Networks Playing games over a vpn.

Well me and my friend have set up a vpn (virtual private network) in order to trick some multiplayer games into thinking that we are playing over a lan. We do this because we don't have cd keys for the games we play i.e. Starcraft ,CS, DOD. You dont need a cd key in order to play over a lan. Well we got it all set up and working, but after a few minutes whatever game we are playing gets so laggy we can't even play. I have no clue what is causing this. We both have cable connections. I am running the vpn host using Win XP Pro my friend connects to me using Win ME. I hope you can understand all of this and your help will be appreciated.

 

i blame the fact the the progs have clicked and realised ur not ova a network it can happen or its just internet activity like peer to peer networks icq msn yahoo all that stuff slows ur pin so make sure u have no internet progys runnin at the same time

 

It could be that hile in LAN it plays different cuase your supposed to be closer therefore uses more bandwidth for better play? So over a longer distance it does not do so well.


BTW could you tell me how you got a VPN setup? My email is csklenarik@hotmail.com if you don't mind helping me

 

while ur there can u tell me how to do it as well hogan33456@hotmail.com

 

What operating systems do you use? I will just post instructions on the forums so everyone can see. I only know how to set up vpn's using Windows XP Professional and Windows ME.

 

hhehehe, Windows 2K, 2K Server, Win98SE, and stuff...

I can figure it out as long as I have something to work with so maybe if you can post a howto on both XP and ME... that would be more than enough!

Thanks

 

VPN? Visible Pantie Network? where does one buy such a thing?

 

I think you are asking for Virtual Penial Nickers? *ranger loki shuts up and runs away, real quick like!*

 

Well the only real instructions I can provide are how to set up a VPN server using Windows XP Pro. Hopefully you can use this to figure out the rest. I will try to keep this as short as possible.

1. Click start and go to control panel.

2. Switch to classic view (don't have to, but makes it easier for me)

3. Double-Click on Network Connections.

4. On the left side of the window under network tasks click create a new connection.

5. Now you should be in the New Connection Wizard. Click next. Now you should see four radio buttons, click on the bottom one which reads "Set up an advanced connection".

6. Make sure accept incoming connection is selected and click next.

7. Make no changes and click next again.

8. Make sure Allow virtual private connections is selected and click next again.

9. Now this is where you set who and who can't connect to you. Hopefully this should be self explanatory. Once you are done click next. (Don't worry you can change these settings later)

10. This is where you select what protocols will be tunneled through your vpn. If all you going to is play games just select TCP/IP and IPX/SPX. Click next then click finish.

11. You are done!

Note: I do not know if this will work with Windows XP Home

 

Thanks man! I will check into it at work, sounds just like WIndows 2K, exactly like it.

Now I would just need to know how to set it up on the other computer.

 

got the me and 98se instrucstros if u can post em ill be very much abliged to kiss ur feet forever if u can do it

 

I don't think that you can set up a vpn server with Windows 98se or Windows ME. You can, however, connect to vpn servers. There might be ways to set up WinME or Win98se as VPN servers I just don't know about it. Sorry, I wish I could help. I'll look into though.

 

thanx man if u can find out how just email it to me

 

Well how do you conenct to VPN servers? On 98 and ME and stuff?

 

Well none of my computers at home have Windows ME or 98 so I couldn't tell you myself, but I did find a site with instructions. Here is the link http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/vpn/microsoft/clients/index.xml.ID=WinMe

 

I imagine it's more to do with TCP / UDP and data getting lost along the way

LAN games use UDP which is a connectionless data packet, meaning both ends just fire packets away at the other and pay no regard to whether they get there or not (because on a lan where there are [normally] no routers or anywhere forthe packets to really get lost, the udp packets should always arrive)

when using a VPN (virtual private network) i you are creating a tunnel through which data flows. This as far as i know uses TCP, and i beelive that when you try to send UDP over TCP you get very odd results. i don't really think there's much you can do tbh.

 

I think it may have been my friend's connection to the internet. I have tried playing with other friends and I can get perfect no lag gaming at least with Starcraft. We haven't tried other games yet.

 

The Answer outside the box?

I think the problem isn't with the connection itself, but, the length of the connection. Keep in mind, LAN's have a 300 yard length. This is due to signal strength, but also keep another notion in mind. The signals are carried at, no faster, than the speed of light. The speed of light can travel around the world in approximately 8 seconds. Now, keep in mind the legnth of wire, lines, cables, and ultimately all the components each little mutiplayer signal uses.

For example: Ever use an online phone service, or voice chat such as Yahoo voice, or AIM phone? Let's use AIM phone as an example (or net-2-phone, as you may call it) now, when you speak into AIM phone, you'll hear a delayed echo. That's the approximate time that the party you're speaking to hears you. This is roughly, in my estimate around 0.5 to 1 second of time. Now, add that delay into your VPN equation. You might have your lag delemma. Even if your friend is right up the road, you'll still have an ungodly amount of wires and whatnot to cross, and even at light speed this will give -some- delay. I'm willing to bet that delay is causing your lag.

 

no, that really has very little to do with it.....


for example :

I can play a game of CS on a server in the USA with a ping of about 200. (on a good day)

that's travelling halfway around the world in one fifth of a second.
it goes through about 15 routers to get there. it travels _much_ slower than the speed of light.

Lag and network slowness is caused by traffic and congestion, not how far the signal has to go.

 

You will probably find it is the restriction in the bandwidth of your upload both ends!

You will find that you can restrict the bandwidth in most multiplayers but becasue you will have it set on LAN type game, I think it assumes you are running on a 10/100 base network which is alot faster than your 128k upload on a cable modem!