[Misc] Lan hosting multiple players single PC

[juvian]

As you all know, kloader has not been working for quite some time, and no new alternative has been proposed. With 1.30 version there is no need anymore for sandboxie to be able to run 2 clients, but trying to join lan from both fails, even using sandboxie. This leaves map testing for multiplayer only possible from older w3 versions or testing directly from bnet or using 2 computers.

After many hours of trying I have found an alternative, which allows for any number of lan clients on 1.30.1 patch on w10 (should work for other windows version too).

1. Install ForceBindIP | r1ch.net
2. Create a .bat file on same folder as where the program was installed with this content:
   SET W3Path=E:\Programs\w3\Warcraft III
   start ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path%\Warcraft III.exe"
   start ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path%\Warcraft III.exe"
   
   
3. Change E:\Programs\w3\Warcraft III to your warcraft path.
4. Save and run the bat file (double click). If everything went alright, 2 warcraft instances should be opened and you will be able to access lan from both.
5. Create a game from one and join from the other.

If you want more than 2 instances, just fill another line with a different valid ip (any in the range 127.0.0.1 to 127.255.255.254).

For 1.28-1.29 patch, you need to use sandboxie for the second instance and the .bat second line should be something like:

start E:\Programs\Sandboxie\Start.exe ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path%\Warcraft III.exe"

For 1.30.2+ patch, forget about ForceBindIP and just open second window with sandboxie, you can enter lan with both and it will work.

Happy map testing!

 

[Tutaste]

Hey, i tried it with windows 8.1 and didn't work. The error message is "Warcraft III was unable to initialize. Error 0." its not opening second wc3, any idea?

 

[juvian]

Hey, i tried it with windows 8.1 and didn't work. The error message is "Warcraft III was unable to initialize. Error 0." its not opening second wc3, any idea?

I guess you are trying with 1.30.1, where they removed the "bug" that lets you open multiple w3 instances. A possible solution is to use sandboxie for the second instance and then change second line to something like

start E:\Programs\Sandboxie\Start.exe ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path%\Warcraft III.exe"

 

[Franconis]

I tested this and verified that two instances are possible in 1.30.1 using this method. I ran the first using ForceBindIP and the first two lines of your original script:

SET W3Path=E:\Programs\w3\Warcraft III
start ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path%\Warcraft III.exe"

For the second I just dragged WarcraftIII.exe into Sandboxie and they found each other just fine.

 

[CallMeWhale]

hi, juvian
sandboxie + ForceBindIP works great with 1.30.1 for the last 2 months, however, it seems no longer working with 1.30.2. as video below shows, the game just stuck here with 1.30.2 after clicking "join the game" button. any new solution?

(also idk if blz see this feature as a bug and keeps an eye on this thread, we just want to test map more easily, not doing sth bad. why bother "fix this bug" (which actually not) and force us using a more laborious way like virtualbox/vmware? plz leave us a way. great thx)

 

[juvian]

@CallMeWhale that's unfortunate. I don't use bnet anymore so don't have new patch to try, might try when I get back home from holidays in a week if I remember

 

[PurgeandFire]

I'm going to leave this in the submissions forum til I get the chance to test & verify that this works on the latest patch on my PC. Anyone else willing to give it a go to see if it works?

 

[juvian]

@CallMeWhale yeah it doesn't seem to work anymore with this bonjour thing, so only works on 1.30.1 patch or older

 

[juvian]

@PurgeandFire @CallMeWhale updated post with what to do on older and newer patch.

 

[Tutaste]

well, i can't open 2 programs with sandboxie. i need a key. can you help please? @juvian

 

[juvian]

@Tutaste you only need to open 1 warcraft instance with sandboxie, the other without it as usual. That way you have 2 using free version.

 

[Tutaste]

Yeah its worked. thanks a lot

 

[Chaosy]

Very short and simple.
Admittedly useful though.

However, I would argue too simple.

The tutorial basically comes down to:
1. Download X
2. copy this code / run program (depending on version)

Also noteworthy that I did not get this to work, when I ran the .bat file it said something along the lines of command ForceBindIP not found. Based on one of the replies I figure I need to specify the path which was not included in the tutorial.

But that's a side point as I don't think this can be salvaged.

 

[juvian]

Very short and simple.
Admittedly useful though.

However, I would argue too simple.

The tutorial basically comes down to:
1. Download X
2. copy this code / run program (depending on version)

Also noteworthy that I did not get this to work, when I ran the .bat file it said something along the lines of command ForceBindIP not found. Based on one of the replies I figure I need to specify the path which was not included in the tutorial.

But that's a side point as I don't think this can be salvaged.

Yeah its simple, yet it took me days to find a way to make it work after reading many posts saying it was just not possible. Given new patches I am not sure why would anyone still need this but at the time it was useful. You don't need to specify the path, ForceBindIP is a program you need to install and for the bat to work it needs to be on same folder as ForceBindIP.

 

[Chaosy]

Ahhh, I did install the program but did not put it in the same folder.

I 100% understand you, there should be a place somewhere to submit "useful tips"
Such as lists with IDs, color codes, terrain tileset paths etc
And possibly this.

However, I am just the messenger who reads the rules and I think this is too simple to be classified as a tutorial.

I encourage you to poke an admin or post in the site discussion section and ask for a subforum for these short tips. Perhaps it can happen.

 

[Shadowmanthegod01]

Is this work on 1.30.4?

 

[juvian]

Is this work on 1.30.4?

That's a rather specific version... which I don't have installed but shouldn't be hard to try. It did work in 1.30.2 but who knows

 

[TheFireMage]

Ok so, I tried to run this on 1.28.5 but I got this error instead

 

[juvian]

Ok so, I tried to run this on 1.28.5 but I got this error instead
View attachment 402207

What did you set as w3path ?

 

[TheFireMage]

What did you set as w3path ?

My Warcraft game directory

 

[juvian]

My Warcraft game directory

I will guess you are using program files or something with a space in which case instead of start C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe ForceBindIP it should be start "C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" ForceBindIP

 

[TheFireMage]

I will guess you are using program files or something with a space in which case instead of start C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe ForceBindIP it should be start "C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" ForceBindIP

So the quotation should be included?

 

[juvian]

So the quotation should be included?

yes paths with spaces in them need to go between double quotes

 

[TheFireMage]

I got the typical error from using quote

 

[juvian]

I got the typical error from using quote
View attachment 402452View attachment 402453

Not sure, file looks file. Maybe try restarting and check sandboxie did launch

 

[TheFireMage]

Not sure, file looks file. Maybe try restarting and check sandboxie did launch

File looks file, ok
Also, I tried launching separately with 2 files, but the results remain the same
Edit: I tried launching sandboxie only and it works but the second instance cannot connect to network when I tried to enter LAN game

 

[w1919]

for my 1.26: no any methods are working (LAN on 2nd window is "Could not connect to the network")

"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S1 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path26%\Frozen Throne.exe" -window
"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S2 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path26%\Frozen Throne.exe" -window

for my 1.28.5 : not_sandboxie_and_ForceBindIP + sandboxie - is not working (2nd window can't see a created game)

start ForceBindIP -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path28%\Warcraft III.exe" -window
"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S2 "%W3Path28%\Warcraft III.exe" -window

for my 1.28.5 : sandboxie(box1)_and_ForceBindIP + sandboxie(box2)_and_ForceBindIP - works perfectly

"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S1 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path28%\Warcraft III.exe" -window
"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S2 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path28%\Warcraft III.exe" -window

for my 1.28.5 + JN Loader : sandboxie(box1)_and_ForceBindIP + sandboxie(box2)_and_ForceBindIP - is not working (LAN on 2nd window is "Could not connect to the network")

"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S1 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.1 "%W3Path28%\JNLoader.exe" -window
"C:\Program Files\Sandboxie\Start.exe" /box:S2 "%FBIP%\ForceBindIP" -i 127.0.0.2 "%W3Path28%\JNLoader.exe" -window

so can anyone make it working for 1.28.5 + JN Loader? (JN Loader is open-sourced on GitHub)

 

[Ravager16829]

so can anyone make it working for 1.28.5 + JN Loader?

I don't know it really works or not.
3rd party WC3 servers that use special launcher like M16 (Korean WC3 server), Iccup, or Eurobattle.net are pretty much hardcoded for this trick.

 

[w1919]

JNLoader, Iccup, or Eurobattle.net are pretty much hardcoded for this trick.

JNLoader is not a server itself, server is m16
You can play by JNLoader in local LAN with friends, without m16 (and can't do the same with Iccup or Eurobattle.net)
And there are no maps which works on Iccup or Eurobattle.net only. But JNLoader-only maps are present

 

[Ravager16829]

@w1919 Maybe juvian can help?

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Well, it seems that this thread is outdated (it's 3 years ago), but I can tell you this trick doesn't seem to work on Reforged because LAN testing is completely broken: Can't do LAN to test map.