Dedicated server maybe not working

[Neiro]

I've been running a server 24/7 since the end of last year. Lately I've run into problems with it. Specifically, it doesn't show up on other people's game list and when trying to connect via ip they usually get an error telling them the server is full. Meanwhile I can connect just fine on lan. No problem was observed prior to the last update, so I suspect it has to do with that. Game logs are not revealing anything.
During troubleshooting I did notice that I was receiving announcement packets from other servers as if the server was browsing the server list itself. Curious, but probably just bad coding.

Since the game works for me locally, I've tested using a remote connection to work and logging into games from there. A few hours ago I was able to see the server in the server list, but a friend just told me he still can't see it.

What I've tried and can remember:

• Validating files thru steam but copying my own playfield and sectors files back.
  
• Rewriting the dedicated.xml from scratch.
  
• Made firewall rules both for all the udp ports and for the two program files.
  
• Briefly turned off the firewall altogether.
  
• Restoring a backup of the saves folder from yesterday.
  
• Checked resmon to confirm empyrion was listening to the correct ports.
  
• Checked with wireshark to confirm that data was indeed arriving.
  
• Tried running with the basic gui.
  
• Checked to confirm the dedicated and connection logs didn't tell me anything useful.
  
• Changed the server name from a long one to ABBA
  
• Removed the password requirement
  
• Removed the description
  
• Removed the custom size limit
  
• Updated Windows and rebooted

What I've experienced in the process:

• If someone tries to guess the password to your server, it won't show up in the connection log. But the logfiles will complain that someone disconnected without being connected
  
• One time a friend was able to log in, set and start a survival constructor, but after a short time he was dropped from the game. As a consequence the server couldn't boot up next time due to a corrupt player profile.
  
• After rewriting the configuration file, setting a short name and not setting a password, I was able to log in from work. I didn't stay long enough to see if I would get kicked, as the laptop I was remotely controlling isn't suited for this task. I have a suspicion that it just randomly worked.
  
• This morning (23 hours ago) when I was first made aware of the issue, I couldn't find any indication to what could be wrong. Just before lunch, I got a text that this particular person was now able to connect again, and all was fine. I have a suspicion this too just randomly worked.

Relevant background information:
The server's running on an old Windows 2008 R2 installation connected directly to a fiberoptic uplink. There is no router with port forwarding (nat/pat) between it and the internet. It's running as a router internally in the building, hosting a website and a minecraft and ventrilo server on the side. None of the other things have symptoms.
The hardware is an 8 core cpu with 32gb memory and three active network adapters. Empyrion is hosted on a mechanical drive as that's where steam happened to be installed. I have not tried to move it to an SSD, as all its files are cached in memory anyway.

Now, if you bothered reading any or all of the above, I'd like feedback on what to do to fix the issue.

Has someone experienced the same issue and found a solution?

Could someone perhaps try to join the server (name ABBA ; ip 37.128.219.42) or come with useful suggestions?

Edit: Small note. When the patch was released, that fixed the playfield data resetting, I started the world from scratch and copied in all the buildings and vehicles we had. So the savegame sort of isn't very old.

[Neiro]

After some more troubleshooting I've concluded that the issue is twofold.
1) Sometimes changing the dedicated.xml somehow breaks something and I have to write a new one to fix it. Not sure how or why or anything. Doesn't make sense in my mind.
2) When I'm connected to the server via a lan adapter inhouse, it doesn't seem to respond to trafic from the internet nic anymore - making it invisible. If I join after someone from the internet is online, that person will be kicked - the log file will read as if he logged off.

So in conclusion I think the game's just messed up. I'll wait for the next patch. Minecraft had similar issues back in the beta 1.3 or so days.

On a side note - a new install of the game stopped the game from receiving game browser notifications from other servers - so I think some of the 100MB leftovers after uninstall weren't just log files but functionality that was obsolete.

[Ethos]

Originally posted by Neiro:

1) Sometimes changing the dedicated.xml somehow breaks something and I have to write a new one to fix it. Not sure how or why or anything. Doesn't make sense in my mind.

I'm running Windows Server 2008 R2 as well and haven't ran into anything like this. It doesn't make any sense to me either. Only thing I could think of is the file permissions are being changed.

Originally posted by Neiro:

2) When I'm connected to the server via a lan adapter inhouse, it doesn't seem to respond to trafic from the internet nic anymore - making it invisible. If I join after someone from the internet is online, that person will be kicked - the log file will read as if he logged off.

It almost sounds like something else is trying to share the same ports. Are you using the default 30000-30004 range? if so, you might try something different, if you haven't already. Can't really think of anything else at this point.

I'll have to think on this one. I've been retired since 2009 and haven't done much tech troubleshooting since! Just 24/7 gaming! I'm surprised I still remember how to tie my own shoes!

[Neiro]

I've checked with resmon, and there are no other things listening to the same ports, and resmon reports firewall rules being fine as well. I have tried shutting down services to see if it helps - but most things are in use. I shut down ventrilo though. No change.
As for file permissions, I can't see how that'd be affected. The software's run as local administrator, which is the same user that runs steam - and steam sets the permissions so the users have access. I'll go and take ownership and grant 'everyone' full access in a sec, but it probably won't be the culprit considering I've even moved to another storage medium.

My bet currently is that it is binding to only one network adapter at a time (resmon sais it is listening on all adapters by the way)

[Ethos]

Your server doesn't show up in the server list when I look or filter for it.

I was able to login directly without issue.

[Neiro]

I just restarted the server - I think that's why you're able to get in - I saw you are in :)
But I bet if I log in from the inside now, you'd get kicked

[Ethos]

Originally posted by Neiro:

I just restarted the server - I think that's why you're able to get in - I saw you are in :)
But I bet if I log in from the inside now, you'd get kicked

Yep. Soon as you logged in "Connection to server lost"

[Phelbore]

Sorry for the unconstructive post, but you've already done everything I can think of. Does your work really let you run game servers (and from the sounds of it, clients), and are they hiring? :)

[Neiro]

The server is situated in my guestroom at home - not at work.
I work in IT, so I know what I'm doing and can afford to run a server like that.
The company does pay for the fiber connection though, but they would've done that anyway.