GPL - Serial or Direct Connection ?

I have 2 PC's that are not networked. I would like to setup my P233 as a dedicated server, using an ADSL connection. I would like to setup my P3-500 as a client, but I want to avoid sharing the ADSL bandwidth with the P233. I noticed at WinVROC that one of the hosting options is "allow serial connection". This makes me think it possible for my P3-500 to join my dedicated server via direct connection, while others are joining via WinVROC. Has anyone tried this? Can you offer any details on how to do it? I presume you must enable the direct connection somehow before launching GPL. Also, I use a LapLink parallel cable to transfer files occasionally - would a parallel connection be possible (believe it would be faster). Another option would be to dial-in to my P233 with a 56K modem, but I would obviously prefer a direct connection. Thanks in advance for your assistance. I love this game and WinVROC has made it even better! Wilf Tonsmann Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

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> I have 2 PC's that are not networked. > I would like to setup my P233 as a dedicated server, using an ADSL > connection. > I would like to setup my P3-500 as a client, but I want to avoid > sharing the ADSL bandwidth with the P233.

If you setup a network between your two PCs it won't share the ASDL line, it will just use the internal network for that connection. This is how it's done: Your P233 will have a network card with the ASDL connection, you will also need another network card in this PC which will link to the internal network. Then place a third network card in the P500, and connect this to the second card on the P233 with a crossed TP cable. Traffic between your two PC will then go through his internal network, while the ASDL connection will work unaffected on the P233. GPL allows you to accept connections from multiple network cards, so no problem there. Of course getting two new network cards will be more expensive than a serial cable, but it's also much much faster, and far better suited if you want to do other things between your two PCs. By using a modem you will in fact use bandwidth from the ASDL line, as the connection will go from the modem to your ISP and then back to your other PC through the ASDL line! -- Arne Martin

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> > I have 2 PC's that are not networked. > > I would like to setup my P233 as a dedicated server, using an ADSL > > connection. > > I would like to setup my P3-500 as a client, but I want to avoid > > sharing the ADSL bandwidth with the P233.

Having said all this though, I realize that a P233 is probably to slow to host a field of any size anyway, and it's really the CPU limiting the number of cars you can host, not the bandwidth. In fact you'll almost certainly be able to host more cars by using the P3 as both server and for racing. -- Arne Martin

Hmmm...I thought on a dedicated server a P233 would be more than plenty to handle a full size field since it does not process any graphics for the host. Nafi Coker

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>Having said all this though, I realize that a P233 is probably to slow >to host a field of any size anyway, and it's really the CPU limiting the >number of cars you can host, not the bandwidth. In fact you'll almost >certainly be able to host more cars by using the P3 as both server and >for racing. >-- >Arne Martin

> Hmmm...I thought on a dedicated server a P233 would be more than plenty to > handle a full size field since it does not process any graphics for the > host. If I'm not very much mistaken a server has to do the graphics even if it only acts as a server. -- Arne Martin

Sorry Arne, Nafi is right. I have run a dedicated server, and it stays on the reply screen throughout the race, and displays static only in the replay window. According to VROC (http://www.vroc.net/html/vroc20/servers.htm) they say "given a high speed connection to the Internet, we believe that a P-133 can host a full field of 19 players with excellent results." So I feel all I have to do is get that ADSL pipe onto my P233 and I have a good dedicated server. Wilf Tonsmann > > Hmmm...I thought on a dedicated server a P233 would be more than plenty to > > handle a full size field since it does not process any graphics for the > > host. > If I'm not very much mistaken a server has to do the graphics even if it > only acts as a server. > -- > Arne Martin Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

I don't know if we are talking about the same thing, but, when you initiate a GPL dedicated server through command line arguments, (or through Win/VROC) you will not even see the preview screen, it is all blanked out. It does not process any graphics and you cannot race on that server machine even if you wanted to. You could in fact run the server PC in software rendering mode, and in a window, it doesn't make a difference a bit. The only limiting factor for the field size would be the network bandwidth, and perhaps memory for saving full replays. Nafi >> Hmmm...I thought on a dedicated server a P233 would be more than plenty to

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>> handle a full size field since it does not process any graphics for the >> host. >If I'm not very much mistaken a server has to do the graphics even if it >only acts as a server. >-- >Arne Martin

> Having said all this though, I realize that a P233 is probably to slow > to host a field of any size anyway, and it's really the CPU limiting the > number of cars you can host, not the bandwidth. In fact you'll almost > certainly be able to host more cars by using the P3 as both server and > for racing. I'm not sure if that's true. I race in Jason Mond's GPLPRC league and he just changed his setup so that he has a dedicated host on a lowly P-166 and the racing has been pretty smooth (although the race I ran had only 11 or 12 participants). Anyone else have an actual experience with this? Dave Ewing -- ***************************************************** David A. Ewing *****************************************************

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> Sorry Arne, Nafi is right. I have run a dedicated server, and it stays > on the reply screen throughout the race, and displays static only in > the replay window. According to VROC > (http://www.vroc.net/html/vroc20/servers.htm) > they say > "given a high speed connection to the Internet, we believe that a P-133 > can host a full field of 19 players with excellent results."

Well I did say I could be mistaken :-) Have never tried to set up a PC as a dedicated server myself, but I know from experience that a P233 (I think it was a 233, might have been a 200), that was setup as a had problems as soon as more then 15 or so cars joined, and it was a highspeed connection which shouldn't have a problem with 20 cars... Could of course be the connection, but it really shouldn't be in that case. -- Arne Martin

Arne, we have to be more specific when we talk about "high speed connection", because the upstream speed is the limiting factor here. I which limits my hosting ability to about 14 cars max. Nafi

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>Well I did say I could be mistaken :-) >Have never tried to set up a PC as a dedicated server myself, but I know >from experience that a P233 (I think it was a 233, might have been a >200), that was setup as a had problems as soon as more then 15 or so >cars joined, and it was a highspeed connection which shouldn't have a >problem with 20 cars... Could of course be the connection, but it really >shouldn't be in that case.

writes: I'm running one on a P200mmx at work. I haven't heard any *major* complaints...:) Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Own Grand Prix Legends? Goto http://gpl.gamestats.com/vroc Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

> Arne, we have to be more specific when we talk about "high speed > connection", because the upstream speed is the limiting factor here. I > which limits my hosting ability to about 14 cars max. of course, but I can't remember the exact specs :-) think it was a 1mbit/sec connection (both up and down) though... -- Arne Martin

Gentlemen, This thread has produced some interesting responses, but I am still hopeful someone will have an answer regarding my original question, which I will restate: Can anyone tell me what would be involved in setting up a serial or parallel connection between a GPL dedicated server and a client machine? Thanks in advance for your assistance. Wilf Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

Wrong Arne. A 233 is more than capable of hosting a full field in dedicated mode. I just setup a dedicated server using a P200/64MB RAM/W2K and people are getting better connects than they were when they connected to my PII350/65MB RAM/Win98SE Mike Horton http://www.bus.nait.ab.ca/staff/mikeh/gpl GPL F2/F3 Hotlaps and Other Downloadables

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>> > I have 2 PC's that are not networked. >> > I would like to setup my P233 as a dedicated server, using an ADSL >> > connection. >> > I would like to setup my P3-500 as a client, but I want to avoid >> > sharing the ADSL bandwidth with the P233. >Having said all this though, I realize that a P233 is probably to slow >to host a field of any size anyway, and it's really the CPU limiting the >number of cars you can host, not the bandwidth. In fact you'll almost >certainly be able to host more cars by using the P3 as both server and >for racing.

Glad to hear it Mike. I might be needing a host this sunday <G> Mark

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> Wrong Arne. A 233 is more than capable of hosting a full field in > dedicated mode. I just setup a dedicated server using a P200/64MB > RAM/W2K and people are getting better connects than they were when > they connected to my PII350/65MB RAM/Win98SE > Mike Horton > http://www.bus.nait.ab.ca/staff/mikeh/gpl > GPL F2/F3 Hotlaps and Other Downloadables > >> > I have 2 PC's that are not networked. > >> > I would like to setup my P233 as a dedicated server, using an ADSL > >> > connection. > >> > I would like to setup my P3-500 as a client, but I want to avoid > >> > sharing the ADSL bandwidth with the P233. > >Having said all this though, I realize that a P233 is probably to slow > >to host a field of any size anyway, and it's really the CPU limiting the > >number of cars you can host, not the bandwidth. In fact you'll almost > >certainly be able to host more cars by using the P3 as both server and > >for racing.

>I have 2 PC's that are not networked. You can get Generic Combo Ethernet cards for each machine for about $15 each. A cable for $5 or so and You've got a network. Will it work??? By the sounds of it, you may be able to use a null modem cable between serial ports. Again, will it act like another network connection.. ???? I did it with a Win NT 4.0 Server using 2 dial ups and a network connection locally. All the systems ran Kali (Just to make the software easier to configure) and it worked just fine. Mine was a completly TCP/IP Network though. What you are trying to do is mix protocols for the systems locally and wide area so I wouldn't want to bet on that. The only way you would be able to have a parallel connection is as you say, with the interlink cable and then set up lets say, ms networking across the parallel cable. WHATEVER you do, use TCP/IP for that as NetBEUI across a parallel cable is a horrible pig. You can't play solitare when a file transfer is taking place with NetBEUI. Parallel I never tried for games. Now you waste a good dial in line. Once again, for under $40, you can get a network. Cnet cards or something like that. You might even get 10/100 TX cards for this or little more.

Thanks to all who replied. I have just picked up a D-Link DSH-5 5-port 10/100 hub, and have both my P233 and P3-500 networked. My DSL modem is plugged into the uplink port of the hub, so my DSL connection is networked, allowing each machine to get one unique public AND one unique non-routeable IP address. I think I will have no issues hosting at VROC with my P233 over the DSL connection, and connecting to it locally with my P3-500. It might still be handy for someone to know how to accomplish a null modem connection - I will test it to see what happens. GPL is much more tolerant than a lot of other programs in accepting multiple connection routes, so I have a hunch it will work fine. Wilf Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.