Server Hosting

[vosblod]

My business website provider has just sent a note to say they are going bust hence I am having to look around for someone else. I’ve been thinking of swapping to a dedicated TP commercial server anyway so now might be the time.
Provided it’s not going to cost more I would be happy to make the server available to UKGPL as a back-up to Mike’s et al if needed for practice / races.
What do I need to look out for when finding a provider? I have been offered;
Memory 512mb / bandwidth 2048 kbps / disc space 5gb / Xeon dual cpu / game server option / monthly transfer 60gb (can get more for small price). Linux O/S

Will GPL run from this? Is Linux a problem? Will running online races chew up the 60gb monthly transfer? Anyone recommend a good provider?

Any advice appreciated… Might not be viable to host GPL but will if I can

[miner2049er]

Do you mean that you are going to pay for web hosting and want to run the server from that?

Are you getting full access to the Operating System as in a Virtual Machine or just web space?

If it's Linux hosting how do you propose to run GPL on it? I know GPL will run on Linux but I don't know how stable hosting would be.

If so the install on mine with the mods installed is about 7.5GB.

[vosblod]

Yep have to pay for a commercial server. Will have access to operating system as though it's my pc but controlled remotely. Think I might just make sure it's windows.
What I might do is get one on trial and just try it. Not sure how to load GPL onto operating system remotely but will find a way.
I have got your guide which will help. If it doesn't work nothing lost...

[miner2049er]

Not sure how to load GPL onto operating system remotely but will find a way.

Make an ISO of your CD.
Upload it to the server.
Install Daemon Tools or PowerISO.
Create a virtual CD Drive.
Mount the ISO.
Et Voila!

[vosblod]

Thanks - sounds easy. Will see what happens

[Burtoner]

I would do it an easy way have a nice small shuttle pc with windows on, no monitor etc plugged in, then access it through my own pc using realvnc and use that to launch the server. Only downside is its on my own internet connection.

[miner2049er]

I would do it an easy way have a nice small shuttle pc with windows on, no monitor etc plugged in, then access it through my own pc using realvnc and use that to launch the server. Only downside is its on my own internet connection.

That's how I run mine, though I prefer TightVNC as a client.

The problem is, he's looking to do it on a managed service with a completely remote system.

[vosblod]

While I'm deciding what to do, for now, will try hosting overnight with the work PC.
Tested cable speed and came up as 9mb, don't see good feedback re Virgin but giving it a go. Tried earlier and connection kept timing out, will give it another go tonight.
If you see VOS-server up on IGOR give it a try - any feedback re how good the connection is would be appreciated...

[miner2049er]

If you see VOS-server up on IGOR give it a try - any feedback re how good the connection is would be appreciated...

It just keeps timing out. Are all the ports done?

BTW, I hosted a race on VROC before with 5UKGPL so I know that works.

[Phil Thornton]

Hi Vosblod

I've been trying to find some time to post on this thread.  If there is anything you can do to help out on the server front it will be most appreciated.  As you know we had a few problems with my server in the 69 fun race at Zanty on Sunday. 

I've started some pages on setting up servers here.  I'm going to try to find some time over the Xmas break to fill in the missing details (basically setting up the port forwarding etc).  Having said that Mike has already beaten me to it (see Part 6) LOL.

Cheers

Phil

[vosblod]

It just keeps timing out. Are all the ports done?

It ran all night without crashing but yes keeps timing out. Think you are right Mike re ports - will go through your guide and try it again tonight

If there is anything you can do to help out on the server front it will be most appreciated. 

Phil, if I can get it to host without timing everyone out happy to help. Only thing is it runs from my work PC and, at present, have to be there to set it running/line up races. I will look into a way of controlling it from home once I know people can get onto it otherwise it's only good for practice...
It's a cable connection at 9mb - option to increase to 20mb - so hopefully stable but I've seen bad feedback on this site re Virgin.
Will keep you posted...

[Phil Thornton]

I will look into a way of controlling it from home...

If you can leave yourself logged onto your work PC you can set up IGOR (and VROC) for remote hosting.  Just click on the "Listen" button in IGOR and create a password.  When you get home, from your home PC, open IGOR and click on the remote button and enter the details of your work PC (including the password that you set).  From there you can start races.  Always enter a boss password so that you can join a race (as boss) and stop the server (by typing !shutdown in chat) if you need to.

[miner2049er]

open IGOR and click on the remote button and enter the details of your work PC (including the password that you set).  From there you can start races.

That's handy if I'm unavailable but you want to use 5.UKGPL.

[vosblod]

Maybe I'm missing something obvious but I'm having big problems getting this to work. Gist is no problems re opening the ports on internal firewall software but everytime I open the ports on the router it shuts down my internet connection - still there but I cannot access the web/igor.
The router firewall asks for the following for each port to be opened; 1) LAN IP address 2) Protocol Type 3) LAN Port 4) Public Port. I have been doing the following;
1) My internal pc address (allocated by DHCP) is xxx.xxx.x.3 (range 2 to 100). Mike's guide mentioned using an address outside of the DHCP range so input xxx.xxx.x.101. Also I am using .101 for each port I open up but read something that suggested I should use a different IP for each port?
Subnet mask left as 255.255.252.0
2) Protocol type - fine with this, in Mike's guide
3) LAN Port - not sure here, just been copying the public port number from the guide
4) Public Port - again fine with this

Am I missing the obvious? I can save it like this but just cuts me off from my outside internet connection hence cannot host races.
I know mention was made of static and dynamic IP addresses (mine is dynamic) but, on the basis I manually set GPL hosting on IGOR, I don't imagine I need to worry as the game will be showing up on the IGOR racelist anyway?
Any help would be appreciated...

[miner2049er]

Right, you need to pick a static IP Address outside your scope but on the same subnet and apply it to your Server.

You said it is x.x.x.101. Fine but you are using a non standard subnet mask of 255.255.252.0. When you apply the static ip address to your server, make sure that it applies the same subnet mask beacuse by default it will use 255.255.255.0. If the subnet masks are not the same on all your devices they are not on the same subnet and cannot communicate. That would disconnect you from the Internet.

Is there a reason you are using 255.255.252.0?

You mention using a different IP for each port and I'm not sure what you mean, but you have to point each port you forward to the same IP, i.e. that of your server x.x.x.101

Your LAN port and Public port will be the same, so to forward port 6777 to your server you forward the public port 6777 to the LAN port 6777 on your server IP x.x.x.101. You only make those ports different if you want to mask a port forward or have mulitple connections to the same internal port for instance.

e.g. I run an SSH server at home which constantly gets attacked by people scanning port 22, so to mask it I could forward public port 777 to LAN port 22, so then in order to connect to it I would connect on port 777 but my SSH server would receive a request on the correct port 22.

That make sense?