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SWOS Online

Public Sensible World of Soccer multiplayer server

Quick start

Server address: game.513.pl
Port: 213 (UDP)
Protocol: IPX (tunnelled via DOSBox)
Access: public, no password, no registration

A free, public server for the classic 1994 football game Sensible World of Soccer. The server doesn't provide the game itself — you need your own copy (see below). The server bridges players worldwide into a single virtual 1994 LAN.

What you'll need

  1. DOSBox (or DOSBox Staging) — free DOS emulator
  2. Sensible World of Soccer — the original game (buy legally on GOG.com for a few euros)
  3. SWOS++ — fan-made add-on with multiplayer support

Step-by-step guide

1Download and install DOSBox

Go to dosbox.com/download and grab the version for your OS.

2Get Sensible World of Soccer

Cheapest legal option: GOG.com (96/97 version). Extract the game files to e.g. C:\SWOS.

3Install SWOS++

Grab the latest release from github.com/zlatkok/swospp/releases. Copy swospp.bin, loader.bin and patchit.com into your SWOS directory.

In DOSBox run: patchit.com and pick option 1 (install).

4Enable IPX in DOSBox

Edit the DOSBox config file, find the [ipx] section, set:

[ipx]
ipx=true
5Connect to the server

Launch DOSBox and run:

mount c c:\SWOS
c:
ipxnet connect game.513.pl 213
ipxnet ping

If ipxnet ping returns times in ms — you're in. Start the game (swos.exe), go to Multiplayer → Online, host a match or join.

Heads up: first setup takes ~30 minutes. After that, just DOSBox + ipxnet connect game.513.pl 213 and you're done.

Ready-made DOSBox config

Skip the manual setup — grab dosbox-swos.conf and replace your DOSBox config. IPX enabled, autoconnect to game.513.pl, done.

Common problems

Can't connect (ipxnet connect times out)

Your firewall/router might block outbound UDP 213. Most home networks allow it. Corporate/hotel networks often don't.

High ping, gameplay stutters

In SWOS++ options find "skip frames" and raise it (2–3 for Europe, 4–5 for transcontinental). Higher skip frames = smoother gameplay but more input lag.

No "Multiplayer Online" in game menu

SWOS++ wasn't installed correctly. Go back to step 3.

How it works

The server runs ipxbox (open-source Go) in a Docker container on an OVH VPS. It emulates the IPX protocol (1990s LAN protocol) over modern UDP. DOSBox emulates IPX on your side. Result: two computers anywhere on Earth see each other as if on the same 1994 LAN. SWOS++ uses that virtual LAN to run a match.