hi,

i'm having a problem with lan gaming setup, i have a hub that is connected to 4 pc's , 1 laptop, and 1 cable modem.

the problem is i can see all the pc's and share the files etc, all pc's can connect to the internet, but i can't connect it for lan gaming (Raven Shield, Rise of Nations, UT2003 dll) but when using a 1394 network with a firewire cable i can connect 2 pc's to have lan games. To play lan on 1394 i have to disable the local area network in network connections. And if i want to use the local area network for internet connection i have to disable the 1394 connection.

can anyone help me out?

One thing you might want to check, assuming these are all Windows XP machines, is that NetBIOS is enabled on all machine (not just "Default", but enabled). To do so, do the following:

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. Click Network Connections
4. Right-click on your LAN Connection and select Properties
5. On the General tab, highlight Internet Protocol TCP/IP and select Properties.
6. On the General tab, click Advanced.
7. Click on the WINS tab, and select Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

Reboot all machines, then try the LAN games.

Along the same lines, also install IPX/SPX. That's what most games use Netbios thru, especially older games.

hi,

thanks for the reply, but i have tried that and its still not working.

ok here's more information about my setup :

all are using windows xp
all have tcp/ip with netbios enabled
all have ipx/spx installed
ip addresses 192.168.1.22,23,24,25
dns server 202.138.224.2
default gateway 192.168.1.1
clients for microsoft networks installed
file and printer sharing for microsoft networks installed

Do you have a firewall on the system? I mean a software firewall, not a hardware firewall.

no i have zone alarm firewall but i shutdown the program when trying to play games on lan, xp firewall is also disabled (untick)

Ok, let's look at this from the angle of the games, as it seems your network is set up properly. Are all the games:

1.) The same version?
2.) Patched to the latest version?
3.) Able to start an Internet game from the PC on which they are running?

thanks for all the replies,

ok the game has the same version, the latest patch , i can play on the internet form all the pc's.

WinXP has a firewall built in, go

Start
Settings
Network Connections
Right click the Local Area Connection
Properties
Advanced Tab
[If you have SP2, click settings]
Set to Off.

Can you access fileshares on the machine?

IE: \\192.168.x.x\sharename ?
how about
\\machinesname\sharename ?

Does this communication work BOTH ways between two machines?

Also.. a few details here about the 4 machines (OS, hardware basics), what game you're running, what background processes exist might help as well.

How are the 4 devices connected? Through a hub or a switch? Have you defined any firewalling on that network equipment? Be sure that both TCP/IP and UDP traffic can flow freely in the internal network.

Maybe HUB is the keyword. Hubs let only one data-stream through at any time.
A SWITCH, such as in most routers, will let several data-streams through simultaneously. Have you tried that?

Ermm..
Quite to the contrary RBS.

Hubs, while only taking one stream at a time, ensure relay of traffic to all ends- it's stupid, and only broadcasts.

Switches, which take multiple streams, are sensing and will refuse to pass traffic on if the rules forbid it.

I think the problem, in this situation is irrelevant to a hub vs switch other than traffic endpoint determination.

I've played UT with 8 people on a 10mb HUB. I've had failures playing checkers between two computers using a 100mb switch. (Rules failure, then firewall problem).

I'm pretty certain this is windows being stupid about network traffic. Windows has NEVER cooperated, and it seems that since Win98SE/2k, it's only gotten worse. Part of the problem is the insistance on using NetBIOS for these type shares. Another part of the problem is a total lack of regards for standards on these issues.

At this point, though, we have a distinct lack of specific details regarding machine configuration, programs being run, network config (is it really a hub, or is it a switch, or a router?), and so forth.

Mict, I agree that both are ancient and should go away, but unfortunately programmers are sticking to them.

Mamee, can you get back to us with more details?

hi,

it's a hub, with 8 ports, 1 connected to a cable modem, the rest to 5 pc's and 1 laptop. i'm using only 4 pc's and 1 laptop. all with windows xp, ok here are the specs :
1. amd athlon 2200xp 512mb via kt400, lan onboard, gforce mx4000

hi,

it's a hub, with 8 ports, 1 connected to a cable modem, the rest to 5 pc's and 1 laptop. i'm using only 2 pc's now and 1 laptop. all with windows xp, ok here are the specs :
1. amd athlon 2200xp 512mb via kt400, lan onboard, gforce mx4000
2. amd athlon 1800xp 128mb nforce2, lan onboard, gforce 4mx
3. dell inspiron 8100 p3 1ghz, 256mb, ati radeon onboard.

all are using windows xp
all have tcp/ip with netbios enabled
all have ipx/spx installed
ip addresses 192.168.1.22,23,24,25
dns server 202.138.224.2
default gateway 192.168.1.1
clients for microsoft networks installed
file and printer sharing for microsoft networks install

if i run an unreal tournament server or raven shield server the client can see the server for a few seconds than its gone, without the ability to join / connect and ping the server.
i tried changing the host computer from the notebook to the pc's but got the same result.

now i'm playing using just 2 computers using a 1394 firewire cable, but to do this i have to disable the local area network connection in network connections.

and if i want to access the internet i have to disable the 1394 firewire connection. so both connection cannot be enabled at the same time.

ME TOO!!!

I have recently updated bot my computers to Windows XP. I have them networked together so that I can share files and "see" each other, yet whenerver I try a multiplayer game over the LAN, the computers "search network" for each other, but of course never find each other...I've tried everything I can think of and my next step is to put my boot through my monitor....help me!!!