Non-static IP, Dedicated Server, Counter-Strike, hlds, Authenticate WON Server, WON Server List

Hello all, welcome to one of the thousands of topics that can be found on experts exchange. Before I would begin with the actual question, I must mention three little side items.

To start off with I accidently wondered into experts exchange about 30 mins ago on a search from yahoo. I had not known about experts exchange until then. I was about to hit the back button like I do so many times in my searches until I read what this place is really about. I then signed up, looked around a bit, and then decided to type up my question here rather then search the endless trail on yahoo.

Second I am sure you will find this topic is quite hard. However I started off with only 75 points, so I am sorry about that.

Last but not least, I am looking to spend the least amount of money as possible, if any, in the answers to my problem.

This problem I am sure is pretty common as I know that this is a common topic when non-static IPs are involved on servers that host a dedicated server. However, I don't feel that alot of people have ventured into the direction I am takeing this. Well here we go. I give you all the luck I can give as it will only help me in the end.

I host an online Counter-Strike server useing the hlds that came with the game that connects to WON's servers. When this happens, the hlds automatically connects to the WON servers and sends the current IP of the server to the WON servers. WON then adds that IP to a list of multiple online gameing servers. This list is used by other users to find a server that they wish to play on.

Most servers that have alot of people playing on them have a static IP. This allows users to connect back to the server incase the server disconnects from the internet or restarts. In my case, I use a non-static IP address. Thus everytime I disconnect from the internet and connect back, I have a different IP. Commoners can no longer find my server again unless they look through the long WON server list or know my current server IP to add to the add server line.

To solve half of my problems I use a programed called dns2go by deer field. This allows me to created a subdomain that automatically fowards to my current IP. It keeps track of my IP 24/7 while I am connected to the internet. That subdomain currently is foxclan.d2g.com. My online server is also a web server hosting online stats of the game at http://foxclan.d2g.com .

However DNS2Go does not solve the problem with commoners connecting to my server through the WON server list. My server still gives the WON servers my current #.#.#.# IP. DNS2GO also when added to the sever list (foxclan.d2g.com) fowards to my current IP address and thus my current IP address is saved on the WON server list instead of foxclan.d2g.com

I was hopeing I could find a program or service that would make a masked or fake IP for me, and adds it to the WON server list. Then fowards anyone connecting to my current IP or even fowards to foxclan.d2g.com without changeing the IP that shows up on the server list to my current IP.

Perhaps there is a file that changes the configuration to tell Won servers that my current IP is foxclan.d2g.com although I think that would be an invalid IP when it trys and shows up on the won list.

If there is not already a service that does this, it would be a good idea to create one for multiple online games as I am not alone when it comes to this frequent problem.

I run off FiOpDSL in Woodstick GA and the ISP is BellSouth. FiOpDSL can be considered one giant lan mass in which my computer connects through LAN to a main computer which assigns my computer an IP. They use Fiber Optic cables and LAN Cards are used. The only way for me to obtain a static (stable) IP is to upgrade to a business account (aka: pay 100-200 bucks a month without much of an upload increase). Yeah Right...

Another one of my ideas was to create two servers which I do have to advantage of doing. However one simply uses 2 plugins from addmin mod. One of those plugins adds fake people to the server so it makes it seem people are playing. The second plugin simply fowards any connecting players to my other server. This would work fine except for one problem. When people are viewing the server. There is no way of telling the ping, real players connected, map, score, or any other server information that I would like to users to see.

My last idea was acutally from a site that explained how to fix this problem. However the instructions did not work. It simply said to add the line IP "your IP or subdomain from DNS2GO here" to your server.cfg file and your server will automatically tell won that your IP is that IP. However this did not work. The server simply ignores the command all together and acts like it was never sent. I get no error messages or anything upon server startup.

Well I hope I have provided enough information. I will be glad to provide more if needed. Please reply if you have any sudjestions, answers, or ideas for me.

Thanks alot,
  -Leader of the [FOX] Clan
       -[FOX] MagiCDragoN