hosting problems please help

[cloviscreature]

I would like to know if it is at all possible to host online games (soldier of fortune) behind a DSL firewall??? I've tried everthing possible that I know of but it never works. I was told once to open my Outlook Express and make it check my e-mail every few minutes so that my external IP address would stay the same but people still cannot connect to my external IP, it doesn't work.
I believe that there got to be a way, some kind, brilliant person must know of a way, if only he/she could help me. I would be forever greatful.
If it is indeed hopeless, I would say DSL SUCKS THE BIG ONE. But in a communtity that doesn't have high-speed cable, whats a person to do.

PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

[YeOldeStonecat]

Well, first of all DSL is usually more stable than cable for hosting a server. But if you got your DSL through your local phone company instead of a real ISP, then your upload probably isn't that high.

You're talking about a firewall, what firewall, a Linksys router or equiv that you use? Or do you use some ISP that blocks everything upstream, preventing any of it's customers from running any sort of server.

If you have your own router, you have to find out which ports your game servers needs, open them in your routers config, and forward them to your servers internal IP which you should make a static one.

I host Unreal Tournament, Rune, and Quake3 servers on my DSL without any problems.

That Outlook Express trick was common with dial up, but not needed much anymore with broad bandwidth. Your IP lease usually expires at a set schedule determined by your ISP, regardless of wether your computer is on/off/active. I suppose some ISP could implement a "lack of activity dropper".

[BlackSword]

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat

I host Unreal Tournament, Rune, and Quake3 servers on my DSL without any problems.


How many can connect? and what is your upload rate?

Next YeOldeStonecat, do you know of some good Sites that explain setting up a Q3 server? My upload is only 12KByte/s, would like to know all the tweaks possible to get the most out of that.

Last,,, entering commands in the pure server, clarification on entering "proper syntax" I enter some commands OK and others wrong. You know of any any site that explains setting up a Q3 server?

[YeOldeStonecat]

www.planetquake.com is a good Quake resource...for all 3 versions. Specifically for a Q3 server...

http://www.planetquake.com/quake3/q3aguide/server-setup_a.shtml

A good rule of thumb for running a server is take your tested upload bandwidth, and divide by 28.8, the result is the max amount of players that connect, at which point more will start cutting into everyone elses bandwidth, bringing in lag. That rule of thumb is for UT engine based games, I haven't pushed Quake3, I feel Q3 takes a little less bandwidth per client than UT.

I run 1 server at a time from my house, usually it's a Rune server running 24/7 off an NT 4.0 server. Our main gaming servers live up at our ISP, in the data center, switched to an OC-3 line, so bandwidth isn't an issue there. :-)

So that website should help you out a lot...

[BlackSword]

Thanks YeOldeStonecat! I take it that I divide the Kbit/s rate by 28.8?

Can't I adjust the maxrate to like 7000?,, does that help?. My upload bandwitdth is anywhere from 80 to 90Kbit/s,,,, therefore you are saying best results would be 3 players excluding Myself.

I have had 2 local PCs connected to the Q3pureserver(NOTE NOT A SERVER PC),, and 3 & 4 remote players... much over that and with the basic default settings I currently have start showing Lag.

ONE more thing... I start the Q3pure server on my PIII 866,,, I then start up Quake3 on same PC to play on the Q3pure server... seems to work OK, is this causing me any problems?

It would be nice to be able to specify ONLY 4 remote(internet) sign-in then plus the 2 local (6total)

Thanks again for the links,,, looks like I need to start reading.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Client rates you can play with, it's something that's not cast in stone, as everyones connection varies. My home connection, I think I'm set at 6500 or 6800, but just keep playing with it.

Once you get past several players, having a good quality network card helps, I prefer and only work with 3COM and Intel NICs. Having concurrent connections will start to hurt on a no name or cheap NIC.

What type of router you going through?

If you run a dedicated server, it's best to leave it dedicated, don't play on it also. Leave all those CPU cycles and memory just for serving, period. You start playing on it, you'll have a great ping, sure, but you'll lag the hell out of all your clients.

[BlackSword]

Linksys router one port using 1.38.5firmWare(connected to 3COM 8port Switch 10/100),, startec NICs (cheap) in PCs, .

I could pick up higher quality NICs NP.

PC I was running the Q3pureServer has 320MgRAM PIII866, 133Mhz Bus speed, TNT2 32MgRam Video card.