Op2 Stopped Working

[AxisMann]

Hi,

I've been playing OP2 for sometime now.  I started off using dial-up but attempted to switch to DSL until I discovered I couldn't host through my routers so I switched back to dial-up.

I downloaded NATFIX at one time to correct the router problem but that didn't work I think because I'm still using the original OP2 game that came on CD because that's what the other people have that I play.

Anyway, somewhere along the journey, things went a awry.  I can no longer use dial-up to play op2 over TCP/IP with someone else using dial-up because I can't see them.  If they are using broadband, they can see me and I can see them but if they are using dial-up I can't see them when I'm using dial-up.

However, if I switch to DSL, then I can seem them if they are using Dial-up.

What I don't understand is that the people on broadband can see me when I'm using dial-up but the people using dial-up can't see me.  What could be wrong with my dial-up that allows me to communicate through the modem to people on broadband but not to people on dial-up?

I tried reloading the OP2 on the machine that I applied the NATFIX but that didn't change the symptom.  I reloaded OP2 on the machine I normally play on (that's where I first noticed the problem) but that didn't change the symptoms either.

It's pretty confusing.  Since I also have DSL service, I can host using dial-up on one machine and find the dial-up's game using the DSL connection on the other machine.  I can also use the second machine on dial-up and find it's game on the first machine using the DSL connection.  So, I can host on dial-up but only if the other players are on broad band.

Unfortunately, I don't have two dial-up lines so I can't recreate the problem I'm having trying to find another machine on dial-up when I'm using dial-up.  I can only use dial-up on one machine at a time.

However, the other person using dial-up says he can see the other players who are also using dial-up but nobody can see me so the problem seems to be at my end somehow even though I'm able to play if I use DSL.

Anybody ever see this problem or something similar?






 

[Leviathan]

On DSL setup how are you conneted to the internet? Modem > Router or Modem conneted to computer?

You know about port forwarding yea?

[BlackBox]

Two things:

First of all, upgrade yourself and your friends to the newest version
http://www.outpostuniverse.net/op2dl/

Second of all, Natfix is no magic solution to your router issue. You have to forward ports 47776 - 47807 UDP to get OP2 past the router.
Natfix is used for hosting from behind a router, after you've done the proper port forwarding. (It doesn't decrease your need for portforwarding, more or less it just prevents the "Replicating player list error" that happens when you host from behind a router).

Natfix does not work on an original CD version. (All it does is set a value in the INI file, which the game uses at startup to determine the correct setting for the fix itself).

As for the dial up modem issue -- I can't really help you with that... Would it be possible you're running some sort of firewall that isn't letting OP2 connect? (One firewall known to cause issues with OP2, even if you allow OP2, is McAfee. You have to disable it when playing).

Check the XP firewall as well too.

[Leviathan]

you have to disable the xp firewall on the connection if the connectino is on that comp and not a rotuer.

[AxisMann]

Hi,

I have a router.  I use port forwarding.  That's how I'm able to play using DSL through my router.

I don't have trouble playing the game through my routers using DSL so I have to assume that I got the port forwarding set up ok.

The problems I'm having seeing other people doesn't happen with my router/DSL setup (except for the part about the NATFIX not working for me).  I'm able to see everyone and play the game with my router/DSL connection.  I'm just unable to host through my router (that's why I originally tried NATFIX).

However, it's not being able to host using my dial-up when someone else is on dial-up that is causing me fits.  I am able to host on dial-up when the other people are on broadband.  It just doesn't want to work when they are on dial-up and I'm on dial-up.

I don't run my firewall (zoneAlarmFree) when using dial-up so the firewall shouldn't be a factor.

The other people using dial-up say they can find each other on TCP/IP but they can't see me.

Since I can host using dial-up if the others are on broadband, it seems like I'm sending them the correct address when I'm using dial up.  However, when I host using dialup, they can't see me so it's like I'm not sending the correct address but I'm giving them the ip address the game supplies which matches the ip address the ISP provider gave me.  The two are the same but it's like I'm not there.

Unfortuantely, I can't get the others to load the version of OP2 supported by this site.  That's just out of my hands.  And, if I load the version supported by the site then I can't play Op2 with them.

I suggest that we not dwell on my NATFIX/router problems.  I'm convinced that I'm able to play using DSL because that's how I'm playing these days.  I just can't host through the router and I'm not going to be able to because I don't believe NATFIX is going to work for my version of OP2.

Instead, its the dial-up problems that I really seek help with.  While I can play OP2 with dial-up, I'm just unable to host to people that have a dial-up connection; but,  I can host to people that have braodband connection when I'm using dial-up.  Go figure.

I appreciate the suggestions I received but none of them were applicable.  I'm still looking for a solution.  








 

[Hooman]

Hmm, I really can't see why there should be any network problem if both people are on dial-up. The closest I can think of, is if you have two network adapters and OP2 binds to the wrong one. But you've said the IP address the game displays matches what your ISP assigned you, so that's unlikely to be the problem.

Is there any chance the problem is an incorrectly entered IP address? I've found that when copying and pasting an IP address into the box, if there are any leading or trailing spaces, it'll cause people to not show up. Those spaces are easy to miss seeing, and it's sometimes easy to grab an extra space or end of line/return character when copying.


As for the NatFix issue, I believe the older version of NatFix should work. Perhaps we could persuade Hacker to re-release the older version for people in your situation? The only patches to the original exe that are needed for this, are a checksum patch and what the NatFix does to correct the IP address. It would still be compatible with an original OP2 CD install, and only the person hosting the game needs the patch (and only if they're behind NAT).
 

[AxisMann]

Hi,

I would be game for another try with NATFIX if the older version would work and allow me to host from behind my NAT router.  I thought that had some problems though which cause a BSOD on some machines.

The network problems I'm having with dial-up reamin.  I'm familiar with the situation regarding cut and paste that might result in leading spaces preventing the IP addr from being recognized.  Unfortuately, that's just not the case here.

I still don't know what the problem is that allows me to see a DSL player from verizon but I can't see a dial-up player from MSN whenI'm using dial-up for my network connection.

I'm starting to wonder if AOL is somehow blocking UDP from MSN but that seems hardly likely.

One of my OP2 buddies suggestned I log on to dial-up via MSN using his user ID and password and try to see one of the other dial-up players.

I'm not sure what that will mean if I can but I'm going to give that a try just to see what happens.

 












 

[Mez]

AOL's newer firewall systems and antivirus stuff at AOL HQ could be your problem.

AOL do limit quite alot of things to "Reduce your risk of virus infection"  Perhaps you should contact them to see if they do block the UDP ports and if so see if they can unblock them for you.  otherwise, if you have checked windows firewall etc then nothing should stop you as dial up is normally the most direct route for playing online games as your dialup modem has the IP address, nothing else is inbetween!

[AxisMann]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice.  I'll leave a call to AOL as the last resort.  I've used there help before and found it not to be very much help.  I usually know more than the person I'm talking to which doesn't say much for me and certainly a whole less for them.

I wonder what kind of canned response they have for OP2?  It might be interesting just to hear it but I will save that for later.

I'm going to try using an MSN dialup session to play someone else on dialup to confirm that my machine is or isn't the source of the dial-up problem I'm having.

Until I can coordinate that, I'm just going to have to play on DSL where I can't host until I get a copy of NATFIX that will work with my original OP2 version off the CD with the three updates.

That could take a while since my only two operating speeds are slow and not at all.

I'll post back later.  thanks.