4. Installation

0. The Legal
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(Isn't it great that you have to have that section now days, no good deeds go unpunished!)

Please note: The guide itself suggests setting up static IP's, I myself prefer to leave my router to it's own devices (DHCP - see glossary) as most lease times are rather long, routers often assign the same address to the same machine and ISP's sometimes change DNS (more glossary) info. (There are ways to ensure this such as MAC Address binding if your router is capable of that, but I'll have to be really bored to write a guide on that). If you don't setup a static IP the section following this, "Finding your IP" will be required to tell the router where to forward to. If MW4 suddenly doesn't work anymore, just repeat the instructions in "Finding your IP" and change the new IP to match your forwarding.

If you would prefer to setup a static IP:
http://www.portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm

Please also note: Beyond the DNS concerns, while uncommon, routers which are configured for DHCP (which is the default) sometimes do not react well to static address assignments. If after you follow their guide nothing works anymore, just change the settings back to how they were.
 

1.4 Finding your IP

Before you are able to forward ports, the first thing you need to do is find out your IP address.

1.4.1 Windows XP

Click "Start". Then click "Run...". Type "cmd" without the quotes, then click "OK". (See screenshot)

Once the black command prompt comes up, type "ipconfig" again without the quotes. It should display your "Ethernet Adapter" along with your IP Address and should look similar to the screenshot below. This is the address you will need to ensure your router forwards the port to.
 

1.4.2 Windows 2000

Same as above except. Start -> "Run..." -> Type "command" without the quotes then OK.



1.5 Firewalls (Software)

See glossary.

1.5.1 Windows XP Firewall

I hate it. I usually just turn the blast thing off, because often enough exceptions don't actually work. If your luck is better than mine though, here's how to do that.

Click "Start". Then mouse over "settings", then mouse over "control panel" and then select "Windows Firewall". (see screenshot)



Once it pops up, click the "Exceptions" tag.   There should be an entry for "Mechwarrior IV", in which case you just click the checkbox and then click "OK". (see screenshot)



If it doesn't have a listing for you there, click "Add Program" and scroll down until you find "Mechwarrior Vengeance". If that's not listed, click "Browse" and then select the EXE from the directory you installed it into. (Another screenshot)



1.5.2 Other Firewalls

2. Dropping

2.1 General

The settings select within ISW have to match the settings within the game after it's launched, currently this is not done for you (not sure if it's planned?).

2.2 Not Hosting

When you're in the ready room make note of the hosts IP. Write it down. Or drag your mouse over it and hit "ctrl + insert" (best), or when you get to the part where you need it hit "alt + tab" and read it off the screen. (see screenshot)



Go into multiplayer, if it's your first time going in there it should pop up and ask you to make a new connection. Otherwise click new.

Select what type of connection you're on (considering you already have to be connected to ISW on-line to get to this point, I assume even if you're on dial-up you select the top option). (see screen)



Select your connection and it's speed, follow the bouncing ball.

At the next screen which asks for how you're going to connect, select "Server Name or IP Address" and enter the IP Address of the host you for from ISW in the first step (hit "shift + insert" if you did the best method). (see shot)



At the next screen, you can name it whatever you want, basically everytime you drop you'll need to edit and go through it and change the IP to the new host's IP unless you drop with the same host. Click "done".

Click "connect" at the bottom right and it'll bring you to the "Server Browser" screen. Now, have patience, nothing will show up here until the host has gone through the initial setup on his side, every once in a while click "Update" to check if it's up. Once it is (it'll be the only game showing) click "join". (see screen)



Now all you have to do is select the same mech that you have chosen within ISW. If it's a stock mech simply select from the drop down in the middle of the screen (see screenshot)



If it's a variant just go into the mechlab and select it there, the variant name will appear at the nearly top right above the mech . (see screenshot)



2.3 Map Settings (Hosting)

I think I've remembered everything, but if anyone notices a mistake please post and I'll correct this.

For FFA set attrition, for team play set Team Attrition
Splash Damage -must- be on.
Time limit set to 30 Minutes
If you selected stock only in ISW select stock mechs ON
Number of lives set to 1
Map must be set to the same as in ISW

3. Glossary

Overview
My attempt to explain in general terms what some of the things I mentioned mean. It's likely not done very well and may confuse you horribly, if so, ignore it completely. If you are a l33t Ub3R geek who'd like to point out that something is "not exactly right", it's that way so that others can try to understand it. And you can bite my tailfeathers if you don't like it =P

DHCP: Dynamic Host Control Protocol, an automated way of assigning IP Addresses from a pool set on the router, most often the range starts at 192.168.1.100 and goes up to 192.168.1.254.

Firewall (Software): It's a wall. A wall that attempts to block anything except where your settings remove bricks because you want stuff to come through (removed bricks are known as exceptions). Basically just software that monitors your network card and what goes through it, in and out.

NAT or Network Address Translation, considered to be the most basic form of hardware based "firewall". Most personal "routers" have this enabled by default. What this means is that your external address given to you by your internet provider attaches to your router, your router then translates that into to internal address range so that you can connect more than one PC or other device through that IP. The router also creates it's own internal address called the gateway, which basically acts in the same fashion as the external address would if you had no router. Most often this address is 192.168.1.1.

4. Installation

Is pretty easy.

Install MW4 (no expansions required).

Then install the patch (brings it to version 3)
MW4 Patch Release 3

Note: If you installed Black Knight, you require this patch instead:
MW4 Black Knight Patch Release 1


Follow these links (From the Official Downloads Section of ISW forums)

You must login ISW forums to get these :
 
Solaris Map

Map Pack1

Both of these need to be extracted to the same place (see screenshot):



Note: Before you do the next part, if you have custom mechs, copy them some place safe or they will be removed, ISW overwrites that directory to prevent cheating (MW4\resource\variants). It does this every time you start up, so if you need to play somewhere else you're going to have to copy the variants back each time. And no, that is not a lot of effort or a pain, to help keep the game level.

Then the last (main) part of the install.

You must login ISW forums to get these as well:

Current Version Download

Just follow the bouncing ball, location of your MW4 doesn't seem to matter as ISW seems to pick it up no problem.

Start ISW from your menu, it will likely need to update. If it stalls out here and says "Disconnected" and did not update, just close it down and start it back up, it will eventually work it seems.

Note: If you have problems, try this (as was mentioned in the ISW Base/Current Version download post):

ISW Missing Files or DLL Fix


Registration/Entering the game

Now that it's started up, the first thing to do is click register (see screen)



Note: This is the first time you'll hear the excellent music selection, which is from the MW2: Mercenaries game if memory serves me right. Sorry, I just enjoy it. On with the show...

Now. Select your house by clicking the appropriate graphic. (There is technically, only one sane choice here) (see screenshot upper right)

Read the EULA! Most people ignore this section, but it's not long and there is some information you should look at, such as the conduct section. Then click agree. (see screenshot, left side and underlined)

Enter your login name. For security reason, I would suggest that you use a name different from your callsign or forum name.

Enter your password, again for security, I'd suggest at least one capital (not necessarily at the start) and one number. Passwords that are easy to guess are those which are a single word, or a single word with the most common number/special character replacements in them. (see screenshot middle right)

Retype your password to check for typos. (see screenshot middle right)

Enter your callsign. Nothing profane. -Do not- put in your rank, house, or unit/team name as House Davion Command will add this for you. (see screenshot lower right)

Click start new account (lower right).



You are now ready to login, enter the login name and password you just selected and click "login".

Note: Depending on your screen resolution you may need to hide the taskbar in order to see the area where you'll be able to type into the chat.

Start -> Settings -> Taskbar and Start Menu -> Taskbar Tab -> Auto-hide the taskbar (see screenshot)