GMnet PUNCH/GATE.PUNCH “protocol” (for building your own server)

This is a linear breakdown of what packets are sent:

SERVER:

-> Sends UDP packet to master server containing the string “reg” with the line feed character (unicode 10) at the end

-> (Re-)connects via TCP to master server

-> Sends TCP packet to master server containing the string “reg” with the line feed character (unicode 10) at the end

-> Repeats every X minutes [alternative smethod is to reconnect when TCP socket is closed]

MASTER SERVER:

<- When recieving the UDP packet with “reg” the UDP port for that server get’s saved

<- When recieving the TCP packet with “reg” this connection socket is saved so the master server can use it later to communicate with the server

CLIENT:

-> Sends UDP packet to master Server containing the string “connect” with the line feed character (unicode 10) at the end

-> Opens TCP connection to master server

-> Sends TCP packet to master Server containing the string “connect”+line feed+IP of the server we want to connect to+line feed

MASTER SERVER: <- When recieving UDP packet with “connect” the UDP port for that client get’s saved

<- When recieving TCP packet that has “connect” in the first line (unicode 10 is used as a newline).

• WHEN FOUND: -> Via the client’s TCP socket: Send UDP ip&port of server to client [packet: buffer_s8 (-1), buffer_string (ip), buffer_string (port)] -> Via the server’s TCP socket: Send UDP ip&port of the client to server [packet: buffer_s8 (-1), buffer_string (ip), buffer_string (port)]
• WHEN NOT FOUND: -> Send not found packet to client via TCP [packet: buffer_s8 (-2)]

CLIENT: <- Wait for packet of master server

• -> When id -2 (not found): Connect directly to the server
• -> When id -1 (found): Save the two strings, convert the port to a real and connect to server via UDP and the recieved ip&port (Knock-Knock) [packet: buffer_s8 (-3)]

SERVER: <- Wait for packet of master server

• -> When id -1 (found): Save the two strings, convert the port to a real and connect to client via UDP and the recieved ip&port (Knock-Knock) [packet: buffer_s8 (-3)]

<- Wait for incoming client Knock-Knock packet (-3):

• -> When not already connected with this client: add it to the connected clients and send a welcome packet via UDP back to the client that sent this packet [packet: buffer_s8 (-4)}

CLIENT:

-> When recieving the welcome packet: Mark client as connected.

-> When not recieving a welcome packet after a timeout: Tell the player the connection failed

Without hole punching the client simply sends the Knock-Knock packets to the server and waits for the servers welcome message.