Master Server Listing

[Skymaster]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of setting up a dedicated Team Fortress 2 server.
It is a Win2k3 box (Xeon 1.6ghz (1.3ghz fsb) quad core, 4gb ram)

It's NIC is connected directly on a 4Mbit dedicated pipe, with an internet accessible IP address configured on the card.

I've got the binding IP set correctly to the internet IP address, ports 27015 TCP and UDP are opened on the firewall for incoming access, and the server validates with the steam master servers. sv_lan is set to zero, and sv_region is set to 5 (australia - where i am).

Obiously there is no address translation or portforwarding to be done, as it's a direct-internet connected host.

For some reason, the server fails to appear in the 'Internet' games list within the TF2 client, but adding it to custom servers using its IP address, I'm able to connect and play on it correctly...

Does anyone have any ideas on what might be causing this?
I've been scratching my brain about this for a couple of days and cant figure it out.

For reference, I'm not new to networking, servers and firewalls (its my day job), so low-level answers are preferred ;-)

Cheers
MJ

[killnine]

IF you wait a few hours to a day, check the IP with a service like serverspy.net or game-monitor.com and see if it shows. Sometimes you have a hard time finding your own servers, sometimes not.

I usually filter by region, map, and gametype and that gets my server showing up.

Other than that, I dont know, but I have had similar problems before and only restarting the server/hardware fixed it.

[css]

Skymaster Wrote:I've got the binding IP set correctly to the internet IP address, ports 27015 TCP and UDP are opened on the firewall for incoming access, and the server validates with the steam master servers. sv_lan is set to zero, and sv_region is set to 5 (australia - where i am).

Open UDP port 27011. That's what mster servers use. I'm not completely sure what you mean "validates with the steam master servers". AFAIK the server uses port 27014 to communicate to Steam authentication servers. Maybe that's what you meant.

When you start your server you should see message like:

Code:

Adding master server 72.165.61.190:27011
Adding master server 69.28.151.162:27011

For more details you can check Valve's developer wiki about master server protocol.

For quick'n'dirty solution you can open up ports 27000-28000 and see if your server gets listed then. Then try to narrow down the ports you want to allow.

Also note that the master servers start distributing server addresses which are near to your own IP address. That's why it may take a long while for you to see your own server in the server list, but someone else with similar IP to your server will see the server earlier.

[Skymaster]

Thanks all for the help - I actually worked out the solution - I had the server initially set up for 32 players - not realising that it was showing under the 'Custom' servers tab - reducing this to 24 players has corrected the issue and it's showing under the internet tab!

All fixed - thankyou!