Cannot Find and Connect to Many Unofficial/Official Servers

[Wesker's Footrest]

Hi there,
I've never really had much issue with this until ma month ago but it's come to my attention that it's not just a few servers for me. I mainly play official PvP and I've noticed that many servers won't pop up unless i continually refresh for 10 minutes, even the server I play on daily and it sometimes won't even pop up. I understand that there are many servers and sometimes refresh is needed but, when only 3 servers pop up at a time with simply a map filter added in search, I know something is wrong.

Recently a friend has created a dedicated unofficial server for us and all our friends to play on, but I am the only one who cannot join. Anytime i try to join I either get server disconnect or "unable to query server info for invite". In Steam it tells me no matter which way I try to join that the server is not responding and sometimes it'll eventually try to load me in but will say what i put above. I've looked and have done everything it has said:
- Uninstall/reinstall
- Validate files
- Netsh winsock reset command even as admin
- Disabling firewall and antivirus and ensuring that Ark is allowed through it
- Tried joining through steam servers, friends, in game, set launch options, and through external site that provide server info and connect option all with same results.
- Have asked friend to restart and update the server.

I have 5 friends who will be on it at once, all from different parts of US one even in Ireland who join with no issue. all joined before mods where installed to their steam and managed to join with no problem. I have both attempted to join with and without the mods, but no luck.

I honestly don't know what to do, I have looked up these issues and have done everything that they have said would work even steam discussions, but the most recent was from earlier 2019. If anyone has any insight as to how I fix these connection issues, help would be much appreciated!

Thank you!

[rhemis]

the game has a trash server finder... there isnt much you can do about it...

and as of about 2hrs ago all the servers shut then reopened booting heaps of ppl... some servers have a lock on them for some reason and im havin issues logging into official pve with it saying that the server is "locked"

[Wesker's Footrest]

Originally posted by Rhemis:

the game has a trash server finder... there isnt much you can do about it...

and as of about 2hrs ago all the servers shut then reopened booting heaps of ppl... some servers have a lock on them for some reason and im havin issues logging into official pve with it saying that the server is "locked"

Haven't had the servers say that they are locked mainly just unresponsive but I'm really confused since this is a more recent issue for me. I don't know if it is a problem on my end or on Ark/ Steam's end.

[retsam1]

You've two issues I'll try to address.

Finding servers on the in game server list:

This issue is with the rather antiquated server listing system for the game in conjunction with how steam manages it too. There really isnt anything you can do within steam.

However, most players use the battlemetrics website to find and connect to servers via its connect button.



Your friends unofficial server:

However you mention attempting to connect to modded servers. There are a few things you need to keep in mind with this:

1. If its your first time to connect to such a server and you do not have the mods already, it will trigger a mod download from steams workshop and auto subscribe you to the mod. This takes time and during such you will time out or disconnect from the server.

So I recommend at that stage to wait for the mod to finish downloading as you watch it from the download menu. Once done, attempt to reconnect to the server and it will then trigger the next mod to download and rinse and repeat the process.

Alternatively if you know every single mod, you can opt to subscribe to them directly from the steam workshop and then connect to the server, speeding up the process to a certain degree.

2. Modded servers do not automatically(necessarily) update mods as an update comes out(mod makers update at all hours of the day or night is why). Thus its not uncommon, especially on servers with tons of mods, that a mod mismatch can occur and you cannot connect to a server if you have the latest version of any of the mods and the server itself does not. You'll have to wait til the owner updates accordingly.

3. With Ark having such a robust modded content section of the steam workshop, unfortunately there are mods that are broken, abandoned, cause bad interactions with other mods etc. In addition to this, failing to load mods in specific order by a server (ie owner didnt do it right) in some cases can also be a problem. In those instances the server essentially can crash and you'll get typically server not responding/failed to disconnect.

4. If a player makes a server from their own comp and has firewalls or other similar things blocking or inappropriately set, that'll also prevent access.

5. If a server owner sets a white list requirement play, you cannot access the server and get failure messages or just pop back to the menu screen if the owner hasnt added your steam id to the white list.

and the list of issues goes on.

Discerning what is exactly at the root cause of your friends server isnt clear yet at this point.

If you can find their server on battlemetrics but its showing failure to query it means its a server side issue.

[Wesker's Footrest]

Originally posted by retsam1:

You've two issues I'll try to address.

Finding servers on the in game server list:

This issue is with the rather antiquated server listing system for the game in conjunction with how steam manages it too. There really isnt anything you can do within steam.

However, most players use the battlemetrics website to find and connect to servers via its connect button.



Your friends unofficial server:

However you mention attempting to connect to modded servers. There are a few things you need to keep in mind with this:

1. If its your first time to connect to such a server and you do not have the mods already, it will trigger a mod download from steams workshop and auto subscribe you to the mod. This takes time and during such you will time out or disconnect from the server.

So I recommend at that stage to wait for the mod to finish downloading as you watch it from the download menu. Once done, attempt to reconnect to the server and it will then trigger the next mod to download and rinse and repeat the process.

Alternatively if you know every single mod, you can opt to subscribe to them directly from the steam workshop and then connect to the server, speeding up the process to a certain degree.

2. Modded servers do not automatically(necessarily) update mods as an update comes out(mod makers update at all hours of the day or night is why). Thus its not uncommon, especially on servers with tons of mods, that a mod mismatch can occur and you cannot connect to a server if you have the latest version of any of the mods and the server itself does not. You'll have to wait til the owner updates accordingly.

3. With Ark having such a robust modded content section of the steam workshop, unfortunately there are mods that are broken, abandoned, cause bad interactions with other mods etc. In addition to this, failing to load mods in specific order by a server (ie owner didnt do it right) in some cases can also be a problem. In those instances the server essentially can crash and you'll get typically server not responding/failed to disconnect.

4. If a player makes a server from their own comp and has firewalls or other similar things blocking or inappropriately set, that'll also prevent access.

5. If a server owner sets a white list requirement play, you cannot access the server and get failure messages or just pop back to the menu screen if the owner hasnt added your steam id to the white list.

and the list of issues goes on.

Discerning what is exactly at the root cause of your friends server isnt clear yet at this point.

If you can find their server on battlemetrics but its showing failure to query it means its a server side issue.

It's not just this server that I am having this issue with it includes non modded official as well. All mods from there are downloaded for me and when my friend created the server my steam id was added as an admin. One of the external sites I was talking about is battlemetrics and I just get the same result. The fact that 4 other people besides the owner can join with no problem is concerning to me on my end.

[retsam1]

Originally posted by CryyMyselfToSleep:

It's not just this server that I am having this issue with it includes non modded official as well. All mods from there are downloaded for me and when my friend created the server my steam id was added as an admin. One of the external sites I was talking about is battlemetrics and I just get the same result. The fact that 4 other people besides the owner can join with no problem is concerning to me on my end.

If you cannot connect to official servers, then you've an issue with either:

1. Your internet provider/country(as some do) blocking access.
2. Your router's firewall
3. Your computer's firewall.
4. Webroot (Dont use it)
5. Other virus checkers.


If you just have to refresh frequently to see servers in the ingame list:

1. That's just steam's server network issues. Use Battlemetrics to connect, Steam's View menu for servers etc and not the ingame one. Many do not use the in game system to see servers/connect/find em either.

With your friend's server:

If your friend added your steam ID as an admin AND -none- of the 1-5 possibilities match from above, its possible he mistakenly blacklisted you. I suggest having him remove your id from admin status and have him double check that he's not mistakenly banned you or similar.

However, Im inclined at this point to think its your comp settings/programs, router or provider etcl since blanket'dly you cant access any server what so ever.

Good luck to you.

[Wesker's Footrest]

Originally posted by retsam1:

Originally posted by CryyMyselfToSleep:

It's not just this server that I am having this issue with it includes non modded official as well. All mods from there are downloaded for me and when my friend created the server my steam id was added as an admin. One of the external sites I was talking about is battlemetrics and I just get the same result. The fact that 4 other people besides the owner can join with no problem is concerning to me on my end.

If you cannot connect to official servers, then you've an issue with either:

1. Your internet provider/country(as some do) blocking access.
2. Your router's firewall
3. Your computer's firewall.
4. Webroot (Dont use it)
5. Other virus checkers.


If you just have to refresh frequently to see servers in the ingame list:

1. That's just steam's server network issues. Use Battlemetrics to connect, Steam's View menu for servers etc and not the ingame one. Many do not use the in game system to see servers/connect/find em either.

With your friend's server:

If your friend added your steam ID as an admin AND -none- of the 1-5 possibilities match from above, its possible he mistakenly blacklisted you. I suggest having him remove your id from admin status and have him double check that he's not mistakenly banned you or similar.

However, Im inclined at this point to think its your comp settings/programs, router or provider etcl since blanket'dly you cant access any server what so ever.

Good luck to you.

I do use webroot but at one point i turned everything off to see if that would help and it didnt. may be an issue with router but i dont know how to change that... I can access some servers but in order for different ones takes a few refreshes for multiple.

[retsam1]

You need to remove webroot. Period. Do a search on here and you'll see various threads of complaints sourced to webroot. Im convinced thats your issue now.

[Wesker's Footrest]

Originally posted by retsam1:

You need to remove webroot. Period. Do a search on here and you'll see various threads of complaints sourced to webroot. Im convinced thats your issue now.

so you're saying webroot could be the issue to all of this? If I remove will i be able to get it back? Not really a pro at this had my pc repaired awhile ago and webroot came with it after repair.

[zerassar]

Webroot is confirmed to be causing issues even if you think you've turned it off. Needs a full uninstall

[Wesker's Footrest]

Originally posted by zerassar:

Webroot is confirmed to be causing issues even if you think you've turned it off. Needs a full uninstall

oof uninstalled and restarted pc hopefully it'll work

[Wesker's Footrest]

Thank you all so much!! As soon as I opened my servers everything was back and I am able to join the servers I want to! I know it probably seemed like an obvious answer but I had no idea what to do. Thank you!!

[zerassar]

No stress mate. Ideally you should now look at either replacing webroot or getting webroot to fix the issue long term