Does ANY Direct Play work?

[Wolfitz]

I am soooooo frustrated. I have tried everything to get the direct connection (modem Host) to work. I can get as far as seeing the session in the session dialog but I get "Join Session Error" every single time and it will not continue.

I got two systems on an isolated LAN and it still would not work. I disabled all firewalls and AV software ... nothing.

I even added the IPX protocol and tried that ... same thing "Join Session Error".

I followed every suggestion from the manual and from what I've been able to find in the forums .. same thing.

Does this feature even work for anyone?

[marcbarker]

are they 2 separate serial numbers? if it is one copy on 2 machines it won't work.

[tide1212]

If your networked it won't work. You have to have a direct hookup to your ISP.
 
 

[jgbryant25]

This appears to be a VISTA-JTCS problem. JTCS works fine for me on a network consisting of one computer running on XP and another on Win98(!), connected via TCP/IP. But it has been to impossible to link them with a laptop running on VISTA (Either 'No Valid Session', or 'Join Error'). On the other hand, the John Tiller HPS games I have all work on a three-computer network. (They've all had VISTA patches.) 

[Wolfitz]

Thanks for the ideas.  I did in-fact have the same license running on both machines.  I have a 2nd but must have gotten confused when I re-installed a while back.  At any rate, I removed everything then re-installed using the 2nd license .... same problem.

I was previously unable to get it to work over the internet so now I have it running in an isolated LAN.  I even went as far as un-plugging the WAN interface on the DLINK router.  Both machines are XP (a ThinkPad and a PC) .. both can ping each other .. both have firewalls turned off, both are at the same version of JTCS ... same problem.

Since I can actually "See" the Session in the Session Dialog .. the network path is working .... it's just the 'joining' part that does not seem to work.

I have one more older computer that I'm going to break out and see if I can install on ... it's a "Hail Mary Pass" .. but I can't think of anything else to try.

[Arkady]

ORIGINAL: barker

are they 2 separate serial numbers? if it is one copy on 2 machines it won't work.

bulls**t

no checks for serial number when you play
Serials are checked only during install or patching [;)]

[Arkady]

I play online games regulary and have no problem with DirectPlay (TCP/IP)
Most time I play within LAN, WinXP and Vista computers mixed
For internet games I use VPN program Hamachi as you need "private" IP address to connect to other program. Only problem that I encounter was with my router that blocks portsthat was used by Hamachi, after I switch it off it is OK.
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Some more tips:

Check DirectX versions on both computers (should be the latest - at least for DirectPlay component)
Set Workgroup name on both  computers to same name
Double check IP address on both computers (within LAN it should be within 192.168.x.x range)
In network adapter properties check that Microsoft network client is selected

[marcbarker]

i honestly thought it checked serials on both machines. Oh well ... I guess i could have bought 1 copy for moy entire network. nahhhhh i like the separate titles....i feel better doing it that way. I tried himachi and you are right about the router, i have a rout hooked into a cable modem which is firewalled. I have to do it that way so everyone has internet. That is the problem with going wireless

[Wolfitz]

Well, I got it working when I broke out my old computer. So that means it has something to do with my laptop. I don't know if it's some security thing .. or maybe the DirectX thing, or something else. At least I now know that it does work.

Thanks for the help.