Server sometimes in server list sometimes not

[DragonEmperorLS]

I noticed that my server is not always visible in the in game server list. So because it sometimes is i think i got all the configuration right (thanks to some info here as well). When the server is not visible and i ask friends to look if the server is visible for them i get strange responses (for some it is in the list for some it is not). When i go to battlemetirics which looks at steam info for severs to scan i get 100% uptime. Also because it is seen by battlemetrics it should be in the in game list for all players because both use the same publisched information to find the servers. Why is the in game list inconsistent? I sometimes see the same problem on other servers as well. When we want to play with a large number of friends (all in the same discord server) sometimes 1 or 2 players don't see the server we selected to play on. Most of the time we fix this by putting the server ip in discord chat and the friends who don't see the server can join just fine using ip info so it is not a bad game install on their end.

I noticed a much higher number of ppl who complain about servers not visible on average than with other games i hosted servers for, and i think there is indeed something wrong with the population of the list.

 

[SylenThunder]

If we assume that your ports are all forwarded, and you have SteamSnetworking enabled or disabled according to your configuration's needs, then the only alternative reason is DNS lookup.

The way the server list populates can flood a persons DNS stack, which ends up making it unable to list all of the servers. This can happen quite commonly if you leave the server list up for more than a few minutes. It's an issue with how Windows handles DNS storage, and I don't know why they haven't update it in the past 20 years.

If anyone is having this issue, these are the steps they should follow...

1. From Windows Start, search for cmd.
   
2. Right click on Command Prompt and click Run as administrator.
   
3. In the console, type the following command: ipconfig /flushdns
   If the command was successful, you will see the message "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache".
   
4. Afterwards, type: netsh int ip reset
   
5. Once done, restart your computer.
   

That will fix the issue most of the time. If not, then direct IP connection is the best alternative. I keep SteamConnect links on my website for my servers, and in all my advertisements.

Example...

Masters of Chaos Gaming is a group of experienced gamers who host and run servers for some popular games. We currently have servers for 7 Days to Die, Conan Exiles and Empyrion: Galactic Survival.
We are self-hosted with dedicated hardware in SE Michigan to provide fast personalized support and the best overall experience for gamers. We currently host 2 PvE 7 Days to die servers, offering different levels of gameplay challenge:

**Zed Rising**

Zed Rising is a relaxed, beginner PvE 7 Days to Die server running Alpha 18.2, with fun Quality of Life mods, 2 Land Claim Blocks and a friendly community of gamers on a 12k custom map. We welcome new players and strive to provide a fun environment for people just starting out in the game. steam://connect/68.59.31.162:26905

That steam://connect link will connect them to the server using the Stream client.