Short Guide to N.A.T. and Bridge Mode.

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[BaronSMASH!!!]

So you can’t connect to people in game? This probably isn’t an EIRR problem but is more likely a relic net-code issue.  In other words, most of the problems online that people have in EIRR come straight from vanilla. These problems usually boil down to one of two things, the first being port-forwarding the second being Network Address Translation (N.A.T.) negotiation. The first issue, port-forwarding can be solved by forwarding ports UDP 6112 and UDP 30260. A nifty site that I picked up from Hicks359s post that can help you port forward is http://portforward.com/routers.htm.

The uglier and more common issue is N.A.T. which is what you’re router/modem uses to find and connect your computer to other devices. The issue that most have is that they have a double N.A.T., two devices such as a wireless router and a modem-router combo that are both using N.A.T. and are disrupting each other. The fail safe way to fix this issue would be to put your modem-router into “Bridge Mode” which turns off all networking options and turns your modem-router into just a modem.  

The method of putting your modem into bridge mode varies from modem to modem; you should contact your Internet Service Provider and ask them for technical support. Or if you don’t want to contact your ISP, you can probably just Google your modem model number and “how to bridge mode” and find instructions like that, keep in mind you will need to power cycle or reset you router afterwards so your router can obtain your public I.P. address.


EDIT: There appears to be misconception concerning the way CoH connections work. Unlike many strategy games CoH doesn't have a centralized host, all players must connect to one another. So if any two players in a game are having a conflict then they, no matter who hosts, will have problems with each other.  Often times when two players have issues with each other it is caused by both of them running double N.A.T. Many times when a single person is running a double N.A.T. he will still be able to connect to those who do not.

[chefarzt]

U even know what ur talking bout?

[Baine]

Another trick: Click on the battle and then press the connect button.

[77Hawk77]

How infuriating it is to see such a childish respond to a real solution that is a serious problem for many people who play COH, chefarzt .

[chefarzt]

Explain N.A.T to me.
If u mongs realized to config ur routers, or even learn what a router does, u wouldnt be pissing on "the bad coh servers" and stopped, well, talking shit.

[77Hawk77]

Explain N.A.T to me.
If u mongs realized to config ur routers, or even learn what a router does, u wouldnt be pissing on "the bad coh servers" and stopped, well, talking shit.

Have you tried the solution Baron suggested

[PonySlaystation]

It's only the host who has to open his ports.

[tank130]

It's only the host who has to open his ports.

That sounds like misinformation to me......

We had a game yesterday where everyone tried a hand at hosting. No matter who hosted, one guy could not connect to 3 of us.

[PonySlaystation]

Which happens when the host and two other players have their ports closed. But to be able to connect only the host has to have his ports open. I have had the same scenario as you describe happen when my ports were closed, very few people have their ports open and thus aren't able to host. Some games we weren't able to play because no one had their ports open. That's how bad it was.

How do I know this? I have never had a problem hosting or connection errors with my ports open.

[77Hawk77]

Which happens when the host and two other players have their ports closed. But to be able to connect only the host has to have his ports open. I have had the same scenario as you describe happen when my ports were closed, very few people have their ports open and thus aren't able to host. Some games we weren't able to play because no one had their ports open. That's how bad it was.

How do I know this? I have never had a problem hosting or connection errors with my ports open.

So you have no idea what is actually going on, but coincidence have it that to your "experience" this is how it works. Too bad that computers aren't build on coincidence and magic. Even if you open your ports your router may still block an incomming connection, read the god damn second paragraph about NAT, in the original post.

[PonySlaystation]

Even if you open your ports your router may still block an incoming connection, read the god damn second paragraph about NAT, in the original post.

You do realize that they are not separate things? If you have two routers blocking each others NAT then you can't open any ports.

[tank130]

Which happens when the host and two other players have their ports closed. But to be able to connect only the host has to have his ports open. I have had the same scenario as you describe happen when my ports were closed, very few people have their ports open and thus aren't able to host. Some games we weren't able to play because no one had their ports open. That's how bad it was.

How do I know this? I have never had a problem hosting or connection errors with my ports open.

So are you saying that all six players trying to host that game had their ports closed? Possible, but I host games all the time and do not have this problem every time.

Or,

Are you implying that this only happens when 3 players, one of them the host, has their ports closed. I would really like to know how you have verified that information.

[PonySlaystation]

Through extensive observation? It's very simple, the games I host, people can always connect. Games other host players host, many times have connection problems, their ports are not open and so they can't host.

You can host with your ports closed, it's just unlikely that it's going to work. Theoretically, everyone else would have to have their ports open for that to work.

[tank130]

Pony..... you are completly missing the point. Let me try this again.

3v3 hosted in launcher (6 players)

Get to CoH
5 people join game. 6th guy tries to join, but the error comes up 'joeblow' can not connect to tank130, otherdude1, otherdude2

So we say, hey otherdude1, you try and host = fail
otherdude2 host =  fail
randomfuck1 hosts = fail
randomfuck2 hosts = fail
joeblow hosts = fail

All 6 people try to host. joeblow gets the same error with the same 3 people every time.

joeblow probably needs to open his ports, but whether he hosts or not is completely irrelevant. Your solution suggests he just can't host. That is misinformation

[77Hawk77]

Through extensive observation? It's very simple, the games I host, people can always connect. Games other host players host, many times have connection problems, their ports are not open and so they can't host.

You can host with your ports closed, it's just unlikely that it's going to work. Theoretically, everyone else would have to have their ports open for that to work.

You completely miss the point that everyone has to connect to each other, no matter who hosts. If you don't know anything about networking other than "What I observe in company of heroes" then you should stop trying to discredit people who may very well have spend actual time taking lessons on it.

[BaronSMASH!!!]

I've edited the op having noticed that there appear to be some gross misconceptions on how CoH networking operates.

[PonySlaystation]

Company of Heroes is only semi-peer-to-peer. In game it's peer to peer, one player lags, everyone lags. But when you host a game in the lobby, you are also connected to Relic's servers. Which allows one host (if his ports are open) to connect everyone to each other. They do require a direct connection in the sense that you are referring to.

If that were the case, don't you think that I would have problems hosting from time to time? If it was completely peer-to-peer then everyone would need to have their ports open to be able to play.

[tank130]

Pony, could you address this issue please.

Pony..... you are completly missing the point. Let me try this again.

3v3 hosted in launcher (6 players)

Get to CoH
5 people join game. 6th guy tries to join, but the error comes up 'joeblow' can not connect to tank130, otherdude1, otherdude2

So we say, hey otherdude1, you try and host = fail
otherdude2 host =  fail
randomfuck1 hosts = fail
randomfuck2 hosts = fail
joeblow hosts = fail

All 6 people try to host. joeblow gets the same error with the same 3 people every time.

joeblow probably needs to open his ports, but whether he hosts or not is completely irrelevant. Your solution suggests he just can't host. That is misinformation

[PonySlaystation]

Tank, It sounds like everyone in that game had their ports closed. I'm not an expert but it likely has to do with redirecting traffic. For example host may be able to connect to one player but he can't connect two players to each other because all three players have their ports closed.

It's difficult to asses a situation like this without knowing if someone has their ports open or not. But I will tell you this. If you open 6112 UDP on your router you won't have to go through all the hassle of looking for someone who can host.

[TheWindCriesMary]

EDIT: There appears to be misconception concerning the way CoH connections work. Unlike many strategy games CoH doesn't have a centralized host, all players must connect to one another. So if any two players in a game are having a conflict then they, no matter who hosts, will have problems with each other.  Often times when two players have issues with each other it is caused by both of them running double N.A.T. Many times when a single person is running a double N.A.T. he will still be able to connect to those who do not.

This isn't accurate at all.

CoH changed its connection parameters over a year ago (around 2.600) from a "everyone must connect to eachother" system to one where "everyone must only be able to connect to the host".

It is why I have played 12 games with Chefartz in the past 6 days despite the fact that we have never been able to connect to eachother. Indeed in every game we play, in the lobby his game will appear with a red X and, when we both are in someone else's game I can't see his ping and he can't see mine. If he hosts and I try to join his game, it says "WInidcriesmary has failed to connect to Hassfred" and vice versa.

How do we get around this?

We simply find another player in the game that we both can connect to.


COH has been operating this way for many months now. Please see the below post for a proper explanation of how hosting/connections in COH work: