Ports, Routers, Configurations

As we know, configuring your router for standard Direct Play games can be difficult. When you have found a configuration for your router, please post the make and model, and screen shots of your configuration page.
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CanEh
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:51 am

Ports, Routers, Configurations

Post by CanEh »

Troubleshooting the CDROM based games can be a challange, and thankfully one of the people who provided outstanding support on the old MSN Gaming Zone, +NibblesNbits (aka Jimmy) has kept his help pages available! Bless you Nibs!

Main information for all types of issues can be found at http://mcse.mvps.org/top50.html

The "old zone games" all use the same range of ports, and a full list of these can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q240429/...

To directly steal a quote from the Microsoft link above:
To play DirectX games through a network firewall or proxy server, the following requirements must be met:
To guarantee DirectPlay compatibility, the latest version of DirectX should be installed on the computers that are used by all players who participate in the game.
The following TCP and UDP ports must be open on the firewall or proxy server:
Using DirectX 7 or an earlier version
Collapse this tableExpand this tableConnection Ports for Client Configuration Ports for Host Configuration
Initial TCP Connection 47624 Outbound 47624 Inbound
Subsequent TCP Inbound 2300-2400 2300-2400
Subsequent TCP Outbound 2300-2400 2300-2400
Subsequent UDP Inbound 2300-2400 2300-2400
Subsequent UDP Outbound 2300-2400 2300-2400

Using DirectX 8 or a later version
Collapse this tableExpand this tableConnection Ports for Client Configuration Ports for Host Configuration
Initial UDP Connection 6073 Outbound 6073 Inbound
Subsequent UDP Inbound 2302-2400 2302-2400
Subsequent UDP Outbound 2302-2400 2302-2400
To directly steal a quote from Nibbles site, he states:
I broke down the ports listed in the those two articles to make this list which is similar to the way router configuration pages refer to them:

MsnZone: These Ports for Zone are TCP: 80, 443, 9999,
Port 6667 TCP is the Trigger Port for this Port Range: 28800 to 29100 TCP

DirectX 8 and 9: All DX Ports are UDP:
Initial Outbound Port: UDP 6073 is the Trigger for
In/Outbound (Port Range): UDP 2300 to 2400
Now with that said... WE do not use the "6667" trigger port for connecting to the lobbies, as each lobby uses it's own port. If you can NOT get into the lobby side, then opening the 28800-29100 range will solve that. You don't need to open 80 (default internet webbroswer port) nor 443 or 9999.

Each router configuration method is different, but you will have at least a PORT FORWARDING setup page, where you will enter in the 2300 to 2400 RANGE, using a protocol of BOTH TCP/IP and UDP and set the IP address to that of your machine, as well as the 28800 to 29100.

Next, look for a PORT TRIGGERING page, and if you have one then enter in the 47624 value for a 'starting/ending' range, followed by the FORWARDED range (if given as an item to enter) of 2300 to 2400. Also add in the trigger port of 6073 and the values of 2302 to 2400 for the forwarded range.


The list of help selections on his site is huge, and can go a long ways to helping you get your game running. Thanks Jimmy!

These are screen shots using a Linksys BEFSR41.
Sample Linksys Port Forwarding
Sample Linksys Port Forwarding
portforward.JPG (29.33 KiB) Viewed 27655 times
Sample Linksys Port Triggering
Sample Linksys Port Triggering
porttrigger.JPG (23.58 KiB) Viewed 27655 times
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