FSRace.dll
Help

Validation Error:

If you see the message "Error: timed out waiting for time sync response from FSHost..." in the FSRace Validate Window, here are some things to check:

  1. If you have a router: you need to forward UDP port 80 from the router to the internal IP address of the machine running Flight Simulator.  (Some routers don't give a choice between TCP and UDP, which usually means that both types are forwarded -- which is fine.)  You can refer to this web site for help with configuring routers -- it's more geared towards forwarding ports for specific games, but just use the help provided to forward UDP port 80 in this case.  Then try validating again.
     
  2. If you're using Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS): you need to forward UDP port 80 from the ICS "gateway" machine (the machine directly connected to the internet) to the internal IP address of the machine running Flight Simulator.  Here's how:
     
    • On the ICS gateway machine, go to Start / Control Panel / "Network and Internet Connections" / "Windows Firewall".
    • The firewall can be either on or off -- interestingly enough, the forwarding we're about to setup should work either way, so you might as well turn it on if you don't have any other firewall.  Note that if the gateway machine has the firewall enabled, you probably don't need the firewall enabled on the other client machines.
    • Click the Advanced tab.
    • In the white box at the top, you'll probably see two entries -- one for your internet connection and one for your local network.  Leave both of them checked, but click on the internet connection line to select it, and then click the Settings button next to it.  This will bring up the Advanced Settings window, on the Services tab.
    • Click Add
    • For the "Description of Service", enter something like "FSRace" -- it's only for your use.
    • For the "Name or IP address", enter the internal IP address of the Flight Simulator machine -- see below for help finding this address, and also see the note about using a static IP address.
    • Set both the External and Internal port numbers to 80.
    • Select "UDP".
    • Click OK to save, then OK again, and OK again, and close the Network and Internet Connections window.
    • Then try validating again.

Finding a machine's "internal" IP Address:

To find a machine's "internal" IP address, open a Command Prompt window on that machine (Start / All Programs / Accessories / Command Prompt), type "ipconfig", and press Enter.  The internal IP Address will usually start with 192.168.  Note that an ICS gateway machine (the machine connected directly to the internet) will always have an internal IP address of 192.168.0.1, but the "client" machines will be different.

Using a Static IP Address:

If the Flight Simulator machine is setup to use DHCP (automatic IP addressing), you may get a different IP address sometimes when you restart the machine.  It's easier if you change it to use a "static" internal IP address so you don't have to update the router or ICS configuration whenever the IP address changes.  Here's how:

  • On the Flight Simulator machine, go to Start / Control Panel / "Network and Internet Connections" / "Network Connections".
  • Right-click on the network connection it uses to connect to the LAN (probably called "Local Area Connection") and select Properties.
  • Double-click on "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)".
  • Select "Use the following IP address" and enter an IP in the same range as your router or ICS gateway machine.  Usually this will be a number beginning with 192.168.0, but could also begin with 192.168.1, or something similar.  For example, if your router or ICS gateway machine uses 192.168.0.1, then set the Flight Simulator machine to be 192.168.0.2.  (If you have other ICS client machines, you can set them to 192.168.0.3, etc., or leave them set to automatic addressing.)
  • Set the "Subnet mask" to 255.255.255.0
  • Set the "Default gateway" to the router or ICS gateway machine's IP address (192.168.0.1, in the example above).
  • Select "Use the following DNS server addresses", and for the "Preferred DNS server" enter the router or ICS gateway machine's IP address again.  Leave the "Alternate DNS server" box blank.
  • Click OK to save, then click OK again to close the network properties window.
  • Then use this new IP address in the router or ICS gateway's configuration, and you shouldn't have to change it after rebooting the machine.

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