I need to solve this Socks/Proxy issue!

[Toigan]

- Introduction:
Hello, my name is Toigan and I have a problem (lol)! I recently moved to a new house and there was only 1 ISP available here for getting a good broadband internet connection. The ISP network is like a wireless local network, it works just a like a big LAN. Much like what you will find in a big office building or schools (Yeah if you run Win95/98/ME and have no firewall... all the ISP\'s customers are free to surf your entire HDD, hehe.). Since I got this internet connection, I\'ve had nothing but one problem after the other. I had to learn about proxy server and tunnel stuff for the first time ever. I got it working pretty smooth for most applications I commonly use now, but I can\'t make Planeshift work. I really, really wanna get this working. Below I\'ll write about every little detail I can think of, that might hold the key to this issue. Please bare with me.

- My Local Network:
I have 5 computers, 1 server and 4 clients all connected to my LAN hub. All the computers are using using a common 100 Mbit ethernet card to connect to the hub. The server has a 2nd network adapter installed, a card connecting to my ISP\'s local wireless network.

- Internet Connection Sharing:
Normally I\'d ofcource just enable the buildt-in \"share internet connection\" feature in Windows, but due to this weird ISP... I can\'t do that. The reason is that Windows XP internet sharing demands that the IP address 192.168.0.1 is free on the ISP network. However; that address is the address used by my ISP\'s server, so I\'m stuck with proxy and tunnel stuff as my only means to get online applications to work right on my client computers.

- The Software:
My server is running Windows 2000 Professional, and my clients are using Windows XP Professional. All computers are running Norton Antivirus 2003, and Norton Firewall 2003. On the server I run the AnalogX Proxy server program to allow \"normal\" internet access on my client computers On my client computers I use a program called SocksCap which I have to launch online games through in order to make them work.

- My Firewalls:
All my firewalls has been set up to allow all traffic for Planeshift, ofcource... the problem isn\'t that simple to solve. The game works on the server, so my ISP can\'t be blaimed for this either. It\'s an setting or program issue on my end.

- Stuff that work:
The updater for Planeshift works perfectly on my client computers, when I launch the updater through the SocksCap program. Anarchy Online is the first and only mmorpg I ever played up till now (and still do play), it works on my clients and my server. My server can launch the game normally, but my client computers needs to launch Anarchy Online through the SocksCap program in order to make it work (just like with the updater for Planeshift). Also, if I wanna use the IRC program \"mIRC\" I have to launch it through the SocksCap on my client computers to make it work. Point is that it works. Anyways, the clue here is that if Anarchy Online, the Planeshift updater and mIRC can work... then so can Planeshift! That is only logical, it\'s just a matter of settings.

- Stuff that doesn\'t work:
I also tried running Counterstrike online from my clients, and that didn\'t work either, not even when launched through SocksCap. Anyways, no big deal... I don\'t play Counterstrike no more.

- SocksCap:
The SocksCap program is a nice little utility I found after searching the net/forums for a way to make Anarchy Online work through a proxy server. It wasn\'t enough to just use the AnalogX Proxy server program on my server computer. I also had to use SocksCap for launching various online applications. SocksCap runs in the tray and when you rightclick the icon, you get a little \"rightclick-menu\" listing the applications you have set up to run through SocksCap. When I say \"set up\" in SocksCap, that implies little more the making a shortcut to the \".exe\" file of the program/game you wish to launch through SocksCap. I think my problem with Planeshift may be solved by setting up this program correctly. With the settings I\'m using now, Anarchy Online and mIRC works on my client computers when -and only when- launched through SocksCap... but Counterstrike didn\'t, and Planshift doesn\'t. I\'m guessing it\'s just a matter of SocksCap settings to make Planeshift work. I found SocksCap here:
http://www.socks.permeo.com/

- Proxy Server Program:
After trying multiple freeware proxy server programs, I found that the AnalogX Proxy was just what I was looking for. It\'s easy to set up and it works good. I doubt this program is the cause of my issues with Planeshift. I found AnalogX Proxy here:
http://download.com.com/2001-20-0.html?legacy=cnet

- Searched the forum:
I did a search in this forum for Proxy and LAN related issues that might hold some vital information related to my issue, but I couldn\'t find anything. However; it seems that there\'s a bunch of people having the same problem or a similar problem. Let\'s try solving this problem.

- Timeout:
When I launch Planeshift through Sockscap, the game starts (I got it in windowed mode, by the way) and I\'m at that first options screen with the 3 buttons (Create, Quit, Connect). I then press \"Connect\" and get to the \"login menu\". Here I have tried both the IP address to the server, and planeshift.fragnetics.com. Neither works. After I click the \"Connect\" button again, it says \"Please wait while connecting to Planeshift server\". Then after like 30 seconds, I get the popup window message \"The server is not running or is not reachable. Please check the website or forums for more info.\". Well I did that ofcource, check that the servers was running and they were. Then I can only click \"OK\" and the game automatically exit to Windows again (Planeshift shuts down). I did notice something that might be relevant though. I can\'t see exactly what it says behind that popup window since it\'s overlapping most the text, but I can make out something about \"timeout\" or \"timed out\". It bugs me that I can\'t move that popup window and see the rest of the message. The reason I mention this is that I remember I had to increase the \"time\" for Anarchy Online when I first tried launching it through SocksCap. I kept getting timed out at login, but after I increased that \"time\" it\'s working perfectly. I can\'t seem to find any settings for \"timeout\" stuff in Planeshift though. Could it be that the problem is this simple? That it\'s just a timeout here too?

- Character:
I made a character on my server computer and uploaded to the server. I have no problems logging in on my server. I do ofcource have the right name and password on my clients, the problem isn\'t that simple. I have no interest playing Planeshift on my server though, it\'s not set up to be a gaming computer.

- Thanks for your time:
When you\'ve tried everything you can think of, you just can\'t think \"new\" anymore. You need a some fresh ideas and input from other sources. I am out of ideas and I need new input! I will be greatful for any assistance, thanks for your time.

[orogor]

for less than 100$ u could buy a router , and then u won t have to let the comp who is connected to internet  up , having a router solve many probleme , we ve bought one for 2 comps , if u got 5 comps  it s really worth it , trust me.

u ll just need to  forward ports ONLY if u run a server at home

[Toigan]

I\'m not entirely sure that a router is a physical possibility here... it\'s not like I\'m connected to a standard phoneline you see. I just got this oldschool coaxial cable coming through the wall, from an antennae on the roof. The cable end isn\'t like the old coaxial LAN cable ends though... it\'s like what you\'d connect to your satelite TV tuner. I have no previous experienve with routers... do they even support this kinda \"plug-in\"? After what I\'ve seen on hubs and routers, they seem to only have the standard RJ-45 TP cable plugs.

Also, I can\'t cut the cable and modify the end plug on it. My ISP wouldn\'t allow that, hehe.

Still, money isn\'t the issue... but I have an entire computer set up as server and router for my LAN. I don\'t think a router is needed. All my usual applications work flawlessly on my client computers... this means that Planeshift should too. So for me and all the others who want to make it work through a Proxy server, let\'s try to solve this problem on the software end.

[Toigan]

- PS:
I did try to disable all my firewalls, ofcource, and that didn\'t change anything at all. Still the same problem.

[Keldorn]

About that timeout issue you bring up; I believe you can modify the timeout by editing psclient.cfg. At the bottom of the file is the line Planeshift.Client.User.Connecttimeout = 60. I believe this is what you are looking for.

edit: and yes there are coax routers around, they are just old. I don\'t think you\'ll find them easily nowadays.

[Toigan]

Hello, Keldorn. Thanks for the information, that was exactly what I was looking for. I just found the file and put up a timeout value of 90 seconds like I use for Anarchy Online, but I\'m afraid it didn\'t work. The searching for the server seems to end in failure after exactly 26 seconds (I timed it now, hehe).

Atleast we\'re on the right track, we now know for a fact that the timeout theory was not the source of the problem in this case.

I\'m just not getting through to the Planeshift server, even with my firewalls all disabled. It seems the \"signal\" is not coming through my proxy server or maybe not even reaching my proxy server (god only knows). Seing as Planeshift works on the server, we can safely say that it\'s not my ISP. It is either my client or my server computer\'s program settings.

My clients are set to use port 6588 to reach the AnalogX Proxy server program on my server computer. Under Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN Settings in Windows XP. Just F.Y.I. incase this rings any bells.

[Toigan]

I haven\'t bothered to set up my clients to work right with FTP, Pop3 and some misc stuff yet... I wonder, should that matter at all?

[Xalthar]

Sorry, but no, I don\'t use a proxy server.. so I don\'t know how to help you with your problem

[Grakrim]

Back in the day, I used to use the same combination of SocksCap and AnalogX\'s Proxy that you speak of.  If memory serves me correctly, its a matter of setting up one of those (that is, either SocksCap or Proxy) with port information (port 13331).  You may wish to see if a newer version of Proxy is out, but AnalogX doesn\'t tend to release new versions of his programs; http://www.analogx.com.

The easiest method would be to get a differant proxy.  There\'s some technique called Natural Address Translation (As seen in Windows\' ICS proxy); if you used a NAT proxy, you shouldn\'t have to use SocksCap.  I think there\'s a popular GPL proxy, but I can\'t remember the name of it...

[Toigan]

- Xalthar
Thanks for response though.

- Grakrim:
Yeah I\'ve been thinking about trying some other proxy server programs, but those freeware proxy programs I\'ve seen so far are either made for outdated windows versions or they\'re just plain bad. I\'ll keep looking though, and thanks for the hints.

[Toigan]

Groovy... I found my solution with Sygate proxy server program. 1 part installs on server and another part installs on client. I now got complete internet access, FTP, mail and everything. It seems AnalogX Proxy was the problem.

[macin]

The problem is/was probably that the planeshift client tries to ping the server before connecting to it. since a ping uses the icmp protocol and since socks servers can only handle tcp and udp protocols the ping fails resulting in a timeout.

if you are able to setup a gateway/nat instead of a socks server id recommend that because all ip packets are forwarded no matter what protcol they are... since i cannot remove the socks server at mine i cannot play planeshift...
omg

greets
macin