Difference between revisions of "WormNAT2"

Revision as of 18:51, 9 December 2010

A crude drawing of how WormNAT2 works

WormNAT2 is a WormKit module which enables players behind NAT or firewalls to host games which are joinable by everyone. It is a rewrite of the first WormNAT module, which required extensive configuration and that all players have the module installed.

The advantages of WormNAT2 over WormNAT / HostingBuddy / Hamachi:

• very easy to set up (download WormKit, unpack to W:A folder, copy WormNAT2 DLLs to W:A folder)
• no configuration is necessary
• anyone can join games hosted with WormNAT2
• games are hosted as usual, there is no need to configure the game settings with tedious text commands

How it works

WormNAT2 works by asking a reverse proxy (which is running the HostingProxy software) to host the game for the player. A control connection is opened to the proxy server, proxy.worms2d.info on port 17018. As soon as the connection is established, the proxy assigns a port for the game and sends back the port number through the control connection. WormNAT2 creates the game at the address proxy.worms2d.info:port.

Once the game is created, every time a new player connects to the proxy, the proxy creates a new listening port for WormNAT2 and sends the port number through the control connection. WormNAT2 then connects to the specified port; the proxy then proceeds to route data between the two connections.

Internally, WormNAT2 operates by monitoring WormNET game creation and closing. Incoming connections are simulated by creating actual connections from within the same process, and routing the data between those connections and connections to the proxy server.

Traffic usage chart

Click to enlarge.

External links

• WormKit and WormNAT2 home page

See also

• Hosting Guide
• HostingBuddy