1. Install Dosbox and NHL96 on both ends (Of course
)2. Edit dosbox.conf on "server" side pc. Find label [serial]. Change serial1 to following: serial1=nullmodem
3. Edit dosbox.conf on "client" side pc. Find label [serial]. Change serial1 to following: serial1=nullmodem server:["server" IP address] (for example: serial1=nullmodem server:192.168.0.2)
4. Start dosbox on "server" side.
5. On "server" Dosbox status window should say something like "Serial1: Nullmodem server waiting for connection on port 23...".
6. Start dosbox on "client" side.
7. On "client" Dosbox status window should say something like "Serial1: Connected to [iP address]"
8. Start NHL96 on both ends and select modem as gaming mode.
9. On "server" select connect mode to "wait for call", direct connection to "yes" and com port to " one". Dont mind the phone number. Click check sign. Now wait for synchronizing...
10. On "client" select connect mode to "make call", direct connection to "yes" and com port to " one". Dont mind the phone number. Click check sign. Now wait for synchronizing...
11. If everything went well, connection is established and you can select your teams, sides and start to play.
Connection is using port 23 by default. It could be that port forwarding and/or port number changes are required on your system to make it work.
Have fun!
EDIT: If game seems to be laggy, try first put more cycles to dosbox. NHL96 requires on my PC about 20000 cycles to run smoothly. Also, adding rxdelay to 50 or 100 could help. Like this on "client": serial1=nullmodem rxdelay:100 server:["server" IP address] and on "server" serial1=nullmodem rxdelay:100