If
you want to play Mechwarrior through a router, usually proper port
forwarding is required.
The following instructions should help
you getting started:
Necessary preparations
1) Disable all software firewalls
(Windows and others) - OR allow Mechwarrior
2) Assign your PC a static LAN IP
(something like 192.168.0.3, depends on your home network). This can be
done from the router menu (as most routers act as a DHCP server) or at
computer network settings => tcp/ip properties (how to assign a static IP).
3) Check the following router settings
(if available):
- UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)
=> DISABLED (very important!)
- SPI (stateful packet inspection)
=> disabled
- DoS Protection => disabled
- Ping from WAN => allowed
Port forwarding
General port forwarding instructions for
many router models at portforward.com
1) You want to play MW4 (but no MW4
server capability needed)
Forward the port range 2300-2400 to your
PC's LAN IP
=> protocol type both TCP/UDP
2) You want to play MW4 - AND be able
to run a MW4 server
Forward these ports/port ranges:
2300-2400
27999
28800-28808
47624
9999
=> protocol type both TCP/UDP for
all these ports (I
know it's a simplification, but this
usually works best)
DMZ + Firewall
If port
forwarding doesn't work for your router and you still have connection
problems set your PC to DMZ at router menu
(DMZ = "Demilitarized zone"). Generally I wouldn't recommend DMZ as a
permanent solution as it leaves your PC totally unprotected. Unfortunately,
for some routers nothing else seems to works...
Important: In this case you should have a software firewall running at the computer which is in
router's "DMZ" to protect your computer and the whole home network.
Background information: Router NAT firewall is completely disabled for this PC by setting it
to "DMZ", as in fact this feature at most home routers is nothing but
the very risky "Exposed Host" (="DMZ Host") => more info1 + more info2 .
DXPort
If you want to play MW4 from a
second computer in your home network you'll need the tool DXPort on
both machines to be able to manage multiple external MW4 server
connections:
DXPort
(DXPort splits the 2300-2400 port range into smaller sections, for which port forwarding has to be done accordingly)
