Playing SWBFII online after GameSpy
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:47 pm
After the ending of GameSpy, you'll need to install a new patch to access multiplayer. There are several options available.
1) SWBFspy
Primary Page: http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?board=134.0
SWBFspy is the main and simplest replacement. You can access this service by hex editing your game's main executable file which is BattlefrontII.exe for regular version or testapp.exe for Steam version. You need to replace all gamespy.com text strings with swbfspy.com then save changes to the file and you're good to go. If you want to host a Black Bag Ops server manager on SWBFspy, repeat the process I just explained for the server's BattlefrontII.exe file.
Everything I just mention above also applies for SWBF1 - game and server manager.
SWBFspy is also the only option that supports SWBF1 and SWBF2 for the PS2 console. To access multiplayer on SWBF1 or SWBF2 for PS2, you need to edit your console's network configuration and change the DNS to manual and set it to 74.91.125.138. Secondary DNS should remain 0.0.0.0. You may or may not experience DNAS issues since Sony has been shutting things down in recent months. Again, if you want to host a dedicated server for either of those PS2 games, apply the same edits to the server's main Battlefront file.
2) GameRanger
Primary Page: http://www.gameranger.com
This is a PC only platform. It supports hundreds of games including SWBF2 which has more players than the above SWBFspy, but as a downside is more prone to issues such as lag, advertisements, lack of dedicated servers and other minor inconveniences that are too much to list. You need to make an account for GameRanger and install the GameRanger software which is all free. Payment is required to remove ads, upgrade buddy lists and other unimportant gimmicks. If you play on GameRanger, you need to be sure you're using an unmodified game executable. This means if you have an game exe that's been edited for SWBF2spy, you can't play on GR. The solution is to just have two game exe files and have one edited for SWBFspy. The other one needs to be named BattlefrontII.exe so GR can detect it, and as I said, not contain the SWBFspy mod. If you want to host a dedicated server on GR, you need to make GR look for swbf2sm.exe.
3) Tunngle
Primary Page: https://www.tunngle.net/en/
I don't have much experience using this but it does work. It supports as many games as GR. It supports SWBF1, SWBF2, and dedicated servers for both. Account creation and software installation are free but there is payment options for upgrades that I personally don't remember. To play just be in the Tunngle room for either game, then start your game or server. Ensure that your game or server isn't modded for SWBFspy as it will again cause a conflict and not work.
1) SWBFspy
Primary Page: http://www.swbfgamers.com/index.php?board=134.0
SWBFspy is the main and simplest replacement. You can access this service by hex editing your game's main executable file which is BattlefrontII.exe for regular version or testapp.exe for Steam version. You need to replace all gamespy.com text strings with swbfspy.com then save changes to the file and you're good to go. If you want to host a Black Bag Ops server manager on SWBFspy, repeat the process I just explained for the server's BattlefrontII.exe file.
Everything I just mention above also applies for SWBF1 - game and server manager.
SWBFspy is also the only option that supports SWBF1 and SWBF2 for the PS2 console. To access multiplayer on SWBF1 or SWBF2 for PS2, you need to edit your console's network configuration and change the DNS to manual and set it to 74.91.125.138. Secondary DNS should remain 0.0.0.0. You may or may not experience DNAS issues since Sony has been shutting things down in recent months. Again, if you want to host a dedicated server for either of those PS2 games, apply the same edits to the server's main Battlefront file.
2) GameRanger
Primary Page: http://www.gameranger.com
This is a PC only platform. It supports hundreds of games including SWBF2 which has more players than the above SWBFspy, but as a downside is more prone to issues such as lag, advertisements, lack of dedicated servers and other minor inconveniences that are too much to list. You need to make an account for GameRanger and install the GameRanger software which is all free. Payment is required to remove ads, upgrade buddy lists and other unimportant gimmicks. If you play on GameRanger, you need to be sure you're using an unmodified game executable. This means if you have an game exe that's been edited for SWBF2spy, you can't play on GR. The solution is to just have two game exe files and have one edited for SWBFspy. The other one needs to be named BattlefrontII.exe so GR can detect it, and as I said, not contain the SWBFspy mod. If you want to host a dedicated server on GR, you need to make GR look for swbf2sm.exe.
3) Tunngle
Primary Page: https://www.tunngle.net/en/
I don't have much experience using this but it does work. It supports as many games as GR. It supports SWBF1, SWBF2, and dedicated servers for both. Account creation and software installation are free but there is payment options for upgrades that I personally don't remember. To play just be in the Tunngle room for either game, then start your game or server. Ensure that your game or server isn't modded for SWBFspy as it will again cause a conflict and not work.
