Zone Alarm / Firewalls

[Gelvan]

Is it possible to play RoN with a firewall, like Zone Alarm?

[MattH]

AFAIK, yes. Have you tried yet ?

It'll give you the standard "allow this program" message...
There was a good list of the ports that needed to be opened, but it's dissapeared . Anyone still have them?

[Rohag]

Related - Paul Stephanouk (posting as "gamegeek") authored "Router Configuration for Online Multiplayer Games," which you can find at RoN Heaven. I'm not sure it will answer all questions or solve all problems, but it goes a long way.

[Gelvan]

thanks al lot for your help

well the message appeared, ("shall nations.exe be allowed etc.") but when I clicked yes, RoN freezed and I had to reset the computer.

Then I tried without zone alarm and it worked - though after 20min a message appearently from a hacked site invited me to visit them, causing a return to desktop. I was able to Alt-Tab back into the game, but until then, I've been kicked.

Since I have to secure my system against theese hackers, I have to use zone alarm (or at least that's the only way I know of). But then RoN freezes.

I'm not so proficient regarding the technical side of computers, therefore: what's a router, and how is this connected with zone alarm? (furthermore I've only got the share ware version of zone alarm, do I need to buy the full version to do the things you've mentioned at scenario heaven?)

Thanks a lot for your time and help!

[Rohag]

Here's the formal definition of "router" as given by Webopedia:

A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.

For the record, I barely understand that. For me a router is a box with blinking lights that connects several computers to one cable that leads to the Internet. Chances are that if you are only using one computer that directly connects to the Web through a dial-up connection you aren't working through a (local) router. If you have a high-speed cable connection, then I'd expect you have a router.

As for ZoneAlarm, I'm only using the free, basic version. All I did was give permissions to RoN to access the LAN and WAN (or Internet - I don't remember) when the ZoneAlarm screens popped up to ask me about whether or not to allow the program (RoN) to do so. I haven't experienced any conflicts between basic ZoneAlarm and my router (a D-Link DI-604), which has its own security firewall.

You might check out the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Games: How to Troubleshoot Multiplayer Issues. Downloading and installing the latest DirectX might be all that's needed...???

[Skanky Burns]

The router shouldn't figure into this if RoN works without ZA running. Perhaps a newer version of ZA will do the trick - earlier versions were buggy.

[Gelvan]

ah ok, I think that's the trick - I can't even remember when I updated zone alarm the last time ;-)

I'll check it out and report. Thank you very much for your help!

(I'm using a dial up connection)

[azalae]

Just a couple of hints.

Router/LAN
To know whether you're directly connected or have router/gateway:
1. Open command prompt shell.
2. (WinXP) run: ipconfig.exe
Win9x may have winipcfg.exe or something similar. Just go to C:\Windows\ or C:\WinNT\ and look around for program with similar name.
3. (WinXP) Shows:
IP Address : 192.168.1.100
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
4.
If you have IP Address of 192.168.*.* or 127.*.*.* you're within a LAN.
Gateway: is your router or gateway computer.
5. To access settings: open browser. Open address: http://192.168.1.1 (or what's shown as your gateway by ipconfig).
Most routers have HTML interface. If not, there should be a program or telnet access.

Zone Alarm
When you first try to access internet with RoN, ZA will pop up a confirmation window.
NOTE: This window might be blocked by RoN Direct3D surface. RoN waits for ZA, ZA waits for your confirmation, ZA popup window is block so you can't see and can't confirm. It seems frozen but actually just waiting for user input.

To avoid this, do not click anything in RoN before you see that confirmation window.
Or better yet, manually add RoN.
1. Open ZA interface.
2. Go to "Program Control" (left tab).
3. Select "Programs" (upper right tab).
4. Click "Add" (bottom right button).
5. Add RoN.
6. Hightlight RoN (on program list).
7. Click questiom mark icon ('?'), select "Allow" (tick icon) at internet Access>Internet (also Server>Internet -- to host game).