First post, by Yasashii
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I have a Windows 7 SP1 x64 machine connected to a D-Link Dl-524 router (with a wire), and an old XP SP3 machine connected to that router, also wired.
I want to play old games (or at least those of them that also run on Windows 7) over LAN. The purpose of this is, when my friend comes over, we can get cracking at those old games.
The connection works, theoretically, as I was able to set up file sharing between the two computers (that is, I can successfully access the Windows 7 machine's files on the XP machine as long as the Windows 7 machine has a password set up on my account. I don't know why but when no password is set up, it will not work with any settings.)
Still, even if it didn't work, I'd just use Dukto to transfer files over the network. That always works, so it's not a problem.
The problem is, when I try to host a game, the other computer can't see the host. This is the case with every game that I've tested. It doesn't matter whether I host it on the Win 7 machine or the XP machine. BUT, if I disconnect both computers from the router and simply directly wire them together, the host is visible, but still only the Windows 7 machine is able to join a game hosted on the XP machine, while it doesn't work the other way round. The connection times out.
While this workaround does mean that LAN play is possible, it's by no means a solution to the problem as bending over the desk every time and rewiring the network is rather uncomfortable in my room (the computers are close against the walls). Also, in that setting, I don't have access to the internet, because the router is omitted.
My home network has always been a source of problems for some reason, and I've always managed to find workarounds, but to be unable to make a simple wired LAN work for games is just ridiculous.
Btw. the games are not to blame. One of the games I've tested was Re-Volt, which I was able to play through LAN in the dorm just 2 months ago on my netbook, which is a different machine, but the point is, I used the exact same files and the exact same patch, so the game is not the problem.
I'd appreciate any ideas. I will provide additional info, if needed.