Host Not Responding on Every Server

[< blank >]

Searched the bejeezus out of this, gotta lotta hits, but the only responses either pertain to hosting a server, or link to a tool that has been removed.

Basically, after a few moments of play, I get a "Host Not Responding" error accompanied by the expected behavior such a message entails (if rapid day/night cycling can be called "expected").

On p2p servers, it's usually intermittent, followed eventually by a permanent block where I have to go back to the main menu and reconnect, rinse, repeat. When connected to dedicated servers, it's fairly predictable, with 5-10 minutes of clean play, followed by a permanent block.

I have tried:
- Verifying Files
- Removing Anti-virus software
- Adding The Forest to Windows Firewall's approved list
- Opening Router Ports
- Going full DMZ
- Running both Steam and The Forest as Administrator
- Updating Graphics drivers
- Updating Network drivers
- Lots and lots of different servers
- edit: Reinstalling The Forest
- edit: Reinstalling Steam
- Running around naked while screaming at the sun

Windows 10 (fresh), 100MB network (Time Warner/Spectrum, Southern California), Intel Ethernet I219-V (PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_15BC&SUBSYS_15BC1849&REV_10), no networking issues with any other multiplayer Steam games.

It doesn't seem to be a unique problem, yet I fail to find a working solution.

[Mr_Mosey]

I could be missing something in that list, but did you try adding the game's exe to you AV software's exceptions list?

Also: "DMZ"??

[Mr_Mosey]

Just remembered something.....I recall having connection issues with the game before & it said something like "couldn't connect to steam" or some-such (somesuch? some-such?) & the solution was to reinstall the game, verifying the files wouldn't work.

[< blank >]

Originally posted by Mr_Mosey:

I could be missing something in that list, but did you try adding the game's exe to you AV software's exceptions list?

Well, if uninstalling the AV completely didn't work....

Originally posted by Mr_Mosey:

Just remembered something.....I recall having connection issues with the game before & it said something like "couldn't connect to steam" or some-such (somesuch? some-such?) & the solution was to reinstall the game, verifying the files wouldn't work.

It's not a Steam master server error - but I can give that a shot. (Hopefully dun lose my saves.)

[< blank >]

Originally posted by Mr_Mosey:

the solution was to reinstall the game

Nope, that didn't work (even put it on another drive). Neither did reinstalling Steam. :(

I'd be tempted to leave an angry review about multi-player being a lie, but while I see this error mentioned a lot, I also know other people who play on these same servers with no issues. (Plus, aside from my inability to play multiplayer, game's grand.)

Sometimes, when I try to reconnect to a dedicated server, it gives me an "incorrect password" error, even though the server has no password - dunno if it might be related.

Originally posted by Mr_Mosey:

Also: "DMZ"??

DMZ router mode basically allows all incoming port communication to the designated device, kinda the internet equivalent of riding a $3 trick bareback. Didn't work, but didn't catch anything.

[Mr_Mosey]

Originally posted by < blank >:

Well, if uninstalling the AV completely didn't work....

Hurr durr, that's what I get when post while hungry & tired, just assumed you re-installed the av & completely forgot about the uninstalling the AV part....

Originally posted by < blank >:

Nope, that didn't work (even put it on another drive). Neither did reinstalling Steam. :(

Darn, was hoping it would work. :(

Originally posted by < blank >:

DMZ router mode basically allows all incoming port communication to the designated device, kinda the internet equivalent of riding a $3 trick bareback. Didn't work, but didn't catch anything.

Ahhhh... I see....Well, learn something new everyday, I suppose.


Edit: Sounds to me like it has something to do w/ your ISP...unless this is a brand new problem that showed up outta nowhere w/o anything changing.

[< blank >]

Originally posted by Mr_Mosey:

Sounds to me like it has something to do w/ your ISP...unless this is a brand new problem that showed up outta nowhere w/o anything changing.

Well, I only started playing recently, and I've had the issue since the first time I tried multiplayer. Time Warner/Spectrum is pretty much the largest ISP in Socal, servicing over 10 million, so I think someone would have noticed by now, and I don't think Endnight Games is big enough to have aggravated them in some way. No issues with any other multiplayer games (which is quite a range).

I'd run a tracert, but I'm not sure where I'd run it to. (Meh, back in the day I'd use Prio to monitor TheForest.exe's connections, but I guess I'll have to find something else.)

[Survivalist]

Are you playing with a friend, or connecting to public servers when you are experiencing these kicks?

[< blank >]

Both... Actually, my e-friend's Texas P2P server is the kindest, seems to only do it for a few seconds every minute or so, and rarely permanently. I've tried every P2P server I can find, all do it intermittently and most eventually permanently. All the dedicated servers I've tried hang permanently after 5-10 minutes, but are entirely clean until that point - though there's not a lot of dedicated servers without passwords to test on.

All in all, I'd say I've tried over a dozen P2P servers, and maybe half a dozen dedicated.

[Survivalist]

Originally posted by < blank >:

Both... Actually, my e-friend's Texas P2P server is the kindest, seems to only do it for a few seconds every minute or so, and rarely permanently. I've tried every P2P server I can find, all do it intermittently and most eventually permanently. All the dedicated servers I've tried hang permanently after 5-10 minutes, but are entirely clean until that point - though there's not a lot of dedicated servers without passwords to test on.

All in all, I'd say I've tried over a dozen P2P servers, and maybe half a dozen dedicated.

Would you be interested in trying to join a lobby I host to see if it works? If so please let me know a time you'd like to try! :)

[< blank >]

Eh, gonna give it a shot around now (9PM Pacific). Though it'd be easier to test on a DS, as the effect is more reliable, and better logs.

[Survivalist]

Are you by chance connected to the internet via, wi-fi? Or are you using ethernet

[< blank >]

Ethernet. (Too old to trust this crap with data just flyin' through the air.)