How to host a server. [Real Tutorial]

Hello guys,

Note 1: I am making this tutorial off of the top of my head because of certain restrictions put in place by my company and as a result I cannot access the router configuration screen.

Note 2: You must know both the username and password for logging into your router configuration panel.

Note 3: This is like my first tutorial so please keep this in mind.

Note 4: This tutorial is split up into three sections, one for port forwarding and the other for creating and hosting a server and the third for pyspades.


Introduction

I have seen a few tutorials floating around that "teach" you how to set up a server; they don't! (No offense intended to anybody at all!)

So here is a tutorial that will teach you how to set up your AoS server properly.

Section 1: Port Forwarding

Firstly we need to make your IP address static. To do this, you need to download this programme, install it and then open it up. You should now see something that looks similar to this:


Now click "Make it Static."

It will then return you to the programmes start screen and will now say: "This IP address is currently static." Above this, there are a series of boxes with DNS addresses and such inside them; count 5 boxes up (to the IP address box) and take a look at your new, static IP address.

Now, we need to identify the router you have. To do this, click here, scroll down and find the make/model of your router and click on it. For example, the router I have in my office is a NETGEAR WGR614v7 so I would scroll down until I have found it and then click on it.

Finally, we need to forward the port. To do this we need to open up a web browser and type in you routers IP address.

If you know it already then skip this step.

Note: As I mentioned earlier, you will need the admin username and password for your router to progress any further at this point.

For those who don't know their routers IP address, open the command prompt by navigating to Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Command Prompt

Now we are here, type into the Command Prompt "ipconfig" and you should see something like this:


As I have highlighted in the image above, you can see what your routers IP address is.

Type this number into your web browser and log in.

Note: Unless the credentials have been changed, it is very common that sometimes the username is "admin" and the password is also "admin" OR "password."

Now you are in your routers config page, find the section that allows you to port forward and click on it.

For most routers, it will allow you to add a custom service. DO IT!

When you are creating the service, call it Ace of Spades and change both the start and end ports to "32887"

Remember the Command Prompt? Remember obtaining the routers IP address?
You should if you followed this guide! Where it asks you for the Server IP address, put your computers IP address in there and click OK/Save/Apply (Depending on the router config.)

VOILA! You have successfully forwarded the port for Ace of Spades.


Section 2: Hosting the AoS server

Note: This will teach you how to set up your own server with a map of YOUR choice.

First of all we need to download AoS from here. When you have downloaded this, install it but don't run it just yet.

Note: For fewer complications, just install it to the default directory and don't change it.

Secondly, we need to download a map that we like. To do this, go here and have a look through the maps and then download one that you like.

Now, extract the files in the folder you've just downloaded to the vxl folder located within your Ace of Spades directory.

Finally, go to Start >> All Programs >> Ace of Spades >> Ace of Spades Server and launch it.

Type in the name of the map that is located in your vxl folder (Type it exactly as it is)

Then choose the amount of players you want to allow on your server, click enter and then finally choose a name for your server.

Now, choose whether or not you would like advertising on the server and that's it, you're done.

To play with others, share your link with them; it will look something like this:

I hope you find this tutorial useful and if you have any questions then VM me and I'll help you out on Team Viewer if I aren't too busy.

Sorry if there are any stupid things in this as this is my first tutorial, as stated at the start.

Section 3: Pyspades

All credits for this part go to @Wolf.

Go to: Downloads - pyspades - Ace of Spades server implementation in Python - Google Project Hosting and download the top file, you should get something like this, opened by winRAR.



Extract it literally anywhere it doesn't matter, but I extracted mine in the AoS folder so I didn't lose it, and it fits well in there.



Once you've extracted go into the folder, locate the config file and open it up.



1. The name of your server, I've changed mine to "mpgh" for the server I'm hosting, but it doesn't matter what you change it to and this is what will come up on the lists of all servers. Oh and also I edited 4 lines below just to advertise mpgh a bit.

2. I edited the tips to, again, tell people to go to mpgh, but you can edit those tips to do what ever you want.

3. The map, inside the dist folder there will be another folder called "maps" if you simply type out the map's name which you want to play (In the screenshot it's called bridgewars) you server will load that map.

4. The admin/trusted users passwords, I don't know where you put those passwords in, but I suggest you change they so people can't log into your server as an admin and cause chaos!