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Games Entertainment

Using Linux To Get Your Dreamcast Online 50

Posted by Hemos from the pretty-cool-idea dept.
katananja writes: "This article shows how you can connect your DC to Linux and make use of your high-speed Internet access: 'I finally found the combination of what works and what is needed to properly set up Linux to act as a dial-up ppp server and allow my DREAMCAST console to access it. What led me to actually work on this project was my desire to utilize my current method of Internet access (CableModem) because I just didn't feel like tying up my phone line every time I wanted to use my DC on the Internet.' "
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Using Linux To Get Your Dreamcast Online More

Using Linux To Get Your Dreamcast Online

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  • Dumb Terminal (Score:3)

    by interiot ( 50685 ) on Sunday November 05, 2000 @11:20AM (#648339) Homepage
    More than just allowing you to use your cable modem, this will let you use its web browser as a dumb terminal to the rest of your internal network. I don't know if anyone would actually buy extra dreamcasts to use as dumb terminals (Dreamcast: $150 + modem, IOpener w/keyboard: $100), but it's a handy way to have a non-geeky network presence in your living room if you already have a DC. Possible dumb terminal uses:
    • Web pages allow you to view logs, queue MP3 files [hotscripts.com], control X10 modules [shivan.org], etc...
    • Port a Java telnet app to PJava
    • Port Java VNC to PJava for full X windows access
    (are there any such port-to-PJava projects going on?)
    --
  • I'd say pretty damn good! Especially since most of the online Dreamcast games seem to put a lot of faith in the client (the incredibly fast response times on NFL2K, for example, even when used of a slowish modem line, lead me to believe the client is treated as being trusted). I double highly that all those players running around the field are being updated in real time from the server.
  • Might this work for a Tivo too ?
  • The client is probably not trusted, but the on-screen motions of the players are predicted (and, most likely, the amount of data needed to represent a player's position/action is probably reduced to an EXTREMELY small amount of information). It's possible to do that amount of action over a small-bandwidth link, as long as your link is relatively stable.

  • Could someone post a link that shows how to do this using Win98se?

    Also, does anyone know if it would be very difficult to remove the sega modem and somehow connect an ethernet card from a computer? That would give me $60 extra for DC games and no waiting until Jan. 2(The broadband release date).


  • The two programs I use are SQUID for HTTP Caching and I use Linux's internal ability to do DNS query/caching.

    No way, Linux does that all by itself? Why the fuck do I even have BIND installed then?

    You will also need a copy of UDPRED. This is a UDP Port redirector.

    Has anyone told this guy about ipportfw, perhaps?

    Does the newer Kernels even use IPFWADM???

    Genius.

    I also fail to see why he manually completes the connection on his linux machine's modem. Couldn't he just set it to auto-answer? (ATS0=1, isn't it?)

  • A little hacking? (Score:3)

    by ansible ( 9585 ) on Sunday November 05, 2000 @01:06PM (#648345) Journal

    I'd think it wouldn't take too much effort to get faster Internet access on the DC than this method.

    I've never seen the inside of a DC, but it would be likely to have a separate modem chip. The specs for just about any commercial chip are out there on the Internet. If you can find the modem, it wouldn't be too hard to disconnect it, and get at the RS-232 directly.

    You'd need a level converter; the onboard RS-232 is prolly TTL level where low = 0V and high = +3V, so you'd convert it to low = -5V and high = +5V. Wire up a DB-9 serial connector, get a null modem cable, and you're done with the hardware.

    On the host side, you'd need to whip up a chat script that looked (from the DC's point of view) as modem, which then starts up your PPP connection. The serial port probably runs at 115.2kbps.

    Might make a nice little hardware project for some hardware hackers out there.

  • Just a quick comment here...all Dreamcasts come with modems, built in. This may just be the secret to it's success one day as Quake, etc become more popular.
  • Cool, I wonder if I could use this on my satelite system as well, because it has to dial in to pay for pay-per-views
  • linux isn't the only one that will do masquerading wingate is at least one proxy program that will run under 95/98
  • Why call it a Broadband adapter when it's really just a recycled ISA 10bT nic ? To really be able to call it a broadband adapter, it would have to handle tcp/ip in the hardware/firmware, but then it would make it totally useless for non-broadband use. Imagine Dreamcast lan-parties =) (well no, not really.. I'm not a fan of the Dreamcast but at least I don't hate it half as much as the PS2)
  • EB says by the end of the month.
  • I have seen instructions for something similar for Tivo (using the DSS port). I don't have a Tivo, and the instructions require editing config files on the Tivo (no more warranty), but here's a link to get you started:

    http://www.avsforum.com/ub bti vo/Forum6/HTML/000241.html [avsforum.com]

    -bgaz

  • Duh. You're right. I stand corrected.
  • but you didn't make it known to the masses how to do it.
  • You know, that's what endears me to Linux; the way it's users are _driven_ to make new uses out of it.

    Yup, so much so that the win2k version of the guide [kinox.org] was done first. But hey, this is slashdot, that doesn't matter does it? :-)

  • Doesn't sound like you need just Linux. Sounds like any OS that can be a PPP server (which is probably most of them) can do it.
  • If you've used pppd in the past, it's a no-brainer. I was doing this with a FreeBSD box when I got my DC a little over a year ago. Just get the modems to connect (blind dial on the DC, ATA on the PC), and start pppd on the serial port. Not very fast, but it's the best we have until the DC LAN adapter [min.net] gets to the US in January.
  • http://win2000tips.home.att.net/w2kdreamcast.htm It's been known to the masses for a very long time.
  • there are already some games that utilize online play, chu chu rocket, NFL 2K1, and Quake 3 Arena are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Sonic Adventure has some online capabilities too but I think its just for posting up high scores or something like that.
  • hmm yeah - this whole modem -> modem -> Linux-router -> cablemodem is bound to hike up the old latency. I wrote down everything I know about Dreamcasts once but I lost the stamp - still - I'm willing to bet there's some sort of serial device behind the DC's modem. If you could connect direct at 115Kbps from your DC to your Linux server....

    Um then you could just use your PC to play games on... the thought of trying to steer any FPS game with one o those TV remote type things you get with games consoles... "Use the MOUSE Luke!".

  • Re:Here's a winner. (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I also fail to see why he manually completes the connection on his linux machine's modem. Couldn't he just set it to auto-answer? (ATS0=1, isn't it?)
    Setting the S0 register will not work. The line to his Linux modem won't ring when the DC dials since it isn't going through the telco. The DC won't cause the line to ring so you have to force the server to do a blind answer.
  • This will by the way also be the only way for people in Denmark to connect to sega.net since there will be no local dial-up point in Denmark.(Guess who feels cheated). Local people can read the press release here [212.242.223.82](In Danish, sorry).
    The only explanation given is that British Telecom had "problems".
    So if you want to connect your DC, the solution above is the only way to go.
    So they lied in the store when they promised that the internet part would come, now I don't want that infernal machine anyway. f... sega.
    --------
  • Well, anywhere from $0 to around $120 (assuming consumer systems). Obiviously, the pay money systems are WindowsXX and MacOS. BeOS can be thrown in there as well too (don't know pricing on it).

    .....bsd....................
    ::and let's not debate the 'technical merits' of one over the other::
  • Years ago to play DOS games over the internet you needed Kali.. Nice program but it didnt work if your modem or CM was in your Linux box. I got Duke Nukem to work with cable modem by using Kali to initiate a ppp session from a dos box to the linux machine through the serial port. Some haphazard port redirecting (used an app called redir I believe) and everything worked fine. It wasnt fool proof but neither is Duke Nukem on a local network. I'm sure other network games relesed in that time frame would have worked also but I quit after the inital amazement that it actually worked. Off topic but I also had an old NES emulator for Win9x that that allowed you to play any two player NES game over IP. Just using redir and forwarding the port would get that to work with the CM. I havent done anything with PPP since then, I don't even remeber how to start the deamon. Maybe its still in my startup scripts
  • Linux is flexible as hell, like other free OS's. It's also popular and available at major chain stores.. a semi-frightening thought. (I actually saw SuSE 7.0 Personal and Professional at Best Buy. No upgrade though.. I'm going to wait a while so I can get a 2.4 kernel, a slightly more stable KDE 2, and X Free 4.0.x. ) Now, what I want to see is someone successfully hack a PlayStation2 (since the other PS/2 [userfriendly.org] runs it just fine) to run Linux. Maybe.. a distributed.net or Mersenne prime client? The CPU's really crank!
  • Well, I wouldn't advocate _stealing_ intellectual property... But I have a "friend" who is into computers and he hasn't paid for a copy of windows in years... And suspicously is running Win2K. Hmmm.
  • ...nor is it claimed to be. The wording of the write-up is a little confusing, but all this is meant to do is free up your phone line.

    --
  • It shouldn't be that hard, the Dreamcast modem is a removeable module on the lower right hand side of the unit (viewing from the controller port end.) Sega's releasing an ethernet module for approximately $50 in January, but this might be a neat project to waste some time on until then :-)

    Mr. Hankey
  • They are offering two new Sega games to all who bought their Sega before november 9. I think that is an ok gesture.

    As has been pointed out before it is possible to connect the Sega to the internet using a LAN, but if one bought the Sega to gain Internet access (I can't imagine who) then one would proably feel a little cheated.
  • EB's probably on Crack. All the info I've seen recently (read: in the last two days) has pointed to a 1st week of January release.

    HOWEVER, for those enterprising individuals, I think the Japanese "Broadband Adapter" is preconfigured for DHCP, so if you use that then you can just import the Japanese one. I've been trying to track one down (I saw one for sale on a Hong Kong distributer's site) but can't seem to find any.
  • Now I can start charging all my friends with DC's for rights to "high speed Sega.net" online play via my connection...hehe :)
  • ...where are the games that really require net access? I think the need for setups like this will increase when the first games like Fantasy Star Online come out. Until then this will merly be a "trick".
  • It's about time someone finds a way to do this. I did hear that Sega has released a broadband module for the Dreamcast in Asia, but I don't know when it will be available in the US.
  • Except that he is using a modem on the Linux box for the DC to connect to.
    Which should make it possible for a lot more people to pull this trick rather than if they had to open the box and hack it.
    So in terms of speed it is a bad thing, but a good thing if you don't want to destroy anything.
    --------
  • there is a review of the japanese version of sega's broadband adapter at http://www.gamers.com/news/372050
  • You know, that's what endears me to Linux; the way it's users are _driven_ to make new uses out of it.

    Now, if we could just convince businesses that we'll spend more money on hardware if the unit can be extended with Linux...
  • Good article, gives some idea of how to set up a PPP server in general, not just for a dreamcast (although I must admit i think the idea's cool). Katie
  • Damn, I KNEW I would regret taking my modem out of my linux server...
    Now I have to kill my uptime to install it again :(

    Oh well... the things we do for connectivity...

    Ender

  • Since 99% of slashdotters don't even bother to read the article before posting comments, it ought to be said that this isn't exactly 'high speed'. That's a bit deceptive. It's nifty and stuff, but not like you're getting broadband to the sega.

    You're still limited by the modem in the dreamcast, regardless of how fast an internet connection you have.

    A modem is not high speed.
  • I don't know when it will be available in the US.

    January is what I've read.
  • Surely your uptime is worth more than the price of an externam modem, no?
    --

  • Proxy... (Score:3)

    by ShoeHead ( 40158 ) on Sunday November 05, 2000 @07:27AM (#648381) Homepage
    Whats the likelihood of proxy cheats developing?

  • Maybe there's nothing new, but did you publish a web page about what you did? Most things are easy if you know how or have the time to figure them out. So many people can code, so few can document what they did.

  • Nah, if it's an isa pnp model just keep the power on, run pnpdump/isapnp and maybe a setserial. Yeah there's probably like a 1-in-3 chance of frying something this way but it worked for me the last time =]

    </humor>

    And while you're at it, plug an extra hard drive into the IDE port on your soundcard. Linux doesn't care...
    BRTB
  • ssshhhhhhhh.... You'll wake the zealots.

  • there's another good site .. (Score:3)

    by 2MuchC0ffeeMan ( 201987 ) on Sunday November 05, 2000 @07:04AM (#648385) Homepage
    here: http://win2000tips.home.att.net/w2kdreamcast.htm it has the win2k version of this
  • So if you want to connect your DC, the solution above is the only way to go. So they lied in the store when they promised that the internet part would come, now I don't want that infernal machine anyway. f... sega.

    You do know you can connect to any standard dial up account via the DC, right? And, once the broadband adaptor is out (it may already be in Europe), you can connect to any lan or your cablemodem.

    Josh Sisk
  • "BeOS can be thrown in there as well too (don't know pricing on it)."

    How about free, atleast for the personal edition.
    I just downloaded it yesterday, perty cool....

  • Re:How exactly is this high-speed.... (Score:3)

    by GoRK ( 10018 ) on Sunday November 05, 2000 @08:08AM (#648388) Homepage Journal
    Not only can pretty much any OS do this (It's actually a damn lot easier to pull off in Win98.. takes about 10 clicks, or in Windows 2000 - takes about 20), but technically, you can get slower access via this method because you are unable to attain connections above 33.6Kbps! The ethernet adaptor for the Dreamcast is expected to be released in small quantity by late December and officially 'out' on January 2, 2001. Quake3 already supports it, as are many new net-connected games due out even before its release. The MSRP is $59.99. ~GoRK

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