Windows 7 Tcp/IP Lan gaming problem

[DJK]

When I try to host a game over lan using the tcp/ip protocol (like most games support) the screen freezes.

At first I thought it was the games fault, but after having the exact same problem in 3 different games, this is not possible anymore.

I first had this issue in Commandos 2, whenever I try to host using Tcp/ip the game freezes, cursor blocks (music keeps playing) and the only way out is a alt-tab-delete process kill.

Secondly I tried hosting a Age of Wonder Shadow Magic game, whenever I try to host using Tcp/ip the game freezes, cursor blocks (music keeps playing) and the only way out is a alt-tab-delete process kill.

Thirdly I tried hosting a Disciples 2 game, whenever I try to host using Tcp/ip the game freezes, cursor blocks (music keeps playing) and the only way out is a alt-tab-delete process kill.

I'm sure the pattern is getting clear, something is screwed on my networking side. It's a 8 pc network over a router and switch that didn't rly gave me problems before. The internet works fine on all 8 pc's and I can detect, browse and copy fine from any pc to any pc.

Some other games I play in a lan setup (Counterstrike, Unreal, Flatout 2 etc) all work fine, maybe they use another protocol or something cause coindidently or not, all 3 games that give me problems specifically mention "tcp/ip" when hosting a game, while those that do work do not.

Again all 3 give me the EXACT same problem, as soon as I press a "host game" button, the game cursor blocks, the game hangs but the game music keeps playing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're facing a recurring issue of games freezing when trying to host them over LAN with TCP/IP protocol specifically. Since you've encountered the same problem across multiple games, it's likely related to the network configuration or settings rather than the individual games themselves. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to address this issue: 1. Firewall Settings: Check the firewall settings on your PCs to ensure that they are not blocking the games from communicating over the LAN. Sometimes, firewall settings can interfere with the network connections required for hosting games. 2. Port Forwarding: Some games require specific ports to be open for hosting multiplayer games. Make sure that the necessary ports are forwarded on your router to allow the games to communicate smoothly over the LAN. 3. Network Configuration: Verify that your network configuration, including the router and switch settings, is correct for hosting multiplayer games. Ensure that there are no restrictions or issues that could be causing the games to freeze. 4. Network Drivers: Check if all network drivers on your PCs are up to date. Outdated or faulty network drivers can sometimes cause communication issues that lead to freezing during multiplayer game hosting. 5. Network Testing: Perform network tests to check for any latency, packet loss, or other issues that could be impacting the stability of the network connection during game hosting. 6. Alternative Protocols: Since other games like Counterstrike, Unreal, and Flatout 2 work fine, it's possible that they use different protocols that don't trigger the freezing issue. You can try hosting games with different protocols to see if the problem persists. By following these steps, you may be able to identify and resolve the networking issue causing the games to freeze when hosting them over LAN using the TCP/IP protocol. If the issue persists, you may want to reach out to the game developers or seek further assistance from networking experts to diagnose the problem more thoroughly.