The Simple Answer: By running a development server for your games.
Why? Because there are a few of us who no matter what can't get the Construct 2 LAN preview working with Construct 2 and port number.
I've tried on multiple phones - lol.
So, this simple tutorial's goal is to offer a work-a-round solution that allows us to connect using our network ip only.
I've managed to play my games on my pc/laptops/smart tv/moble devices using this work-a-around.
Sidenote: So cool to sit in the lounge and play your own game on the TV.
Objective: Get a development environment That turns any Windows machine into a development server.
Tools We will be using Xampp
The Step by Step Process:
Step1: Download Xampp
Website: Xampp
You have a number of OS. I am installing on windows.
Step2: Install it to your desired location
By Default xampp likes to install to C:\xampp\</p>
So go ahead and let it.
Once installed and you hit finish.
It will launch control panel and you can see I only have apache running which is all we need.
To check if it works. Open a browser and Type 127.0.0.1.
You should get this
Cool Its installed and working.
Step3: Now Browse to your xampp directory
C:\xampp/htdocs/
1) Add a folder called games
2) Either remove the index.php
or
3) Edit it like this
change
header('location: '.$uri.'/xampp/'):
header('location: '.$uri.'/games/');
Leave the other index file alone (that is the one in the image with chrome icon) It just says "It works"
Step4: Open Construct 2.
Press File, then prefrences and check your network ip
mine is 10.0.0.6
Type it into your browser if you want to test it.
It should give you either...
1) "It Works" (this is if you deleted the index.php [Step 3: Option2])
2) Open your network ip 10.0.0.6/games/
and
3) You get browser error (this is not good and beyond the scope of this tutorial as it means you are not on your network, or connecting to your network correctly because of firewalls etc
Checkout Ashleys Post
Step5: So to preview your game(s)
Export your game to your games folder.
Using the html export button.
So the destination will be your xampp/htdocs/games/
Step6: complete url with games and hit enter
Now you can use any device connected on your network to browse to your game using your network ip range.
Example Smartphone and Ashleys Flippen' Flappin' Birds
Hope this helps all those who can't preview their games using the construct 2 built in lan preview.