Windows File Sharing

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ewan Sinclair
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Ewan Sinclair

I have a game server I want to run with several clients that works rather
nicely on a LAN using a windows file share. The server monitors the shared
directory for changes in files. When all the files are changed by the
players, the server uses them to generate the next "turn", and the clients
detect the change in the server updated files, thus bringing the new
gamestate to their screens.

The game is a bit old (it's called Stars! in case anyone is curious), and
the only way to get it working is to point it to a directory that the game
files reside in, which it can check frequently for changes. The thing is
that I now want to run it over the internet, and several players are behind
firewalls that block all NetBIOS traffic, thus stopping this method from
working. While this can be done over email, it is a far clunkier method and
I was wondering if anybody knew how I could get something shared that looks
like a local directory or disk to all the users and the server, but will be
able to work around firewalls.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Ewan
 
Ewan Sinclair said:
I have a game server I want to run with several clients that works rather
nicely on a LAN using a windows file share. The server monitors the shared
directory for changes in files. When all the files are changed by the
players, the server uses them to generate the next "turn", and the clients
detect the change in the server updated files, thus bringing the new
gamestate to their screens.

The game is a bit old (it's called Stars! in case anyone is curious), and
the only way to get it working is to point it to a directory that the game
files reside in, which it can check frequently for changes. The thing is
that I now want to run it over the internet, and several players are behind
firewalls that block all NetBIOS traffic, thus stopping this method from
working. While this can be done over email, it is a far clunkier method and
I was wondering if anybody knew how I could get something shared that looks
like a local directory or disk to all the users and the server, but will be
able to work around firewalls.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


Players could VPN into the file server.
 
Players could VPN into the file server.

Any good links to pages on how to set up a VPN? I've never even touched that
stuff before. Can you configure it to go through any old port you choose?

Ewan
 
What OS and what router are you using?

If you're using MS software go to www.microsoft.com/technet and search for
VPN.

For multiple players you may need a router that provided multiple VPN
connections or pass through.
 
What OS and what router are you using?
If you're using MS software go to www.microsoft.com/technet and search for
VPN.

For multiple players you may need a router that provided multiple VPN
connections or pass through.
Click to expand...

Aw dang, you need VPN support on the router? I've only got a D-Link DI-604,
which probably isn't much good. I'm using windows 98, and my clients are
using 2000 and XP.

Ewan
 
Ewan Sinclair said:
Aw dang, you need VPN support on the router? I've only got a D-Link DI-604,
which probably isn't much good. I'm using windows 98, and my clients are
using 2000 and XP.
Click to expand...


You may or may not have problems with the router and VPN pass through is the
router may only provide for you pass through connection.

On the setting up VPN on win 98, it's been years since I've used win 98 but
I believe you can set your system up to receive VPN connections through
network connection wizard.

Is this game you wrote on your own?

I"m assuming this game is not real-time, and that the client polls the
server on intervals to retrieve the current data, say every 5 seconds or so.
If this is the case you really should just use FTP for the data transfer.
If you wrote the app you should modify it to use FTP and have your clients
just run the application locally.
 
You may or may not have problems with the router and VPN pass through is
the
router may only provide for you pass through connection.
Click to expand...

Well, I suppose I'll find out sooner or later :-)
I"m assuming this game is not real-time, and that the client polls the
server on intervals to retrieve the current data, say every 5 seconds or so.
If this is the case you really should just use FTP for the data transfer.
If you wrote the app you should modify it to use FTP and have your clients
just run the application locally.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately it's 100% proprietary, and no source code is available. Yes,
it is turn-based. Upon reflection, it may be an idea to write a simple
little program that the clients run that regularly downloads the files from
an FTP server then checks them against the local ones for changes, replacing
them if newer files are available. Thanks for the FTP hint, I think I'll do
that!

Ewan
 
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