P2P VPN and System Link Games

My brother is on the other coast and we want to play Halo and Brute force
which support System Link. So I setup a VPN server for him to connect to, i
start up a halo game waiting for people to join and he fires up halo trying
to join but he can't see my game.

His setup is pretty basic
Laptop running windows Me
Xbox
DLink Router, the one listed as LIve compatible. Both devices plug into this
as does the cable modem.

He can surf the internet fine, play on live fine and connect to me via VPN
fine.

Now on my side, things are a whole lot more complicated.

First my xbox ties into a Netgear 802.11b wireless bridge which talks to
another one which plugs into my netgear switches.
I have numerous hard wired and wireless clients in the house, couple laptops
and desktops. All talk fine on the network and internet.
My server (windows 2000) is steup with RRAS and pluged into the switch
The switch goes to a Sonicwall Firewall and on the other side of the f.wall
is my cable modem.

I can play on live, talk on the internet and talk with other computers in my
network just fine.

So what am I missing? Why can't he see my Halo game?

Not sure if system link will work on a VPN. It will work if you go here
www.xbconnect.com

"BayArea TANK" <n@a.com> wrote in message
news:uBVjZMUVDHA.2364@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> My brother is on the other coast and we want to play Halo and Brute force
> which support System Link. So I setup a VPN server for him to connect to,
i
> start up a halo game waiting for people to join and he fires up halo
trying
> to join but he can't see my game.
>
> His setup is pretty basic
> Laptop running windows Me
> Xbox
> DLink Router, the one listed as LIve compatible. Both devices plug into
this
> as does the cable modem.
>
> He can surf the internet fine, play on live fine and connect to me via VPN
> fine.
>
> Now on my side, things are a whole lot more complicated.
>
> First my xbox ties into a Netgear 802.11b wireless bridge which talks to
> another one which plugs into my netgear switches.
> I have numerous hard wired and wireless clients in the house, couple
laptops
> and desktops. All talk fine on the network and internet.
> My server (windows 2000) is steup with RRAS and pluged into the switch
> The switch goes to a Sonicwall Firewall and on the other side of the
f.wall
> is my cable modem.
>
> I can play on live, talk on the internet and talk with other computers in
my
> network just fine.
>
> So what am I missing? Why can't he see my Halo game?
>
>

interesting setup. but i have a few questions...

1. have u successfully created a VPN tunnel between your
server at home and yr brother's laptop?

2. what happens when u disconnect disconnect the xbox
from the wireless bridge and connect another pc or laptop
(via ethernet) to this bridge? can your brother's laptop
and that PC that is in the place of the xbox connect
successfully via VPN?

has your brother tried putting his xbox in the DMZ
(outside his router's firewall) to see if that might help?
(i have a feeling that your brother's router is doing
something screwy -- like sending data from your xbox to
his laptop rather than his xbox -- so u need to try to
correct this.

3. has your brother tried setting up packet forwarding to
the xbox? have you tried that on your end?

another thing u can try.. have your brother get rid of
the router for a second. see what happens when he uses
ICS to connect xbox to the internet (unofortunately, this
requires a second "wired" NIC) -- his laptop should be
able to forward the packets coming from the VPN tunnel to
the xbox properly -- as i assume your server is doing at
home. (if u can connect 2 non xbox PCs together via VPN
then we know u have to tweak your packet forwarding.

(then again, i have little experience w\ RRAS so it may
in fact not matter)

but start w\ testing your VPN connection b/c thats where
the problem might be. once u this is set up correctly,
the xboxes should theoretically be "shouting" at each
other as tho they were connected directly via crossover
cable.

finally, he could just break down and use some of these
online services which will allow Halo online gaming. a
second xBox live account for your brother may not be a
bad idea once Halo 2 comes out either.

i'm curious to know if your problem was solved so feel
free to email me if u like.

good luck!
CMM.
>-----Original Message-----
>Not sure if system link will work on a VPN. It will
work if you go here
>www.xbconnect.com
>
>"BayArea TANK" <n@a.com> wrote in message
>news:uBVjZMUVDHA.2364@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> My brother is on the other coast and we want to play
Halo and Brute force
>> which support System Link. So I setup a VPN server
for him to connect to,
>i
>> start up a halo game waiting for people to join and he
fires up halo
>trying
>> to join but he can't see my game.
>>
>> His setup is pretty basic
>> Laptop running windows Me
>> Xbox
>> DLink Router, the one listed as LIve compatible. Both
devices plug into
>this
>> as does the cable modem.
>>
>> He can surf the internet fine, play on live fine and
connect to me via VPN
>> fine.
>>
>> Now on my side, things are a whole lot more
complicated.
>>
>> First my xbox ties into a Netgear 802.11b wireless
bridge which talks to
>> another one which plugs into my netgear switches.
>> I have numerous hard wired and wireless clients in the
house, couple
>laptops
>> and desktops. All talk fine on the network and
internet.
>> My server (windows 2000) is steup with RRAS and pluged
into the switch
>> The switch goes to a Sonicwall Firewall and on the
other side of the
>f.wall
>> is my cable modem.
>>
>> I can play on live, talk on the internet and talk with
other computers in
>my
>> network just fine.
>>
>> So what am I missing? Why can't he see my Halo game?
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>