Can I simulate a home network connection between 2 routers over a WAN connection?

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

Trying to play my old C&C Red Alert 3 console game on the PS3 with a friend. We can only get it to work when we are in the same house on the same home network. We are both using Netgear routers. When we are both in our own homes we can both connect to the EA servers and to the PSN. We are able to send each other invites to play the online option but when we accept the invites, we get this "Failed to connect to the match host. Please try connecting to another match."

I would like to make the PS3's think they are in the same house on the same home network because that is the only way we can play the game. 

Please let me know if you have any ideas or solutions.

Thank You. 

[Netduma Fraser]

My first thought is that the servers may not be online anymore as it is an old game. Are you both using the Geo-Filter when playing in your own homes? If you are disable this, does it allow you to play together? Are you able to play online solo with a random player?

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

You are correct about the servers being down. For some reason they still allow you to connect to some type of servers that will show your online stats and leaderboards. We have shut off all Geo-Filters for testing and put both PS3's in the DMZ. We can not connect to any online random players/games while in separate homes. It's an old game so i'm sure they don't support anyone trying to connect online.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

We are trying to understand why it will work in the same house. The game doesn't have an option to play in LAN mode and it requires us to connect to the EA servers and PSN in order to play while in the same house on the home network. The image below is the message we get when we accept online invites while in separate houses. 

[Netduma Fraser]

Probably they are detecting it as some kind of LAN server which is why it worked. There are only three ways I can think of to make it work, one probably won't work and the other two are more complicated. 

1. Try using the Geo-Filter and setting both your home locations in the ocean for example but in the same place and somewhere no players or servers would be. Using strict mode with ping assist at 0.
2. One of you enable the VPN Service on the router, generating a OpenVPN config for the other player to use and then the other person use the VPN Hybrid with that config to connect to the VPN and apply it to the console. Then try playing.
3. Using something like Hamachi, create a online local network that you both can connect your PCs to: https://www.howtogeek.com/172762/how-to-play-old-lan-games-over-the-internet/ you would then need to connect your PS4 to your PC and bridge the connection so the PC provides the internet to the console and thus is part of that Hamachi network.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

I'll try the Geo-Filter to rule that out.

I have already tried the VPN option. We both used ipvanish and was able to connect to the same Chicago severs. We compared our ip addresses and confirmed the first three sets of numbers were the same, 209.197.20.xxx on both Ps3's. I have the XR500 and he has the R6400. My VPN was very easy to setup after learning the Configuration format, from your help on your other posts. His router was a bit more involved but we were able to get it to work, not sure if we would need to change any of his settings because we were able to connect to the ipvanish servers. Would his setup require any modification if he is able to connect to the VPN? 

I'll look at the Hamachi setup option next.

[Netduma Fraser]

The VPN option I mentioned is different because his router/console would actually be connecting directly to your home network or vice versa and so is more likely to work compared to just connected to the same VPN. He would need to use the config that your router produces in order to connect to you.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

Not sure how to set that up on his router. What do we need to do on his router? 

[Netduma Fraser]

However you managed to get IPVanish working with the router just replace those configuration files with the ones you generate from the VPN Service in Advanced Settings on the XR500.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

This is what I have in the configuration on the XR500.
 

client

dev tun

proto udp

remote chi-a01.ipvanish.com 443

resolv-retry infinite

nobind

persist-key

persist-tun

persist-remote-ip

verify-x509-name chi-a01.ipvanish.com name

auth-user-pass

comp-lzo

verb 3

auth SHA256

cipher AES-256-CBC

keysize 256

tls-cipher TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA:TLS-DHE-DSS-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA:TLS-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA

 

<ca>

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----

MIIErTCCA5WgAwIBAgIJAMYKzSS8uPKDMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBDQUAMIGVMQswCQYD

VQQGEwJVUzELMAkGA1UECBMCRkwxFDASBgNVBAcTC1dpbnRlciBQYXJrMREwDwYD

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VA==

-----END CERTIFICATE-----

</ca>

[Netduma Fraser]

Here are some steps to follow:

1. Disable Hybrid VPN completely on your router
2. Enable and generate an OpenVPN configuration file from VPN Service in Advanced Settings
3. Give the generated OpenVPN config file to your friend
4. However your friend managed to apply the IPVanish through their router get them to replace that config with the one you gave them
5. Confirm he has a connection
6. Try the game

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

I setup the VPN using the Advanced Settings. It required me to create a DDNS first. Completed the DDNS setup and enabled the VPN service. I downloaded the configuration ovpn file from my router. So I now have the Tunnelblick application running on my MAC. I can connect with an ipvanish ovpn configuration via Tunnelblick but not with the ovpn configuration related to the DDNS Hostname. I also tried the OpenVPN app on my iPhone but that didn't connect using the DDNS created Hostname either.

Not sure what to do next. 

 

IPVanish Configuration:  https://www.ipvanish.com/software/configs/ipvanish-US-Chicago-chi-a01.ovpn

client
dev tun
proto udp
remote chi-a01.ipvanish.com 443
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
persist-remote-ip
ca ca.ipvanish.com.crt
verify-x509-name chi-a01.ipvanish.com name
auth-user-pass
comp-lzo
verb 3
auth SHA256
cipher AES-256-CBC
keysize 256
tls-cipher TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA:TLS-DHE-DSS-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA:TLS-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA

 

 

DDNS Hostname Configuration:

client
dev tap
proto udp
remote xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.mynetgear.com  xxxxx
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
ca ca.crt
cert client.crt
key client.key
cipher AES-128-CBC
comp-lzo
verb 5
script-security 2
up dhcp-client-request.sh

 

The pic shows the files included in the Hostname configuration file.

 

 

[Netduma Fraser]

If I remember correctly Mac doesn't work well with TAP so you may need to manually adjust the config to use tun instead.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

After changing "tap" to "tun" I'm getting this now.

 

WARNING: No server certificate verification method has been enabled.

[Netduma Fraser]

You'll probably need to ensure you have an Open NAT as it'll be going through the WAN to connect.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

Not sure what you are referring to about the Open NAT because I haven't made it past the completed setup confirmation stage yet. My PS3 has NAT Type 2 Moderate, so no it's not Type 1 Open. But I have the PS3 in the DMZ with a static IP. I have also opened the specific ports recommended by My NO-IP Device Configuration Assistant for the PS3 Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 game. I have forwarded the recommended ports in the router for the PS3 but when I do a Port Scan via Mac Network Utilities I am only getting one port in the results and it is not any of the ports I forwarded. I'm guessing that is the only port it is using while the PS3 it in the main home screen.  

I have been trying to connect using Mac, iPhone and Windows to confirm the VPN and DDNS have been setup properly by using the client.conf related files . Using Tunnelblick on Mac and OpenVPN on Windows and iPhone. I am having no luck on any system when trying to connect to the hostname I setup using My NO-IP account. I can connect using an IPVanish server via Tunnelblick(Mac) and OpenVPN(Win) with no problem. 

The XR500 router Dynamic DNS "Show Status" = myhostname.mynetgear.com updated successfully at 07:17 AM, 04/15/2020 

 

Not sure what is going wrong but it seemed to be a simple enough process to follow when starting this project.

All the help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Netduma Fraser]

Could you follow this guide please and see if you can connect to it after that please? https://kb.netgear.com/23854/How-do-I-use-the-VPN-service-on-my-Nighthawk-router-with-my-Windows-client

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

No luck. Same results. 

[Netduma Fraser]

Could you enable remote management in the router settings please and then it should work as I just tried this myself. If it does work then you need to keep everything enabled and give the VPN files to your friend to connect with on their side.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

Didn’t work. Same warning. 
 

[Netduma Fraser]

Could you try using the mynetgear DDNS instead please as that is what I used when it worked.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

I think that is how I already set it up. 

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

What did you use to set up your hostname?

[Netduma Fraser]

Weird, I did it straight through the interface just using a random hostname. I'll provide you with info on exactly what I've done and maybe we can detect a difference:

ISP hub with XR500 in the DMZ with Windows PC connected to XR500. Setup DDNS using Netgear as the provider. Enabled Remote Management - no options changed. Enabled VPN Service, didn't alter any settings here. Downloaded Windows Config. Downloaded OpenVPN from the link provided by that Netgear guide. After install transfered all the files from the VPN Service Windows download into the OpenVPN config folder in program files. Opened the VPN and right clicked it in the icon tray and clicked connect and it connected.

[ONEPLUSONE-1]

A couple things different but couldn’t see anything obvious that would cause a problem. 

• ISP Router set to Bridge mode
• MacBook Pro with BOOTCAMP (Mac OS X and Windows 10) connected to XR500. Used Windows 10 OS for this comparison. 
• Setup DDNS using Netgear as the provider (Required a NO-IP account.)
• Enabled Remote Management - no options changed. 
• Enabled VPN Service, didn't alter any settings here. 
• Downloaded Windows Config. 
• Downloaded OpenVPN from the link provided by that Netgear guide. 
• After install transfered all the files from the VPN Service Windows download into the OpenVPN config folder in program files.
• Opened the VPN and right clicked it in the icon tray and clicked connect and it did NOT connect. 

 

I also setup a new DDNS with a different hostname to make sure the first one wasn’t corrupted. SAME FAILING RESULTS.