Fully aware of CGNAT, I am disputing what you said about uPnP / Port-forwarding:
- uPNP is never forwarded to the ISP as it doesn't leave your domain.
- Port-forwarding doesn't rely on any type of IP at your edge (static or dynamic)
The Port Forwarding thread: Minimizing multiplayer connection issues
- Thread starter Viajero
- Start date
Viajero
Volunteer Moderator
Possibly, but problems still persist avec UPnP. In some routers, UPnP appears to be quite unreliable. On the other hand there seems to be quite a significant amount of individual experiences and testimonials that show improved connectivity after implementing Port Forwarding.
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I am so old you lost me at port forwarding but I play solo so its ok
I have read quite a few reports of badly implemented uPNP in the past (vendors unable to read, I suspect), so it wouldn't surprise me that changing to port-forwarding works. I have no choice - there is no uPNP on my router
Kudos all the same ..
1) Allowing uPNP at a router level is terrible advice.
2) If required, port forwarding to allow limited services in to your network is much better than using uPNP. Almost anything is better than allowing uPNP at the router.
3) Static IP from your ISP is irrelevant for this to work. FD servers take care of connecting players together.
4) Out of the box, most home router's DHCP settings have very long lease times, so setting static IPs for the gamer's box should not be required.
2) If required, port forwarding to allow limited services in to your network is much better than using uPNP. Almost anything is better than allowing uPNP at the router.
3) Static IP from your ISP is irrelevant for this to work. FD servers take care of connecting players together.
4) Out of the box, most home router's DHCP settings have very long lease times, so setting static IPs for the gamer's box should not be required.
Great idea, but I have found out that PlusNet in the UK doesn't provide a static ipv4 address, I would have to pay extra (about £10 a month on top of my bill).
I'm not particularly technical minded either, so i have no idea. But this is still a really good suggestion.
I'm not particularly technical minded either, so i have no idea. But this is still a really good suggestion.
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They are getting confused with the internal network IP address, which start with 192.168.x.xx usually. The dynamic ip used by your ISP will be the one you connect to the server with (else how would you play on a laptop not at home) so there should be no issues. The internal IP you can indeed set static on your router via lan or wan
Edit: The internal network ip is an ip range that is extended to all devices connected to a certain local area network (I.e. home wifi setup). This routes traffic to the different devices on the network. Normally this is dynamically set when you connect a device that is why you need a static local ip so the Elite Dangerous traffic doesn't get routed to the wrong device when you port forward a certain port
Edit2: To see the current ip of your device on windows, open command prompt and type "ipconfig" with no quotations. It is the local ipv4 starting with 192.168 (typically)
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Horizons worked for me and friends mostly fine. Obviously wing nav lock, not getting the same instance on occasion would be a thing. As would be reforming wings with the leaving wing bug.
With Odyssey anything involving planets we dysync literally while watching each other in cz, will still have bandwidth on the meter but we fail to be in each others instances. Coming into planets others are already on can cause crashes and colored ship codes. Friends not showing up on lists. Not getting each others messages.
I don't think its anyones routers. If you are having these problems right now in Odyssey I feel its the state of the game right now.
I manage at least a few hours every other day. Unlike many people I suspect never even play who both blindly defend and crap on the game.
With Odyssey anything involving planets we dysync literally while watching each other in cz, will still have bandwidth on the meter but we fail to be in each others instances. Coming into planets others are already on can cause crashes and colored ship codes. Friends not showing up on lists. Not getting each others messages.
I don't think its anyones routers. If you are having these problems right now in Odyssey I feel its the state of the game right now.
I manage at least a few hours every other day. Unlike many people I suspect never even play who both blindly defend and crap on the game.
There are so many security articles out there for those that care to, can read.
From one such random article, which sums it up nicely for me:
UPnP essentially assumes that all programs are legitimate and allows them to forward ports.
If you think that's acceptable, by all means use it, but don't whitewash the security implications.
I don't want to derail this thread, so I will only respond once to that argument.
You are right, UPNP would forward ports to any software because it assumes those programs are legitimate. But, why would a user install software that is not legitimate? If they did so, having UPNP doesn't make any difference whatsoever as their security is already poor to begin with and installing illegitimate software will compromise them regardless. If a user decides to run questionable software on their machine, software that is not legitimate, having UPNP disabled will ultimately not change a thing.
For someone who is security aware, running legitimate software, and is up to date, running UPNP is not an issue.
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There are enough loopholes to slip in unwanted software. Office and malvertisement are common vulns
So, for everyone else reading this....
To turn UPNP Off in Elite's Network setting, edit the following files for Horizons and Odyssey.
Odyssey: "X:\Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-odyssey-64\AppConfig.xml"
Horizons: "X:\Your Installattion\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-64\AppConfig.xml"
AppConfig.xml
<Network
LogToDebug="1"
Port="0"
upnpenabled="0"
LogFile="netLog"
MaxUpRate="750000"
DatestampLog="1"
ProtocolOffset="0"
InternalProd="false"
BytePadding="3"
Oodle="OodleDictionary4.bin"
Also edit this file to insure UPNP is off in Elite Odyssey and Horizons.
"C:\Users\Your User\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\AppNetCfg.xml"
AppNetCfg.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<AppNetCfg ip="19x.14x.8x.21x" upnp="false" router="8" />
Note: x's in IP are to obscure my gateway.
Creating a Router Port Forward Rule: (IPv4 Router Rule set to "Port Forward" port 5100)
Do not confuse "Port Triggers" with "Port Forwarding". Your router may have both options. You want "Port Forwarding".
In general, these are the settings for your router.
Description: Elite Dangerous (<<Give the Rule a Name)
Inbound Port: 5100-5100 (<<Sometimes called "Port Range". Enter the same number in both)
Type (UDP/TCP): Both<(use both)
Private IP Address: 192.168.15.3 (<< Your Static Game Machine IPv4 Address)
Local Port: 5100-5100 (<<Sometimes called "Port Range". Enter the same number in both)
You may have a "check box" on your Port Forward page to "enable/disable" the rule.
Settings for IPv6:
If your router, ISP and OS support and use IPv6, you may see the IPv6 address auto-populated in Elite's Network settings. (If not, you will need to edit Elite's "AppConfigLocal.xml" file to turn it on. You need to edit this file twice, or copy an edited version of this file to Horizons as well.
Odyssey:
"X:\Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-odyssey-64\AppConfigLocal.xml"
Horizons:
"X:Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-64\AppConfigLocal.xml".
In the setting listed below. You cannot cut&past the one below, because your "UseNicGuid=" will be different.
AppConfigLocal.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<AppConfig>
<Network Port="5100" IPv6="1" IPv4="1" IPv6Port="0" ReportSentLetters="1" ReportReceivedLetters="1" VerboseLogging="1" UseNicGuid="{00000000-2D42-4E08-A213-BB00000000}" />
<Journal Address="0.0.0.0" Port="0" />
</AppConfig>
Note: "1"=On, "0"=Off above.
Note: By editing the network files for both Odyssey and Horizon, both iterations of the game will benefit from these network connections.
Elite's Network Settings in Odyssey and Horizons:
If your router port forward rule is active and your network firewall is not blocking it, you should see this in Elite's Network Setting's with the port number of 5100 auto-populated in the "Mapped Port Number". As well, you will see Router Type set to "Port_Restricted" and the same port number appended to your computer's static IPv4 address. You will also see your "Internet address" (ISP Gateway) with the port number appended.
So, All of this happens with the settings in your router to do port forward correctly. If done correctly, you should see these settings in Elite's Network Settings. Editing the files above, FORCES Elite's network settings to be used.
IPv4 Static Address Settings for your PC (Game Machine):
Your computer (the one where the game is installed), must have a static IPv4 address. You can set one directly on the network adapter through Windows, or you can have your Router's "DHCP Service" issue IPvX addresses to all devices and have your Router "DHCP Reserve" an IPv4 address for your game computer, (based on your machine's MAC address), so your computer will always get that IP address.
Now, back to the discussion of security issues over UPNP......
To turn UPNP Off in Elite's Network setting, edit the following files for Horizons and Odyssey.
Odyssey: "X:\Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-odyssey-64\AppConfig.xml"
Horizons: "X:\Your Installattion\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-64\AppConfig.xml"
AppConfig.xml
<Network
LogToDebug="1"
Port="0"
upnpenabled="0"
LogFile="netLog"
MaxUpRate="750000"
DatestampLog="1"
ProtocolOffset="0"
InternalProd="false"
BytePadding="3"
Oodle="OodleDictionary4.bin"
Also edit this file to insure UPNP is off in Elite Odyssey and Horizons.
"C:\Users\Your User\AppData\Local\Frontier Developments\Elite Dangerous\AppNetCfg.xml"
AppNetCfg.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<AppNetCfg ip="19x.14x.8x.21x" upnp="false" router="8" />
Note: x's in IP are to obscure my gateway.
Creating a Router Port Forward Rule: (IPv4 Router Rule set to "Port Forward" port 5100)
Do not confuse "Port Triggers" with "Port Forwarding". Your router may have both options. You want "Port Forwarding".
In general, these are the settings for your router.
Description: Elite Dangerous (<<Give the Rule a Name)
Inbound Port: 5100-5100 (<<Sometimes called "Port Range". Enter the same number in both)
Type (UDP/TCP): Both<(use both)
Private IP Address: 192.168.15.3 (<< Your Static Game Machine IPv4 Address)
Local Port: 5100-5100 (<<Sometimes called "Port Range". Enter the same number in both)
You may have a "check box" on your Port Forward page to "enable/disable" the rule.
Settings for IPv6:
If your router, ISP and OS support and use IPv6, you may see the IPv6 address auto-populated in Elite's Network settings. (If not, you will need to edit Elite's "AppConfigLocal.xml" file to turn it on. You need to edit this file twice, or copy an edited version of this file to Horizons as well.
Odyssey:
"X:\Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-odyssey-64\AppConfigLocal.xml"
Horizons:
"X:Your Installation\Elite Dangerous\Products\elite-dangerous-64\AppConfigLocal.xml".
In the setting listed below. You cannot cut&past the one below, because your "UseNicGuid=" will be different.
AppConfigLocal.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<AppConfig>
<Network Port="5100" IPv6="1" IPv4="1" IPv6Port="0" ReportSentLetters="1" ReportReceivedLetters="1" VerboseLogging="1" UseNicGuid="{00000000-2D42-4E08-A213-BB00000000}" />
<Journal Address="0.0.0.0" Port="0" />
</AppConfig>
Note: "1"=On, "0"=Off above.
Note: By editing the network files for both Odyssey and Horizon, both iterations of the game will benefit from these network connections.
Elite's Network Settings in Odyssey and Horizons:
If your router port forward rule is active and your network firewall is not blocking it, you should see this in Elite's Network Setting's with the port number of 5100 auto-populated in the "Mapped Port Number". As well, you will see Router Type set to "Port_Restricted" and the same port number appended to your computer's static IPv4 address. You will also see your "Internet address" (ISP Gateway) with the port number appended.
So, All of this happens with the settings in your router to do port forward correctly. If done correctly, you should see these settings in Elite's Network Settings. Editing the files above, FORCES Elite's network settings to be used.
IPv4 Static Address Settings for your PC (Game Machine):
Your computer (the one where the game is installed), must have a static IPv4 address. You can set one directly on the network adapter through Windows, or you can have your Router's "DHCP Service" issue IPvX addresses to all devices and have your Router "DHCP Reserve" an IPv4 address for your game computer, (based on your machine's MAC address), so your computer will always get that IP address.
Now, back to the discussion of security issues over UPNP......
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Viajero
Volunteer Moderator
Quick comment there. We have seen some players having issues in getting the port forwarding working in Elite when using both TCP/UDP for some reason. Just UDP seems to wok well though. Also, FDEV´s own FAQ on port forwarding recommends only UDP.
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I sit with my son in the same room, PCs are connected via router (Fritzbox) and LAN cables. Nevertheless we've got issues with instancing.
From experience when playing with my squadron it's important, that someone with very stable and high bandwidth DSL is opening / starting the instance. So others can drop on him with a very high rate of success. Nevertheless nowadays above 12 players is just very low chance of success, with Odyssey even four from same country fail quite often. Around 2018 we were able to instance with more than 20 people even. So the issue from my point is clearly on FDevs side.
From experience when playing with my squadron it's important, that someone with very stable and high bandwidth DSL is opening / starting the instance. So others can drop on him with a very high rate of success. Nevertheless nowadays above 12 players is just very low chance of success, with Odyssey even four from same country fail quite often. Around 2018 we were able to instance with more than 20 people even. So the issue from my point is clearly on FDevs side.