[Help] Multiplayer setup for dummies (without GameRanger?)

[CuzDawg3]

Howdy everyone. I can't believe after all these years, I am at the point where I have 2 sons to play XWA with me. Back in the day (I still have the og CD version) I knew how to set up TCP/IP games, although I would typically run serial games with a direct link. (Haha! #old) So, my question, is there a "multiplayer setup for dummies" that doesn't involve using game ranger? I have the following on 3 computers on my Win10 LAN:
1. XWA 2.02 vanilla install
2. XWAU2020 (V4) patch
3. XWAU2020 (V5) patch
4. XWAU2020 (V5.6.2) patch
5. All using the Babu Frik VR enable via steamVR

The game works great for each of us, but when I host via TCP/IP, my boys games each say "failed to connect." We've tried with "internet = on" and "internet = off," and inputting both the game name or my computer's IP address. Is there any required port forwarding hiding somewhere? Any extra hooks I need to add that may be outside of the installers? (I am aware of the Hook_CockpitLook.dll for VR users, but we haven't even been able to connect yet in just the multiplayer portion of the simulator yet. Thanks for any help!

-Drewer