Complete Linux NooB - Help

TheGmork

Hello,
I have only ever run NWN Servers from a windows platform before. I have a very limited knowledge of linux but I want to use it to run a server from for the NwN EE. I have set up a Ubuntu server using some guides so far, but I have no idea how to get the NwN server onto it now to run a module.
I could use a little help, please.
All I want to do, right now, is have the server machine start up NwNserver and load a module so I can log into it from the server list. Nothing fancy, just the basics. I'm sure I can start figuring out the rest from there, for the most part >.>
If any one can help out I would appreciate it. Happy to talk over what ever medium we need to use, discord, irc, on these forums, what ever.
Thanks
TheGmork

TheGmork

Well, I bumbled my way through the Docker stuff and have something running, but I think port 5121 is locked. The logs say it cant use it then exits and then tries to load again. I think I can figure it out myself, but in case I can; how do you open a port for use?

Google

https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-to-open-firewall-port-on-ubuntu-linux-12-04-14-04-lts/

TheGmork

Thank you Google

voidofopinion

I'm curious other than "because you can" which is always a valid reason for tinkering. What advantages Linux has in this context?

There is a maximum simultaneous network connections limit for windows, but that can be disabled with a simple .ini tweak. So any basic windows PC from the past 5 years should theoretically be able to host hundreds of concurrent users while simultaneously running the game, the toolset, youtube, netflix, and streaming to twitch.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious.

TheGmork

There is the security of Linux as well and the stability. Also I do not want to run a server from my home. Done that before and do not want to do it again thank you very much.

voidofopinion

First, I really want to underscore that I am not trying to start an OS war. I use Linux and Windows at work and home. Both have their uses and fill different needs.

So what I am saying comes from a desire to help and not to push one environment over the other.

Take that as you will.

The ironclad security of linux doesn't really exist anymore thanks to the advent of Android. While it is still great security wise it is no longer an impenetrable force field of unobtanium.

Linux being open source wasn't nearly as much of a protective measure as it's obscurity. You don't spend the time and effort attacking a userbase of thousands when you can attack millions.

Linux has 352 million users as of 2016 if you include Android... and you should. It is as legit a distro as Mint, Ubuntu or CentOS and the amount of security vulnerabilities and malware increase every day. Same thing happened with Mac. The more popular it became the less secure it was because it was a bigger target.

And the more robust CLI really doesn't come into play for something like a NWN dedicated server as the overhead from working in a more comfortable GUI environment is trivial as to be insignificant.

You would be amazed how little Linux is used in the modern business environment. Everywhere I have worked has used Windows server in GUI. It's just easier to use and maintain, is more compatible, and outside of a mobile environment it's the default go to. That's not to say linux isn't used in a huge amount of clusters but the myth that all serious servers run linux is just that. There are far more network admins lazely clicking their windows gui than furiously typing away on their linux CLI. It's important to know how to do and during college all my instructors forced us to use CLI for both windows and linux but ultimately network admins are lazy and we only do things so we don't have to do more work later.

I don't want to downplay how amazing linux is at what it does. However, security, stability and hardware scalability of linux vs windows when hosting a NWN PW is not the issue today that it was in 2002.

This is all a very round about way of saying... If you are already comfortable with windows for hosting a NWN server, you may have a better time going with what you know. You won't notice any significant difference between the two when running a 15 year old program and you will save yourself the suffering of apt-get dependencies.

All that said, Linux is a ton of fun to play with and is extremely rewarding to learn!

Whatever works best for you is what works best for you.

Wishing you all the best,

- Jamie

TheGmork

Also, NwNX:EE is only working on Linux at the moment, so there is that too.

voidofopinion

TheGmork said:

Also, NwNX:EE is only working on Linux at the moment, so there is that too.

Which is an absolutely fantastic reason to use linux. NWNX is transformative. I had no idea there wasn't a win version of NWNX for EE yet. Good to know, thank you for answering my question and letting me wax idiotic for a little while.

It's been over a decade since I was last active for NWN so I am very much out of the loop and still stumbling around in the dark.

Looks like I need to convert my host box.



- Jamie

TheGmork

There will be NwNX for windows in time, but I want to get up things going

squattingmonk

Sounds like you may have fixed your problem already. If not, here's a guide I wrote on setting up a basic Linux dedicated server. This guide was written for the 1.69 server and may not apply for the EE version. Also note that the NWNX install instructions that come after are out of date.