**************************************************************************** Quake 3 Arena The Dreamcast Broadband Adapter FAQ Written by Jonathan Hurtado aka Cowdisease e-mail: jonhurtado@juno.com FAQ Version 2.0 First Created: 1/31/01 Last Updated: 8/20/01 **************************************************************************** Copying an FAQ is bad. Please don't copy and paste information from this FAQ, change it, and claim it as your own. You may not link directly to this FAQ, because if you do, the link will point to an older version of the FAQ even after I update this. This FAQ is found exclusively at the great www.gamefaqs.com site. Copyright 2001 - Jonathan Hurtado **************************************************************************** RECENT UPDATE REPORT **************************************************************************** 2.0 Section 4.0 - Specific and Solutions has been updated thanks to David J. Antoine's contribution. I also updated Section 2.0 (CAQ) with updated answers. 1.0 First draft of the Dreamcast Broadband Adapter FAQ for Quake 3 Arena. **************************************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS **************************************************************************** 1.0 Introduction 2.0 CAQ about the Broadband Adapter 3.0 How to connect to Quake 3 Arena, broadband style 4.0 Specific Problems and Solutions 5.0 Conclusion 6.0 Special Thanks **************************************************************************** 1.0 INTRODUCTION **************************************************************************** Welcome to the FAQ for using the Sega Dreamcast Broadband Adapter (BBA) with Quake 3 Arena (Q3A). Its purpose is to provide you with information on how to properly connect your BBA to whatever high-speed internet service whether it is DSL, Cable, or 10/100Base-T Ethernet. **************************************************************************** 2.0 COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BBA **************************************************************************** i) What is the Broadband Adapter (BBA)? It is a device that the Sega Dreamcast uses to connect to high-speed internet connections such as DSL, Cable, and 10/100Base-T Ethernet. ii) What does the BBA do? It allows a much faster connection to the internet that the Dreamcast's built-in 56K modem. There is much less latency (lag) because the BBA can transmit and receive information at a higher rate than modems. iii) How much faster is the BBA than the Dreamcast modem? It depends, but it's at least almost twice as fast than an excellent modem connection. For example, a very good modem ping connection to play Q3A through SegaNet is 140ms[milliseconds]. Ping measures how long a transmitted signal is sent back to its source. In this case, it takes 140ms for information to be transmitted from the Dreamcast to a server, and then back to the Dreamcast. With the BBA, that ping connection is dramatically reduced, reaching speeds as low as 32ms. iv) How do I install the BBA? You must remove the Dreamcast's modem before you can connect the BBA. Making sure that the Dreamcast (DC) is unplugged and that no game in inside, hold the DC upside-down, place one thumb on the modem latch and the other thumb where the FCC label is. While pressing on the latch, you use both thumbs to move the modem away from the Dreamcast. The instructions included with the BBA provide a diagram on how to remove the modem. Once the modem is removed, you can easily install the BBA into the DC. v) Can I use my dial-up service with my BBA? No. The BBA is designed to only work with high-speed connections such as DSL, Cable, or 10/100Base-T Ethernet. If you want to use the BBA and have a dial-up connection, you must switch to one of the aforementioned high-speed connection services. vi) Just what is 10/100Base-T Ethernet? It is a high-speed connection to the internet. Think of it as plugging straight into the internet without dialing in. 10/100Base-T means that information is sent at either 10mbps or 100mbps (millions bits per second), depending on what the provider has set up. vii) How much do those high-speed connections cost? It varies, but expect to pay around 50 dollars a month for DSL or Cable. (If you have an better estimate for the cost, please e-mail them). Some college campuses provide 10/100Base-T Ethernet connections in their dormitories, and those are usually free (since their cost is included in the tuition). viii) Which is better: DSL, cable, or Ethernet? College ethernet since it's free. :) If you don't have access to ethernet, DSL is your better choice. Cable modems offer a fast service, but it's access speed will decrease as more people in your area sign up since you will all be sharing the same connection. DSL, on the other hand, will not be affected by the number of people accessing it. The major problem with DSL and Cable, besides their steep price, is that they are not available in most areas. ix) How do I get DSL/Cable? Look around. I can't honestly recommend any companies because I have never used those services (Email suggestions!). Search engines and your local phone company are good places to start. x) Hey, I can't find the BBA in stores. Where can I find it? Sega at one point sold the BBA exclusively through their website, Sega.com, but now it no longer sells it. Considering that Sega has stopped Dreamcast production and not too many people have access to broadband connection, Sega decided that it was not financially feasible to make many BBAs. Your unfortunate best bet is to look through auction sites like Ebay (ebay.com) or several online stores that may have them in stock (like the very undependable buyrite.net; buy at your own risk). xi) How much does the BBA cost? It was $60 when it was first released. However, because there were limited quantities made and it is no longer in production, expect to pay at least $80. xii) Can I use the Dreamcast browser (latest version 2.7) with my BBA? No. The browser is not compatible with the BBA because it asks for dial-up information, which the BBA cannot give. You cannot surf the web with your Dreamcast if you have a BBA installed. xiii) When will a BBA-compatible browser be released? Sega has announced that it will not produce a BBA-compatible browser for the Dreamcast. xiv) How do I connect my BBA to a high-speed connection? You'll need an ethernet cable to connect your BBA to your high-speed service. They'll either be provided by your DSL/Cable provider or you'll need to buy one separately. You can find them at any computer store. Your provider will tell you what cable you need in case you have to buy one. However, if they don't specify which cable to get, the instruction manual recommends a category 5 UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) or STP (Shielded Twisted Pair), 2-pair (4 wire) cable. I assume that if the cable has a RJ-45 connection, it should work with your BBA. xv) Huh? Go to the computer store and ask a store attendant that you need an ethernet cable. Write the information that your provider has given you about the cable or the information from question xiv and show it to the attendant. xvi) Can I use my phone cable to connect the BBA to an ethernet connection jack or a regular phone jack? NO! Not only will that not work, but you could damage your BBA and your DC. xvii) How about if I connect an ethernet cable to my Dreamcast modem? NO! You will not get a faster service and you could damage your BBA and your DC. xviii) Help! I got my BBA and I can't get it to work! What's wrong? Ah, a very troubling question indeed! Look in the following sections of this FAQ for more info. **************************************************************************** 3.0) Q3A INTERNET GAME CONNECTION, BROADBAND STYLE **************************************************************************** It's not very hard to connect. After your BBA is connected to your ethernet connection via an ethernet cable, you're pretty much set to play broadband style. However, you will need to find out what type of connection your network uses (you can do so by contacting your provider). The connection will either be DHCP, PPPOE, or Static IP (these are explained in more detail below). If you select Internet Game at Main Quake 3 Arena screen, you'll no longer see the dial-up information screen. Instead, you'll see a LAN account screen asking for: a) Your Username b) Your Password c) Your IP Address d) Subnet Mask e) Gateway f) Primary DNS Server g) Secondary DNS Server **************************************************************************** CONNECTION VIA DHCP **************************************************************************** DHCP is used for services that dynamically allocate IP addresses. If you know that your network has this (or your provider told you), then connection should be really easy for you. By default, the username and password fields are blank and the other values are "0.0.0.0" (no quotes!). The BBA will automatically receive all the information from your high-speed connection, so there is no need to input values. Click on "next", and after your BBA configures and connects to the server, you should be in broadband bliss (a list of Quake servers should appear on your screen after it scans the servers). Too bad life isn't this easy. There could be a good chance that when you reach this step, you'll meet with an unsettling message, "No response from master server". If this is the case, you will have to provide more information on the LAN Account Screen. Read PPPOE for more info. **************************************************************************** CONNECTION VIA PPPOE **************************************************************************** PPPOE stands for Peer-to-Peer Protocol Over Ethernet. If you know that your connection uses PPPOE or the instructions from DHCP didn't work, then follow these instructions. Make sure IP Address, Subnet Mast, Gateway, Primary DNS, and Secondary DNS are "0.0.0.0" (no quotes!). Input your username for your ISP in the User Name field and your password in the Password field. Select "next" and cross your fingers as it connects and configures with the server. It should work, right? If you see a list of Quake servers, hooray for you. If you don't and you still get the dreaded "No response from master server" message, there's still hope. Read the next section for more details. **************************************************************************** STATIC IP **************************************************************************** You are either here because you know your connection uses Static IP or you've tried DHCP and/or PPPOE and it didn't work. At this point, you'll need specific information about your connection so that your BBA can function properly. There are two ways you can get this information, so read carefully. PLAN A) If your PC is working with your connection . . . There is no need to contact your provider if your PC already works fine with your high speed access. You can easily get the info by following the steps below. You are looking for the following: a) Your IP Address b) Subnet Mask c) Gateway DNS d) Primary DNS Server e) Secondary DNS Server (if necessary) Windows 95/98/ME users should go to the Start Menu and select Run. Type "winipcfg" (no quotes!) on the RUN command and select OK. A window will pop up showing you some of your connection information. Select MORE and all the information that you need for the connection should be displayed. Very carefully write the numbers that you need and input them into the LAN Account Screen. Make sure you select CANCEL to ensure that you didn't make any changes in the window. NOTE!!! If you do not have TCP/IP protocol installed in your PC, then this will not work. Proceed to PLAN B. Windows 2000 users can get their connection info by going to the Start Menu and selecting Run. Type "cmd" and then hit OK. A Command Prompt window will appear. Type "ipconfig/all" (no quotes!) and your connection information should show up. Carefully write the numbers that you need and input them into the appropriate fields. If this doesn't work, proceed to PLAN B. PLAN B) Contact your DSL/Cable/Ethernet Provider Get the information straight from the horse's mouth. Calmly call the provider and ask for the following information about how to connect to their service: a) Your IP Address b) Subnet Mask c) Gateway DNS d) Primary DNS Server e) Secondary DNS Server (if necessary) Write those numbers down carefully. Even one incorrect number will guarantee that your BBA will not work with your high-speed connection. Input those numbers onto the LAN Account screen and then connect. How do you know if you are successful? After the BBA is connected to the server, you'll immediately see a list of available Q3A servers for you to terrorize. Depending on what service you use, you may need to input your username and password in addition to these numbers. PLAN C) What if it still doesn't work? Are you sure that you are using the right ethernet cable? Are you sure the cable is properly hooked to both your Dreamcast and the ethernet data jack? Are you sure your service isn't temporarily down? Are you sure you wrote down the right numbers from PC or your provider? Are you sure you have a BBA hooked up to your DC? Sometimes it's the stupid things that prevent you from having fun. If you answer "yes" to all these questions, there's not much else I can do. Your best bet will be to call both your provider and Sega for assistance. **************************************************************************** 4.0 SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS **************************************************************************** This is where I will need your help. I am not using DSL or Cable for my BBA connection, so I can't offer any troubleshooting advice aside from what I wrote in Section 3.0. However, if you have encountered a specific problem and have resolved it, then please e-mail it to me. You will be given full credit and doing other Quake fraggers a huge service. If you have specific problems/solutions for college ethernet, e-mail them to me as well. I'll hopefully add a college ethernet troubleshooting guide in my next update. Email is jonhurtado@juno.com. The following information was e-mailed to me by David J. Antoine (email address: smuvmoney@ameritech.net). He was able to connect his DC BBA through his DSL service, although it was very difficult to do so. Everything written by David is enclosed by a row of equal signs. If you encounter any problems, please email David, not me. If you see any errors in David's section, please notify David and me. Take it away, David! ========================David J. Antoine's Section========================== Here was my initial DSL setup when I bought the DC BBA: ISP: Ameritech.net SpeedPath DSL Modem: Westell Wirespeed DSL Modem NIC: Kingston TXE110 (I think - I have replaced it - see below) Connection: PPPoE (Peer to Peer Protocol over Ethernet) IP Allocation: Single/Dynamic, i.e., 1 IP address Authentication Software: Enternet 300 (not to be confused with ETHERnet) PC: Gateway G6-450 (Pentium II 450) Wiring: CAT-5 Ethernet Cable Basic Schematic: [Wall Jack] <-> [DSL modem] <-> [PC NIC] Earlier this year, I had purchased the Dreamcast Broadband Adapter (DC BBA). At first, I thought I could just plug the BBA into my DSL modem and just go in and play Q3A - sorry *BUZZ* WRONG ANSWER! So I called Sega Technical Support and we tried everything from winipcfg to resetting my DSL modem to everything in between. Finally, after Sega could not help me, I decided to do some research on my own on a site called DSL Reports (http://www.dslreports.com or DSLR for short). I realized the reason I could not connect was because of the connection software my ISP uses, Enternet 300. I guess my ISP did this to prevent "unauthorized" use of my DSL like through my DC. After further research and understanding, I had come down to two solutions: 1) purchase a PPPoE-capable router or 2) use some internet connection sharing software like Microsoft's Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) for WIN98SE or higher. 1) Router This is a hardware device that allows you to share your broadband connection among several machines (depending on the number of ports on the router). Using this would bypass the need for authentication software as the router can be programmed to handle the authentication for you. The router also had an embedded 4-port switch to allow for multiple devices to be connected (like the DC BBA). I decided to try the router since I didn't have Win98SE (only Win98). I went and bought a Netgear RT314 (researched from DSLR and other sites). Configuring the router to work was probably the hardest part, but the directions were pretty clear. Once I got it to work, I no longer had to use Enternet, which took up a LOT of resources as I had come to find out. The router made my connection a lot more stable. Now onto the important part - getting the BBA to work with it. I had bought some extra CAT-5 straight through cable. I plugged the DC BBA into the 2nd LAN port (PC took up the 1st) and turned on Q3A. I entered the information as per the directions for the BBA, mostly using "winipcfg" to get the information. After I hit next to connect, 12 seconds later I was in. Now for the BIG test, can I hold the connection? After 4-5 hours of straight gaming bliss that night, I'd say yes. :D The router actually killed two birds with one stone: 1) it made my connection a lot more stable; and 2) it allowed me to use my DC BBA. Here are the major advantages to using the router (as opposed to ICS, detailed below) : - Elimination of PC authentication software (Enternet) : this frees up PC resources and makes your connection independent of your PC - Connection stability: the router seems to hold the connection and reconnects better than Enternet ever could - Technical support site: sites like DSLR can give you better support than your ISP or even the company who built the router - Connection speed - gateway routers (w/ dedicated switches) tend to be very fast. The disadvantages/problems with a router are: - Configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting: this may be somewhat difficult if you are a networking newbie or not a technical person - hence the repeated plug of DSLR - Cost: this may be out of some people's ranges ($70-100 + extra CAT-5 wiring) especially if they are unsure of what they are doing - ISP Technical Support: most ISPs will not help you if something goes wrong with your router/connection unless you got the router from them My final configuration looked something like this: ISP: Ameritech.net SpeedPath DSL Modem: Westell Wirespeed DSL Modem NIC: Netgear FA311 (Kingston NIC died) Connection: PPPoE (Peer to Peer Protocol over Ethernet) IP Allocation: Single/Dynamic, i.e., 1 IP address (now shared across Sharing Device: Netgear RT314 Gateway Router Authentication Software: none (thanks to RT314) PC: Gateway G6-450 (Pentium II 450) Wiring: CAT-5 Ethernet Cable Final Schematic: [Wall Jack] <-> [DSL modem] <-> [Router] <-> [PC NIC] & [DC BBA] 2) Internet Connection Sharing (and other connection sharing programs) Even though I didn't use this solution, I did want to speak on it in case anyone felt like going this route. Most of this information is taken in some way, shape, or form from DSLR (yes again!). Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is a program bundled with Win98SE or higher that allows you to share a broadband connection with another device or set of devices if you have a hub. This requires Win98SE or higher, a 2nd NIC, and a CAT-5 crossover Ethernet cable. If you don't have Win98SE, you can search the web for free shareware that does this - however, the 2nd NIC and Cat-5 still hold as far as I know. Once you set up ICS and get the PC connection working, then you should connect the DC to the 2nd NIC via crossover cable and attempt to connect the DC. Here are your advantages when compared to a router: - Cost: significantly cheaper (NIC $20-30, CAT-5 $5-10) - Ease of use: From what I have heard, ICS is pretty easy to install; also, you don't have to mess with your already existing PC connection that much as compared to a router - Technical support site - see plug of DSLR Your disadvantages would be: - Scalability: what happens when GameCube, Xbox, and PS2 go broadband? Or you wish to connect another PC? At that point, you're forced to buy a hub. ICS only daisy chains one device without a hub from what I recall. - ISP Technical Support - see point with router. - Speed: ICS tends to be slower than a dedicated switch or router IIRC. If you have any questions, email me @ smuvmoney@ameritech.net and I will do what I can to help. This section is the result of lots of research on sites like DSL Reports (http://www.dslreports.com). I seriously suggest you visit them as well for any networking-related questions you might have. ====================End of David J. Antoine's Section======================= There you have it. Again, if you have any problems connecting via David's method, email him (smuvmoney@ameritech.net), not me. **************************************************************************** 5.0 CONCLUSION **************************************************************************** Thank you for reading the FAQ. Email your questions, suggestions, corrections, and whatever else you feel is necessary for this FAQ. I'll give you full credit if the information you provide is specific enough. **************************************************************************** 6.0 SPECIAL THANKS **************************************************************************** BIG THANKS goes to David J. Antoine (smuvmoney@ameritech.net) with his massive contribution to Section 4.0 hal9000@sega.net - Quake 3 Arena (DC)'s Server Administrator for helping me connect to my college ethernet Jeff, Akshay, and Ryan - for also helping me connect to my college ethernet Sega - for Quake 3 Arena, the Broadband Adapter, and the instructions I used as reference for my FAQ