Difference between revisions of "HostingFAQ"

From Armagetron
(Commit of faq specific for hosting)
 
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=== What should I do to increase my chance of getting help? ===
 
=== What should I do to increase my chance of getting help? ===
First of all, use the search capacities of the forum. It is easy and powerfull, and often will turn your answer without delays.
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First of all, use the search capacities of the forum. It is easy and powerful, and often will turn your answer without delays.
  
Second, get your information right. A simple task from you will save many troubles to anyone trying to help you. Be detailed! Nobodyknows your specific setup, nor can guess it.  
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Second, get your information right. A simple task from you will save many troubles to anyone trying to help you. Be detailed! Nobody knows your specific setup, nor can guess it.
  
 
== IRC channel ==
 
== IRC channel ==
 
TODO
 
TODO
 
[[IRC_Channel]]
 
[[IRC_Channel]]

Revision as of 23:07, 22 May 2007

This FAQ relates to issues specific to installing, configuring and administrating servers. For issues about playing the game or generally non-server specific, consult the Playing FAQ


Running a Server

Which should I run? The client in hosting mode, or the dedicated server?

Generally this depends on how long you want the server to run at a time. If you just want it running when you're playing, run the client in hosting mode, it's easier to deal with. If you're running at a LAN party, you might also want to run the client in hosting mode. But if you want to run a server that operates on the internet, reports to the master server, and runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (8 days in a leap week), then you should run the dedicated server.

More information can be found in the playing FAQ about the difference between client hosting and dedicated server hosting.

How to start the dedicated server

... on Linux/Unix

This section needs to be written.

... on MS Windows

This section needs to be written.

... on Max OS X

There is a very easy way to run the dedicated server on Max OS:

  1. Open up Terminal ( Macintosh HD -> Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal )
  2. In the terminal window type (without the quotes & don't forget the space): 'cd '
  3. Drag the 'Armagetron Advanced Dedicated' folder into the terminal window
  4. Press Enter
  5. Drag the 'armagetronad-dedicated' file ( Armagetron Advanced Dedicated -> armagetronad-dedicated ) into the Terminal window
  6. Press Enter

I've started the dedicated server, but I don't see it listed in the master server. What's wrong?

You need to add the line

TALK_TO_MASTER 1

to your configuration files to publish your server on the internet. The server needs to be up one or two minutes before it can appear in the server browser, the master server checks whether it is reachable before it gets published.

I did that, but my server still is not listed. What else can be wrong?

Get your server's IP address; if it is running on the same computer you use for browsing right now, check http://www.whatismyip.com to get it. Fire up the Armagetronad client, enter the internet server browser, wait half a minute, exit the server browser, enter it again, and look for your server's IP. If it appears (having the list sorted by server name my pressing "right" once helps), you really want to ask FAQ#I see my server's IP in the master server browser, but it says "Unreachable". What's wrong?. Otherwise, this is the right section for you. This is also the right section if you see your server just fine, but nobody else does.

If your server is connected to the internet via a router box and not directly via a "modem" of sorts, it is likely that network packages from the internet can't get to your server because the router blocks them. You need to tell your router to forward UDP port 4534 (or whatever SERVER_PORT is set to) to the server. On [1], there are nice instructions how to do that for a lot of router models. If the UDP port 4534 thing confuses you, just follow these instructions for a different game that uses a similar connection method. Of course, you need to find out what router model you have, some under-the-table-crawling and cable following may be required for that if you can't remember what you bought or got the router from your ISP.

My server still isn't listed. This sucks, it's hard to find out where the problem is. What can I do?

See Short Firewall Troubleshooting and Short Port Forwarding Troubleshooting, if this does not solve your problem, read on.

You can ask people to connect to your server directly by giving them your IP and the port your server is running on. A perfect place to ask is our IRC channel(#armagetron on irc.freenode.org) because you'll get a real-time answer there. Less perfect is the support section of the forums; you'll need to make sure your server is up and running when people read your post, which can be well 48 hours after you post it. If people can't connect to your server that way, it means you probably need to set up port forwarding (see last question) correctly.

Gaaa! This FAQ is useless! Can't YOU help me get my server up?

Sure. Post your trouble on the support section of the forums. Be sure to

  • describe exactly what you already tried, and please don't just say "everything the FAQ told me"
  • state the your IP your server is running on, we need that to check the master server's logs
  • state your port if you modified SERVER_PORT
  • state your server's name, others need that to check for your server in the browser
  • post the complete output of your server from the moment it is started

Without that info, we can't help.

Setting up a server is complicated sometimes; don't be too shy to admit you didn't understand some part of the process. A lot of trouble comes from people silently skipping steps they don't understand.

I see my server's IP in the master server browser, but it says "Unreachable". What's wrong?

Probably the answer is "Nothing is wrong". A bug in some routers or the NAT specifications (at least, that's how Z-Man sees this) causes the response to the server query packet used in the server browser to come from the LAN address of your server, not the public address it was sent to. The packet gets ignored then. A workaround will be available in 0.2.8.3, but right now, that means most people can't see their own servers. Come to the IRC channel (#armagetron on irc.freenode.org) and ask people there if they can see your server.



When all else fail

What to do when consulting the documents provided on this wiki and consulting this FAQ still doesnt provide an answer.

The Forums

The forum is a message board where discussion about ArmagetronAd often take part. A great many problems have been discussed and solved there.

The forums is usefull for discussion that spawns under days and weeks. Should you require more immediate assistance, try contacting us on IRC.

What should I do to increase my chance of getting help?

First of all, use the search capacities of the forum. It is easy and powerful, and often will turn your answer without delays.

Second, get your information right. A simple task from you will save many troubles to anyone trying to help you. Be detailed! Nobody knows your specific setup, nor can guess it.

IRC channel

TODO IRC_Channel