Windows XP Multiplayer Connectivity

Hi, @user_3u5j4v. Thank you for reaching out. I hope you are doing well. It could be as stated above a hiccup with the Windows XP device. Are you having this issue with another other host or platform? 

No, only joining a multiplayer game on XP. Both laptops can access the internet fine and ping each other as well. 

Typically the message is no response from this IP address.

@user_3u5j4v The configurations are a bit our of our scope since the devices are able to connect to the network and operate correctly. Is the computer itself wireless on the home network or hard-wired to the eeros?

When I play the games on LAN, they are wired in to the eeros, but they also work fine when connected wirelessly to the same eero's. When I attempt to host an external WAN game, I connect the XP laptop directly to the XB8 modem, which is in bridge mode, and disconnect my eero WiFi nextwork.  I do this so I can have a direct IP address for the other laptop to enter and the join game, like it was in the old days.

The games in question are Panzer General 3 Scorched Earth and Real War: Air, Land, and Sea. Again, both games work fine on the eero LAN.

@user_3u5j4v Is it possible to disable bridge mode when removing the eeros from the connections and hard-wiring to the XB8?

It possible but not practical. I need a direct IP address in order for my friend to join my game. The only way to that is to hard wire (ethernet) the XP laptop to the XB8 modem and have it in bridge mode. If the XB8 is placed in normal mode it will assign a local IP address to the XP laptop which will not be found by any external PC. DMZ and port forwarding do not work for these older games, Only direct IP address does.

I only reference the eero WiFi network in these discussions to prove that the XP laptops can successfully play these games in multiplayer mode. 

@user_3u5j4v Is the XB8 new to your network configurations? Have you been able to operate the WAN with a modem you previously used? If you had a XB7 or XB6 before this, we can try to exchange the modem. 

@user_3u5j4v

Hey, hope you're doing well. I miss the days of windows XP. To be upfront, I don't think I can help you but maybe my post will get your gears turning.

I think since you turned your firewall off on the XP machine and it didn't help this part isn't applicable to you, but is your network profile set to Public or Home?
Maybe there's a default networking setting that prevents outside connections while the network is set to public. If you're set to home/private never mind. (I had this issue with my server not connecting)

Are you sure you need to direct connect to the modem with the host PC? I realize that will trick your ipconfig to show your public IP as your IP, but does that matter for outside network connections while you have an active router?
I'm asking because... I'm hosting a game server where I have the server IP setup as my whatismyip public IP. The computer that is hosting the server is using a local IP if I check command prompt ipconfig /all. But traffic connects through the public IP, because my friends and I connect to the server using my public IP. Maybe you need a router in-between the new modem and old pc to translate for each other?

If you connect an older router to the modem while it's in bridge mode would that alleviate your problems?

So for context, "I only ever tried to host the game with the XB8 modem, which we have had for a few months now, which works great."
You've never hosted on these old games before you had an XB8? Have you tried having the other laptop on the other network host?

Do you have the xfinity app? These new devices are bogus and have some settings that are soft-locked behind the app.

Is your date-time correct on the win xp machine?

Any old software that might have a firewall you're unaware of? Have you tried booting the xp machine in safe mode?

While using the XB8 as a router/modem, Is UPnP an option? Or have you looked into trying to setup the windows xp host machine as a DMZ connection while the XB8 isn't in bridge mode? That's awful for security but as you said you don't care.

I read something about a legacy mode setting, maybe that'd help?

I can try to do some better googling when I'm not at work (our security blocks some old forums), but are you certain there's no port forward required?

How are you running these games? Is it through a gaming app like steam/gog?

@user_3u5j4v It seems like the resolution would be to have a static IP address assigned to your device. If that is the case you would have to change over to a business account. We unfortunately do not have an option for static IP's with residential services. 

I am not sure if that would change the situation, as the host machine IP address, when in bridge mode, is the same IP address to the outside world. IP Chicken, ipconfig, the XB8 etc. all show the same number. 

Based on what we covered, I don't see any direct setting with the XB8 that would be causing this issue. This is a bit outside our demarcation, and we don't have a specific pathway for this exact issue. I can send signals to the device and provide some troubleshooting remotely, but it likely won't affect the configuration for this specific issue to be upfront @user_3u5j4v

I understand. It may be a setting within Windows XP, or more than likely, Windows XP is just not compatible with hosting PC games behind a modem (XB8 in bridge mode) in 2024. A few months ago, I purchased an Arris modem (non-router) and a second internet line and experienced the exact same issue when attempting to host a game.

Nord VPN is an excellent service for hosting PC games with Windows 10/11, as any PC that is logged in to your account (up to 5 devices) can join via their meshnet technology, which essentially has all logged in devices on one LAN network even though they are external to your home network. However, the NORD VPN is not compatible with Windows XP.:-) 

@user_3u5j4v I'm sorry we couldn't provide more help to figure out the workarounds for you to host the game. Have you tried searching forums for Panzer General and Real War? Or even XP forums? I'm sure others like yourself are still using the system.