Install Diablo server

I’ll show you how to set up Diablo II server (closed realm) on windows XP for Diablo II & LOD, up to v1.12a.

1. Software needed

a. Player Vs. Player Gaming Network Server (PvPGN)
It is a battle.net server emulation. Supporting Blizzard games, such as StarCraft, Diablo II, and Warcraft III.
Go to download page, click on “more files”. Pick up one from the “pvpgn(stable)” list. Strings such as odbc, SQLite, MySQL stand for the database you may use to support the software. For simple use, you don’t have to worry about them except SQLite.
I’m using “PvPGN-1.8.2-0-Win32-MySQL-5.0.45-BIN.zip”.
Scroll down to the “support files”, download “pvpgn-support-1.2.zip”.

b. Diablo II Game Server (D2GS)
It is the key part to turn PvPGN into a Diablo server. I’m using “D2GS-112a(1).rar”.

2. Set up file structure

a) Extract “PvPGN-1.8.2-0-Win32-MySQL-5.0.45-BIN.zip” to a directory called “PvPGN”.
b) Extract “pvpgn-support-1.2.zip” to “PvPGN\files”.
c) Create a folder called “D2GS” in “PvPGN”.
d) Extract “D2GS-112a(1).rar” file to “PvPGN\D2GS”.
e) Copy the following files from the installation directory of Diablo II LOD to “PvPGN\D2GS”.
d2data.mpq
d2exp.mpq
d2sfx.mpq
d2speech.mpq
Patch_D2.mpq
D2Client.dll
D2CMP.dll
D2Common.dll
D2Game.dll
D2gfx.dll
D2Lang.dll
D2MCPClient.dll
D2Net.dll
D2sound.dll
D2Win.dll
Fog.dll
ijl11.dll
Storm.dll

3. Configuration

a. D2GS configuration
Go to D2GS folder, RIGHT-CLICK "d2gs.reg", and left-click "Edit".
Find "D2CSIP"="192.168.1.1" & "D2DBSIP"="192.168.1.1", and change the pre-configured IP to the IP of the server computer.
Run the "install.bat" in D2GS folder.
Click "yes" when prompted "Are you sure you want to add the information in....to the registry"
(NOTE: D2GS has been registered as a service which will begin automatically, the next time your computer restarts).
This will import the registry information to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\D2Server”, and install “D2GSSVC.exe” as a server.
Go to registry to double check it.

b. D2CS configuration
Go to “PvPGN\conf”.
Open "d2cs.conf" in a text editor.
Find and change the following lines:
realmname = D2CS to realmname = "[Realm Name You Want]"
(NOTE: ADD quotes!!! Or else you Will have a problem if your realm name has any spaces in it)Edit the following lines to match the IP of your server:
servaddrs = [IP OF YOUR SERVER]:6113
gameservlist = [IP OF YOUR SERVER]
bnetdaddr = [IP OF YOUR SERVER]:6112
Save & Close "d2cs.conf"

c. D2DBS configuration
Go to “PvPGN\conf”.
Open "d2dbs.conf" in a text editor. Find and change the following lines:
servaddrs = [IP OF YOUR SERVER]:6114
gameservlist = [IP OF YOUR SERVER]
Save & Close "d2dbs.conf"

d. Realm configuration
Go to “PvPGN\conf”.
Open "realm.conf" in a text editor. Find and change the following lines:
#"D2CS" "PvPGN Closed Realm" 1.2.3.4:6113
Remove the preceding “#”;
change “D2CS” to match the realm name in d2cs.conf;
change “1.2.3.4” to your server IP.Save & Close "realm.conf"

e. Channel configuration (optional)
Go to “PvPGN\conf”.
Open "realm.conf" in a text editor.
Delete everything starting from the line of “westwood online channels”.Note: By doing this, you can remove the error message showing in the PvPGN server window.

4. Starting server

a. Run "install.bat" in “PvPGN” directory. This will install the PvPGN programs as services, including d2csConsole.exe, d2dbsConsole.exe and PvPGNConsole.exe.
b. Run “D2GS.exe” in “D2GS” folder.
c. Restart your computer. Go to: Start Menu -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools, and run "Services". All four services should automatically start. (The forth one is Diablo II close realm server).
d. Turn off any internet security software and windows firewall.
e. Go to:Start Menu -> Runtype, "cmd" then press enter to get to command promtIn command promt,
type: "telnet [IP OF D2GS SERVER] 8888"
Return will be: "password: _"
Type, "abcd123" as password
(NOTE: Once in Administrative Console, you can type "help" for a list of commands)
type, "maxgame [ANY VALUE HIGHER THAN 0] (example: "maxgame 50")
This will allow you to create the specified number of parallel Diablo games.

5. Playing on Diablo II server

a. Download a Battle.net (TM) Gateway editor.
b. Run the Battle.net (TM) Server Editor program.
Choose the “Diablo” tag at bottom.Add in your server name, IP address, zone (actually timezone referenced to GMT).
c. Start Diablo II, choose the created gateway.

6. Internet security software and windows firewall

a. If everything works fine so far, turn back on your Internet security software and windows firewall.
b. Create exceptions for the server programs and certain ports.