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| How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 13:25 #29833 | |
northroad
872 posts |
Trying to set up a chain as a single player rather than multi player with Exeter as the master and Bristol as the slave I referred to the Wiki entitled 'How to set up a chain' and kept getting the disconnected message. I think the set up process for a single player is not as described. However having done a search I came up with the following suggestion from one of Peters previous posts and it worked first time if I set it up as two servers and then send the message to connect to an external box. Is there any chance of correcting the Wiki so that it reflects this. Based on 2 Sims: You start both sims through the "network play" option. Both sims are launched as servers but with different PORT numbers. You then choose one and link it to the other through the multiplayer/connect to external signalbox options. Geoff Last edited: 23/02/2012 at 13:27 by northroad Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 13:29 #29834 | |
postal
5265 posts |
Geoff At the risk of stating the blindly obvious, you could help the rest of us along by editing the Wiki yourself - it is supposed to work on the basis of self-help rather than as tablets of stone handed down from above. JG “In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 13:33 #29835 | |
jc92
3690 posts |
worth noting there is also a special IP for internal chaining
"We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 13:36 #29836 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
Postal, I could do however, I would be seriously worried that I might get the wording incorrect and it might then be pulled to bits on the Forum. The thought of going on there is too daunting. Geoff Last edited: 23/02/2012 at 13:37 by northroad Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 13:39 #29837 | |
GeoffM
6376 posts 
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" said:Postal,I understand not everybody feels able to edit the Wiki. But I'd be very disappointed if somebody made the effort to write something and then have it pulled to bits on the forum. SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 14:02 #29838 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
" said:I took the hint Postal and went into the Wiki but think I will try and do this tomorrow. Just looking at how to edit editing something that I have never attempted before, not knowing what I am doing and also looking at the clock which now shows 10:55 p.m. I think tomorrow is a better bet. The grey matter might be better suited then. But will try..... Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 14:58 #29839 | |
Lardybiker
771 posts |
Northroad, Here's a slightly more technical description of what you have seen. All computers have 65535 "virtual ports" on each Ethernet connection they have (not all you can use but I'll not going to get into the technicalities of that as that's off-topic). Anyway...each port can only be used by one program at a time. So if you start a SimSig server using port 50505, you cannot open a second Sim with the same port (or any other program for that matter). This is why when you chain sims on the same machine they all have to use different ports. It also means you can chain more than two sims should you so wish (though things might get a bit hectic if there is just you playing...you have been warned). Also, as Joe mentioned, your machine has two IP addresses, the first is its external address. On a home network this is likely to be 192.168.x.y or possibly 10.a.b.c (these are the two most likely but it could be anything depending on your network/Internet setup). This is the one the rest of your network (but not necessarily the outside world) can see. However, there is also the loop back address. The loop-back address is internal to your machine and does exactly what it says....loop messages straight back to your machine. Its all done by in software so no messages are ever sent out onto the network if you use the loop-back address and as its internal you can't use it for anything else except internal communications and testing. The loop-back address on a PC is always 127.0.0.1. When chaining on the same machine, you can use either your external address or the loop-back address, both will work (thee loop-back is handy as it will always be 127.0.0.1 no matter which machine you are one so it saves you having to remember your external one!). Hope that helps Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 23/02/2012 at 16:28 #29841 | |
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mfcooper
707 posts |
I think I wrote some word document ages ago which ended up as a PDF on the forum somewhere. Was it on the old forum? Can anyone remember?
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| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 01:54 #29866 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
I think the problems that I have encountered center around the D-Link router that I am using and this could be the reason why I keep getting the server has disconnected message no matter how I try to set things up. Must admit that I did manage to make a connection when not being connected to the internet having switched of the WiFi capability. I will investigate the problem further this evening. However I do think the page in the Wiki does brush over the problem by just making reference to IP address and router problems need to be resolved, before attempting to set up a chain. What do others think? Geoff. Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 04:16 #29873 | |
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Lardybiker
771 posts |
Geoff, I'd be very surprised if the router is the problem. The main issue with a router is setting it up to allow internet users to join your game and as you are doing this for yourself, those issues don't apply. In fact, if you use the loop-back adapter IP address of 127.0.0.1, your router doesn't enter into the equation as no data even gets sent to it. Going one step further, you don't even have to be connected to any network (wireless or wired) for this to work which is another reasons I don't think its your router (and before anyone asks, I have tried it so I know that works!!!) Here's what you need to do and I did this on mine so I know this sequence works (important facts in UPPER CASE).... 1) Open the first sim 2) Click "NETWORK PLAY" 3) Ensure your initials are entered 4) Make sure its using the PRIMARY port number (click the primary button if not) 5) Click the SERVER button 6) Make sure the start sim paused option is checked then click the "New Game" button 7) Select a TT and options and so on and then Click OK The sim should open paused as we requested. So now for the second sim..... 1) Open the second sim 2) Click "NETWORK PLAY" 3) Ensure your initials are entered 4) Make sure its using the SECONDARY port number 5) Click the SERVER button 6) Make sure the start sim paused option is checked then click the "New Game" button 7) Select a TT and options and so on and Click OK. The second sim should open paused as we requested. At this point you have the two servers...Now to connect them together.... 1) On the second sim, go to the mutliplayer menu and select "Connect to External signal box" 2) In the window that pops up, select the first sim 3) Make sure the IP address is 127.0.0.1 4) Click the PRIMARY port button to select the primary port 5) Click Connect 6) Switch to the PRIMARY sim and a window should have appeared asking you to accept a connection 7) Select the request and click the accept button. 8) If all goes well, the two sims will sync and you are chained. Sims can't be chained unless both are run as servers. If there are issues with the versions of the sims you are trying to chain,there will be a warning message telling you they are incompatible. This shouldn't stop you from playing though. Also, not all sims can be chained to one another particularly if you are using an older version of sim X and a newer one of sim Y. If you still have issues, you may want to post what sims you are trying to chain and what versions they are. Last edited: 24/02/2012 at 04:19 by Lardybiker Log in to reply The following users said thank you: BarryM, jacobite1 |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 04:40 #29875 | |
BarryM
2158 posts |
" said:I think I wrote some word document ages ago which ended up as a PDF on the forum somewhere. Was it on the old forum? Can anyone remember?Old forum Matt. Thank you Chris for the setup. It is now back in the forum. Barry Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 12:11 #29883 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
Lardybiker, I followed your excellent set up as suggested and it worked with just one difference. Leaving the D-Link router ON, when I went into the first Sim to be set up it automatically defaulted to my internal IP address i.e 192.xxx.o.xxx (Internal). I say internal IP address as when I checked what my IP address was it was different. Anyway using the suggested default I continued. When then setting up the second Sim again the Internal address was automatically the default and could not be changed. Then when I tried to make the connection between the two I had to use that internal IP address to get it to work. If as you say in your set up routine I should use the address 127.0.0.1 then it would not work. I tried setting up Edinburgh with Central Scotland for the test. Can I suggest again that in my case as above it could be the router that is causing the problem. Will stand correccted if I am wrong. Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 13:27 #29887 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
Carrying on testing this Ihave just tried Bristol as the master with Exeter as the slave. All went as with my previous post and the IP internal address as 192 etc. but now when I have connected with Bristol, the Exeter sim has come up with the following error message Recursive bug report:Exception in HandleMessage XLT 105,0 (EStringListError: List index out of bounds (2)) followed by Recursive bug report:Exception in HandleMessage XLT 102B,0 (EStringListError: List index out of bounds (2)) followed by Internal error:Exception in HandleMessage XLT 102A,0 (EStringListError: List index out of bounds (2)) followed by in the message box by Chaining arrangements inconsistent Bristol message box shows Exeter chaining arrangements inconsistent They do appear to be chained though despite the messages....any ideas? Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 14:32 #29889 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
Yes ignore the messages when you chain Exeter to Bristol, or for that matter the messages when you chain Bristol too anything, they don't cause any issues.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 14:38 #29890 | |
Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
It just means that, in this example, Exeter is looking to chain with objects in Bristol that Bristol is not coded for. This is due to the different ages/releases of the Sim. I have recoded Bristol since for the owner, so future releases will not have the reports (hopefully). Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 16:58 #29898 | |
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Lardybiker
771 posts |
Geoff, Couple of questions....What OS are you using? What network connections does your PC have (used or unused)? Are you connected via wire or wireless to your router? I still maintain ts definitely nothing to do with your router. The likelihood is given what you say its a Windows thing. When you set up the sims, they will default to your PC's IP address (this will have been given to it by the router). This is to be expected and I didn't mention it because as you said, you can't change it anyway...But my instructions also didn't say you had to either ;) Anyway, you said the default IP it reported in the sim was different when you checked but you didn't say how you checked. The best way is to open a terminal window by typing CMD into the Start->Run box and then pressing Enter. in the terminal window that appears, type IPCONFIG and press enter. That will list all your network adapters and their IP addresses. If you want to see all the settings, use IPCONFIG /ALL instead (the commands aren't case sensitive, BTW). The IP address listed here should match that shown by SimSig. The only time you need to enter an IP address is when you chain the two together. That's when you should enter the 127.0.0.1 address. You can also use the address noted by the sims when you set them up too, it really doesn't matter. However, I'd be surprised if 127.0.0.1 doesn't work. In fact if it does not, do me a favour. At a CMD prompt, type PING 127.0.0.1 and see what it says? Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 24/02/2012 at 21:30 #29915 | |
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northroad
872 posts |
Lardybiker, Your help in this is much appreciated. My operating system is Windows 7 Home premium. Network connection is via a D-Link 2 router with a WEP security type. There are other network connections that are stored in the list as I have travelled around quite a bit for work. These are not just my home UK connections but from other sources, airport lounges etc. and finally the internal IP address that defaults in the set up begins as I said 192. but when I use the facility here on the forum for checking my IP address then it begins with 119 which is for South Korea.... Geoff Log in to reply |
| Re: How to set up a chain 27/02/2012 at 10:02 #30077 | |
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GoochyB
222 posts |
When you use an online checker the IP address that it reports will be the one that represents your network to the outside world. (This is what SimSig would need for multiplayer sessions online). Stored network connections shouldn't make any difference since it is only active connections that will give rise to assigned IP addresses. The 192.x.x.x address is the one that is 'internal' to your network, i.e. assigned by your router. It therefore needs a connection to your router to work. This is what would be needed for multiplayer sessions across a network. The 127.0.0.1 is internal to the computer - i.e. it's how any open ports on the computer should present themselves to applications via an IP address internally. Because this is internal to the computer it shouldn't be affected by the router. As Lardybiker has pointed out, this one should be all that is necessary for chaining on the same PC. Each type of Simsig connection could theoretically use a higher scale of IP address (e.g. you could chain 2 sims on the same PC using a router or even www IP address), but it would create additional data transfers (and possibly router setup requirements) and shouldn't be necessary. Log in to reply |