any way I could find out?

[Clips]

Well 2 easy ways to sort both of your questions but isnt the safest answer is some routers have an online system where you can change settings, to get into this for some routers you go to your internet browser and in the address bar type in 192.168.2.1 or go into your router settings if you know how and enable something called dmz hosting yet this puts you outside the routers firewall but can still be safe.

Or you can also go into your router settings page and enable a specific list of ports which enables you to host on VI, Rome or GS the list of these setting can be found at: http://www.totalwars.net/forum/kb.ph...3a730825d06343 or try site Tomi listed.

[Clips]

@Yokobu, well if your trying to host from the laptop, things could get a bit complicated as you have to configure the laptops wireless networking system to allow flow, but from what i am getting from ya sounds like your hosting from ya main pc. Ok first things first if your hosting through a router you will have to enable the ports on the post by me above or use dmz like me ok well next you will have to make sure your Windows XP firewall is turned off, for this go to control panel, then to network connections, then right click on the connection your using and go to properties, in properties click the advanced tab at the top of the window, then under internet connection firewall make sure this box is unticked.

One thing i will say for the firewalls some when you allow access to the game allow you to host, norton firewall is liek this, ounce you permit it, it will allow you to host...if theres no router ^^ but yes you are right ZoneAlarms is a bugger and even if you allow the game and it lets you enter it and host but no one will see your game like you said.

One problem you will have is because ZoneAlarms isn't a firewall which allows access flow in and out of your pc whilst staying relatively secure what ever you do, you will be putting your pc at risk of hacking, this is the reason why over half the community doesnt host online, most of the people which do use Norton or McAfee or one which allows. Yet your safest option if you want to host whilst keeping relatively secure is to disable the XP firewall and ZoneAlarm and then enable the router ports which are given in the link above. Nearly all routers have what is called an NAT firewall which is an hardware firewall which is over 100times better then any software firewall so your pc should be dead safe almost, unlike dmz, where it puts your computer outside the firewall and so full access is easily gained to your computer.

Alot of this probably dont make sence lmao cause i have not read back through it and have just been typing away like i do :P but if i see any problems or if you have any further questions please ask YOKO and i will post again with extra information.

[Clips]

Btw if you enable DMZ you dont have to mess around wiht any port settings but you are put outside the routers firewall (if your router has one, and if its turned on) Also if DMZ is on you are basically usiong a straight connection to the internet again but you will have no security but you will be running of a routers i.p. address which is supposidly unknown to hackers but thats crap lol trust me anyway if you have a anti virus with latest definistions with or without a firewall of any security if anything gets in your pc then it wont go anywhere, the anti virus will detect and destroy it instantly.

@Elkwyn, the information about routers reflects on your problem too as you said your using one also, (btw this is irrelivant but if you dont know anything about routers this is espeically to wireless router users, then your connection is most probably not encrypted and any body can gain access to web through your service lol for free, just thought id let ya know ^^)

To get up a list of blocked/permitted/semi permitted items double click on your little icon for the firewall should be greeny ball thingy lol in bottom right of pc screen, then when ya norton home firewall screen comes up go to personal firewall section tab on left of screen then 4 more sections inside there drop down and you should click on Internet Access Control in here is the full list of everything thats permitted and blocked etc you can delete things out of the list if you wish and if mtw or vi is in there id advice deleting them then next time you access the game a block pop up should come up and when it does hit permit and then tick in bottom left of the box always do same thing lol, btw many people dont check all the settings of there firewall to the left with all the sections, it pays too :)
Privacy Control is another main tab, in here you can set your information level, you home users may want to set it too medium it gives ou more info on game access for example when accessing them then on low, and it will pop up with permit/block option for more games

Anyway my minds gone blank now, so if any more help is needed ask, trust me its simple guys and your get there evntually.
Hope i was of help

[YAKOBU]

Hi Clips

Thanks for all your help, it is appreciated!!

I am already having trouble trying to access my router. From your link I managed to identify my IP address. Putting this into my internet browser brings up nothing and I can't find my router in the Control Panel. Any ideas how I find the flipping thing .

Do you also recommend I lose ZoneAlarm as I got it free?

[Clips]

Nah zone alarms fine man, it just needs disabling when you wanna go online to play few games, as for entering ya router settings ill need time to find this one out, there are different systems for each manufacturer, i was talking for belkin there, ill get back to ya and if anyone got any info on this topic feel free.

[Elkwyn]

I've gotten to the 192.168.2.1 site, and have gone to DMZ hosting and it says about DMZ and all then says

DMZ Host IP Address: 192.168.2.1 [ 0 ]

the only thing able to be changed is the zero in the box. What ought I to do?
-Thanks
-Elkwyn

[zaphod]

Ooo, I know this one, I think. Type ipconfig in a dos box/console/shell or whatever you want to call it on your PC. However, thinking about it, you should have already done this. The IP address that it displays is the one you need to enter in the DMZ. However your DMZ IP address does look a little strange - but then I'm not an expert. I would have expected something like 192.168.0.X, where X is the modifiable part of the DMZ. Note that the rest of the (unmodifiable) DMZ should automatically match up with your PC's IP address (fingers crossed).

[Jochi Khan]

YAKOBU
If your using Windows XP, right click the 2 monitor icon bottom right hand corner of your desktop to bring up your windows firewall screen. Click on the ..exceptions tab. This will give you the screen to set the allow progs option. Tick the ones you want to allow, if they are not there you can click ..add and enter the prog. you want.
Zone Alarm. No need to get rid of this it is an excellent protection program.
Don't turn it off.
Right click your ZA icon, bottom right again, click RestoreZoneAlarm ControlCentre, select Firewall and set the Internet Zone Security to..Medium. Leave the ..Trusted Zone Seurity set at ..Medium.
These settings will allow you to host games in MTW.
These are what I use and don't have any trouble hosting.
DON'T FORGET TO RESET INTERNET ZONE SECURITY BACK TO..HIGH WHEN YOU LOG OFF THE GAME before you shut down for the night

Good Luck, hope this helps.

Jochi

[YAKOBU]

Hi Jochi Khan

I have nothing that fits that description on my desktop .

Do you know any other way to find it?

[Jochi Khan]

Hi YAKOBU

Bottom right corner of screen....you have an adsl icon?
On the task bar near the clock.
Tells you the speed that you are connected at.
Not the shortcut you use to connect to the internet.

Mine looks like two monitors one behind the other slightly. This will give you access to the Windows firewall screen.

If you do not have an icon for ZoneAlarm (ZA) on the task bar then click....
Start-Programs-Zone Labs Security (the program installed).
This will open the ZoneAlarm screen.

Hope this helps.

Jochi

[YAKOBU]

Next to my clock I have my printer icon. I see nothing that fits your description . I do have the icon for ZoneAlarm. Is it possible I don't have a Windows firewall?

[Puzz3D]

A router has two ip addresses. The one seen from WAN side, and the one seen from the LAN side. The WAN side is getting an ip address from your Internet Service Provider. Likewise the router will provide ip addresses to the computers on the LAN side. These are usually in the 192.168.0.X range where X is a number between 0 and 255. Your computer sees the router as the default gateway, and that is usually ip address 192.168.0.1. Try that address in your browser and see if you can get into the admin login of the router. The username is often "admin" without a password unless you have set a password. If you get into the admin of the router, you can set one address to be in the DMZ and you'll want to set that to the address of your machine. You can set most routers to always give your machine the same ip address using the MAC address to identify it. The MAC address is a unique hardware identifier for every network device. It's safer to use port forwarding rather than DMZ.

You can go to the website of the router manufacturer and usually find a manual in pdf format if you have lost your manual. You'll also usually find a firmware update there, but don't apply it unless you are having trouble with router features not working. If you apply a firmware update improperly, you will end up with a router that doesn't work at all.

[YAKOBU]

Thanks Puzz3D.

I un-installed ZoneAlarm but people could still not see my game. I then used 192.168.0.1 and managed to get into my router. There was an option there for DMZ which I enabled after putting in my IPCONFIG address 192.168.0.X. People still cannot see my game. Any further ideas?

P.S. The router has a firewall page set to Basic. Could this be stopping it? There is a High, Medium and Low option also.

[YAKOBU]

Thank you everybody

I've just managed to play MP on both RTW and MTW:VI. This is with the settings on my last post. It's great to back battling another human .

Thanks again

[Clips]

Great to hear it Yoko :) at last you got it and as for the problem you had with gettign windows firewall up as you have no bottom taskbar icon you can go to control panel, network connection, then right click on connection your using and go to properties, then click advanced tab at top and lastly tick or untick firewall box but it must be off anyway for it to be working now, btw when your not hostin would be good idea to turn of dmz and add firewalls back on because with the settings ur having it on to host very low security and so it could be hacked easily, another idea now you have got it working is to turn of dmz but enable the ports i told you above into your routing set up screen now i believe you know how to get all this up and it should work fine with protection from the routers firewall which should be awesome :) Hope this gives you few ideas mate and great to hear you got it sorted at last ^^

[Jochi Khan]

Glad you got it sorted

Jochi