Dynamic Ip Game Server Possible?

Subliminal

Hi, im trying to set up a server for just 3 or 4 ppl to practise on.
Its for Counter Strike Source. I downloaded the SRCDS from the steam menu, and it seems to run fine, but nobody can see the server! i then found out, that thanks to crappy irish isp's, i cant use a static ip, so ppl are trying to connect to an ISP's IP to play CSS on my laptop. Is there **ANY** way around this that i can use a dynamic ip to host a server. I was told to get a domain www.dydns.org, and i did, but i have NO clue about what to do next.
I think i need a static ip to do it, but not sure....HELP PLEASE
Sorry, im asking 2 things

1. Can i host a CS:S server from a dynamic IP somehow
2. If not is there a way around this problem.

Using Esat Bt Broadband, on a ZyXel Prestige 600.

I basicly want just 3 or 4 ppl to be able to connect and play CS:S on my server thru the internet, with Mani maybe, and a few maps. ANY ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY APPRICIATED

causal

I'll caveat this by saying that I haven't set it up, but my understanding is as follows:
- You've got a fixed IP address from dyndns.org
- Now you need to install and configure some software (an update client ) that runs on your server - it updates dyndns.org with your current IP address (as assigned by your ISP).

In principle that's it.
Another obstacle you may run into is firewall(s), e.g. your internet Gateway, Zonealarm etc.

hth,
causal

DonkeyStyle \o/

1. Can i host a CS:S server from a dynamic IP somehow

Yeah... if you want to do a basic temporary server that you start and stop as needed, and you're in close contact with the people you want playing on the server.
You could just give them your IP address every time and tell them to connect to you through the console with "connect xxx.xx.xx.xx" (x = your IP).
Make sure you've got sv_lan set to zero aswell.
I haven't tried using a fixed IP server with dyndns so can't help you there, but I'd suggest getting started with the listen-server* method just to get familiar with the server settings and ironing out the other potential problems like port forwarding (etc).

*Listen server = starting a server from within the game client, not using the dedicated server from the steam games menu.

Subliminal

@donkeystyle

Can a few other ppl play with me on a listenserver? thru the internet?
If they can that suits me fine.

I tried giving them that way of doing it..ie connect 192.168....etc
but it fails after 4 retrys. And i cant see my own server in public list either.
i have set sv_lan 0 in console...no difference

Sub

Chalk

192.168 is your lan ip
go to www.whatismyip.com and give that ip to your mates,


make sure you have the port opened in your router to allow them to connect,
check www.portforward.com

btw,
dont respond back saying you dont have a router as you do

Subliminal

chalk, tks, but i have tried giving m8s the external ip addy, with :27015
to them its blank, and not responding in serverlist or favs.

as for opening ports, i am sick of that url ive read the whole thing 3 times over, gone to nat setttings on my router, then it says open ports you need on the guide, HOW????????? it says enter lowere no, then higher no, then ip to forward to????????

http://www.portforward.com/zyxel/Prestige600-portforwarding.htm

Maybe im a noob at this, but this baffles me, do i open theese ports to my internal ip, or my " WHATISMYIP " one? which ports do i open? How do i enter the ports to be opened in the nat section? Then if all this works, will i be able to run a source dedicated server still using the ISP's IP, or my external one?

Any help appriciated.

Chalk

open port 27015

get to this page:
http://www.portforward.com/zyxel/Prestige600-SUANAT.jpg

start port 27015 , end port 27015

you enter your internal ip address in the next box,
to get that go to a command protmp and type ipconfig,
itll be 192.168.1.2 or something along those lines..

once youve done that your mates should be able to connect to xx.xx.xx.xx:27015 where xx.xx.xx.xx is your ip on whatismyip.com

DonkeyStyle \o/

Subliminal wrote:

@donkeystyle

Can a few other ppl play with me on a listenserver? thru the internet?
If they can that suits me fine.

Yep, I've done this lots of times.

i have set sv_lan 0 in console...no difference

It will make a difference once you've got the ports forwarded believe me

Subliminal

@Chalk, your help is really appriciated on this one. Someone told me to enter the port numbers buy putting 27014 in lower, and 27016 in higher, then your external ip etc. your post is clear and easy to follow, I Am trying your directions now.... Just waiting to finish a download im doing.

@Donkey Style, tks for your help too, but if i have you right, you mean go into CSS, on mainmenu select create server, then you get the bot options etc... is that a listen server? How do i direct other ppl to that...? ie how do i get other ppl to join me?
Will it be listed in public servers list? eg?

All help is greatly appriciated.

Sub.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Subliminal wrote:

@Donkey Style, tks for your help too, but if i have you right, you mean go into CSS, on mainmenu select create server, then you get the bot options etc... is that a listen server? How do i direct other ppl to that...? ie how do i get other ppl to join me?
Will it be listed in public servers list? eg?

Yeah start the server that way... the game will start and you'll be sitting there in the game waiting for others to join.
Assuming your router and firewall are configured properly, people should be able to join your server by using "connect <your.ip>" in their consoles... that's if it doesn't show up in the list of servers... or even if it does show up on the list, this is probably faster for them than searching through the list of servers to find it.
Once again, make sure you set "sv_lan 0".
Once you get people on your server, then the fun really begins... setting up all the server variables and learning all the admin commands. :eek:

Subliminal

@donkey yeah, but how do i change maps, etc all that stuff while im in game?
Also, i typed SV_LAN in console, and got this

] sv_lan
"sv_lan" = "0"
- Server is a lan server ( no heartbeat, no authentication, no non-class C addresses, 9999.0 rate, etc. )

@Chalk i did exactly what you said, but my mates still get a server not responding when trying to connect...any ideas?

Thanks both of you for your help...

Sub

DonkeyStyle \o/

To change maps, use changelevel <mapname> in console.
Where <mapname> is (obviously enough) the name of the map.
For example changelevel de_dust.
You can also change the map using the map command, but it's not normally used on a server because it drops the clients and they'll have to reconnect... so stick with changelevel for running a server.

There are a load of other commands like kicking/banning, messing with the gravity, starting money, C4 timer, round time... here's a good place to start -> http://server.counter-strike.net/server.php?cmd=cmdcs

Subliminal

@donkey Tks a lot, but its not working ( The listenserver ) WHEN A M8 TRIED IT SAID SERVER NOT RESPONDING. I enabled 27015 in NAT/SUI etc on router, by entering both values, then my dynamic ip, but no joy still same problem... IS there any other ports i have to open?... Also, someone said to try add this to cmd line of steam dedicated server, and i tried...

+ip 213.202.147.112

It said Unable to allocate UDP Port

Begining to think ill never get this worjking....

DonkeyStyle \o/

Oh and another thing that popped into my head...
You said you were on EsatBt broadband, so I'll assume you've got something like 1024/128 bandwidth.
This may well be laggy as shít for people who join your server, so special care needs to be taken when tweaking your server settings.
The main problem here is your upstream bandwidth (which I'm assuming is 128kbps, since it seems the norm for BB in Ireland these days, though correct me if I'm wrong)... as the server, your PC will be responsible for running the show... you'll be taking updates from each client and sending them out to every other client.
Now their updates (like where they are, what direction their facing, what direction they're moving in, what weapon they have armed, wheather they're ducking/jumping/firing etc) will be sent to you - the server... this is fine, since your downstream bandwidth is sucking up these updates without a bother... but to have each players client updated with the movements and actions of every other player, you need to send them these updates... and there in lies the problem of having only 128kbs upstream bandwidth... the more players that join the server, the more demand is put on your upstream bandwidth, not only because there's another player on the server and he also needs updates from the server, but also, the players that were on the server already need even more data sent to them per update because they need the position information about this extra player.
So the more players you have on the server, the lag gets exponentially worse.

Now if you're already a seasoned CS player, you probably know how rates work.
And this is the key to running a server where upstream bandwidth is limited... you need to set (if memory serves) sv_maxrate and sv_maxupdaterate to some pretty low values to keep your upstream from choking (and your clients lagging as a result).
There's a bit of maths involved if you want to work everything out exactly, but I've never been ársed doing that... just keep lowering these values until people stop moaning about lag
I'm not 100% sure whether the command is sv_maxupdaterate or sv_max_update_rate or some variant of that, but just type the first part of it, then use your TAB key and you'll find the proper name of that command.

Anyway, it'll probably take some tweaking before you can get this server running the way you want it... there's a CS board here aswell, I'd say some folks there have experience of running listen servers and may have more specific info.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Do you have the windows firewall (or any others) enabled?
Could be worth a look

Subliminal

no firewall installed.....

I think its impossable to run a server...anykind behind esat bt's router/modem.
Ive opened 27015 to 192.168.1.34

Ive set SV_LAN 0

Ive tried it all, searched everywhere etc... nothing

The only thing baffles me, is 2 days ago after running dedicated server from steam menu, some guy STEAMWEED joined... i asked him how. he said he wasnt sure, he just clicked a random name in list....but i cant see my own server in list, howd he get in?

HHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

elexes

Subliminal wrote:

no firewall installed.....

I think its impossable to run a server...anykind behind esat bt's router/modem.
Ive opened 27015 to 192.168.1.34

Ive set SV_LAN 0

Ive tried it all, searched everywhere etc... nothing

The only thing baffles me, is 2 days ago after running dedicated server from steam menu, some guy STEAMWEED joined... i asked him how. he said he wasnt sure, he just clicked a random name in list....but i cant see my own server in list, howd he get in?

HHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

ive made one before but gave it up due to the fact that my upload speeds are crap and couldnt actually support more then maby 2 ppl .

but the fact that someone joined means that ur setup correctly maby ur giving them the wrong ip ????

Subliminal

Well, i need search no more, i talked to someone in ESAT BT, he knew all about CS:S Source dedicated server etc, and said it was impossible to do it behind ESAT's Modem/router.

End of story....

Sub.

Thanks all for trying anyway!

Subliminal

I tried to open port 27015, i set sv_lan 0, i opened port 1200 too, then i launched deicated server ( Source ) and no mates could get in, i was in playing on my own server ( CSS) and all of a sudden it says XXXXX is joining game! I asked the guy, he said i was on server list, ip 213.202.167.145:12071

That port number is weird right? And my mates, when adding that ip to fav's, still couldnt get in....failed after 4 retries. I closed SRCDS, restarted it, another different guy comes in. He says my ip is 212.103.167.145:12801

Whats going on, why is port no changing? and why cant my mates see me in server list???

Sub.