Firewall Information

If you are having problems using the multi-player games from different computers, there might be a small firewall issue at your school that has an easy fix.

First, check the first screen of the game. In the bottom left corner, look for "Server Connection Established". It should look like this:


If it says "Server Connection Failed," that usually means you have a firewall issue. It's a quick fix for your network caretaker. Have him/her update your school's firewall or content filter with the information below.

The most common issue we see is a content filter needing to be set to mark traffic to our multiplayer server as safe. The server is multiplayer.arcademicskillbuilders.com and has an IP address of 173.203.213.225.

This server responds to requests on TCP ports 80, 843, and 8080. Your firewall only needs to allow outbound (from the school to the outside server) connections on either port 80 or 8080 for the games to function. The multiplayer traffic is custom designed, and doesn't quite appear as normal web traffic yet to some filters, so the site may still need to be marked as "safe."

The change will present your school with no additional security risk as no new inbound (from world to school) connections would be allowed. Please contact us if you are having problems and we'll get it working.

Also be sure you have a recent Internet browser version and Flash player, which you can download free:
Explorer | Firefox | Flash Player

Please contact us with any questions.
Thanks, and enjoy the games!
Arcademic Staff

Teacher Success

"Many of the students play video games all the time at home. This was a way to let them enjoy their playing time, but to practice a skill at the same time."
- Mrs. Smeltz's success story in Lititz, PA.

"Aligning the joy of gaming with practicing math facts clearly helps transform the experience and invites students to learn in an environment they are not only comfortable with but would seek out given the choice."
- Mr. Sprankle's success story in Wells, ME.

"The math activities on your site have improved the students performance grades in classroom timed tests and have boosted the students confidence in their math abilities."
- Mr. White's success story in New Baltimore, MI.

"The students love this. They get so excited. Several of my students would rather stay inside at recess to play the games instead of going outside."
- Mrs. Kido's success story in Topeka, KS.