Help needed: DirectX errors on IPX

[LoD]

Hello,

while trying to set up an IPX game (SMAC v5) some of my opponents ran into the following problem: when they attempted to access the IPX option on the multiplayer menu, they encountered a "dperr_unavailable" error. After a lot of attempts to alleviate the condition (including updating to the same DirectX version and so on) we had to give up eventually. Now, this might seem as a DirectX problem, however I had the identical version as they did. Has anyone found a workaround for this bug?

By the way, to address the inevitable question of "why the Hell were you trying to establish an IPX connection?" - the answer is Hamachi. This little program allows you to play even with no public IP or behind a very restrictive firewall. Unfortunately it only works with IPX connections in SMAC.

Any help would be much appreciated.

PS. SMACX yielded the same problem.

[BlackCat]

Your problem isn't a directx problem but a tcp/ip - the program cannot establish the connection. See here :

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=90316

and if you wan't a more precise explanation :

http://www.cpp-home.com/tutorial.php?38_2

Hope it brings you further.

[LoD]

Thanks for the reply, but I'd dare say that it is a DirectX/SMAC problem . First of all, BandicootMan could play via TCP/IP because he was on a normal LAN. We would like to play via Hamachi, and it only works on IPX in that case (unfortunately). So we have to initialize IPX to start the game.
Secondly, the tutorial you posted states that the connection initialization algorithms for DirectPlay are (slightly) different in server and client roles. A "problem with TCP/IP" wouldn't explain why:
1. the people who are experiencing this problem are getting the error message before they select "host" or "join" (from what I'm told),
2. some people who are experiencing this problem can establish TCP/IP Internet connections.

Any more ideas ?

[binTravkin]

LoD, you testing Apolytoner's knowledge?

[BlackCat]

I'll still say that you have a service problem, though not a TCP/IP but IPX as you clearly wrote - sorry.

I seriously doubt that it's a directx problem since that code only adresses HW such as video and soundcards and IPX is a network protocol.

There is nothing wrong in that you get the errormessage before selecting host etc - the program just check if the service is available before asking for these things.

You need to activate this service somehow - doesn't the hamachi thingie have some doc that describes how you do that ?

[LoD]

bin: . I wish!

BlackCat: first of all, it seems we have misunderstood each other . You refer to "DirectX" as those of its components that address display and sound issues, while I refer to "DirectX" as the entire system, including DirectPlay (which is a part of DirectX and handles networking).
Having said that, I think you're right about the service checking bit, and you've mentioned a possible problem - it might possible that on some configuration SMC doesn't register itself in DirectPlay correctly. I'll ask the guys who have the problem about that. Thanks!
I don't think it has anything to do with Hamachi - it's only a program for facilitating VPN tunelling. Also I've seen computers in Internet cafes which would barf out the same

I'm still hoping that someone here tackled the problem succesfully and knows a surefire solution .

[BlackCat]

Maybe I should stop giving advice - you are right - directplay is a part of directx.

Well, juuust one more turn

Have you tried to run dxdiag and checked the Network tab ? I can see that SMAC isn't registred correctly - strangely enough my Planetary Pack is - the strange thing is that I only have PP

[binTravkin]

Dont worry LoD, wait when Petek comes in - he'll probably know the right answer or at least where to search for it.

[binTravkin]

Ahh, in some cases there will be this error if the right port is closed. At least I remember one guy telling me he has this problem (and we after that detected he has almost no ports open at all).

[LoD]

BlackCat: hey, don't worry, we all make mistakes . And you did give me a new trail to follow.

bin: I've tried approaching the problem from this agle, but without success. The VPN solution of Hamachi only requires one outgoing port (it tunnels all comms through that). Still, thanks for the good will .

[Petek]

I don't have any specific knowledge about this problem. Two suggestions:

* You've probably already checked, but do the PCs in question actually have IPX installed?

* What about posting a question on the Hamachi discussion forum (http://forums.hamachi.cc/)?

Good luck!

[LoD]

Originally posted by Petek
I don't have any specific knowledge about this problem. Two suggestions:

* You've probably already checked, but do the PCs in question actually have IPX installed?

Oh that's interesting... no, I haven't checked that. What do you mean by having IPX installed? I thought both Windows XP and Direct Play have standard-issue mechanisms for facilitating IPX connections.

* What about posting a question on the Hamachi discussion forum (http://forums.hamachi.cc/)?

Damn, I see I've caused some confusion here . Let me reitarate three facts for the purpose of clarification:
1. Due to the fact that I'm under a very restrictive firewall, I can only play via Hamachi.
2. Hamachi does work with SMAC, but only on IPX (there are connection instabilities otherwise). Hence, if I want to play SMAC via Internet, I have to use IPX connections.
3. The problem is completely independent of the usage of Hamachi or any software of this kind. In fact, as I've said, I've seen comps in internet cafes that produced the same error message when trying to select the IPX mode in SMAC.

and also:

-I'm not the one having problems with selecting the IPX mode in SMAC. In fact, I have had succesfull playing sessions that way. However, the problem effects about 40% of people with whom I tried to play this way.

[BlackCat]

I might seem to be stubborn , but have they who have the problem tried the dxdiag program ? On my win 2000 it's placed in c:\winnt\system32

[Petek]

Originally posted by LoD


Oh that's interesting... no, I haven't checked that. What do you mean by having IPX installed? I thought both Windows XP and Direct Play have standard-issue mechanisms for facilitating IPX connections.

Okay, I just tried to start a SMAX multiplayer game via IPX and got the same error message. I fixed it by installing IPX. Here's how to do so:

* Open Control Panel, Network Connections.

* Right-click on Local Area Connection and select Properties.

* If you don't see "NWLINK IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol" (which I didn't on my PC), you have to add it.

* To do so, select the Install button, select Protocol, and then click on Add. Choose NWLINK IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol.

After doing this, I was able to get past the dperr_unavailable error message.

Hope this helps!

[binTravkin]

So simple!
I didn't even think of that because that was pretty obvious.
Like you try to play TCP/IP without actual protocol..