Bamrak

Okay, Here is what I want to do.

I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router that I'm using for two pc's networked behind my cable modem. My issue is that the router sucks when it comes to letting me host games ( battlefield 1942, America's Army, Ghost Recon, Etc. If people connect, they will be disconnected within 5 minutes or so. I troubleshooted it for about 18 months now and Ive been unable to figure out how to configure it so that it won't disconnect. Anyway, I'm wanting to set up a fileserver/Game hosting PC and I'm wondering if I can have the cable modem feed directly to the server pc, then have an additional NIC card patched to the router for the other two PC's

Would this be practical, or would there be an easier way to do it?

Thanks in advance for the help!

sailor

OK, I think I got what you are trying to do...

Basically, the cable modem only has one out (at least all the ones I have ever seen...). If you plug that directly into your hosting machine, you are going to have to set that machine up to also act as a router, and route through it the packets that are meant for the machines that are behind it.

So you have:

Modem
|
|
Game Host
|
|
Router
| |
PC1 PC2


If that makes any sense...

I suspect that the problem you were having was likely due to a firewall setting in the router. See if you can turn it off and see what that does before you go trying to set up a software router.

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devnull

If security is not really a big issue to you, make the gaming server the DMZ host in your router. This should clear it of the router's firewall. Give the gaming server a static IP instead of being assigned one automatically from the router and then put that IP you gave it in the router's setup.

Bamrak

Devnull,
The issue is that the router is still preventing gaming. I've seen many tech support saying that it is iffy and very difficult if not impossible to host some games due to the config of the router.

Thanks for the advise though, i'm planning on trying this once the new pc is in and running.

asittler

Setting a DMZ would be okay, but if I was going to do something like what sailor suggested, I'd make the game host as secure as I could before I put it in front of the router, and then make it just act as a router. You'd save equipment, and spend eventually less time. You could use a Debian-based distro for the game host/router, and radness could ensue.

RelaX

For those of you reading this post and, like me,wondering what the hell DMZ was: Try here

You could also do away with your router and go for something like ClarkConnect which isn't hard to set up and can route your trafic for you (although the network stuff is harder to set up than with a router).
You would still have a firewall, and you could even set up an FTP server.

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Bamrak

Sounds interesting RelaX, I'll give that a looksee once their websute is back up. Thanks again for the ideas!