Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => Multiplayer => Topic started by: NFSRacer on August 21, 2008, 04:36:51 pm

Title: IPX?
Post by: NFSRacer on August 21, 2008, 04:36:51 pm
Hey!  Ever since I tried to connect to the FS2NetD servers, I kept getting a connection failed message (due to the fact that the FS2NetD servers are down).  At first I thought that this was on my end, so I switch to IPX and tried again, but it still would connect!  Instead, I got a different message saying that it couldn't find my IPX protocals on my computer.  My question is, though, what is IPX and how do I get FS2 to reconise the IPX protocals?
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Shade on August 21, 2008, 04:41:59 pm
IPX is a rather old protocol that's rarely used anymore - Windows XP for example doesn't have native support for it. Just stick with TCP as that's supported by nearly everything. The fact that it's even a choice is only due to FS2 being such an old game.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: NFSRacer on August 21, 2008, 06:15:49 pm
IPX is a rather old protocol that's rarely used anymore - Windows XP for example doesn't have native support for it. Just stick with TCP as that's supported by nearly everything. The fact that it's even a choice is only due to FS2 being such an old game.

Well then, on that note, I'm kind of surprised that the people who make the SCP builds haven't thought about taking that little option out.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Cobra on August 21, 2008, 06:40:07 pm
I'm pretty certain that the multiplayer options are hard-coded.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Mongoose on August 21, 2008, 07:24:42 pm
I'm pretty certain that the multiplayer options are hard-coded.
...which would be why a coder would be the only one who could remove it. :p
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Cobra on August 21, 2008, 07:29:58 pm
Err, last time I heard you can't remove hard-coded stuff. *looks at Karajorma* :nervous:
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Turey on August 21, 2008, 07:36:04 pm
Err, last time I heard you can't remove hard-coded stuff. *looks at Karajorma* :nervous:

I'm 100% sure it's removable.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Flipside on August 21, 2008, 07:43:29 pm
Now there's a blast from the past....
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on August 21, 2008, 10:55:40 pm
/me still has machines that run IPX.  One client and 2 servers. 

BTW IPX was Novell's native protocol. 
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: karajorma on August 22, 2008, 01:00:48 am
IPX is still supported by XP. In fact it's a good choice of protocol if your machines aren't connected to the internet as it doesn't have many of the problems that TCP/IP has.

And I simply don't see any reason to remove IPX support if it still works. Whether it works is another matter of course. :D
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: Mongoose on August 22, 2008, 01:20:44 am
Err, last time I heard you can't remove hard-coded stuff. *looks at Karajorma* :nervous:
The very definition of "hard-coded" is "built into the engine;" i.e., not able to be changed via an outside resource such as a table file.  Considering we have access to the entire codebase, there's nothing in it that can't theoretically be changed.  Of course, whether or not changing certain things is feasible and/or wise is another matter entirely...
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: CP5670 on August 22, 2008, 02:51:13 am
IPX is still supported by XP. In fact it's a good choice of protocol if your machines aren't connected to the internet as it doesn't have many of the problems that TCP/IP has.

And I simply don't see any reason to remove IPX support if it still works. Whether it works is another matter of course. :D

I've used IPX recently to play some old games that support only that, mainly the earlier C&C titles. It's a bit tricky to set up but it does work.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: castor on August 22, 2008, 03:19:01 pm
Hmm.. I thought the IPX support has been defunc since the switch to FS2netD.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: karajorma on August 23, 2008, 01:08:40 am
I didn't say it worked. :p

To be honest I don't think anyone has tried using IPX in years. It may work, it may not. But if it's not hurting anything just by being there I see no reason to remove it.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on August 23, 2008, 01:40:37 pm
I don't think it even worked in retail.  Remember trying it when I first got FS2 but never did get it to work. 
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: RipperKhan on August 23, 2008, 04:59:39 pm
ipx works just fine on fs2 just gota make sure every one has the right protocal installed. as it is not installed on most machines, have to do it manually. and the network has to be setup properly.
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on August 23, 2008, 06:06:00 pm
Well I ran a Novell network for years as IPX only.  FS2 could not find any clients on the network.  I was using Novell's 32bit IPX/SPX protocol.  Maybe FS2 only worked with mickysofts 16bit version of IPX. 
Title: Re: IPX?
Post by: RipperKhan on August 24, 2008, 09:48:42 am
ye i dun think it worked with novell cant remember but i remember when i was in school we had full blown novell network wid novell client and remote windows boot up on the workstations, but i think i still got it to work wid the ipx but that was long time ago