Local Server connection issue! Please help 😭

[JordOFFF]

I will give you a brief overview of my issue. I have just moved into a new house without an internet connection. Prior to the move I updated Ark, and my Ark server Files from ASM (Ark Server Manger). Game Client and server version is the same running on 297.64.
Currently on the server there are no mods. Just the base game.

On to set up, I have 2 Pc's on Windows 10 both connected to a router(Without a braodband connection). One PC has the ASM installed with the game files for: Abberation, Extinction, Ragnarok and The Centre. Below are the ports each are on.

The Centre - Server port:7777 Query Port:27015
Ragnarok - Server port:7779 Query Port:27016
Extinction - Server port:7781 Query Port:27017
Abberation - Server port:9999 Query Port:37015

All server look functional from ASM. See image with 4 Console windows and Task Manager...


Moving on to attempting to join the Ark servers I have created. Within the game I can't see any of the servers, I've checked under: Lan, Favourite's and unofficial and nothing.

Attempting to join via Steam > View > Servers
I have added the address for the PC which the server is being ran from in my case 192.168.0.32. when attempting to hit connect I get the error message "unable to query server info for invite".

I have tried an alternative method of plugging one end of the network cable Into the server PC and one into the gaming end then created a work group. Same result.

Onto the firewall, I have followed a guide on the wiki about servers and have opened the following:
Inbound - UDP:7777
Inbound - UDP:7778
Inbound - TCP:27020
Inbound - UDP:27015

I have created rules under outbound and inbound for both gaming PC and server PC to allow any ark related program through the firewall this failed as well. I then factory reset the firewall and then disabled the firewall on both PCs too. Same error for all methods. "unable to query server info for invite".

While messing with all of this and having the four servers running I sometime cause a fatal Ark Error when selecting join Ark from the main menu. If I disable the firewall from both machines and run the servers.

To add steam is in offline mode.

I think I have got all of my findings in. Please let me know if there is anything confusing or I have poorly worded. I wrote this while reattempting everything. I have contacted ASM support and they have suggested everything is fine from that point of view as it only opens the ports.

The reason I am trying to do this is to host a LAN Cluster Server. For me and one other to play. If there is another way I can do this please let me know I am open to anything..

[Gran]

@crimson, wise ;-)


The op should just run the ASM with Admin rights so the firewall is set right.
Furthermore he should try to connect to 192.168.0.32:QueryPort_of_the_desired_server

edit after reading the rest of the posting.
if you really opened just the 4 Ports you said. That will never work.
You have to open at least UDP: 7777,7779,7781,9999,27015-27017,37015

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

@crimson, wise ;-)


The op should just run the ASM with Admin rights so the firewall is set right.
Furthermore he should try to connect to 192.168.0.32:QueryPort_of_the_desired_server

edit after reading the rest of the posting.
if you really opened just the 4 Ports you said. That will never work.
You have to open at least UDP: 7777,7779,7781,9999,27015-27017,37015

Granted I didn't list all the port I had opened. I can't get any of the server to allow a connection for a start. So I listed the mains one for one server.

Surely it's irrelevant if I disable the firewall entirely. Technically everything is the open.

[Gran]

disable the servers firewall

Steam > View > Servers > Favorites > Add Server > add 192.168.0.32:27015 > check games

What does it say?
what does the Server Window of the Center say about the ports it listens too?

did you try to run the server with ?MultiHome=192.168.0.32 in the startup.bat ?

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

disable the servers firewall

Steam > View > Servers > Favorites > Add Server > add 192.168.0.32:27015 > check games

What does it say?
what does the Server Window of the Center say about the ports it listens too?

did you try to run the server with ?MultiHome=192.168.0.32 in the startup.bat ?

So I disabled the firewalls on both ends.

Trying to join the server via steam servers. It appears it tells me;
Server name
Game
Latency
Map is blank
Player 0/0

https://i.gyazo.com/c50816905355e36206070337850d8af6.jpg

[Gran]

If the Map shows as blank there might be a problem with the server files more specific with the map files for the Center.

since you can't download at the moment, check file numbers and size between your Game and Server PC's.

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

If the Map shows as blank there might be a problem with the server files more specific with the map files for the Center.

since you can't download at the moment, check file numbers and size between your Game and Server PC's.

I have hotspot my phone to the server pc and validate the game files.

Plus I have tried all of the maps.

[Gran]

and all of them showed as Blank in the Steam Server View?
that's highly unusual.


edit: And did you gave the Server a Name in ASM, cause it shows as "ARK #251709" ?

edit check the GameUsersettings.ini for that part
[SessionSettings]
SessionName=<ServerName>
Port=7777
QueryPort=27015
MultiHome=192.168.0.32

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

and all of them showed as Blank in the Steam Server View?
that's highly unusual.


edit: And did you gave the Server a Name in ASM, cause it shows as "ARK #251709" ?

They did have a name at first. I named them all after the maps I was assigning to them.

Think I am going to go to my grand parents with my PC and reinstall ASM, Ark and pull down everything I can. Then take the pc back home

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

and all of them showed as Blank in the Steam Server View?
that's highly unusual.


edit: And did you gave the Server a Name in ASM, cause it shows as "ARK #251709" ?

edit check the GameUsersettings.ini for that part
[SessionSettings]
SessionName=<ServerName>
Port=7777
QueryPort=27015
MultiHome=192.168.0.32

So, I took my hosting PC to my grandparents and teamviewered to it all day. I updated ASM, and each map via ASM. Everything looked successful. So I I stalled steam on the host PC and added the server in to Steam > view > servers. Under the lan setting I could see my server. It loaded the amount of player on the server properly and pulled the map name through.

So I shut it all down properly unplugged the PC and return home after work, plugged my host PC back in and booted everything up. From both the host and the game PC I looked under the server view with steam and it's returned no map and players 0/0. Nothing has changed. Can anyone tell me why you need the internet to host a lan server? sob

[margalus]

This may not have anything to do with your issue, but do you have any mods? If even one mod has a different version on the server or client the server will become invisible on lan.

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by margalus:

This may not have anything to do with your issue, but do you have any mods? If even one mod has a different version on the server or client the server will become invisible on lan.

No mods are installed. I removed all mods from my gaming pc. However S+ keeps trying to install. Nothing is on the server.

[Gran]

Originally posted by A$AP JordON:

Originally posted by Gran:

and all of them showed as Blank in the Steam Server View?
that's highly unusual.


edit: And did you gave the Server a Name in ASM, cause it shows as "ARK #251709" ?

edit check the GameUsersettings.ini for that part
[SessionSettings]
SessionName=<ServerName>
Port=7777
QueryPort=27015
MultiHome=192.168.0.32

So, I took my hosting PC to my grandparents and teamviewered to it all day. I updated ASM, and each map via ASM. Everything looked successful. So I I stalled steam on the host PC and added the server in to Steam > view > servers. Under the lan setting I could see my server. It loaded the amount of player on the server properly and pulled the map name through.

So I shut it all down properly unplugged the PC and return home after work, plugged my host PC back in and booted everything up. From both the host and the game PC I looked under the server view with steam and it's returned no map and players 0/0. Nothing has changed. Can anyone tell me why you need the internet to host a lan server? sob

That's rather odd, i have a maintenance coming up in ~15 hours for my Server, I'll take a look if mine behaves the same way without internet and if there is a way around it...


One possible solution tho, you said you tethered your phone to your pc, did you try to tether you phone to the server while starting it up, checking if the server is fully up and then removing it and check what happens?

[margalus]

Originally posted by A$AP JordON:

Originally posted by margalus:

This may not have anything to do with your issue, but do you have any mods? If even one mod has a different version on the server or client the server will become invisible on lan.

No mods are installed. I removed all mods from my gaming pc. However S+ keeps trying to install. Nothing is on the server.

S+ should not keep trying to install. Something is odd there. Did you look for the mod folder and manually delete it? On both the client and server computers? Make sure you have all references to it out of ASM?

[Gran]

The behavior you're seeing seems to be normal now if the Server has no Internet access while starting up, same did mine while testing.

But it seems that the Server needs connect to the Internet only at two occasions.
The Server needs Internet Access while starting up.
And the Server needs Internet Access while someone tries to join the LAN Server.

If you're on the LAN Server and playing the loss of Internet Access seems to have no effect.
At least i could teleport, fast travel, kill stuff and craft for the half hour i tested it without Internet Access for the Server.

[JordOFFF]

Originally posted by Gran:

Originally posted by A$AP JordON:

So, I took my hosting PC to my grandparents and teamviewered to it all day. I updated ASM, and each map via ASM. Everything looked successful. So I I stalled steam on the host PC and added the server in to Steam > view > servers. Under the lan setting I could see my server. It loaded the amount of player on the server properly and pulled the map name through.

So I shut it all down properly unplugged the PC and return home after work, plugged my host PC back in and booted everything up. From both the host and the game PC I looked under the server view with steam and it's returned no map and players 0/0. Nothing has changed. Can anyone tell me why you need the internet to host a lan server? sob

That's rather odd, i have a maintenance coming up in ~15 hours for my Server, I'll take a look if mine behaves the same way without internet and if there is a way around it...


One possible solution tho, you said you tethered your phone to your pc, did you try to tether you phone to the server while starting it up, checking if the server is fully up and then removing it and check what happens?

I think teathering the phone causes issue. Would have thought that as it's through my Cell provider i'd have no way to portfoward