Left 4 dead 2 : client and dedicated server on the same network area

All Discussions > Tools & Servers > Source Dedicated Server (Windows) > Topic Details

JP [FR] 26 Jan, 2014 @ 1:50pm

Hi,

I just installed Left4Dead 2 Dedicated Server following this guide: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1381634

Here's my launch cmd:

start /wait /high srcds.exe -console -game left4dead2 -maxplayers 8 +sv_lan 0 +map c5m1_waterfront

And the server.cfg:

hostname "My server" rcon_password "xxx" sv_search_key mykey sv_region 3 sv_allow_lobby_connect_only 0 sv_gametypes "coop,versus,realism,teamversus,teamscavenge"

I have a windows hosting the the dedicated server on local ip 192.168.0.1 (Behind router, NAT mode, and port forwarding ok)
I have my the game (client) on 192.168.0.2

I start the game (client). On the developer console:

mm_dedicated_force_servers myExternalIp:27015|192.168.0.1:27015

Then I create a lobby and start the game but it fails, cannot connect to the server.

Then I tried:

mm_dedicated_force_servers 192.168.0.1:27015

I can connect with this on my server but external friends cannot join me, even with sv_lan 0, seems to be a lan server with this.

Then I tried:

mm_dedicated_force_servers 0.0.0.0|192.168.0.1:27015

But same result, I'm the only one who can connect, my friends can't (lan mode)

sv_search_key mykey

Doesn't work

Only 1 way to allow me AND my external friends to play on this server: My friend must be the first to connect on the server with: (lobby leader)

mm_dedicated_force_servers myExternalIp:27015

Then I join the game and it works, we can both play on the server.

What am I doing wrong? Why can't I be the first to be connected on my server? Why do I need an external player to be the first connected?

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Showing 1-6 of 6 comments

Rectus 27 Jan, 2014 @ 12:19am

With the way the lobby system works, everyone needs to be able to connect to the same external IP address, including yourself. Using NAT, it's only doable if your router supports NAT loopback, i.e. connecting to your external address from the inside the network, the router routes it back to the server.

JP [FR] 27 Jan, 2014 @ 2:08am

Thanks for the answer. Still I can't understand: Why can't I be the first on the server. Why should I wait for an external IP to be the first connected? That doesn't influence whether my router supports NAT loopback or not.
EDIT : My router supports NAT loopback. (I can access to local hosts using my external IP address inside my network)

Last edited by JP [FR]; 27 Jan, 2014 @ 2:39am

Rectus 27 Jan, 2014 @ 3:02am

Sorry, didn't know what the pipe character did, looks like it should work instead of using a loopback. Weird that the first option doesn't work then, it's like it only tries the external address.

It allowing you to connect to the lobby leader also seems weird, logically it should give you your external address to connect to, and not work. It might do some black magic to bridge NATted hosts, the same way that using a local server lets the rest of the players connect to the leader without having to forward ports.

You also might need to have "+ip 192.168.0.1" on the server command line for everything to work correctly.

JP [FR] 27 Jan, 2014 @ 4:36am

I'll try with +ip ... and keep you posted.

JP [FR] 27 Jan, 2014 @ 9:44am

I finally got the culprit: My netgear router (WNDR4500).

I changed this option:

NAT Filtering
X Secured
Open

to

NAT Filtering
Secured
X Open

And problem solved. I can now be the first to join. Weird though why this option prevents me from joining only as first player but works if I'm not...

What the manual says:

Originally posted by NetGear Manual:
NAT Filtering

This option determines how the router deals with inbound traffic. The Secured option provides a secured firewall to protect the PCs on LAN from attacks from the Internet, but it may cause some Internet games, point-to-point applications, or multimedia applications not to work. The Open option, on the other hand, provides a much less secured firewall, while it allows almost all Internet applications to work.

Thanks for your warning about NAT!

Rectus 27 Jan, 2014 @ 11:24am

Good to see that you got it working.

That setting looks like it's made to replace explicit port forwarding by guessing which computer the traffic is for, if it's advanced enough maybe it can route your traffic to the server after it has seen connections to it. It could let incoming attacks through as well, so make sure the firewalls on your computers are working.

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All Discussions > Tools & Servers > Source Dedicated Server (Windows) > Topic Details

Date Posted: 26 Jan, 2014 @ 1:50pm

Posts: 6

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