Routers and direct IP connections

OK, I am new to routers.

How do you use programs (i.e. games) that connect directly via IP address when one or more of the systems are behind a router? You know what i mean? One system "hosts" and the others connect to it via IP address.

It seems to me that the router has the IP address, but how do you "zero in" to the machine hosting the program (game)?

What about Remote Assistance or NetMeeting? How are these affected by the router?

PK

 

Your answer is easy. Routers run NAT or some type of variation. (Network Address Translation) and they protect what ever is behind it. If a request did not come from it, it will reject packets sent to it. Thats where port forwarding comes in. Some routers call it Virtual server. You have to go into the router and tell it something like this (plain english) If a request comes in on this port # forward it to this private IP # Thus you have to know what port your game runs on and what IP the computer behind the router has. For games that use multiple IP's you have to use something similar but may be called "Application", same principle but handles several IP's instead of just 1.
Try this link.
http://www.portforward.com/routers.htm
I bet youll find specific instructions on your router, it has a wealth of info.

 

OK ,thanks. I have gotten that far in my router setup screen where I can set up an application for port forwarding, but I don't know what port # to enter. Do both the host and the guest have to open the same ports, or just the host?

The game currently in question is MS Combat Flight Sim 1, by the way.

PK

 

The guest shouldn't have to open any ports locally on his computer unless he has a software firewall, which will allow that connection/program to go out on his network. On the same hand, the host computer should not have to open any ports unless it has a software firewall blocking ports and applications. Besides those two exceptions all that should be done is the fwd on the router to the host computer.

Here is a cut and paste from M$

Combat Flight Simulator 3: Battle for Europe requires that the following User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports are open to play multiplayer games:

Trigger port Public port Protocol
2300 28883 - 28886, 2300 UDP
28883 UDP 28883 - 28886, 2300 UDP
28884 UDP 28883 - 28886, 2300 UDP
28885 UDP 28883 - 28886, 2300 UDP
28886 UDP 28883 - 28886, 2300 UDP

I know is says 3 and you are using 1 but this was the first link I clicked on a google search. You can how easy the info is to get.