Hi

I have a mud which needs to be tested, I have testers already organised but they cannot seem to connect to my machine now that i am using a router.

It is a mentor 4 port router and I did try to open various ports but it's not really my forte and so I got a bit lost.

Also my isp will not give me a static ip addy and so it changes each time the router is powered off....

Anyone out there that could help me with this?? I will be eternally grateful

Cheers
Lorien XX

Hmm. The problem may be that you are using NAT. This means that you actually have two addresses. The *public* address is what the internet and other people 'think' you are talking to them from. The *private* address is a secure one that you are actually on. When you check your IP from your machine on NAT, you see the "private" one, not the public. If this is the case, then they can't connect to you, since you are actually giving them the wrong address.

Now, depending on how they work, the solution to the random IP problem and the NAT problem could be the same. Some web sites provide a service to tie a domain name to a random IP. The problem is, I am not sure if they get the IP to use from the origin of the message you send, which would be the public address, or if their software asks you computer for it, then updates the domain that way. If its the later, you still have the same problem.

Most people likely set the computer they plan to have be the game server to a DMZ. This is short of Demilitarized Zone. It means that specific computer won't be using NAT and I am not sure, but I think it also places it outside the routers own firewall. A software firewall is necessary in this case, but you are unlikely to run into the problem you have now, since it should mean the IP address your computer says its is at will actually be the one your router has been given, so people will connect to you properly. You still need a redirection service to tie a domain name to your game, but it removes one major hassle by doing it.

Mote, this is based on what I have read abou the issues involved, not personal experience, so I might be wrong about some or all of it.

Thanks for the detailed reply, yes I have had trouble in the past connecting to certain people on xbox live, and I thought it was a NAT problem then.

I do not think I will run the game from here because of these issues, so I will probably get some server space on the net at a later date.

I just wanted my testers on-board before this.

Thanks again, I will look into the re-routing thingy