Topic: Wireless connections and online play, Tech types please read

[KBFLordKrueg]

Had to put my Desktop system in the shop for a few and am attempting to play with a Laptop on a wireless router. It will let me connect to the internet and do everything else except connect to an on line game, on GSA or D2.
FYI, have Linksys G router, set in DMZ mode, tried setting Win firewall to allow OP, even turned it completely off, as well turning off the ZoneAlarm, still no joy.
Finally even tried to plug the laptop directly into the cable modem and couldn't seem to connect that way either, then I noticed there is no option for me to enable a 10/100 ethernet connection. Says it has a "Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC", Which, I'm assuming, isn't the same thing and means I may not even be able to connect directly into my cable modem.
Anyone have some helpful advice on how I can resolve this situation?
Thanks in advance for any help offered.

[FireSoul]

Had to put my Desktop system in the shop for a few and am attempting to play with a Laptop on a wireless router. It will let me connect to the internet and do everything else except connect to an on line game, on GSA or D2.
FYI, have Linksys G router, set in DMZ mode, tried setting Win firewall to allow OP, even turned it completely off, as well turning off the ZoneAlarm, still no joy.
Finally even tried to plug the laptop directly into the cable modem and couldn't seem to connect that way either, then I noticed there is no option for me to enable a 10/100 ethernet connection. Says it has a "Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC", Which, I'm assuming, isn't the same thing and means I may not even be able to connect directly into my cable modem.
Anyone have some helpful advice on how I can resolve this situation?
Thanks in advance for any help offered.

1- ok.. if you have your wireless in DMZ mode, it's pointing to a single IP. I am assuming it's the IP for the laptop at that time?
2- a RealTek8139 is a 10/100 NIC chip. It's a rather common and reliable device.

Can you explain how you're physically set-up?


Cable-modem --  wireless-router -- laptop?

[FPF-DieHard]

Are your connections bridged?   Is Windows Firewall enabled?

[Mazeppa]

These ports must be opened, according to a player on GZ:

6677
3783
27900
28900
29900

[kbf-jd]

Had to put my Desktop system in the shop for a few and am attempting to play with a Laptop on a wireless router. It will let me connect to the internet and do everything else except connect to an on line game, on GSA or D2.
FYI, have Linksys G router, set in DMZ mode, tried setting Win firewall to allow OP, even turned it completely off, as well turning off the ZoneAlarm, still no joy.
Finally even tried to plug the laptop directly into the cable modem and couldn't seem to connect that way either, then I noticed there is no option for me to enable a 10/100 ethernet connection. Says it has a "Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC", Which, I'm assuming, isn't the same thing and means I may not even be able to connect directly into my cable modem.
Anyone have some helpful advice on how I can resolve this situation?
Thanks in advance for any help offered.

OK,
Step 1:  Put everything back where you have cable(tv) -> Cable Modem -> Linksys router     ***  The way it was when you started
Step 2:  Connect with your wireless card.                                                                        ***  Make sure it is working.
Step 3:  Start, run, cmd   Should bring up a command window.
Step 4:  Type at the command prompt Ipconfig | more                                           ***  Should give you your local ip address. 9192.168.1.x more than likely...
Step 5:  Log into your router and double check this information is in the DMZ setting.

On the 10/100 connection  To enable that, you may have to go into the device manager and enable the card.

Step 1:  Right click on the micomputer icon and select properties.
Step 2:  Click the hardware tab.
Step 3:  Click the device manager button.
Step 4:  On the device manager page, expand the network adapters. 
Step 5a:  If there is a red X on the adapter right click it and choose enable.
Step 5b:  If there is a yellow ! there is a problem.

Let me know how it goes...

jd

[KBFLordKrueg]

Ok, to answer serveal questions...
Setup is indeed, cable modem-wireless router-laptop. Formerly had desktop system simply plugged into router, no wireless ability for the desktop system w/o buying additional stuff. (Damn, maybe I should simply do that to the laptop? Plug it in to the router while disabling the wireless function?)  *edit* tried this, no joy...
No connections bridged and had turned the XP firewall off after it first failed to connect with it running, I do have the XP firewall set to allow OP to access the internet(and yes, have the WINXPSP2)
I did set everything back the was it was, obviously is working correctly, since I'm here and it let me post about the problem to begin with.
Checked IP config commands and all the number match exactly. It does say It's in DMZ mode, including giving me some warning about my network being unprotected. But, since I use ZoneAlarm as well as the WINXP firewall(on both desktop and laptop), not concerned about that.
I did previously disable the wireless connection and re-enabled the Realtek adaptor when I was trying to connect by plugging in the cable modem to the laptop. When I did that, it told me I had limited or no connection...
I also checked the device manager and it showed the X's and ! icons in what appeared to be in all the right places.  While I'm not a Computer Techno guru, it did appear as if it was all set correctly. I only saw the "!" icon on the Realtek adaptor after I got the above mentioned message.
When we first got the laptop, I was able to enable the wireless connection with great ease, kind of expected reversing the process to be just as simple.
Also checked my router settings and it is running in DMZ mode. It was my (limited) understanding that this would avoid having to set ports open, etc and that has worked great for online play previously, allowing me to play OP and other games online with no problems at all using the desktop system.
Thanks again for all the help...keep it coming...

[Bonk]

Configure your lan statically, do not use the DMZ, allow the router to be pinged wan side (disable "Block WAN Request"), disable all software firewalls, forward ports 2300-2400,47624 to the SFC2 client PC.

(disregard ports posted by Mazeppa above - if you want the story on what ports for what - search the forums here - look for posts by Cleaven about ports).

[KBFLordKrueg]

Configure your lan statically, do not use the DMZ, allow the router to be pinged wan side (disable "Block WAN Request"), disable all software firewalls, forward ports 2300-2400,47624 to the SFC2 client PC.

(disregard ports posted by Mazeppa above - if you want the story on what ports for what - search the forums here - look for posts by Cleaven about ports).

Um, speaking a little Greek to me there, sir. 
Well, thing about setting ports, I'll have to set ports for each game I play online (four of them). Used the DMZ setting mostly for the desktop system so I wouldn't have to do that, with great success. I have tried with ALL firewall software off and had ports set previously, when I first got the router for use with the laptop. Had limited success and so much frustration switched to the DMZ setting and was able to play online with zero problems. I guess I should have tried to play on the laptop wirelessly before, but never really had the need since I use the desktop fot gaming because of superior performance abilities. The laptop does far exceed all requirerments for playing OP, though.

[kbf-jd]

I also checked the device manager and it showed the X's and ! icons in what appeared to be in all the right places.  While I'm not a Computer Techno guru, it did appear as if it was all set correctly. I only saw the "!" icon on the Realtek adaptor after I got the above mentioned message.
When we first got the laptop, I was able to enable the wireless connection with great ease, kind of expected reversing the process to be just as simple.

OK,

if you have a yellow ! by the realtek adapter,  That adaptor will not work.  That's why plugging it directly in does not work.

try plugging the lan cable from the laptop into the router(just like the desktop was).  Make sure the ipconfig for the laptop has the ethernet adaptor for the realtek card with the dmz address.

to try to get the yellow ! to go away....

Step 1:  goto device manager
Step 2:  Right click the Realtek card and select uninstall.
Step 3:  In the device manager right click the computer(at the very top) and choose "scan for hardware changes"

That should reinstall the card and hopefully clear they yellow !.
An acceptable driver for this card should be avaliable in windows XP  So this should not be an issue.

The whole point I am trying to do is, if you get the wired connection to work on the laptop, we shold be able to make it look exactly like your desktop.  Then it should work exactly like your desktop.

While wireless works ok for most people, it still has qurks.  And I would like to get your laptop working wired first. then see if wireless works...

I like to fix one issue at a time.... makes troubleshooting easier...

jd

PS  if you can get Vemtrillo working, then we can help you live.  you may want to download and install that.  Team speak will work too.  It's soo much easier to do this real time.....

jd

[Lepton]

If he can connect wirelessly, then I don't know what the problem can possibly be.  Is it possible that the router is the DMZ and not the actual laptop?  If he has the router itself in the DMZ, then I assume it will still be acting as a hardware firewall.  However, if the computer is in the DMZ there should be no problem.  I would turn off windows firewall, make sure ZoneAlarm is configured properly to allow SFC to access the internet, and make sure it is the computer (i.e. the computer's IP address. Ex. 192.168.1.100) that is in the DMZ and not the router's IP address  (Ex. 192.168.1.1).  That how I have things confirgured and it works fine for me with ZoneAlarm running no problem.

[kbf-jd]

If he can connect wirelessly, then I don't know what the problem can possibly be.  Is it possible that the router is the DMZ and not the actual laptop?  If he has the router itself in the DMZ, then I assume it will still be acting as a hardware firewall.  However, if the computer is in the DMZ there should be no problem.  I would turn off windows firewall, make sure ZoneAlarm is configured properly to allow SFC to access the internet, and make sure it is the computer (i.e. the computer's IP address. Ex. 192.168.1.100) that is in the DMZ and not the router's IP address  (Ex. 192.168.1.1).  That how I have things confirgured and it works fine for me with ZoneAlarm running no problem.

Lepton,

I agree, if the computer is in the DMZ ant it's not working, on the surface, that seems wrong.  BUT it is wireless.  The wireless is more than likely encripted and that can change the way packets are encrypted and decrypted.  That's why I say get it working wired first. then try to get it working wireless.  It could be MTU size and fragmenting packets or any host of other issues.  We know the desktop worked.  Make it work like that first.  Then fix the wireless issues.

jd

ps we see this alot at work.  customers try to use VPN into their company sites.  It workes wired, but not wirelessly.  It should be the same, but quite often it is not...

jd

[Cleaven]

Sorry if I missed it, but you have done the WON server update, right?

[Julin Eurthyr]

The DMZ and port forwarding might be incompatable on certain routers...

I know when I was trying to get port forwarding working here on my router, I couldn't get it to work, so I tried the DMZ, and that wouldn't work till I shut off the port forwarding entries...

[KBFLordKrueg]

I also checked the device manager and it showed the X's and ! icons in what appeared to be in all the right places.  While I'm not a Computer Techno guru, it did appear as if it was all set correctly. I only saw the "!" icon on the Realtek adaptor after I got the above mentioned message.
When we first got the laptop, I was able to enable the wireless connection with great ease, kind of expected reversing the process to be just as simple.

OK,

if you have a yellow ! by the realtek adapter,  That adaptor will not work.  That's why plugging it directly in does not work.

try plugging the lan cable from the laptop into the router(just like the desktop was).  Make sure the ipconfig for the laptop has the ethernet adaptor for the realtek card with the dmz address.

to try to get the yellow ! to go away....

Step 1:  goto device manager
Step 2:  Right click the Realtek card and select uninstall.
Step 3:  In the device manager right click the computer(at the very top) and choose "scan for hardware changes"

That should reinstall the card and hopefully clear they yellow !.
An acceptable driver for this card should be avaliable in windows XP  So this should not be an issue.

The whole point I am trying to do is, if you get the wired connection to work on the laptop, we shold be able to make it look exactly like your desktop.  Then it should work exactly like your desktop.

While wireless works ok for most people, it still has qurks.  And I would like to get your laptop working wired first. then see if wireless works...

I like to fix one issue at a time.... makes troubleshooting easier...

jd

PS  if you can get Vemtrillo working, then we can help you live.  you may want to download and install that.  Team speak will work too.  It's soo much easier to do this real time.....

jd

Well, only saw that yellow symbol after I had re-enabled it and disabled the wireless. Tha's also when it had the message about a limited or no connection. When I set everything back to wireless, the symbol does go away. I also did try plugging the laptop in exactly as the desktop was, still didn't work. 
Also, already have VT loaded, but, no one can seem to hear me talk, however the text to speech works fine...*sigh* I'm just a slow typist and I'm limited to 1 or 2 short sentences at a time that way.
I'm on it right now actually with WS and Kytarh.

[benbean]

Does the laptop use a third party software for managing the connections?

Suggestions...

1. Save your settings to a file, option should be in the Tools parts of the router, from there try a reset of the router. Remember this will clear the routers settings to the way it came out the box. Now try setting up your network again.

2. Manually set Directplay server access through the xp firewall...  Start/Control Panel/Windows Firewall/Exceptions/Add Program/Browse... C:WINDOWS\system32\dplaysvr

3. Try this

[KBFLordKrueg]

3rd party? Don't think so, if it does, don't know how it got that way, lol.
Interestly, discovered I also cannot get voice to work on VT, but the text-to-speech option works fine...
Donno, I've tried nearly everything, almost all of the suggestions posted here havn't worked, getting really disgusted with the whole thing.
Hopefully will have my desktop CPU back by this weekend and I can stop even stressing about it.

[Cleaven]

Does the laptop work on any other connections? Dial-up even?

[KBFLordKrueg]

Does the laptop work on any other connections? Dial-up even?

Well, don't have a dail-up program, I'm on cable. And I'm not planning on getting one, either. Just to clarify, it works fine, I can access anything on the internet, do downloads, etc. Just seem to have problems gaming on GSA or D2. Also have one other game installed on it, can't access online multi-player with it, either(MechWarrior4:Mercenaries).

[Cleaven]

I was wondering if you were able to try it on anybody elses network, just to nail it down to the laptop itself, or the router and it's wireless connectivity.

[benbean]

Do you still have your old settings entered for your main PC on the router?