I have fios and I wanted to open a port to allow some friends to join a game server I wanna start, my dad being the tech he is said I should ask first to see if it was possible to do this without paying for a special internet plan or what the limit would be.
Basically, I want to start a minecraft server where around 3 of my friends, who wouldn't be on the same network, would join the server so we could play together. Am I allowed to do this?
It is possible to run a game server from home, especially a Minecraft server on FiOS (they don't use a lot of upstream at all). The only concern that this brings up though is a line in the Terms of Service about running servers. Verizon doesn't exactly want people running servers on Residential connections intentionally, but if it's the occasional server where you save the state of the map, shut it down and then re-load it whenever your friends wish to play, I don't see how that would raise any red flags. Normally, if you wish to run a server on FiOS you would need a Business Classic connection with a Static IP address. That gets pricey especially compared to a Residential service. The only thing you really need to do is port forward in the router.
Just to be on the safe side though, I would see what others say about running a Minecraft server from home. I'm a little biased towards running a small server for friends from home, but it is against the ToS.
The part I'm referencing is this:
Restrictions on Use. The Service is a consumer grade service and is not designed for or intended to be used for any commercial purpose. You may not resell, re-provision or rent the Service, (either for a fee or without charge) or allow third parties to use the Service via wired, wireless or other means. For example, you may not provide Internet access to third parties through a wired or wireless connection or use the Service to facilitate public Internet access (such as through a Wi-Fi hotspot), use it for high volume purposes, or engage in similar activities that constitute such use (commercial or non-commercial). If you subscribe to a Broadband Service, you may connect multiple computers/devices within a single home to your modem and/or router to access the Service, but only through a single Verizon-issued IP address. You also may not exceed the bandwidth usage limitations that Verizon may establish from time to time for the Service, or use the Service to host any type of server. Violation of this section may result in bandwidth restrictions on your Service or suspension or termination of your Service.
It's unfortunate, since I've seen much smaller ISPs state in their ToS that commercal servers were not allowed, however servers for games and maybe a small personal HTTP server was acceptable. But whatever keeps the abuse complaints to a minimum and DDoS attacks away, the better I suppose. I do have a dedicated server which I use for serving up HTTP content, running as a personal DNS server and VPN endpoint, and of course Game Servers and lots of them, though I still host the occasional game from time to time on my DSL (with what little upload I have). I've never gotten any complaints from Verizon about those, and I don't think anything would come out of it considering game consoles such as Xboxes and PS3s set up game servers on the console itself all the time.
bump - need an official response please.
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@FoxTek wrote:bump - need an official response please.
This is not, repeat not, an official response. But if you do get one from Verizon (pretty sure you won't as this is a user helping user form as mentioned earlier), I feel sure it would be NO, can't do it, because the Terms of Service (ToS) says you can't. Now if you want to go ahead and do it, I think the odds are pretty good you will not have any complaints from Verizon. But you have to make that decision yourself, knowing that you are violating the TOS that you agreed to.
Your choice....
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Justin
FiOS TV, Internet, and phone user
QIP7232, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248
Kind of makes you wonder why they put all those applications in the port forwarding rules doesn't it? Especially as the firmware is customized for Verizon.
@viafax999 wrote:Kind of makes you wonder why they put all those applications in the port forwarding rules doesn't it? Especially as the firmware is customized for Verizon.
If you have a FiOS business account you can run servers, right? And I think they use the same routers and software for business accounts, at least for small businesses. Just my guess, I certainly don't know for sure as I have never looked into getting a business account......
__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, Internet, and phone user
QIP7232, IMG 1.8, Build 02.54
Keller, TX 76248
you won't get an official response, because "officially" you shouldn't do it based on the TOS. But (and this is not an endorsement) I have never seen verizon police that specific term, and have seen tons of gamers do exactly what you want to do, and I have never seen anyone get into any trouble for doing so.
just my .02 cents, which is 50% off today.
I think the answer revolves around the definition of "server".
Some would define a server as any system which accepts incoming connections at a specific port location for the purposes of offering up a "service". Things like web servers and such are the obvious items which fall into this category, but there are numerous applications which essentially operate by lighting up a "service" on the machine and then have the remote end call back to it (for example, non-passive FTP is like this -- you connect outbound to a server with a command channel and your local machine establishes a dedicated purpose "server" back to which the server subsequently connects to form the data channel).
In the spirit of the TOS, obviously things like the application based services that are part of the operation of an application which you are directly involved in at the time it is running (such as the FTP, or things like VoIP clients or chat clients which often have a call back requirement, or even game systems which have a call back component to enable multiuser play over the internet like an Xbox or Playstation) all fall into this category.
Where it gets a bit dodgy is when you are using a "server" component to facilitate something which could be technically used to provide "service" to someone else. For example, a web servers purpose is to share content with unnamed individuals on the internet generally. The service is the content distribution. An SSH server is for the purposes of providing remote access. These are all servers in the traditional sense. But .... what if these servers are restricted such that they are only usable by the subscribing Fios customer? In other words, is an SSH server I run on my home machine to allow me to get into my home systems while traveling a violation of the TOS? Why would that be a problem when subscribing to "Logmein.com" and enabling the remote access component no be? Simply because Logmein initiates the call outbound to a service and I then in term proxy thru that third party service to get my remote access? At the end of the day, it's functionally equivalent, so why would Verizon care?
The reality is, they likely wouldn't. They're after people using a residential connection to offer a service to the general public -- for profit or not for profit, but consuming potentially atypical bandwidth for a typical residential user. Users that should be on a commercial account. Likewise, it gives Verizon the freedom to block inbound connectivty from the Internet to client systems (or use networking technologies such as a PAT firewall -- like a home router -- which might interfere with inbound initiated connections from elsewhere on the internet. They don't do this today, but as carriers run out of usable address space in the IPv4 area and IPv6 continues to develop slowly, this becomes more and more of a possibility -- some cell data implementations already use such a PAT strategy for mobile wireless connectivity effectively giving your phone a private RFC-1918 address and not making your phone directly addressable inbound from the internet..
So, what about a game server that you only run when you are actively playing the game with your three friends? Definitely in the grey area, but essentially you actively engaging in the use of your connection for a defined period of time to play the game. Doubt you'll catch any grief. Now, if you want to leave it up and running so that others can use it when you're not around? Well, I'd say that definitely would cross the line into the non-permitted use area.
At the end of the day, Verizon isn't going to respond to you in this forum. And if you ask, the answer will likely be "no", just because it's the safest way to answer the question given the highly variable nature of things that could be in this category. What you need to ask yourself is if you are adhering to the spirit of the TOS and intention of the restriction. And the answer to that, I'm afraid, only you can determine.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
