Multiplayer port 16262 connection issue

[abraxxus]

I am starting a PZ server using the "dedicated server" from steam. I have configured port forwarding for UDP 16261 and 16262 through my firewall, clients are able to connect via 16261 but get a message that 16262 is blocked and performance might be poor, so I am troubleshooting port 16262 specifically. As the Wiki states these are the ONLY two ports required for the server to function now: https://pzwiki.net/wiki/Dedicated_Server#Forwarding_Required_Ports

When a client attempts to connect to port 16262, I see this in my logs:
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: [-> CZombienet: RakNetPeerInterface_Connect.
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: Connecting to X.X.X.X:16262.
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CZombienet: ConnectByAddress.
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: Connecting to: X.X.X.X:16262.
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CZombienet : UpdateConnectionState.
[03-02-23 07:36:33.012] LOG  : Network     , 1675427793012> 137,112,757> [03-02-23 07:36:33.012] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CSteamSDK: PingServer.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.026] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795026> 137,114,771> [03-02-23 07:36:35.026] > ZNet: CSteamSDK -> CZombienet: ServerFailedToRespond.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.026] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795026> 137,114,771> [03-02-23 07:36:35.026] > ZNet: Failed to retrieve server information by its IP.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.026] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795026> 137,114,772> [03-02-23 07:36:35.026] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CZombienet : UpdateConnectionState.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.026] LOG  : General     , 1675427795026> 137,114,772> Failed,ServerFailedToRespond.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,772> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: CRakNet -> CZombienet: OnFailedConnectionAttempt.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,772> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: OnFailedConnectionAttempt: reason=ConnectionAttemptFailed.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,772> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CZombienet: DoNextConnect.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,772> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: Steam Connection attempt X.X.X.X:16261.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,773> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CZombienet : UpdateConnectionState.
[03-02-23 07:36:35.027] LOG  : Network     , 1675427795027> 137,114,773> [03-02-23 07:36:35.027] > ZNet: CZombienet -> CRakNet : Connect.

It seems as though clients are reaching my server on port 16262 but when CSteamSDK: PingServer is ran it fails to respond... Does this ping require a different protocol (aka ICMP) to be forwarded as well instead of ONLY the UDP protocol required on 16261 and 16262?

Clients are successfully connecting via steam when 16262 fails.

[EnigmaGrey]

Yeah, basically the bug there is the message should be hidden. The game is technically right: port 16262 is unreachable, but it's by deliberate choice  at the end user, but that's not exactly useful info.

[Beard]

The "port 16262 closed" error is specifically caused by the 16262 UDP port not being correctly opened either on the server owner’s router or in their firewall. I can only recommend making sure that you correctly port forward the UDP protocol 16261 and 16262 ports to your Local IP. Alternatively, it will show up if you use the "Use Steam Relay" option when connecting to a dedicated server. In which case it can be ignored, if the Steam Relay provides better stability over the direct connection.

 

Here are some good guides for it as well:

https://www.noip.com/support/knowledgebase/general-port-forwarding-guide

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-open-port-windows-firewall

 

If doing that still does not work, I can only recommend contacting your Internet Service provider to make sure that they allow hosting a server on your IP and that they do not block the 16262 port themselves.

[abraxxus]

@Beard Want to circle back around for this. My reasoning for troubleshooting this whole issue with 16262 was because one of my buds was seeing the message that it was blocked. Upon another friend joining us I noticed he connected via 16262 and with connection-type=RakNet ... This lead me to investigate  the person who told me it was blocked in the first place and he had the "use steam" connection option selected - he unselected it and boom, no more error and that person connected via RakNet.

I took a wild guess that you guys default connection types to UDP / 16262 (RakNet) and are doing something to ensure 16262 stays blocked when a user selects the "use steam" option so the error message is a tad misleading. End user sees "Server has 16262 blocked" when in reality it was opened the whole time. Users with the steam connection option shouldn't check for 16262 being opened perhaps...