[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#6707) Announce server on LAN

["John Bauman" <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <andrearo@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2003 4:51 PM
Subject: [Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#6707) Announce server on LAN


> On Sun, 2 Nov 2003, Raimar Falke wrote:
> > On Sun, Nov 02, 2003 at 10:48:29AM -0800, andrearo@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > On Sun, 2 Nov 2003, Raimar Falke wrote:
> > > > On Fri, Oct 31, 2003 at 01:04:05PM -0800, andrearo@xxxxxxxxxxxx
wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi everyone,
> > > > > One of the features I miss in Freeciv is to get a list of servers
on the
> > > > > LAN that the client can connect to, when setting up local games.
So I just
> > > > > had to implement it :)
> > > > >
> > > > > It works as follows: The client multicasts an UDP packet to the
LAN, with
> > > > > TTL=4 so that the packet doesn't leave the LAN. The server then
get's the
> > > > > packet, and send a response with it's info. The list of LAN
servers in the
> > > > > connect dialog is updated, just like the list of Metaservers.
> > > >
> > > > Nice idea. I have a problem however with the constants. Why TTL=4?
Why
> > > > not 3 or 5?
> > >
> > > Good question.. It depends about how far you want the packet to reach,
> > > since TTL is decremented every time a packet goes through a router.
> >
> > > It could probably also be 3 or 5, depending about how you define
> > > "LAN".
> >
> > And that is the point. If we hardcode it in the code we have to choose
> > a good value. A not hardcoded solution would be better. Is this
> > possible?
>
> Do you want TTL as a runtime parameter to the client and server? I've
> never used any software that requires you to do that.
> I can't think of another way to set the TTL.

One method is to gradually expand the TTL (from 2 or so to around 6) if
there are not many servers found and possibly at user request.


>
>
>  Andreas Røsdal
>
>
>