As this overview is meant to be “brief,” it is not intended for the computer impaired. You will need at least a minimal knowledge of computer navigation, because I will not be covering every detail in a step-by-step format. Of course, if you're viewing this, chances are you have the required knowledge to excerpt the information you require with ease. Also, this article assumes you are running a Windows OS, however most information may still be of use to other OS users.
Many PC games offer options to eliminate the hosting middleman. Anyone who claims themselves a PC gamer has had to go through at least one or two of these potential buzz kills. Whether it be Steam, MSN Gaming Zone, Game Spy, or many others, the need to go through a separate interface other than the game's can be a major inconvenience to say the least, especially when you only desire to play with a few personal friends. The only real benefit these Middlemen offer is gamer Matchmaking. With most Multiplayer middlemen interfaces, you can quickly and easily find players to engage, and will most likely be able to connect to a session without having to reconfigure anything on your PC.
That being said, you are also sacrificing play time by navigating these separate interfaces, introducing latency issues to a game that would otherwise run flawlessly on an average broadband connection, and risking a multitude of game ending errors that are not derived from the game itself. These issues, among many others, are why it is often much more sensible to avoid gaming middlemen.
The problem with eliminating the middleman is that it is much easier said than done. In this overview, I'm going to offer some basic, but very effective options for playing the average multiplayer PC game. We've already covered the middleman, so we'll cover some of its alternatives.
(Note: for Windows XP and above, to negotiate with the Windows Firewall, either simply disable it, or place the game's .exe in the exceptions tab of Windows Firewall configuration. The first step to playing a multiplayer game, whether host or client, is to either disable whatever Firewall you are using, or configure it to allow Internet connections to your chosen program(s). )
LAN: The most simple non-middleman multiplayer option is to play on a LAN (Local Area Network) connection. In most cases, this only requires that the player(s) you wish to engage in a game with are connected to the same network as you; IE: you connect through a router on a wireless or cable connection, and your partner(s) connect to the same modem through a router or hub, whether via a cable, or wirelessly. Normally, you will not have to configure anything. Simply start your game, host it under the LAN option in Multiplayer, and allow your partner(s) to connect when they see the game listed.
TCP/IP: This method is quite a bit more complicated than LAN. Rather than playing with others on your home network where a connection to the Internet is not necessarily required, TCP/IP connections will require you to be connected to the Internet (usually before you start the game) and for that connection to be completely free of any virtual roadblocks.
(Note: Both hosts, and partner(s) (clients connecting to the Host) should follow these troubleshooting methods to ensure a connection.)
TCP/IP Cable Connection (no router/modem): If you're connected directly to your modem (no routers or hubs) TCP/IP may be considerably easier to configure. Just ensure that all firewalls are disabled, or excepting the game you're playing. If that fails, you will have to enable ports for the specific game you are playing through the TCP/IP protocol. To do this, you will need to navigate to Network connections in the control panel and then to the properties of the network adapter that connects you to the Internet. From properties, stay on the “General” tab, and scroll down the list of protocols to “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)”. Highlight this, and click properties, now click advanced, and click the “Options” tab. Highlight TCP/IP filtering and click properties. Here you can either simply Permit All, or input the required specific ports. After restarting your computer, try the game again. If it still fails to work, seek help from your modem's manufacturer or your Internet Service Provider, or of course, search the Internet, because surely this isn't the only method.
TCP/IP Connection through a router: This Connection is more common, and most people's hosting/joining problems are related to router port forwarding. To begin the process of port forwarding, you will first need to find instructions for your particular router. A great resource for this (or rather the one everyone uses) is Portforward's router page. You will also need to know what ports your multiplayer game requires to be opened for connections. You can often find this information on the game's company website, or in the game's readme or troubleshooting files. Often, even after correctly port forwarding a game, players are still unable to connect to your hosted game, or vise versa. This is where terms like DMZ, and UPNP come into play. DMZ, or demilitarized zone means that your router will be completely open to the Internet, thus vulnerable to security threats. However, some people find that enabling DMZ (you will need the correct last 3 digits of your wireless IP, which you can find by right clicking your wireless connection and clicking status, then the support tab) is their only way to play, and they temporarily enable it during a session. If enabling DMZ doesn't do the trick, disable UPNP, which stands for Universal Plug and Play (on a linksys router's configuration address you can do this on the administration tab). I've found that disabling UPNP is usually the last step, but almost always the most successful (especially in games like Age Of Empires II).
TCP/IP Connecting to the Game: Okay, so everything is properly configured (hopefully). The host of the game (keep in mind the game's host should be the person with the best computer, and the fastest connection to the Internet) will need to distribute their IP address to his partner(s). If the host isn't behind a router, you can usually find the correct IP by right clicking your network connection icon and clicking status and then the support tab. If you are behind a router or proxy, (192.168.x.x.xxx addresses aren't what you're looking for) run “winipcfg” (no quotes). You can also visit this sort of site, although if you are running a browser proxy, you will most likely be shown your proxy IP, which is fake, and cannot be used to connect to a multiplayer game.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): A simple way to avoid a lot of configuration (although that's not always the truth) is to use a VPN program such as Hamachi. Programs like Hamachi (and there are much better, and much worse out there) usually work like a Local Area Network; you can create your own private networks and allow others to join. Each user is assigned their own virtual IP address, which they can use to connect to other users. With a VPN program running, you can enter your game, host, and distribute your assigned IP to your partner(s).
Points to remember:
Disable Firewalls
Configure your ports properly.
Disable UPNP.
Temporarily Enable DMZ.
Distribute the correct IP address.
Gaming without the middleman is still very advantageous in many ways. While it may seem complicated, if you can grasp the concept, and some basic rules, you will soon be able to start playing with your friends, whether in the same house, or miles away without the need for any other interface than that of the game you want to play.
