Quest for solving problem with setting games with a router

[BrainFellOut]

I've no problems with joining VP3 games within GameSpy Arcade but for the life of me, can not successfully set a game.

I've followed all the info I can find in this forum and advice from others in the GameSpy lobby, etc. The problem remains though, that when I set a game, it does not appear in the GameSpy list so others can not join. From talking with others in VP3 I understand I am not alone with this situation.

Quick rundown of what I've done so far:-

1) Configured my router to port forward the following ports to my PC: 60876 to 60976 for VP3, and 13139, 27900, 28900, 29900, 29901 for GameSpy (all TCP and UDP).

2) Configured my router's firewall to make sure it is not blocking the ports listed above.

3) Added exceptions to Windows XP SP2 firewall for VP3's vp3dl.exe and GameSpy Arcade's Aphex.exe applications.

4) As suggested by some others, I have also tried manually deleting SP2's firewall exceptions for VP3 and GameSpy and then adding them again, just in case it had got itself in a mess.

I am not running any other firewall application and am using the latest 3239 version of VP3. Windows XP is fully up to date with patches, etc.

Can anyone with a working router setup provide any help to resolve this or are all the people that can set games using modems (without NAT) instead of routers?

Just to add, I do have other apps and games that require port forwarding working ok, so feel confident I havn't missed out anything daft (but please do correct me if I'm wrong!).

Any advice would be much appreciated!

[BrainFellOut]

DaRok has suggested the following. I have tried this but still no luck with setting a game. I post it here just in case anyone else has more luck than me...

Instead of using the ports I listed in the first post, use only the following:-

4662
47624
60876 to 60976

Please post back any feedback if you try this, regardless of success or not.

[sharkey9]

Try this first:

Completely disable any firewall and set a DMZ for your local IP.
If that doesnt work, your router is not forwarding ports correctly, that means header information in the IP packets is not "translated" correctly.
There are some router models out there which encounter that problem.

IF it works though, youre just missing out some ports.
Additionally open these:

6515 UDP
6500 TCP
6667 TCP
3738 TCP
2213 both
2299-2400 both
6699 UDP
6257 UDP
4662 UDP
4672 TCP
7070-7077 UDP

This definately works with good routers and if it doesnt, buy a new one.

[BrainFellOut]

Thanks for the advice Sharkey, but luckily on trying again today, ItsDaRok's suggestion couple of posts up sorted me out :-)

I'm pretty sure the reason it didn't work for me last night was down to a uPnP conflict I had on the router (I think DirectPlay tries to use uPnP if you have it enabled). After rebooting everything today it worked like a charm!

[9balldotcom]

I wish I could say the same for me.....so far no one has cracked mine yet.