When I hit multiplayer I can pull up a list of lan games (of course there are none, because I cant get one running on our lan) but this is all it will let me do. There is no option to create a server or game. This may be a stupid question but I would really like to hosy a lan game here at home any help on this would be much appreciated.
We need more information on your attempts to start flserver (the program with FL that IS the FL server) on your LAN. Is it on another computer or the same computer as one of the players? Is it connected to the internet? How through a modem or is there a gateway? Or is there no internet but just a router? Are there any firewalls in use?
I don't have all the answers and have had problems with Win2k but I have found firewalls and assigning of DirectPlay ports (part of DirectX) important. If you are not connected to the internet try disabling ALL firewalls. Also install and run everything in an admin account. If you have a gateway to the internet and it has a firewall and a DHCP server (like many of your generic gateways) ensure you have a tunnel for the port DirectPlay uses. Note I said port, FL in their notes say open ports 2300-2302 or something like that. It only needs one. On my server I open port 2401 only thus there is software to address the one port because I don't know if flserver or DirectPlay will cover the range of ports FL specifies. The DHCP server is handy so people can just connect and run but that can be enabled on a router only LAN on one of the 'puters.
Er, after rereading your post I have to ask. Did you start and have running on one of the computers on your LAN the FL server program, flserver.exe? It resides on the FL CDROM and should be run on the fastest, least loaded 'puter on your LAN. Once you do then the FL game itself will see an FL server.
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Earendil
SysAdmin of Boston Freelancer server