Re: PS2 server/game testing needed for new master server

[oldsnake]

here is a working swbf1 ps2 qt wireshark cap/vid showing when the connections take place
https://mega.nz/#F!qBJDWKAY!RDeBTMxfxUYJ1zNR9ZJDaA
now for the compare i made new captures
here is the stuck on patch screen using SWBFspy DNS# ps2 swbf1 cap/vid showing when the connections take place
https://mega.nz/#F!HBhx1DbZ!Zvl8DZd_qUw75B5OkaK7ng
hope this helps Drunken Master
thanks Mike for testing/getting the caps for the swbf2 ps2 your wireshark cap looks perfecto

[Mike]

All done, again my setup is Wireshark version 1.10.6; ethernet wire (not a crossover cable) going from my PS2 to my Macbook; Macbook uses internet sharing option to bridge connections; Macbook uses wifi; PS2 gets access to the outside internet via Macbook ethernet port. My PS2 is set to 186.34.189.167 for Primary DNS for this whole thing.

This time I got a .pcapng I hope that's okay.

Christians DNS Getting Server List Packets
DOWNLOAD PACKET FILE HERE--> https://mega.nz/#!yFwQQByD!OFiP8xxKE7amAYK8fMcNWDvqoD0PBz42L5BXk_HsFCk

This is what I did, in order, right before capturing and during the capture:

• Turned on PS2, got past the connection, DNAS, and the GameSpy Login Screen, I hit "enter without logging in"
  
• Started Wireshark packet capture PACKETS START FROM HERE
  
• Hit X on the Join button to bring up the server list search parameters
  
• Left the server list search parameters at ANY for al the options (thats the default), pressed X
  
• Loading server list
  
• Observed 100%
  
• There are 3 servers on the list, SWBFgamers, Foxhound Fast Spawn, and PS2 Online Comunidad
  
• Joined Foxhound Fast Spawn (This is OldSnake's server)
  
• Played two lives on Naboo, about 2 minutes
  
• Left the Server
  
• Stopped recording on Wireshark
  

Here's my untrained eye looking at the capture while I do it:

• Packets 1- 4 seems to be something basic that my computer just does now and then
  
• Packets 5  ~ approx 30 seems to be what happens when you hit X to get the server list and then join a server
  
• Packets 31 ~ 1137 seems to just be the repetitive communication between the server and the PS2 that happens while I'm playing for a couple minutes
  
• Around Packet number 1138 I quit the server
  
• This is smaller than the 2014 GameSpy one I made because I did not capture the intial connection process, authentication, or the login screen

Anything else I need to do or if I messed something up let me know. I can do more from tonight until tomorrow afternoon, and then more on Sunday night when I'm home. I can join and play in the server that Oldsnake has up now too.

Random idea: Is *.*.gamespy.com included in the DNS server addresses list Led? And is it possible to do that, or does it not work like that? I see some addresses like that like swbfront2ps2.ms4.gamespy.com inside of the packet captures.
There's some addresses like that with three dots in them, I'm not sure if using * twice in an address is possible though.

[Led]

Random idea: Is *.*.gamespy.com included in the DNS server addresses list Led? And is it possible to do that, or does it not work like that? I see some addresses like that like swbfront2ps2.ms4.gamespy.com inside of the packet captures.
There's some addresses like that with three dots in them, I'm not sure if using * twice in an address is possible though.

I will give it a try.   Here is a video showing all the latest DNS settings:  https://youtu.be/WsDNOFzv7Yo

There were 4 players on it last night.  Maybe you know these players?
I would still like to figure out what is going on...


http://www.gametracker.com/server_info/74.91.125.138:3663/blog/

[Led]

OK, I set up a home test server for PS2 and have wireshark available on it.

[Mike]

Yea I know Jackdaniels, I told him that if he really wanted to play in the test server he could use 186.34.189.167. He also that he would like it if you guys lowered the number of AI.

I have another theory for what could possibly be going on but its based on just me thinking about it, nothing confirmed.

Kalle did tell me when I emailed him before I started posting here that he would forward certain addresses he had for GameMaster over to you guys for an additional month after he shut down. He said that PC players would still be able to use the GameMaster .exe for the time period of this additional month, but PS2 players would have the downtime hit right on June 1st.

GameMaster was a service that was up for about 2 years. It is possible that this Christian person knew about them and configured his DNS server to point towards GameMaster, which is currently having certain addresses forwarded it you guys. This seems logical because Christians DNS is used for multiple different games, as I saw on the PS2onlinegaming forums. We would know for sure that this was what was going on if 1 month passed, and it stopped working then.

I still have not had any luck tracking down Christian.

[Led]

From what I can tell, there was no forwarding done for PC players after June 1st.  Is there any way to hook me up with an emulator so I can try the PS2 game from my PC?

[Mike]

Okay, it might not be happening, but it was just a thought. He did say on this site too that he would:

At least we had the following agreements:
[..]
- i will redirect all the hostnames (d.gameshare.me, u.gameshare.me, gamespy.onl) for at least one month to the new IP address so that the games will still work. Only PS2 / hosts file will get a change at all [...]

In terms of ps2 emulators, I think snake is the expert on that. The one you will want is called PCSX2. I think getting that and the Battlefront 2 .iso would be easy, but getting it to do online, we might need snakes help or a guide, I remember getting past DNAS on an emulator to be complicated.

When I get back to my PS2 (tomorrow night or the day after) I will try 74.91.125.138 again after the changes you made.

[Led]

I recall that he said that, but honestly I don't know really understand it 

I found the emulator and the iso.

I am also hosting a SWBF2 test server from home so that it will be easier to wireshark.

I will see if I can get the emulator set up.

[Drunken_Master]

Sorry, the wife and kids literately interrupt me on average about every 1.5 minutes whenever I sit down. 

I did not look at Old Snakes's old working capture yet; just the stuck one and Mike's working one.  In the short time I got to look at it so far, it looked like Cristiahn forwards the DNS query straight to SWBFspy.

Difference is Cristiahn's responses also send the name  of is DNS server info: "xcristiahnx" to the end of the answer (doesn't seems like this would matter but IDK)

EDIT: I think I found what I was looking for last time. (CREDIT: Old snake highlighted these 2 packets in the video) Looking at Old Snake's working capture to cristiahn's DNS, there is a difference where Led's was stuck.  Led's simply responds with the server IP.  Cristian's replies with a Start of a zone of Authority (SOA). See attachment. I don't really understand what that means yet but learning is fun.  They are on different ports but I don't think that matters does it?

PS: after staring at packet captures the other night, I spend 1/2 the night dreaming about DNS problems 

Post edit; I guess Old Snake's wasn't actually working, it was stuck on the patch but it seemed to get farther than before

[Led]

OK, so here is an option I will try next, setting up a Stub zone...whatever that is...(see image)

[Drunken_Master]

Cool, looks like the way to go.  You are now outside my comfort zone.

I'll start looking next where Old Snake finally got past the patch screen.   By chance did the guy helping Kalle have a name that sounded like Cristiahn?

[Led]

OK, I have contactedxCrI$TiAhNx   

at
http://www.ps2onlinegaming.com/forum/index.php

DNS settings for SWBFspy formerly gamemaster

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Sent: Sat Jun 11, 2016 8:09 pm
From: Led
Recipient: xCrI$TiAhNx
Hi,

I think some PS2 players are using your DNS server 186.34.189.167 that points to my SWBFspy (hosting Kalle's GameMaster code) at 162.248.92.172.

I have tried to set up my own DNS server and it is not working. Could you tell me your DNS settings?

I would very much appreciate it.

Led, from www.SWBFgamers.com

[Led]

Also,

This is very interesting
http://ps2online.ddns.net/DNS%20Servers%20(PS2%20Online)/

[Mike]

Led, I will be home tomorrow and I think I can test out the changes you made late tomorrow night.

I am happy you found Christian to contact him, I wasn't able to find him because of all the symbols in his name so good job on that.

That link you posted is superrrrr interesting. It looks like he was aware of the work you guys were doing and he keeps up with other GameSpy workarounds too, even ones I was not aware existed! There was a third server up on the SWBF2 server list the other day, it was called something like "PS2online Comunidad". Judging by Chritsian's website and the Facebook group he links on it, I think that was his server.

@Drunken Master, yes the capture I did most recently (the one on this page with the orange text) is just me getting the server list and joining a server via Christians DNS, it did not include the login process because I thought that section in particular is what you had wanted to take a look at, my bad if I got confused. I can do more if needed but I think we're making progress now.

[Drunken_Master]

No worries what you sent was still great and more evidence in how this whole thing works.  I started out on the PS2 game, that's why I am here.