Can't get multiplayer to work.

[LordStuff]

I port forwarded port 80 for TCP and ports 2300-2310 for both TCP and UDP.
Also tried turning off Windows Firewall.

Trying it over ESO:
One friend can join, the second one can't. It doesn't matter who it is, as long as there's already one in the lobby, the other can't join.

Trying it with Tunngle:
Used the OverrideAddress="x.x.x.x" launch option with Tunngle adress, with and without hostPort=2301 after it. Friends can see my lobby among LAN servers, but can't join.

Trying directIP:
Used the OverrideAddress="x.x.x.x" launch option with my public IP. They tried to directly connect, but didn't find anything, with and without port.

What's up with the networking, it's not that hard... Why can one guy join but a second one is too much??
_____________________________________________________________
If you got this problem, here is the

SOLUTION:

We finally managed to play all together (over ESO). We did not have to buy a static IP, no Hamachi / Tunngle, no other Proxy, just port forwarding.

As described in this official post[support.microsoft.com] you need to forward the following ports to your client PC:

80 for TCP
2300 for TCP (I setup 2300-2310 here as well, just to be sure)
2300-2310 for UDP

Everyone you want to play with has to do this, as AoE3 uses peer-to-peer. (Big thanks to Eaglemut for pointing this out!)

Maybe it'll help someone!

[Eaglemut]

Maybe you have your ports forwarded correctly, but the other guy doesn't.

[LordStuff]

We can connect, and we can play together, but only one at a time can join me. I don't know why.

I don't think clients have to forward ports, that would be weird...

It's just weird.. I hope there is a fix for this..

[Eaglemut]

Clients? All participants of the match need to have their ports forwarded correctly.
It doesn't make a difference who's hosting the game, if that's what you mean.

[Eaglemut]

Multiplayer matches in this game are realized using the peer-to-peer method.
Here's a quote from wiki on how it works:

A peer-to-peer network is designed around the notion of equal peer nodes simultaneously functioning as both "clients" and "servers" to the other nodes on the network. This model of network arrangement differs from the client–server model where communication is usually to and from a central server.

[LordStuff]

Thanks for the reminder, but you don't need to lecture me ;) I am well aware of how these things work.

I didn't know it was peer-to-peer as nothing really hinted at it. We'll try with their ports opened, but it's still weird, each on their own can establish a connection to me, but not both at once..

Thanks for the help though!

[jomonger]

Read about NAT. You have common adress with other users in your area. If anybody use your ports, it won't work. Same with your friend. You need to call to your internet provider and ask about public IP (I did it half an hour ago, it costs me 1 dollar per month). Old games need direct IP, new ones uses new technologies such as UDP. You can also try to use hamachi/tunngle if you dont want to play with people from lobby. @Eagelmut, you shouldn't write if you don't know.

[LordStuff]

Originally posted by jomonger:

Read about NAT. You have common adress with other users in your area. If anybody use your ports, it won't work. Same with your friend. You need to call to your internet provider and ask about public IP (I did it half an hour ago, it costs me 1 dollar per month). Old games need direct IP, new ones uses new technologies such as UDP. You can also try to use hamachi/tunngle if you dont want to play with people from lobby. @Eagelmut, you shouldn't write if you don't know.

Yes, I went to an IT school, I know about all that. You can't buy "public IPs", because everyone who has internet already has a public IP, you can only buy static IPs. The only difference to default dynamic IPs is that dynamics change from time to time and statics don't. It works with dynamic IPs as well, you don't have to pay anything. You still have to use port forwarding as your router is not the game client, it's your PC, and you have to tell your router where to send the game data. NAT is only the translation between private and public IPs, and I don't think it's the problem here.

The only way I can imagine "having common adresses" can be a problem is if you want to play over LAN, as you certainly don't have the same public adress.. I can imagine DirectIP could have problems with NAT, at least if you don't override your IP to your public one in the launch options.

Stop trying to take me for a fool and let people talk who actually want to help..

PS: Both TCP and UDP where firts used in 1980 and 1981. 'Old' games use TCP and UDP as well. DirectIP is no actual protocol as far as I know. I reckon it's just a standard TCP connection to a server instead of using UDP and peer-to-peer like ESO seems to use (as Eaglemut kindly told me).

[LordStuff]

I guess the problem with ESO is just that my friends need port forwarding too (if it is peer-to-peer) and the problem with LAN might be port forwarding as well as my friends not overriding to their public IPs... I'll try if I get it to work and then post the outcome.

[Eaglemut]

Yeah, you seem to know your stuff, good luck.

The multiplayer indeed works in a peer-to-peer manner and players are in fact not dependent on connection to the ESO server during matches at all. So for example even if ESO goes down during a match, you can still finish it.

I think in AoE3 the only difference between a game room host and non-host is that the host player's computer runs AI code of potential computer-controlled players, so that can have some effect on CPU performance. If the room host leaves a match, all computer-controlled personalities will cease to function properly and just stand there.

If you'd have trouble configuring the networks of your friends, I can suggest using a VPN service such as https://windscribe.com/ to circumvent the issue. Downside of using a VPN may be the increased latency.

[jomonger]

Jeez man, Static IP is not the same as Public IP(maybe outer IP?) You can have dynamic or static Public IP. F.e. in mobile u can have dynamic and public IP. Public IP is the one that is not after NAT, so you have direct connection to your MAC adress device. I had same problem as You and i fix it several hours ago. Read what is NAT and you will know that most people doesn't have public adress(mobile phone boom-thats why). Just try it, it won't cost you much, I do think it's the problem here, cos i had it.

My big mistake, i wanted to say UPnP (not UDP, sry). UPnP translates IP's. But older games don't use it.

[jomonger]

Use tunngle, hamachi or windscribe then. You didn't checked my proposition, so I don't know why you say that im fooling you. You're confusing IP terms, and I'm writing this to help you. But ok, use your high school knowledge, and if you make it work (not by vpn, but by properly configured network) plz tell here how you did it (cos i did it, but maybe i could did it easier). I will willingly admit my mistake and learn something from you if youre right :). But check it first, and don't tell me when my provider takes money -.-. Me and them know it better :P.

P.S. This is microsoft game. You can ask them about our discussion. They should reply.

[jomonger]

One more, I remember that AOE use next port if previous is taken (of course in some extent). Thats why one guy ca join but the other one cannot.
IMO this is good text about NAT. https://wiki.vuze.com/w/NAT_problem. Im talking about NAT in your provider modem, not your router.

Try my thought :). Call your ISP and ask if you're after NAT.

[LordStuff]

Originally posted by jomonger:

Jeez man, Static IP is not the same as Public IP(maybe outer IP?) You can have dynamic or static Public IP. F.e. in mobile u can have dynamic and public IP. Public IP is the one that is not after NAT, so you have direct connection to your MAC adress device. I had same problem as You and i fix it several hours ago. Read what is NAT and you will know that most people doesn't have public adress(mobile phone boom-thats why). Just try it, it won't cost you much, I do think it's the problem here, cos i had it.

My big mistake, i wanted to say UPnP (not UDP, sry). UPnP translates IP's. But older games don't use it.

You always have a public IP, it's the one you get from your provider. You don't have to pay for it, you already have one, otherwise you couldn't access the internet. Mobile phones or wireless modems have public IPs too, just take your mobile and go to whatismyipaddress.com.

Anything else wouldn't make sense. And sry, yes, UPnP is of course not supported by older games.

Originally posted by jomonger:

Use tunngle, hamachi or windscribe then. You didn't checked my proposition, so I don't know why you say that im fooling you. You're confusing IP terms, and I'm writing this to help you. But ok, use your high school knowledge, and if you make it work (not by vpn, but by properly configured network) plz tell here how you did it (cos i did it, but maybe i could did it easier). I will willingly admit my mistake and learn something from you if youre right :). But check it first, and don't tell me when my provider takes money -.-. Me and them know it better :P.

P.S. This is microsoft game. You can ask them about our discussion. They should reply.

I'm not confusing anything. Don't get so cocky. Maybe you just paid for nothing?

[jomonger]

You're not right. When you get whatismyipaddress.com you get your outer IP. Check it. Im sure and im out. If you were in IT school you should know it.

I paid(yes i paid for nothing it's rude from my provider to take money for that), and I can play Ubisoft games(they dont use Upnp or something I don't know) Age of empires 3 and I can have now FTP on my PC, what was impossible yesterday. And I'm not cocky. English is not my first language, thats why i can sound for you cocky :). sry.

[LordStuff]

We finally managed to play all together (over ESO). We did not have to buy a static IP, no Hamachi / Tunngle, no other Proxy, just port forwarding.

As described in this official post[support.microsoft.com] you need to forward the following ports to your client PC:

80 for TCP
2300 for TCP (I setup 2300-2310 here as well, just to be sure)
2300-2310 for UDP

Everyone you want to play with has to do this, as AoE3 uses peer-to-peer. (Big thanks to Eaglemut for pointing this out!)

Maybe it'll help someone!