DescentBB

I have the server on ports 2093 and 21043 and using a separate cache directory, but when I fire up Descent 3 and go to multiplayer, I don't see it under Local Games, nor if I try to 'Search for Games At' either the internal or external IP address of my machine, and not even 127.0.0.1 returns any games.

Then again, the server's not showing up at .cx yet either so maybe it's just my server isn't showing up that's the problem?

I've got all the ports forwarded to my machine (2092-2095, 21042-21045, 27900-27901).

Any ideas?

Are you manually setting up the server config files, or using something like Hunter's D3Server tool?

If you're trying to join the game on the same machine that's running the server, you'll have to make sure you set a different port (via the -useport xxxx command-line) for the client to use.

If that doesn't work, I'd check your firewall exceptions. Note: you don't need to forward the 27900-range ports, just the game port (e.g. 2092) and the tracker port (e.g. 20143).

A couple tips:

1. If you're going to regularly host a dedicated server, I highly recommend making a separate D3 install for that purpose, and checking out the ServerOps Forum - there are some general \"tips\" for server configs and such, and the guys there are really knowledgeable and helpful.

2. If you have even an old Pentium II or III available, those make excellent dedicated D3 servers, since D3 server instances don't take much memory or cpu time. It's considerably better to do that than try to play on the same machine that's running the server.

3. Unless you're testing, try not to play on your own server as a regular thing, it's just lame. (A few of us serverops will self-restrict our weapon usage if the game happens to be on our own server, just to show we're not taking advantage of our 1ms latency.)

- Foil ([RIP]Rockies Admin, Descent Retirement Home Associate Admin)

Yes, I'm manually setting ports, which is what gets me... I have the server running the ones I noted, which are each one above the defaults, so that my client game is left to the defaults.
Since it's not showing up at .cx I'm wondering if there's some issue with the broadcast of my server, which is also why it's not showing up when I search for it.
I started out with Hunter's tool but moved back to a manual server config as I attempted to get it working right.
I only have one machine at the moment and would ideally have another for hosting a more constant server. This is more just trying to get things sorted so that if/when I get another machine I won't have to figure things out from scratch then.

Try forcing D3 to use the correct internal IP address with -useip <addr> (use the same internal IP you forwarded the ports to).

Have you checked the firewall and/or virus protection? I've heard of issues with both before.

[Edit: Oh, and double-check that your server config is set to TCP/IP. More than once I've set up games, wondering why they didn't show, and later realized that the connection was set to modem, lol. ]

Yup, ConnectionName=Direct TCP~IP

Krom wrote:Try forcing D3 to use the correct internal IP address with -useip <addr> (use the same internal IP you forwarded the ports to).

Hmmm, when I add -useip 192.168.1.x (the same IP I have the server instance running on) to the CL switches in the Setup/Misc, trying to launch gets a refusal with the message "You cannot run this program directly. Please run "Descent 3.exe". Taking out the -useip switch and it runs. Maybe it's detecting the server running and disabling multiplayer on me which is why I can't see my server. Then when I try to force the IP, it won't let me run the game. But that doesn't explain my server not showing up anyway on .cx.

trying to host and play from the same machine - now that is a new one!

BUBBALOU wrote:trying to host and play from the same machine - now that is a new one!

That's not new at all, B. I did it the very first time I first hosted a dedi server.

Heck, when I captured the screenshot for the BreakOut mod, I had a dedicated server + 5 game instances all running on the same machine. All one has to do is set it to a different port and temp folder for each instance.

I'm not sure what to tell you, JRock. The only thing I can think of is that something (firewall or antivirus, maybe?) is blocking the output from your dedi server instance.

Keep plugging at it, it may end up being something simple... it usually is for me.