I need help trouble shooting; Hosting related

I've recently tried hosting a server and alt-tabbing
whilst checking the master server, but I'm not getting
results. I can see my server there, but it keeps commenting
on how I didn't forward my ports.

I'm using Vista, and I think I'm not doing something correctly.
Is allowing a program through my firewall the same as forwarding?
Was I doing the wrong thing this whole time and getting flustered
over it because I'm misinformed?

I appreciate the help.

(By the way, I checked. I AM at least using the correct port in my wrongness)

Hello,

Allowing a program through your Vista firewall settings 'should' allow the internet and that program to communicate back and forth. However, it is possible that it's not enough.

A few quick questions.

1) Does your antivirus software include a firewall option? Symantec, McAfee and others tend to include a firewall option as well and it's possible you need to check those settings too.

2) Is your computer connected directly to your DSL/Cable modem directly or is there another 'box' that you plug into that then plugs into your modem? Most wireless boxes are also routers and it's possible that you also need to check the manual and make changes to its settings to also allow forwarding.

3) If you're directly connected to the internet, you may need to try allowing 'ports' through your Vista firewall. You may need to create a port rule to allow 5029 into your computer when it (SRB2) connects to the internet on port 28900 and/or 5029. The same port is not used to connect to your hosted server from the internet that it uses to register with the internet server. If you have a router between you and the internet, you may be able to use 'UPnP port forwarding - Port Triggering'. This means that you create a rule that forwards 5029 into your computer when your computer connects to the internet on port 28900. This is preferred because the allowed connection into your computer is only allowed when your using SRB2 to host a game.

You can use http://www.canyouseeme.org/ to test whether the internet can connect to the SRB2 port, 5029. That will help you see whether everything is set up to work. Just start up SRB2 and try to host a game. Minimise it and go to the website and enter 5029 to see if it's open. If you get an error, there's still something wrong.

1; I'm using security essentials, I don't believe it has it's own firewall.
But I could be wrong.

2; I am using a wireless modem. I run on a laptop, but it's a competent gaming machine. I'll look into that.

3; I know that I'm using port 5029. The one thing I did correctly.


I've mostly been alt-tabbing out and using srb2 master server list to see if I'm connected, but that website sounds useful.

Have you actually forwarded the port you're using? (It doesn't actually need to be 5029, that's just the default.)

portforward.com