AC through firewall

[Lechuck99]

Anyone know what tcp port number AC uses? I need to open that port in my router.

[buster]

AC itself does not use any ports.
It lets DirectPlay (microsofts MP component of DirectX) handle the communication.

see this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q240/4/29.ASP

[Lechuck99]

Thanks buster.

[Lechuck99]

Buster... YOU DA MAN! I had not thought to search the Microsoft KB, DUH (slapping head with palm).

[buster]

Thanks - I ran into it by chance looking for some other info.
On a whole other note the article has let me to suspect that some of the reasons fro buggy IP playing is that players are using different versions of directx.

Probably would be recommended all upgrade to directx8 if possible. It is also supposed to use some more efficient routines - though I guess the main problem with slow MP is that firaxis did very little if anything to optimize and just hooked into directx as extended "local playing". There is an amazing amount of very small packets going back and forth, which also explains why latency seems to be much more important to smooth playing than line speed.