Working Lan Server Working Smoothly

[Lazzeraith]

Originally Posted by trevius

Their point is that you are trying to do something that is probably more advanced than you can handle. Many have done this before, so it does work when done properly and you already have a 3 page support thread on it so far.

Unless you will not have internet connectivity when you are playing, there is almost no reason to do a private server setup. Minilogin is terrible, and the EQEmuLoginServer can be a little tough to get setup properly. Making a public server that uses the public Login Server is far easier than either of the private solutions and you can still run it like a private server, just not offline.

This thread is getting long enough that anyone that hasn't already been following it from the start isn't going to want to get caught up on the whole story (myself included). If you really have to run a private server and want to get better support, you might want to try solving 1 issue per thread. Maybe make a new thread explaining your current issue and stuff without going over all of the stuff that may have already been resolved.

Most people just use a public server setup, at least initially. Since less people use private servers, it means there are less people with the right experience to help support you.

I just want to play EQ with my kids on our own server, I already tried the public one, with no luck, thought to try a private lan server, figured it would be easier. I guess I'll try the public one again if it is suppose to be easier. Sorry to be a bother.

[Caryatis]

1.) Configure your eqemu_config.xml as detailed in many places.

2.) Run world.exe

3.) Run zone.exe after the world window stops outputting stuff

4.) See server on select screen and login

Steps 2 and 3 will eventually be combined into a bat file(as well as using eqlaunch to load your zones), but this is the most basic way and easiest way to get onto your server.

If you get to that point and can log in, then start making changes(like bat file).

[Lazzeraith]

Thank you, tried the the way you said, just can't get past the error could not connect error 10061.

Thanks everyone for the help.

[solid11]

It's true the public setup is the easiest IF, you plan to always use eqemulator.net as your proxy and you always plan to have internet access in your home. I came back after a few years break and there is no current walkthrough that uses up-to-data server code and new eqemuloginserver files. Most are a year or more old and there have been several changes since.

Even then I still had to sort through about 4 different walkthroughs to get it going but

http://www.eqemulator.org/forums/showthread.php?t=32980

seemed to be the best as long as you follow it exactly and use those versions of perl and mysql listed, else you get a fail on compiling new server source.

It's a good link to follow also if you don't plan on installing C++ 2008 or compiling your own build and just skip those steps and download newest build on the compiled binaries link on the left side of home page.

In summary, if you don't plan on learning to use navicat lite to manage your accounts and give gm access to any of your toons and you plan on playing strictly legit, then no reason to use eqemuloginserver at all.

[Caryatis]

In summary, if you don't plan on learning to use navicat lite to manage your accounts and give gm access to any of your toons and you plan on playing strictly legit, then no reason to use eqemuloginserver at all.

Neither of those are reasons to use the eqemuloginserver. There are 2 valid reasons for using it, if you only want to play offline on your LAN or you wish to set up a secondary login for when the public login is down. Both of those apply to a very small segment of the population.

[Valorborn]

Originally Posted by Caryatis

Neither of those are reasons to use the eqemuloginserver. There are 2 valid reasons for using it, if you only want to play offline on your LAN or you wish to set up a secondary login for when the public login is down. Both of those apply to a very small segment of the population.

Unfortunately this applies to me. I'm military and not all deployments have public internet access.

Despite that though. Before today I had only ever heard of Perl and Sql but following the guides with them was easy enough.

The problem with the guides is that every damn one of them references a version of Perl that is no longer available. I can understand the older guides doing this as they where written when 5.10 was new (2010) and available on the ActiveState site.

The only other place for confusion that I've encountered today was some of the EQ files that we download, the database, quest, and sever builds are different versions than when the guide was created. Resulting in portions of the guide to be inaccurate based on the current files.

Honestly I'm happy these guides even exist and the possibility is there. Had I found this all out sooner I'd like to think I would have contributed.

All that leads up to the burning question. With all the help and support you guys have been providing why isn't/aren't:

-Perl 5.10.0.1:1007 available to download with the database or server files?
-Why is this guide not in the Wiki where users can update the links and steps as the referenced files change?

There is like no end to people fumbling around with different versions of perl trying to get it to work and asking for help on the forums. Most of their Perl journeys probably went like mine has when I began my endeavor. I know this all seems like kid stuff to you now but consider if you've never heard of Perl and all you have is a link saying you need it to get what you want to work to work.

-Click link provided (thank you guide writer).
-Version listed on page isn't the same...no problem find search bar
-Search site for 5.10.0.1......$750!!!
-Search Google...Why has Google Failed me!
-Find Strawberry Perl....Oh I like Strawberries.
-Observer that every possible version but the one in the guide is available...On forums asking for help.

That's my Perl adventure. I tried using 5.12 with changing the .dll files to 5.10. I stopped receiving an error but it didn't actually work. That was the only work around I've found so far.

If I can find that elusive version of Perl I'll put it up on an FTP site for everyone or put up a standing offer to email it out on request.

[lerxst2112]

If ActiveState decides to remove old versions of Perl there's really nothing anyone can do about it. It wouldn't be legal to distribute with the server/database files.

Perl 5.12 works fine. If you had trouble with it then there must be something else wrong, and your logs would probably help to narrow it down.

The guide is not on the wiki because nobody has put it there. If you would like it on the wiki you could put it there yourself.

[Uleat]

I've found a simple 4-step process that makes finding a solution almost fool-proof.

Step 1: Don't piss off the Dev's

Step 2: Don't piss off the Dev's

Step 3: Do a thorough search on your problem (usually 4-6 months is current enough to find an answer. I've seen every new 'common installation problem' post answered repeatedly over the course of the entire previous year.)

Step 4: Don't piss off the Dev's



There has been some discussion about someone taking up a wiki. The basic steps of server installation are the same regardless of what type of server you run and of what SVN revision your source code, peq database, maps and quests use. Only the configuration files change based on your particular setup.

I've read that Unix users can use any compiler they want. I'm not sure if your issues are related to your using 'Bloodshed' (what you posted on the other thread) or not.

I believe the VS2008 .iso can be downloaded without a registration requirement now. You might try that before giving up on the perl 5.12 solution.

As far as finding 'it' and hosting 'it' ftp, I can't tell you what to do..but don't post that your hosting an illegal download on this website, whether public or private, or you'll find yourself banned for life.

Re: http://www.eqemulator.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28924


U

[Valorborn]

Originally Posted by lerxst2112

If ActiveState decides to remove old versions of Perl there's really nothing anyone can do about it. It wouldn't be legal to distribute with the server/database files.

Perl 5.12 works fine. If you had trouble with it then there must be something else wrong, and your logs would probably help to narrow it down.

The guide is not on the wiki because nobody has put it there. If you would like it on the wiki you could put it there yourself.

Are you sure that distributing software that was once free is illegal? If that's the case though then it explains why it is't available and I won't be looking for it to download then.

I'll make it a point to not piss the dev's off. Its a new day to re-engage and I have 13 hours and 15 minutes until my midnight party for D3 so here goes!

I am sure I did something wrong. I'm going to re-engage again. I didn't realize a fire beetle could upload docs to the wiki so I'll do that when I have something wiki-worthy.

Thank you for the suggestions,


Valorborn

[Uleat]

That's one of the main differences between 'free' copyrighted material and open-source material. They can decide at any time how their code may be distributed, as you found out by the $750 cost for the 'professional' version.

As far as writing a guide, I can only say there is an immense amount information that you will need to research and understand to make a complete guide. I've considered it myself, but there is a lot that I can't test with my limited setup and I'm nowhere near being qualified to answer questions outside my domain.

I'm not trying to discourage you from this effort, rather the opposite. And since it's a wiki, the open-edit should allow people the ability to make changes or add to something if you're unsure about a certain situation.

I, too, was trying to stir up the hornet's nest abit with the perl issue. There's some contraindictions regarding which versions of perl and visual studio will compile, and the person working on that is quite knowledgeable. I just don't want to be the one pushing buttons

If you're still having issues with compiling binaries or configuration, don't give up. This is a very helpful community! (The only stories that I've heard of people not getting their server up and running are those where the person gave up...)


U

[Myrakkel]

I setup my LAN server in late 2003 and it has been up ever since. There have been major changes in tutorials and a few botched trial and error database conversions but all-in-all; nothing has changed much. I, honestly, love minilogin and have never had a problem with it; granted 6.2 is a hellofalot better than 6.1! Google search for: ActivePerl-5.10.1.1007-MSWin32-x86-291969 if you still need it. This is the version of perl that has worked for me and I found it in Google a few seconds ago and never saw a price tag on it.

Keep trying, you may be bald from pulling your hair out before it is all over but you will get there. I knew crap about SQL nor Perl before I started venturing into server creation. The fun is the journey. Just keep retracing steps, and wiping, and retracing steps and wiping, .... eventually the server works. Stop wiping the hard drive after that.

[marvandmartian]

I can honesly say I had the same problem building my server. I followed 4 or 5 different guides and ended up using little pieces from all of them. The hardest part by far was realising I did not have the proper version of the software I was using and going out looking for another copy to try. If you look hard enough they are all out there even the mysql. I ended up finding a site that had every version of release. Perl was just as hard. As soon as I got all versions to the exact version the guides were asking for the server came together perfectly and seems to run amazing.