Issue with remote server connection - "Server not responding" ( Possible Port forwarding issue?)

[fluid ivy]

I am attempting to host a local server so that me and my brothers can play together. For the setup I followed this guide exactly - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE5VlQENRsE&t.

This includes installation via SteamCMD. I have set both ports (161261,161262) to be forwarded in our router (D-Link 3900), as well as via my Firewall. I am able to connect via Local IP, however I can not establish connection when using my public IP address, and nor can my brother from a different connection. The error we are seeing is, "Server is not responding". We have tried many troubleshooting options of ensuring the values are correct, and that we're not making any simple mistakes.

I have a basic knowledge of networking, and as per searching through this Discord channel and online I've made numerous attempts to get the server working, as follows;

• I have contacted my ISP, and they have assured me that there is no issue with CGNAT ( Outside of my scope of knowledge, I have seen this mentioned.) The tests that Beard has recommended in various responses indicated no issue.
• I have asked about a static IP address, it comes at an additional cost per month, though I am unsure on whether or not this is the reason why we cannot connect.
• Disabled firewall.
• Aside from continuous troubleshooting, these are the only things that stand out in my memory.

I have attached the latest logs from my C:\Users\Dan\Zomboid\Logs folder. ( Which does include a long list of mods, though the problem is the same with, or without. The mods are the same that we used without issue on another server through G-portal) I have also included a screenshot of my router dashboard, showing the port forwarding.

As far as I can tell the issue is that we can not access the public ip address, which points to the ports not being open. I am unsure on the next step to take to fix this issue, and I am hoping that with some assistance we will be able to get up and running and be able to play,

Thanks in advance,

Dan.

[granite summit]

If you can connect to the server, then there would be no issues with it, the issues would be purely network related.

Which means the ports or incoming connections are blocked

Are you able to host a server and invite people through the Main Menu > Host function?

[fluid ivy]

Thanks for the reply.

Yep, we're able to invite and play through the in-game host function, but not with a dedicated server.

[granite summit]

I think that would imply that the connections themselves are not blocked, but the lack of a Static IP may be a problem

Since how it usually works with interner providers, they assign you a static IP and then unblock all ports to it, since with a Static IP it is the users security responsibility to block or allow connections (port forwarding in a router)

However, if you have a dynamic IP or are using the ISP IP, they generally have to block the connections, as it would be a security risk otherwise

Since how it usually works is that the ISP has an IP set to an area and several users will be using that IP

They cannot usually port forward everyone like that, it would be a security risk as far as my knowledge goes, though your ISP would likely know more

Which is why I am confused as to why they say its unblocked, but at the same time offer the Static IP, which is usually required for them to be unblocked

My own ISP uses the ISP IP as I said, I basically share it with the ISP, but it means all my port forwarding will also fail

You could in theory check for that by using something like: https://playit.gg/

Just tunnels your IP to their own IP, then players can use that IP to join

If it works, there is no issue on your side and it has to be an ISP issue I believe

[fluid ivy]

Update: PROBLEM FIXED.

Appreciate your time and effort greatly Beard. I will leave another comment with the steps I took today to fix the issue, however it may have been a false negative, and I can't pinpoint the exact thing step that allowed it to work. For now I'll be online and playing.

Thanks again!

[fluid ivy]

Hey everyone, just thought I'd add in what steps I took in case someone lands on the same issue.

First of all, as I mentioned, I can not pinpoint the one thing that I did to make it work, BUT, I believe it was because of a false negative. I was attempting to connect to the server from my own PC, (As was one of my brothers on the hosted server's LAN), and when using my public ip address we both could not connect. Another brother tried from an external connection, and could not connect, however it may have been a user error. Throughout all of our attempts to connect, it could have simply been that I was unable to connect to the server's public ip address, from the connection that was hosting it.