non-dedicated server hosting on a LAN

[duegrom]

I've been trawling through loads of stuff trying to identify how best to play multiplayer on a non-dedicated server on a LAN

The problem is I can never see the server from the other PC

Could some please give me a concise guide on what I need to do to make this work, ideally I just want to invite through steam and not mess about with port forwarding rules etc. but I don't know if this is possible

thanks

[twitch.tv/TehEmoGurl]

You have to forward the ports. that's why the other ocmptuers on the network can't see it. Any computer that is connected to a router with port forwarding has ot have the prots forwarded correctly so another ocmputer can communicate with it regardless of if it is LAN or otherwise.

There are however 3 alternatives.

1: Set DMZ in your router to point to the computer hosting the server. (NOT RECCOMENDED THIS EXAMPLE IS REFERENCE ONLY) -: However. it is perfectly safe to enable this if that comptuer is disconnected from the internet completely an donly being used on the LAN whislt DMZ is enabled (DMZ Disables all firewall and blocking in the router to allow all connections in and out).

2: Hamachi - This software will simulate a LAN connection without a Router. Both users install it. Then the host sets up a virtual Lan Server and has the other computers ID join it over the network and then they can play LAN/IPX based networking games. - I normally do not reccomend this solution for multiple reasons:
a: You are limited to a maximum number of users on your server unless you pay for a higher tier account isntead of the free account.
b: Due to use of a proxy it induces higher ping causing more lag & rubber banding
c: Always Online status required. You cannot use hamachi over LAN only. It will onyl work if you have a constant connectiong to the WWW.

However, for your purposes it shouldn't be a huge issue though it may still induce lag due to the use of a virtual server proxy.

3: Cross-Over Network Cable + EtherNet Adapter.
This is the best solution for a LAN game setup. It looks jsut like a standard RJ45 EtherNet cable (Unless u get a fancy gigabyte one which will have a little box at one/both ends or in the middle).
All you do is connect 1 end of the cable to 1 computer and the other end to the computer u want it to communicate with in any free workign ethernet port (Reccomended to connect with adapters of 150Mps or higher transfer rates for Windows 7 or higher).

With this you have 2 options:
a: Connect to the motherboards lan ports forcing that adapter into LAN only mode (If you have a sepoerate wireless adapter you use to connect to the web then you are fine)
b: Get a second PCI EtherNet adapter so you can use ur normal adapter to connect to the router and use the 2nd adapter to connect with the other computer locally.

Hope this helps :)
(Note: Hamachi can easily be found and downloaded for free from a quick and simple google search of the application name)

[knowt]

Simple way. Google the name of your router and add port forward. So if you got a Linksys you could search "Linksys E3500 port forwarding" I used the e3500 as an example.

Also make sure Windows firewall is configured for it as well. The default ports for ark are 7777 and 27015. There's one other one for rcon support which you can change to anything as you can with the other two above. However you don't need rcon to see the server. Just the query and game ports. 7777 and 27015

[twitch.tv/TehEmoGurl]

Първоначално публикувано от Twonk:

Simple way. Google the name of your router and add port forward. So if you got a Linksys you could search "Linksys E3500 port forwarding" I used the e3500 as an example.

Also make sure Windows firewall is configured for it as well. The default ports for ark are 7777 and 27015. There's one other one for rcon support which you can change to anything as you can with the other two above. However you don't need rcon to see the server. Just the query and game ports. 7777 and 27015

OP states he doesnt't want to mess with port forwarding rules if at all possible.

[duegrom]

thanks for the detailed replies guys, i'll have a play around with it at the weekend :)