Netplay issues

[StripTheSoul]

Heya guys,

unbelievable, but it's just the first time now that I've tried out Netplay with Dolphin.
Unfortunately, it didn't work. My friend and I used the same new version of Dolphin (from yesterday, also tried that 11 months old DC-Netplay-build, though), the same game version and mostly the same settings (some differing graphics settings like IR shouldn't be an issue, right?).
The issue is a 'connection failed'. Now, maybe I did something stupidly wrong. We don't have to boot up the game before, right?
I just start netplay, write some 'nickname', select a game and click on 'host', right? Then my friend just puts my IP into the 'Address' field and clicks 'connect', right?
So I thought it was some firewall issue (and I'm not very good with that kind of stuff). I made an exception for Dolphin (or rather two, for in- and outgoing stuff) in the Windows firewall and in my router config... well, that's kinda complicated so I couldn't really figure it out. However, even when I disabled the router firewall, it didn't work.

Any idea?

[JMC47]

Did you port forward?

[StripTheSoul]

Uuuh, like I said, I'm not good with those things. You mean, make an exception for that 2626 port in the router firewall? Like I said, my router's config interface is kinda weird, so I didn't really get it. However, it even didn't work when I disabled the router firewall, so there must be another issue, right?

[JMC47]

Google how to port forward on your kind of router. It's not the same as a firewall; each router has their own definitions and ways of handling things, so I can't really help much.

[StripTheSoul]

Ah, ok. I thought that was firewall stuff. Ok, I found it now and configured it. I'm gonna try it later and report back. Thanks for now

[StripTheSoul]

Alright, it worked!

However, it didn't work flawlessly. The highest I could get the FPS to was between 50 and 60, even with a high buffer. And at some point his game seemed to 'lose' mine. I dunno if you would call it a desync. E.G. I went into the options menu, then got out again and started again. When I was in the character selection menu, he still saw the options menu. Interestingly, he could still make input, his cursor switched around between characters when he pressed something.

His computer is not very good but solo he can play Mario Party 4 at fullspeed. Shouldn't we be able to play it in fullspeed online as well? Or is that more taxing on the CPU?

[JMC47]

If you barely get full speed, then netplay is about 10% - 30% harder on the computer depending on game. If you're desyncing, then that means your settings are wrong for netplay. Make sure to turn off memory cards and stuff unless you plan on syncing them.

[StripTheSoul]

Memory Cards were off, other settings should be fine, I guess. We do have Dual Core enabled, but the netplay guide says specifically that MP4 should be fine with it (maybe that's a little out-dated).
I don't think my computer is barely managing fullspeed in MP4. My friend's PC might be, though. Does that wear down the host's game as well?

[JMC47]

You both have to go the same speed, you know? Doesn't that make sense?

[StripTheSoul]

I guess it does. I thought there would rather be desyncs, I didn't know his performance would affect the host's in any way, but yeah, since desyncs make playing impossible it's better this way I guess.