Arch Linux

robot5x

Member

Registered: 2004-01-26

Posts: 266

Subnet mask question

Hi all -
This is probably a stupid question so I'll explain why Im' asking it.
I want to play a game over the internet with a friend - the readme states that network games only work if both machines are on the same subnet.
Now, his is 255.255.255.0 which I thought pretty much everyone had. But when I checked mine it was 255.255.248.0.
Is there no hope for our network game?!
Thanks -

Pajaro

Member

Registered: 2004-04-21

Posts: 884

Re: Subnet mask question

subnet netmask is a number that is used to determine what computers are in your local network.

if your your local ip is A.B.C.D and your subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 then your computer will use the default gateway to access every IP whose 3 first numbers aren't A.B.C.

so you could set the subnet netmask to 0.0.0.0 so that it considers every IP as being in your local network (subnet), but then you won't be able to access your friend's computer because he is in the other side of the gateway, and as no IP is considered to be on the other side of the gateway, it won't be accessible.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS TO CREATE A VPN (Virtual Private Network)