GM Connection Issues - Tried Everything - Try Hamachi

[damned]

Very occasionally I have seen Hamachi connections not correctly build tunnels...
Are there any warnings/exclamations on your Hamachi network?

[Gwydion]

Hey, guys. So, my FG works fine at home. I have it set up with no issues. However, I might be at a hotel this weekend and I was thinking of running a game. I've seen the posts about using a VPN service and Trenloe seemed to get it working fine. Are there instructions anywhere on the forum specifically walking through how to do it? I do not want to screw up my current home setup so I guess I need to figure out how to make sure I can use the VPN when traveling and my home configuration when home. Anyway, if anyone has any instructions and advice on how complicated this is, it would be much appreciated. Let me know. Thanks!

[Trenloe]

Hey, guys. So, my FG works fine at home. I have it set up with no issues. However, I might be at a hotel this weekend and I was thinking of running a game. I've seen the posts about using a VPN service and Trenloe seemed to get it working fine. Are there instructions anywhere on the forum specifically walking through how to do it? I do not want to screw up my current home setup so I guess I need to figure out how to make sure I can use the VPN when traveling and my home configuration when home. Anyway, if anyone has any instructions and advice on how complicated this is, it would be much appreciated. Let me know. Thanks!

There's a link in post #2 to a thread where I cover what I do with a VPN service: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...warding-issues

The key thing is that it needs to be able to port forward - many don't.

I've used three different VPNs over the years:
1) PureVPN - seems to only work recently if you pay extra for a static IP address.
2) HMA - tested this morning and works OK for me. https://www.hidemyass.com/
3) Setting up a Linux VM in the cloud as a VPN. Requires some techie work,renting a VM and does seem to have some bandwidth limits.

For a quick setup, I'd recommend HMA (Hide My *** - link above). It's pretty simple

1. Download and install the VPN app on the GM computer only.
2. Do a test VPN connection - check in Windows network and sharing center - if the VPN connection shows as public then make sure your secuirty/AV software allows FantasyGrounds.exe to communicate on a public network. You will more than likely have to manually change this! For example, Windows firewall will block FantasyGrounds.exe on a public network.
3. Connect to a location in the VPN (I'd recommend one in the US), then once connected and the VPN software has allocated an IP address, launch FG. Don't start FG before you have an external IP address from the VPN software.
4. On the Load Campaign screen click the "Click to Retrieve" box of the External address and make sure it shows the "Your New IP Address" from the VPN. If it doesn't fully close FG, restart FG and check the external IP address matches the VPN software's IP address.
5. Launch and your Fantasy Grounds and play as normal. FG will register your VPN IP address with the SmiteWorks alias server and so your players can use the alias to join as usual. They don't need to install a VPN.

The downside? The VPN subscription cost. They occasionally have specials - like I'm covered by a holiday special they had a while back that's $60/year.

If you don't want to pay anything them go with Hamachi - the players will need to install it as well, connect through FG with your Hamachi IP address (can't use the FG alias).

[Gwydion]

There's a link in post #2 to a thread where I cover what I do with a VPN service: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...warding-issues

The key thing is that it needs to be able to port forward - many don't.

I've used three different VPNs over the years:
1) PureVPN - seems to only work recently if you pay extra for a static IP address.
2) HMA - tested this morning and works OK for me. https://www.hidemyass.com/
3) Setting up a Linux VM in the cloud as a VPN. Requires some techie work,renting a VM and does seem to have some bandwidth limits.

For a quick setup, I'd recommend HMA (Hide My *** - link above). It's pretty simple

1. download the app on the GM computer only
2. connect to a location in the VPN (I'd recommend one in the US), then once connected launch FG
3. on the Load Campaign screen click the "Click to Retrieve" box of the External address and make sure it shows the "Your New IP Address" from the VPN.
4. Launch and your Fantasy Grounds and play as normal. FG will register your VPN IP address with the SmiteWorks alias server and so your players can use the alias to join as usual. They don't need to install a VPN.

The downside? The VPN subscription cost. They occasionally have specials - like I'm covered by a holiday special they had a while back that's $60/year.

If you don't want to pay anything them go with Hamachi - the players will need to install it as well, connect through FG with your Hamachi IP address (can't use the FG alias).

Thanks for the step by step quick setup! That is what I needed. I think I'll sign up for one month and see how it works. Sounds super easy and shouldn't mess with my connection when I'm at home. I probably won't stream if I do this as I suspect the hotel wifi wouldn't be great for that, but it would at least let me possibly run a game. Thanks again.

[Gwydion]

There's a link in post #2 to a thread where I cover what I do with a VPN service: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forum...warding-issues

The key thing is that it needs to be able to port forward - many don't.

I've used three different VPNs over the years:
1) PureVPN - seems to only work recently if you pay extra for a static IP address.
2) HMA - tested this morning and works OK for me. https://www.hidemyass.com/
3) Setting up a Linux VM in the cloud as a VPN. Requires some techie work,renting a VM and does seem to have some bandwidth limits.

For a quick setup, I'd recommend HMA (Hide My *** - link above). It's pretty simple

1. download the app on the GM computer only
2. connect to a location in the VPN (I'd recommend one in the US), then once connected launch FG
3. on the Load Campaign screen click the "Click to Retrieve" box of the External address and make sure it shows the "Your New IP Address" from the VPN.
4. Launch and your Fantasy Grounds and play as normal. FG will register your VPN IP address with the SmiteWorks alias server and so your players can use the alias to join as usual. They don't need to install a VPN.

The downside? The VPN subscription cost. They occasionally have specials - like I'm covered by a holiday special they had a while back that's $60/year.

If you don't want to pay anything them go with Hamachi - the players will need to install it as well, connect through FG with your Hamachi IP address (can't use the FG alias).

So, I was able to do steps 1-3 no problem. I verified that the new ip address from the VPN was properly showing as my external IP address. I launched fantasy grounds and then ran my connection test and it failed. I went ahead and launched anyway and tried to connect from a second computer at my house using the server alias and it failed. Will this approach not work at my house given I know you are supposed to connect using the internal ip address when you are in the same location and not the alias? Do you think this should still work at the hotel? Just want to confirm it all works before I set up a game for this weekend. Oh, and I'm connected just fine now that I'm back to my "normal" port-forwarding setup at my house. Thanks!

[LordEntrails]

When you are on your VPN, the connection test will not work and the alias will not work. You must connect using your VPN IP address from another computer on the VPN.

[Gwydion]

When you are on your VPN, the connection test will not work and the alias will not work. You must connect using your VPN IP address from another computer on the VPN.

Hmmm.. I guess I'm confused as per Trenloe's post, he indicated the players should just use the alias and they shouldn't need to download the vpn software.

[Trenloe]

If you're using a pure VPN solution, like HMA and not Hamachi, then you can use the alias.

@Gwydion - Assuming you're using HMA: connect to a specific location. I've just tested on USA, Texas, Dallas (Loc 3) and it works OK. Connectio test works, player instance can connect via alias. Give that location a go and see if it works for you.

[Gwydion]

Will do. I was using Illinois.

[LordEntrails]

If you're using a pure VPN solution, like HMA and not Hamachi, then you can use the alias.

Interesting. Thanks for correcting my understanding.