Question : IP address question

Hi guys,

I have computer connected to the Internet via a DLINK DI-604 router with up to date firmware.  Ad-Aware, Ad-Watch,and PC-Cillin are running [all up to date]. I use Win XP but do not have the Microsoft Internet Connection Firewall on.

I notice that when I run ipconfig I get the following IP address:

Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
>>> IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.100      <<<<<
        Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::220:edff:feb5:2c45%4
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 3ffe:831f:4004:1952:0:fbda:bd7d:dc9
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::5445:5245:444f%5
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter Automatic Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

        Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
        IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::5efe:192.168.0.100%2
        Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :  


When I have the router connected and check my IP on www.whatismyip.com for example, the site correctly detects my IP as "66.130.bla1.bla2" which is the same address that IPconfig reports when I disconnect the router totally.

Is this normal? or is ipconfig supposed to report the correct IP even though my router is connected? Do I need to configure something specifically for this to happen?

The reason behind my question is related to online gaming in the following way: If I try playing an online capable games such as Halo or NHL2004, the game sees my IP address as 192.168.0.100 and nobody can connect to me. I can however connect to their game if they provide me with their IP address. I wish to configure my system so that I can keep my router and have those applications recognize my proper IP address. Also I have opened up the necessary ports for each individual application using PC-Cillin but not necessarily on the router as well. Do I have to open up the same ports on both PCCillin and my D-lInk router? Any ideas or explanations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Seb

Answer : IP address question

What you are seeing is normal.  If you remove the router, your PC is hooked up directly to your cable/DSL modem and you get an address assigned from your ISP.  When you put the router in place, the router gets the address assigned from the ISP and gives you a local, non-routable address.  When you browse the Internet, the router performs address translation such that any computer on your local network has the same address to the outside world.  Specifically, it's the address assigned by your ISP.

There are setting in the router on the Advanced->Applications page to allow games to work.  You would give people your address as reported by  www.whatismyip.com and the router, when properly configured, will let the game connections through.  I don't know what the game settings are, but your gamer friends should be able to tell you.

I've got a DLINK router as well (a 614+ wireless) that has the same setup and I configured it a while back to play 'No One Lives Forever 2' online.