Losing connection while playing online

[Avalanche]

Okay I have two machines one running vista and the other running XP. Both machines are running a cat5 connection to the 4 port router. (more info: Vista machine is running two lines (Teaming) and XP one so three ports are being used).

That being said my XP machine will loose connection while playing a game online. This only occurs when both machines are play in the same map. If the XP machine goes into a different map it has no problems.

Is there something I can do to fix this?

I don't remember the model number the router but it is an older 4 port wireless Linksys router had it about 4 to 5 years now.

[FunkZ]

When you say "lose connection" do you mean the connection to the game or do you mean the actual NIC will show link loss?

If it's the former my guess is your router or the game/server. Because both your computers are connecting to the same game server and in the same game at the same time, they are both receiving packets destined to your 1 external IP. To differentiate between the 2 connections the router has to use port mapping, or PAT, to send everything coming in to x.x.x.x:90000 to one computer and x.x.x.x:90001 to the other. Most games use several ports or a port range to communicate on, so it could be x.x.x.x:90000-90010 and 90011-90020 or something like that.

My guess is that either the game/server you are connecting to isn't identifying your computer correctly and thus sending out the game information on incorrect ports, or else your router isn't differentiating the incoming ports to the correct computer on your network. If you can connect to other games/servers and play with both machines at the same time then I'd say it's not your router.

[Avalanche]

Yes it will lose connection of the game. And if computers go in different server's then thing will be okay. This is happening in COD4.

[FunkZ]

I assume you have 2 full versions of the game, and not using the same key on both computers?

If that is the case, then it is indeed a port issue, and here is Activision's answer on how to change one of the computers to use a different port:

https://activision.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/activision.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=19484&p_created=1194453597&p_sid=fOJ2aTUi&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9NzQsNzQmcF9wcm9kcz0xLDYyMyZwX2NhdHM9JnB fcHY9Mi42MjMmcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzL nNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9Mg**&p_li=&p_topview=1

[Avalanche]

Yes it is two full versions of the game. I do not believe in copying, download, and especially pirating any software.

Thank you once again FunkZ. I will try this 2night when I get home.