Unable to host for multiplayer

[Faulty Logic]

I have disabled windows firewall, forwarded the AI War port to my internal IP address (I think, I followed the instructions from the portforwarding thread), and given my external ip, and he can't seem to connect.

Specifics:

I went to whatismyipaddress.com
I typed in that ip address in the address bar, and came up an unnamed website which shows up a [tomato] in its tab.
In the portforwarding section, I entered 32320 (the default AIWar port), and for the internal address, used the IPv4 from Windows-Command Prompt-IPCONFIG-Wireless LAN Adapter Wireless Network Connection.
I turned my firewall off.
I also followed the same procedure except that I typed in the Default Gateway IP from that same section of the Command Prompt.

Where did I go wrong?

Alternatively, a step-by-step of how to use hamachi to bypass this problem would be helpful as well.

[x4000]

Do you have any antivirus software installed?  Sometimes that also comes with a firewall attached to it.

The other thing is that people will have to directly type in your public IP in the direct-connect box (the one that you get from whatismyipaddress.com) in order to find you; they won't see you on the Find LAN Games or anything like that.

That really should be all there is to it if your port forwarding is set up right; sometimes there is an "Apply" button or similar on the port forwarding tab that is required before the settings take effect, though.  You might want to check for that and/or reboot your router just to make sure that the settings are properly there.

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If you want to use Hamachi, that's pretty straightforward in the main:
1. Both you and the people you want to play with install Hamachi.
2. One of you sets up a new network on there, with a name and password.
3. Everyone else joins that network with that name and password.
4. The host (sounds like you) starts the game of AI War.
5. Everybody else does a direct-connect to his IP address from Hamachi (it looks like 5.x.x.x).
6. If that doesn't work, then there might still be a firewall on.
7. Alternatively, if that didn't work, it might be that the Hamachi network adapter is too low in the order of adapters in windows; there's a thread recently in here about fixing that, although it doesn't generally need to be done.

Hope that helps!

[Faulty Logic]

I don't think microsoft security has a firewall (based off of a quick google search), and I shut off the windows firewall.

I am pretty sure rabican (the non-host) was using direct connect.

Logging on to my router shows the default AIWar port (32320) forwarded to my computers IP on my LAN.

Does having a modem affect anything to your knowledge?

[x4000]

Ah -- actually, it can.  Newer cable/dsl modems (like the one I have) tend to have their own routers built right in.  Often with their own firewall, etc.  If you have a router behind it, then the modem is giving that router an IP address just like your router gives your computer an IP address, etc.  And you'd have to set up port forwarding from your modem to your router.  If you don't have the login info for your modem, that can create problems and would be something that would mean you'd probably need to use Hamachi.

One thing you can do if you do have access to log into your router, is set it to "DMZ mode."  That basically treats everything behind it as being directly out on the internet.

Another thing you can do, which is what I wound up doing this last go-round, is just take the router off your network if your modem has a router built in anyway.  Then you just set up port forwarding on the modem itself, and everything is a-ok.  Of course that doesn't work if the modem doesn't have all the wifi features you want, or if the ISP didn't give you a login to the modem, but it's one option you have.

[Faulty Logic]

Thanks, that could explain it. Now to log in to my modem...

Are you sure you didn't program the AI to kill our internet capabilities?

Edit: how, once I am logged into my modem, should I set it to DMZ?

[x4000]

Cheers, glad I could point you in the right direction.  In terms of the DMZ mode, that varies by modem -- it's something that you'll have to explore around for, as it varies hugely.

[Mánagarmr]

Just an FYI: DMZ is almost always a really bad idea, as it makes for a huge security gap. So avoid DMZing if there's proper port forwarding in place.

[x4000]

That's only partially correct.  If you have two firewalls, then setting the outermost one to DMZ is generally the best idea.  You don't need two firewalls, and port forwarding between two firewalls is both pointless and a lot more difficult.  Setting your only firewall to DMZ is a hugely bad idea, though, I definitely agree.

[Faulty Logic]

Ok, this is deeply frustrating. My modem has no apparent DMZ/Portforwarding options. Sigh, granting security exemptions to AIWar (this strikes me as rather ominous, incidentally), rewiring to not include modem... should work now.

Would someone mind trying to connect to 76.215.159.198 via AIWar dirrect connect?

[x4000]

Success!  I was able to get to the point where it told me version mismatch (I was running vanilla 6.000).  That means it is properly open for connections, and if it fails with your friend then it's something on their end (but all should be well, I expect).

[Faulty Logic]

And Keith connected successfully.
Thanks, guys.

[x4000]

Our pleasure!  Glad it's working now.