GUIDE Game Network Helper — Online Multiplayer Setup Guide

Game Network Helper — Quick Setup Guide

Game Network Helper lets old PC games communicate over the Internet through the Siljo Planet relay.

It supports PCem, native TCP/UDP, DirectPlay and IPXWrapper games. No router port forwarding is required.

PCem — Quick Setup

Recommended: Localhost wpcap.dll

This is the easiest PCem setup.

The network path is:

PCem
→ localhost wpcap.dll
→ Game Network Helper
→ Siljo Planet relay
→ remote Game Network Helper
→ remote PCem

No physical capture adapter is required in this mode.

In Game Network Helper select:

PCem connection: Localhost wpcap.dll
Data transport:  Direct UDP

The helper automatically places its networking DLL into the PCem folder as:

wpcap.dll

If another wpcap.dll already exists, it is backed up automatically.

Launch PCem using the Launch PCem button in Game Network Helper.

Inside PCem select:

Siljo Planet Relay (localhost)

as the PCAP/NE2000 network adapter.

TCP/IP inside PCem

For TCP/IP games, configure different static IP addresses inside the two guest operating systems:

HOST PCem:
IP:      10.77.0.60
Mask:    255.255.255.0
Gateway: empty
DNS:     empty

JOIN PCem:
IP:      10.77.0.61
Mask:    255.255.255.0
Gateway: empty
DNS:     empty

Both addresses must be different but in the same subnet.

For IPX-only games, guest TCP/IP addresses normally aren't needed.

HOST

1. Start Game Network Helper
2. Select TCP/IP, IPX or Both
3. Select Localhost wpcap.dll
4. Select Direct UDP
5. Click Host room
6. Send the 6-character room code to Player 2
7. Start the bridge
8. Launch PCem
9. Host the game normally

JOIN

1. Start Game Network Helper
2. Use the same network mode as HOST
3. Select Localhost wpcap.dll
4. Select Direct UDP
5. Enter the HOST room code
6. Click Join room
7. Start the bridge
8. Launch PCem
9. Join the game normally

When everything is connected, the helper should show:

Peers: 2

and the TX/RX counters should increase when the game is communicating.

.

.

PCem — Network Adapter mode



You can also use a normal physical or virtual network adapter.

This mode requires Npcap, and PCem Helper must use the same PCAP/NE2000 adapter as PCem.

Example:

PCem:
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller

Game Network Helper:
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller

Do not select Wi-Fi in one application and Ethernet in the other.

For the simplest setup, Localhost wpcap.dll is recommended.

Native TCP / UDP / DirectPlay Games

For supported Windows games the setup is much simpler.

HOST

Select the game
→ Select the game EXE
→ Host
→ Send the room code to Player 2
→ Launch Game

JOIN

Select the same game
→ Select the game EXE
→ Enter the HOST room code
→ Join
→ Launch Game

The selected game profile tells Game Network Helper which TCP, UDP or DirectPlay traffic needs to be handled.

There is normally no router port forwarding to configure.

After that, use the game's normal multiplayer menu.

IPXWrapper Games

For supported IPX games, Game Network Helper automatically configures IPXWrapper to use the Siljo relay.

The game folder must already contain the required IPXWrapper DLL files.

HOST

Select the game
→ Select the game EXE
→ Host

The helper automatically creates a relay room, receives the relay address and port, writes:

ipxwrapper.ini

and keeps the room alive.

Send the generated 6-character room code to the other player.

Then click Launch Game and host using the game's normal IPX/LAN multiplayer option.

JOIN

Select the same game
→ Select the game EXE
→ Enter the HOST room code
→ Join

The helper retrieves the HOST room information and automatically writes the matching:

ipxwrapper.ini

Then launch the game and join through its normal IPX/LAN menu.

If something doesn't work

Check these first:

• Both players selected the same game and use the same room code.
• Windows Firewall allows Game Network Helper.
• The correct game executable is selected.
• For PCem, wait for Peers: 2 and check that packet counters increase.
• For PCem Network Adapter mode, make sure Npcap is installed and both PCem and Helper use the same adapter.
• For IPXWrapper games, make sure the required IPXWrapper DLL files are present.

During a healthy PCem session, Dropped should normally remain at or near 0.

Connection overview

PCem / Game
     ↓
Game Network Helper
     ↓
Siljo Planet Relay
     ↓
Game Network Helper
     ↓
PCem / Game

The Mac address must be different in both pcem to chage it go to your Pcem config folder. ( Thank you Floydii )

PCem\configs\YourVirtualMachineName.cfg

And find :

macaddr = 00:00:00:87:1b:ee and just change the last two letters for each Pcem to macaddr = 00:00:00:87:1b:ff for example.

or just use MacAddress Generator.

No VPN, Hamachi or manual router port forwarding is required.

Download PCem Helper

Help and discussion

Discord

Extended version of guide 😀

Game Network Helper allows classic PC games and PCem virtual machines to play multiplayer over the Internet through the Siljo Planet relay network.

Supported connection types include:

• PCem TCP/IP and IPX multiplayer
• Native UDP games
• Native TCP games
• Mixed TCP + UDP games
• DirectPlay games
• IPXWrapper games

No VPN or router port forwarding is normally required.

Select:

Internet game:
PCem multiplayer

Then choose the protocol required by the game:

TCP/IP only
IPX only
Both: TCP/IP + IPX

For most games, use:

Packet data transport:
Direct UDP — recommended

If UDP is blocked by the network, use:

WebSocket binary — fallback

Recommended for most users.

This mode captures PCem network traffic through an Npcap-compatible adapter.

You need Npcap installed.

Select:

PCem connection:
Network adapter — recommended

Then select the same network adapter in both:

PCem
Game Network Helper

For example:

PCem:
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller

Game Network Helper:
Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller

Enter the IP addresses used by the PCem guests:

Your PCem guest IP
Peer PCem guest IP

For example:

HOST PCem:
10.77.0.62

JOIN PCem:
10.77.0.65

On the other computer, reverse them:

Your PCem guest IP:
10.77.0.65

Peer PCem guest IP:
10.77.0.62

For TCP/IP games, configure these addresses inside the guest operating systems as well.

Both should use the same subnet, for example:

255.255.255.0

For IPX-only games, TCP/IP addresses are not normally needed by the game.

This is an isolated PCem connection mode that bypasses physical network capture.

It does not mean LAN-only.

Internet traffic still goes through the Siljo Planet relay:

PCem
↓
localhost wpcap.dll
↓
Game Network Helper
↓
Siljo Planet relay
↓
remote Game Network Helper
↓
remote PCem

Npcap capture, TAP adapters and physical Ethernet capture are not required.

The portable Helper folder must contain:

siljo-wpcap-x86.dll

Select:

PCem connection:
Localhost wpcap.dll

When PCem is launched through Game Network Helper, the helper automatically installs the DLL next to PCem.exe as:

wpcap.dll

If another wpcap.dll already exists, Game Network Helper backs it up.

Inside PCem select:

Siljo Planet Relay (localhost)

as the PCAP/NE2000 adapter.

PCem must be launched through Game Network Helper when using this mode.

This mode is especially useful for isolated testing or when two computers are on the same physical LAN, because PCem traffic cannot accidentally travel directly over the LAN as well as through the relay.

Configure PCem networking first, then:

1. Select PCem multiplayer
2. Select TCP/IP, IPX or Both
3. Select Network Adapter or Localhost wpcap.dll
4. Select Direct UDP
5. Enter a game name
6. Click Host room

Game Network Helper generates a six-character code:

ABC234

Send this code to the other player.

Click:

Continue and start

The helper automatically starts the bridge.

If:

Launch PCem when hosting/joining

is enabled, PCem is launched automatically.

Now start the multiplayer session normally inside the game.

Use the same network protocol as the host.

Then:

1. Click Join room
2. Enter the HOST's six-character room code
3. Click Join and start

The bridge starts automatically.

When the connection is ready you should see:

Peers: 2

Then launch or enter the game and join normally.

For TCP/IP games that ask for the host address, use the HOST PCem guest IP, not the Windows host PC's real LAN address.

Example:

10.77.0.62

For supported native Windows games, most networking details are already stored in the game profile.

Select:

Internet game:
Direct IP Windows game tunnel

Then:

1. Search for the game
2. Select its Game profile
3. Select the game's EXE

The EXE path is remembered separately for every game.

Leave:

Launch selected game automatically

enabled for the easiest setup.

Click:

Host room

Copy the generated six-character room code and send it to the other player.

Then:

Continue and start

The helper starts the correct TCP/UDP/DirectPlay tunnel automatically and launches the game when the connection is ready.

Host the multiplayer game normally.

Click:

Join room

Enter the HOST room code and click:

Join and start

The helper starts the correct network tunnel and launches the game automatically.

Important

Different old games behave differently.

The selected game profile displays what the joining player should do, for example:

Use normal LAN browser

or:

Connect to 127.0.0.1

or:

Connect to 127.0.0.2

Always follow the address/instructions displayed by the selected profile.

For most supported games you should not manually change ports.

Games marked:

IPXWrapper

use the dedicated Siljo IPX relay system.

The game's folder must already contain IPXWrapper, normally:

wsock32.dll

or:

ipxwrapper.dll

Select the game and its EXE, then click:

Host room

The helper automatically:

creates a Siljo IPX room
allocates the relay port
writes ipxwrapper.ini
starts the HOST heartbeat

A six-character room code is generated.

Send it to the other player and click:

Continue and start

Then use the game's normal:

IPX
LAN
Network

multiplayer menu.

Select the same game and its EXE.

Click:

Join room

Enter the HOST room code and select:

Join and start

Game Network Helper automatically looks up the room and writes the matching:

ipxwrapper.ini

with the correct relay server and port.

Then simply join through the game's normal IPX/LAN multiplayer menu.

There is no IP address to enter manually.

For native Windows game profiles, Host/Join does not automatically modify Windows Firewall.

Normally Windows' standard:

Allow access

prompt is enough.

If a game does not connect, Game Network Helper also provides:

Check firewall
Check and repair (UAC)

Use these only when necessary.

Some game profiles also display special requirements.

For example:

⚠ UPnP: OFF

If this warning appears, disable UPnP on the modem/router before troubleshooting the game.

Some profiles may also display a Windows hosts file requirement. Follow the warning shown for that specific game.

For PCem:

PCem
↓
Game Network Helper
↓
Siljo Planet Relay
↓
Game Network Helper
↓
PCem

For native Windows games:

Game
↓
Game Network Helper
↓
Siljo Planet Relay
↓
Game Network Helper
↓
Game

For IPXWrapper:

Game
↓
IPXWrapper
↓
Siljo IPX Relay
↓
IPXWrapper
↓
Game

The six-character room code ensures both players use the same relay session.

If a game does not connect, first check:

Both players selected the same game
Both are using the same room code
Peers reaches 2 where applicable
Windows Firewall allows the game/helper
The correct game EXE is selected
Any profile warning is followed

For PCem Network Adapter mode also check:

Npcap is installed
PCem and Helper use the same adapter
PCem guest IP addresses are correct

For Localhost wpcap.dll mode check:

siljo-wpcap-x86.dll is next to pcem-helper.exe
PCem was launched through Game Network Helper
Siljo Planet Relay (localhost) is selected in PCem

For IPXWrapper games check:

wsock32.dll or ipxwrapper.dll exists in the game folder
ipxwrapper.ini was created by the helper