Home server help

[AbusedGoat]

I am setting up my own server in my home. I can join the server from my gaming pc. When sometime else tries to join they get "cannot retrieve server info". I have port forwarding setup. My router does have application forwarding and I set that up as well. Anyone have any ideas on what I might be missing? 

 

[SylenThunder]

Probably because you didn't open the ports. 

Really need for you to read the Pinned threads before starting one so you can properly ask for help.

 

[Star69]

You need to forward the following ports: 26900 TCP and 26900-26903 UDP in your router.

Once you have those ports forwarded, use any of the free port sniffers to verify they are indeed open. Some routers can be tricky getting the ports forwarded. Also, you may need to check with you ISP as some prevent ports from being forwarded by the client.

If after all that and it still doesn’t work, post the entire log from a client having trouble connecting as well as the server log. Use pastebin.com to post the logs, exact instructions are in the pinned topics.

 

[Gamida]

Does anyone else have trouble with those port sniffers? I have had my server working fine. Had others join from outside so I know the ports are open.

I tried I think couple of those online port checkers and put in multiple ports I have open for my games and they still always say they are closed.

I mean if the server works it has to be something I am doing wrong in the sniffer right?

 

[unholyjoe]

Does anyone else have trouble with those port sniffers? I have had my server working fine. Had others join from outside so I know the ports are open.

I tried I think couple of those online port checkers and put in multiple ports I have open for my games and they still always say they are closed.

I mean if the server works it has to be something I am doing wrong in the sniffer right?

i dont use them as they do same for me... my private dedi on my computer is open to view and the people i want in are able to click on the browser and join without issue... but the sniffers all say ALL of my ports are closed... they just want you to believe that they have a program that will open them for you for a modest fee.



also unless i misread it, the OP says he/she has the ports forwarded and the application as well.

I have port forwarding setup. My router does have application forwarding and I set that up as well. Anyone have any ideas on what I might be missing? 

 

[FinkPloyd]

Does the server have a static IP?
 

Can you join the server using both the internal IP and external IP? [internal will be 10.1. or 192.168., can get external IP from the web site 'whatsmyip']

How are the other players joining?

[using an IP or via the server list in game, try the other method.

If via the server list in game it says you have some ports open correctly or the server would not be listed, check you have the full range of game ports open.]

 

[SylenThunder]

i dont use them as they do same for me... my private dedi on my computer is open to view and the people i want in are able to click on the browser and join without issue... but the sniffers all say ALL of my ports are closed... they just want you to believe that they have a program that will open them for you for a modest fee.

It's worse that that even. Most decent modems/routers actively block the requests used by those tools because they are also commonly used for DDoS attacks or invasive malware. If the hardware isn't doing it, the ISP or the end systems firewall may do it. Then you basically pay for snake oil that may or may not have an autoconfiguration set up for your hardware, which might automatically apply the basic port forwarding you set up already before doing all of this.

 

[Star69]

If port sniffers aren’t doing what they are meant to do, how do you verify if the ports are actually open? I’ve read multiple accounts of certain routers that don’t actually forward the ports the traditional way(config the router software to forward,  says they are forwarded but really not) and need to do some convoluted process to actually get them forwarded.

 

[meganoth]

There are more powerful sniffers. nmap is a linux command line tool but is also available for windows it seems. Without networking knowledge many options will not be understandable, some even I don't understand with a good knowledge of networking. But nmap has many different ways to make a port scan. And I doubt that a provider can block them all. For TCP for example -sS/sT/sA/sW/sM/-sN/sF/sX are all different scan methods.

The only problem is that you need to do the scan from somewhere else, outside the home network. And when you do, make sure you limit the scan range to just a handful of ports so not automatism can detect you.