Server won't list on Internet or Custom tabs? (TF2)

[magicandy]

I made a server using the guide at TF2wiki:

http://www.tf2wiki.net/wiki/Windows_dedicated_server

I also added the command for no criticals.

the IP is 72.192.42.97 (it's up)

I can add it to my favorites just fine (although I have to add it using my router-given IP 192.168.15.2) and I can connect to it and it works fine. However, it doesn't list itself on either the Internet tab or the Custom tab so it's a ghost town as predicted. Do I have to do something special to get it listed on either of those tabs? I figured it would at least be on the custom tab because of no crits.....

I really want it to be at least added to Custom because I was frustrated when I couldn't find any 24/7 2fort servers with no crits. I figured I'd take the brute force way out and make my own server! 24/7 2fort servers are becoming even more popular, so there's gotta be some others looking for a no crit version

running it on a 15 mbit down, 3 mbit up connection so I think I should be fine for that....lemme know if otherwise though......

Thanks!

[magicandy]

Someone at GameFAQs suggested I use the heartbeat command, which I put into my server.cfg to no affect. It still only lists my server in my favorites tab and under my history

However I know that my server is working OK since I had people connect to it between today and yesterday (probably after listing it here and at gamefaqs), but for some reason it just doesn't list on the two public tabs =/

[mimic]

You have to enable port forwarding on your router for the ports 27015 and 27005. TCP & UDP. Then you need to find your external IP. You can do this by going to this website: http://whatismyip.com/

In the command line you need to add +ip xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (you ip address). Once you do this, then your server will broadcast properly to the internet and be seen in the Internet tab.

It's not recommended that you run a server from your home though for several reasons. Firstly, you probably don't have enough bandwidth. Most ISP's only allow 512kb/s upload speed (0.5Mbsp). For a 16 player server you should have at least a 2Mbps upload speed. My 24 player server uses 3Mbps on average when full. Second, your IP address is considered dynamic, meaning it could change at any time, then you'd need to re-configure your server.

[magicandy]

Firstly, as I said the server works fine and people can connect to it (hence why I listed my server's IP). Also, all my ports are forwarded properly. I do know the basics, at least.

I should be fine as far as bandwidth goes, I wouldn't have even attempted this before I upgraded it a few months ago. My downstream is 15 mbits and my upstream is 3 mbits. I hadn't planned on having a max player amount any greater than 20; it will probably be 16 most of the time.

My IP is static. The IP is, has always been and will always be 72.192.42.97. I've tried that command you mentioned (+ip 72.192.42.97) but for some reason it tells me "Couldn't allocate any server IP port" when I use that command in tf.bat. But like I said I know it's my IP as people have been able to connect to my server just fine, so I don't know why it does that or why the server isn't listing on the public tabs

Here is what server.cfg looks like. It looks sparse compared to everyone else's because I only used the WDS guide from the TF2wiki and added a few things as people suggested them:

hostname "-=24/7 2fort **NO CRITS** | barrel roll!"
rcon_password "******"
sv_contact "shin_naraijin2@hotmail.com"
mp_timelimit "30"
tf_weapon_criticals 0
heartbeat

Here's what TF.bat looks like, without the command you mentioned. I've tried adding +IP with my IP, -port with 27015, +port with the same, and even -IP and my IP. Nothing works and whenever I add my IP to it it always gives me that "couldn't allocate" error:

orangebox\srcds.exe -console -game tf +map ctf_2fort +maxplayers 20

again I just used the example from the TF2wiki

thanks again!

[Mooga]

Thanks for the link to that wiki.
I'm going to edit the crap out of that today...

[bman2883]

Your outbound NAT needs to use a STATIC port for 27015 rather than an ephermeral one....your router may or may not support this...I use pfsense (http://www.pfsense.com) on an old PC and it is supported through outbound NAT rules. Once the outbound NAT is set you don't need to add +ip just let it use the NAT'ed private address. Hope that helps...

[magicandy]

hmm pfsense.com seems to be down....

What's the difference between a static and ephermeral port? I took some advice from a different forum and singled out all my ports (instead of giving it a range) so 27015 and 27005 are forwarded separately by themselves (with ranges given to the rest of the Steam-related ports). Would you mind giving a bit more explanation into what I need to to? I'm pretty much a newb server op so everything is still quite dark

Oh, and it's important to note that I actually have to forward ports on two different devices. My computer is connected through my Vonage router, and that router is being connected to my Netgear router, which in turn is going to the Cable modem. I have the same exact port setups being forwarded on both the Vonage and the Netgear (the Vonage gives my computer a local IP of 192.168.15.2, which is how my TF2 server appears to me even though others can connect to it through my actual net-given IP), and I can take pics of both if you need them.

Once again thanks for any advice, I appreciate this!