Sun Sep 21, 2003 6:25 am by Earendil
The DirectPlay ports as noted by M$ are 2300-2400 (I think) but FL uses 2302-2304 but surprise! You need a tunnel in the firewall only for flserver, not to play FL MP. When you do MP you ask for a connection from the server. Doesn't matter the port because it is YOUR 'puter asking for the data on a port YOUR 'puter wants. This means the firewall will open that port because YOUR 'puter asked it and assumes there will be a response on that port. A tunnel in your firewall is in case SOMEONE else's 'puter is asking something of YOUR 'puter, otherwise known as a push. Since your 'puter hasn't asked for the push on that port, it will do what all firewalls do and block it unless you create a tunnel. In fact even though FL recommends ports 2302-2304 for flserver, you really only need one, set with the /P switch. For example my server uses only one, 2401.
So to get to your problem connecting to the global server. You say it doesn't work with the (hardware, right?) firewall but it worked (once) without the firewall. First, is that because you tried it once or you tried it again and it didn't work the second and subsequent times? Second, it is possible you have the hardware firewall set up to block certain ports instead? You may have blocked the ports that are used to connect to the Global server instead of opening a tunnel. Try it by removing all "tunnels" for those DirectPlay ports.
The global server has often been down for hours at a time. If you have tried only a few times, you may have gotten unlucky and hit those times. Try, try again.
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Earendil
SysAdmin of Boston Freelancer server
