How should I set up my network and port forwarding to be able to host Halo PC multiplayer games?

Question

I've never been able to host a public multiplayer game in Halo PC - whenever I try to, it never appears in the games list and other players can't connect to my game, even by inputting a direct IP. I think this is related to my network and port forwarding.

When I start a public internet game, I see a local IP in the IP box. This tells me that some ports aren't being forwarded. What ports do I need to forward to be able to host such games?

Also, the IP box isn't modifyable. After I forward the necessary ports, how do I change the local IP that is currently in the box to my public IP?

Answer 1

You need ports:

• TCP 80
• UDP 2302 and 2303 (2302 is the host listener port -- the one you need to be able to host games)

I'm not sure about the IP forwarding issue, but try opening these ports and providing your external IP to your friends. Check out setting your machine as the DMZ host a la this question. DMZ host settings can solve the problem by making your machine the first machine to get information from a shared ip address if the router can't figure out where to send the packets.

EDIT: From the Halo multiplayer support site

Issue: You cannot join a direct Internet Protocol (IP) multiplayer game that is hosted behind a Network Address Translator (NAT) or router, or on an Internet Connection Sharing Server in Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Microsoft Windows 2000

Solution: You have to join multiplayer games that are hosted behind a router or on an Internet Connection Sharing server by means of the external GameSpy Arcade Lobby