Earlier this year after successfully linking up with modems and a host name and a password on our Windows XP machines and able to race head to head, we both got new machines and went to VISTA and got connected to the Internet via routers.
End of successful head to head racing.
Also, if you remember, the latest Z version came out.
Is there anyone within the LFS techno-community who ever tries to go head to head with Routers and on VISTA who can advise on what procedures are required.
We get "Timed out" and "Cannot be found on Master Server" or something similar.
The irritating thing is we can meet on the public tracks.
No problem.
But head to head with visa via routers is beyond us.
Please can someone help.

Most likely a routing problem since you seem to be able to connect to a public server, just not a private one.

If you can both connect fine to other servers, I'd say it's a port forwarding issue. This site should have your router listed. Whichever one of you is hosting will need to forward your LFS port (it's listed when you go to create new multiplayer game) on your router, to allow others to join. That should fix it

Dougie-Lampkin
Thanks.
The only mention of "port" is 63392.
I've always understood that to be common to everyone.
My router is a BT Voyager 220V ADSL Voice Router
Can you advise where precisely that number or an alternative should be entered to make a difference to the port forwarding?
(Someone recently told me that port forwarding was another description for firewall.)
I have tried disabling that and then trying to make contact with my other racer but no joy.

Can you describe us your problem a bit better? Are both machines connected to the same router(do you have a LAN there)? Does one of you set up a private server or are you both racing on a public one?

It is not a port forwarding issue unless one of you sets up a server which would be unaccessible from outside when there is no port forwarded. I have seen some issues with Vista and ADSL routers requiring entering the default gateway IP manually, but if it is just LFS not working well, it shouldn't be this case.

I'm in the south of England, the other racer is in France. We decided on a host name "sausageroll" and used the password of "**********".
We had no problems at all when we were on XP but when we both upgraded our machines, earlier this year and began to use Patch Z and use Vista, the only time we can now race together is on the public tracks.
I've tried using a different host name and password but it won't let the other racer join me. It's always some failure message.
He's tried being the host but still no good.

Then it is definitely a port forwarding issue. The one who hosts the game(server) has to forward ports 63392 TCP/UDP and 29339 TCP as well. Forwarding your ports is no big deal, refer to your router's user's guide, it should describe how to do it.

BTW, publishing your game login info on the boards (particulary the password) is not a good idea if you want to have a private game.

Assuming the issue is port forwarding.

When your buddy tries to connect to you, he ends up at your router knocking on port 63392. Unless you've told your router which PC on the home network is running a service on port 63392 the router won't know where the request is supposed to go (post office receives a letter with a nonexistent address written on it).

What you need to do is figure out what address (IP-address) your PC is using on the home network and tell your router to forward requests on port 63392 to this address.

Finding your address on the home network: http://www.ncsu.edu/resnet/windows/ipconfig/vista.php (ignore the bits about "ResNet")

Setting up your router: http://www.portforward.com/eng ... Live_For_Speed_Server.htm

MadCatx
PRECISELY, how do I "forward ports 63392 TCP/UDP and 29339 TCP".
As we can't use the host name and password, anyone else who can use it is quite welcome actually!
I've never heard of Free-Fall Hardware Acceleration. It sounds like something to do with wrestling...?
Please forgive my ignorance but I don't know how to tell my router anything. Life was simpler with an ordinary modem, I'm thinking.
Much obliged for your efforts to resolve this one.

I think Filur found a nice guide which should be everything you need (http://www.portforward.com/eng ... Live_For_Speed_Server.htm). If you are not sure about your computer's IP address, click Start>Run>cmd. In the window that appears type ipconfig. You should see a list with "IP Address" and "Default gateway" entries. You might find them useful when following the guide Filur posted.

As for the Free-Fall HW Acceleration, I'd go that far only if I wanted to get rid of my racing habit