Anyone playing XBox online? Mine is almost working...

[manasecret]

My friend just bought an XBox a few days ago with Halo (which he already beat in all of like three days), and I played a little bit of the multiplayer with him and some of the single player, too. Actually, we played coop to beat the last level. Well, I realized the multiplayer is really **** fun, even when it was just me and him.

So then I got excited thinking I might be able to get the thing playing online. It turns out that GamespyArcade allows people to play for free on their servers and they provide the software and everything. What they're providing is really sweet because the last I heard about playing XBox online you had to use some software that you didn't know who it was coming from. Not saying the program was bad, I don't know I never used it, but Gamespy just made it a lot easier. Not to mention I think that program was only for Linux users...

Anyway, my whole broadband setup is perfect for playing Halo on Gamespy, but for some reason it's not working. For anyone who has played XBox through Gamespy, I can get into a room and press ready and allow the host to launch, but when I get to the Tunnel software part it just stops working and I have to Ctrl-Alt-Del it to close the Tunnel window. I feel so close, though, and I'm checking hi and low in the forums for some answers.

I'll be trying again with the actual XBox hooked up sometime this week or weekend. After all, my friend having to carry that heavy XBox around is no easy task... :roll:

BTW, here is everything about the XBox Gamespy Tunnel software. It gives a very in-depth explanation, and I recommend trying it out if you have broadband access. It should work for just about any way you have your broadband hooked up.

http://www.gamespyarcade.com/support/tunnel_xbox.shtml

Here's a small clip of the overview:

What Is It?
The GameSpy Tunnel is an application that is used with GameSpy Arcade to enable you to play Xbox SystemLink games over the Internet FOR FREE with other Xbox players.

What is required?
In order to use the GameSpy Tunnel you will need:

• GameSpy Arcade Software
• GameSpy Tunnel Software -----
  This application must be installed for the "Xbox" service to appear in GameSpy Arcade.
• A Microsoft Xbox console
• A supported game (see below)
• A FAST broadband connection. You will need at least 128kbps upstream bandwidth for most games, although Halo can require up to 256kbps upstream bandwidth per player in the game. If your connection is not fast enough you WILL experience lag and connection loss problems. No modem support is available or planned.
• A supported network configuration. Most types of home networks are supported. Basically you just need to be able to plug your Xbox into the same LAN as your computer is on. See below for more information on network configurations.

What games are supported?
All Xbox SystemLink games are supported, however some will work better than others. Currently supported games include:

• Halo
• Tony Hawk 2x
• NASCAR Heat 2002

Hope you can play!

db

[Msterrrr]

what is your exact set up?
ive been playing there for about a month now,, it totally kicks ass
the amount of users has doubled in the last two weeks
is your xbox detected?
what cable you running in between.. it should be cat5's and not crossovers,,,

this topic been posted here quite a bit,, lil searching here may help also
good luck

[manboy]

Heh, I tried it about 2 weeks ago. Kinda sucks because people always want 2+ users, but on a 21" tv that isn't too fun. I am itching to try it full screen, but I just don't see people who support it.

Now that there is more people is it different? Do people support like 16 player games, while allowing 1 player xboxes? I don't really see what the big deal is. It is harder to get people together that way I know, but is it really that much harder? Well, there is my little rant, hehe.

[manasecret]

Originally posted by Msterrrr
what is your exact set up?
ive been playing there for about a month now,, it totally kicks ass
the amount of users has doubled in the last two weeks
is your xbox detected?
what cable you running in between.. it should be cat5's and not crossovers,,,

this topic been posted here quite a bit,, lil searching here may help also
good luck

I think my problem is my Netgear Router with a NAT firewall. I know how to forward ports and such, so I'm not sure what the problem is. I know it's not the cables.

Here's the post I made at the Gamespy XBox Tunnel forum asking for help:

Okay, to clarify, I have:

Netgear RT314 NAT Router
PC with Win98 SE, Gamespy and Gamespy Tunnel installed
XBox with Halo

And then both the XBox and my PC are connected to the Router (which has Cable internet) through seperate regular ports (as in, not the Uplink port to which the Cable modem hooks up).

I know how to forward ports, and looking through some of the topics on this board I found out that I have to forward the ports to my PC (and not my XBox). So I did that, 6500 and 6700 were forwarded.

Doesn't work. I can get to the Gamepy Arcade, get to a room where you click ready and then the host launches the game. But when the game is launched and the Gamespy Tunnel part comes up on my PC, where you're supposed to then find a game on your XBox to actually join and start playing, I don't see anyone there. Sometimes it even locks up that Tunnel window (not my whole PC, though). I also tried simply putting my PC in DMZ to put it outside of the firewall (so the ports shouldn't need to be forwarded); also didn't work.

So I was hoping someone, especially someone with the Netgear RT314 NAT Router, could very specifically (please) clarify what I am doing wrong or explain what they did themselves to get it to work.

EDIT: >> I just thought I might check Netgear for an update to my router, as I've had it for awhile now, and apparently they do. I doubt it will help but it very well might. My friend is the one with the XBox, so I won't be able to try it again until tomorrow when he can bring it over. In any case, I would still love some help. << (I've upgraded the drivers by now, but I haven't been able to test it out with the XBox hooked up yet.)

Thank you much.

As for your question, when I get to the Tunnel software part, nothing works or registers. The window comes up and then just sits there, including not detecting my XBox.

BTW, sorry for repeating topics...

Thanks for any help.

db

[Capt Marvel]

I have a similar problem.

BTW you need only forward ports if your Hosting. Not joining. Just put yourself in the routers DMZ if you want to host.

OK back to my story..

PC side works fine. Join Room, Select Ready, Game launchs. The data window for the Tunnel program opens.

On the XBOX all i get is searching for game. Nvr changes .


ANy ideas?

[manasecret]

Originally posted by Capt Marvel
BTW you need only forward ports if your Hosting. Not joining. Just put yourself in the routers DMZ if you want to host.

Well, that may be true, but the Tunnel site says you may or may not have to forward ports from your NAT router if you're only joining. So I'm very willing to try forwarding ports when the thing still doesn't work.

I have a similar problem.

...

OK back to my story..

PC side works fine. Join Room, Select Ready, Game launchs. The data window for the Tunnel program opens.

On the XBOX all i get is searching for game. Nvr changes .


ANy ideas?

The exact same thing that happens to me. This seems to be happening to a lot of people at the Gamespy forums, and no one has an answer. Too bad, too, because I and I'm sure many others really want to play.

db

[Msterrrr]

heres my set up
linksys 10/100 5 port workgroup
two cat5 cables one 3ft back to my pc
one 10 to my xbox

its all i did have had no problems
as far as 16 players games its only possible if 4 boxes have 4 people,, i image the lag would be awful anyway
ive gotten up to 8 people playing lag free so far
finding games isnt a problem now