[Skirmish! VT Server] "The server cannot be reached from the Internet" [UPDATED]

xavi

New from 3.0.1

This message should never appear again. Now if the server ports are open the server will show Online (Internet) as status, but if it can it will switch to Online (LAN only), meaning that while you won't be able to connect from the Internet you will be able to connect from within the LAN the server resides on (e.g. if your server is connected to your home router then people connected to your home router will be able to connect).


The following applies to older versions only

If the port is not open properly you will get the following message when starting the server:

The server cannot be reached from the Internet. Try changing the port or manually opening it in your router settings.

If that's the case you need to open the Server port (which is 32000 TCP unless changed on the Server settings) on either your router, your Windows firewall, or both.

By default Skirmish! VT Server will try to use UPnP to open the port, but sometimes it is not possible to do this automatically due to UPnP being disabled on the router configuration.

If that's the case you may want to follow this guide to get it working:
http://www.wikihow.com/Open-Ports

cyderak

I checked and it says "All othe protocols "  Enabled.

cyderak

That might be something you want to make happen automatically when the software goes up for sale to the general public.   Thanks for the help.

xavi

I'm sorry? What says "All other protocols"? where?

simonjhudson

I have not been able to get past the Unable to reach the server from the internet error. Ports show as open on my main router and I have even tried temporarily turning my Windows firewall off temporarily.
I have reproduced the problem on both a Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 PC and both on my home network and a public network.
What has anyone else experienced and has anyone fixed this?

Smitemeister

Yeah, Cyderak, at the moment though we are paying from our own wallet for the hosting to make the free trial possible for everyone. As such for this beta we are not yet using the most expensive hosts that automatically resolve the port forwarding.

Smitemeister

Simon, I will talk to Xavi in order to help you resolve the issue.

xavi

We just released a new version for both the client and the server that *hopefully* should make that error more rare.

xavi

Another new update. Hope it helps.

simonjhudson

Downloaded the update and installed.

Closer - it throws the same initial message, then offers to run in Admin mode. It tries for a while before returning the same message. However I am not running on my home network at the moment and we know that the UPnP router setting did open ports on my home router, so I will try again this evening when I am home to see if the latest update has addressed the Windows firewall problem and if it therefore can work when on a network where I have control of the router.

This is the server entry:

 Skirmish! VT Server v3.0.0.245b

 Windows Firewall automatically configured (rule already present)

Starting server on TCP port 32000...

Server started and available.

Trying to open 10.0.0.33:32000 using either NAT-PMP or UPnP...

Then I get the Unable to reach the server from the internet error

simonjhudson

Per my Facebook post, I have now tried at home and the problem persists. I have tried turning the firewall off and have confirmed that my router has opened the ports - so we know that your UPnP setting works.

I have also checked the Windows firewall and the settings look correct there - though they allow all ports through rather than being set to allow only 32000.

I also tried installing on my Windows 2008 server - just in case. Exactly the same issue there.

It looks to me like the firewalls etc. are set correctly therefore, but the application isn't correctly opening the port at the point of trying to make a connection, i.e. it's the IP:port call that is failing.

What can we try next. Happy to help further - let me know what you need

xavi

Sounds like even though the port is being registered with Upnp the router is just ignoring it, so it has to be done manually.

You can try for sure if the port is open by opening the server, and once the error message shows (without dismissing it) going to http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ and checking there if it says the port 32000 is open. If it is not, since the firewall is ruled out, it is your router the one blocking the connection. 

simonjhudson

Got it! The issue was at the router after all - your port checker helped thanks.

Even though the router seemed to have the port open on one screen, it wasn't showing deep in the NAT settings.
 After a bit of trial and error I established that the following settings work on my Zyxel VMG8924

Name: Skirmish (Or whatever you like)

WAN interface ETHWAN

WAN IP xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx Your fixed external IP address

Server IP Address 192.168.1.58 IP address of the PC the server is running on

Port Start address 32000

Port End address 32000

Protocol TCP/UDP

xavi

I'm glad you got it working  

heruca

I'm having the same issue as most of the others here. Can't figure out what might be wrong, even using the tool xavi linked to. And I'm experienced with port forwarding. Even enabling DMZ didn't help. Suggestions?

simonjhudson

What do you get from the http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ link? Does that indicate that your port on your firewall is open or closed? What settings do you have on your firewall for forwarding port 32000?

xavi

Are you using McAfee or some other kind of security /firewall suite? 

Stryfe484

my ports are open according to the website link. What else do I have to do to get online? I have to port forward for fantasy grounds as well, so this isn't new to me.

xavi

Do you use another firewall software other than Windows Firewall? Does the server show that the Windows Firewall is properly configured when starting it?

Stryfe484

It says windows firewall cannot be automatically configured.

Stryfe484

Nevermind. UPnP was disabled...

xavi

Glad you got it working

xavi

Updated the main post with the new LAN only server mode.

Xankiel

Hello, Skirmish! server on my pc previously worked in internet online mode, but now i don't know why it don't work anymore also I have "Windows Firewall could not be automatically configured - restart the server as administrator once to allow it" but how can I open a Application Manifest as admin ?

Smitemeister

Hi Xankiel,

Does Skirmish! give you an error message? If yes, can you post it here?

Xankiel

No error, but I opened port 32000 and now it's working. I don't undersant why it was working in online internet mod withtout port open.

Smitemeister

We issued an update some time ago that added LAN mode and enables Skirmish! to auto-detect your connection and automatically try to open a port / establish a server connection when launched. In any case, good that it's working. If you have any other question, feel free to post again. :>

Xankiel

Ok, thank you