Can't find a friend's LAN server? Here's how to fix it. (Normal LAN network/Hamachi/VPN's)

[ThatBunnyGuy]

Disclaimer: I only know that this procedure works for games that use the steam API for server browsing. If your game uses a separate launcher aside from steam then this is not GUARANTEED to work (although you should still give it a shot).

Before you do anything make sure that your game does not have a direct connect option. If you can direct connect to the server then you shouldn't care if it appears in the browser. You direct connect to a server by going into the direct connect option in your game and typing the IPv4:Port of the server you are connecting to. The default query port for most steam games is 27016 but you can check by typing "?" into the server command prompt (if there is one). For example, if the server is hosted on your own machine enter 127.0.0.1:27016 into direct connect (127.0.0.1 is the loopback interface IP). If you are using a VPN to direct tunnel to the server then ask the person running the server to find the address of their VPN. Finding the IP address of any network adapter is easy and can be done by going to control panel > all control panel items > network connections and right clicking the adapter, clicking "status" and clicking "details". IP is listed as "IPv4 Address".

In the case of Hamachi, make sure windows defender firewall is configured correctly. go to windows defender firewall with adavanced security go to action < properties and hit customize and uncheck hamachi for the domain, private and public profiles. Make sure your friends do it too.

Now, if your game has no direct connect option like mine (a racing game called Wreckfest) and only has a LAN server browser then your problem is the priority metric of adapters on your computer. Steam always queries the network adapter with the lowest adapter interface metric on your computer, as well as the loopback interface (your own computer, or 127.0.0.1). The reason you can't see the LAN game is because steam is querying the wrong network adapter on your computer, this can happen if you have installed virtual network adapters including VPN's or have multiple connections on your computer (Wifi, ethernet, bluetooth, etc.).

The point is, whichever network adapter you want to use to connect to your LAN server NEEDS TO HAVE THE LOWEST ADAPTER METRIC. There are two ways to change the adapter metric, one uses windows powershell (which you can look up if you want to), the other does not require commands and is easy to do. Go to control panel > all control panel items > network connections and right click the adapter you want to use to connect to the LAN server. Click "Properties", select "Internet Protocol Version 4", click "Properties", click "Advanced", Make sure the "Automatic metric" box is deselected and type "1" into the Interface metric, click "ok". Now that adapter has 1st priority on your computer and you should be able to see the LAN game.

If you can't see a LAN server on your own computer then look up how to change adapter metric using windows powershell and change the "pseudo loopback interface" to have the lowest adapter metric.You probably have a weird adapter on your computer that steam is confusing for the loopback interface.

I hope this helps you. :D

[Lawh]

Hey!

Can you give me a little rundown on this, since I have this issue, and would like to solve it in a better way.

So I am hosting a server on my PC. I am trying to join that server on my laptop.

The server does not appear on my laptop, except in the game browser with no info, only an IP. This is fine, but I am sure I will run into this problem again. My PC is connected through cable. My laptop is connected through WiFi. They are both connected to the same router.

This game needs to use a loopback system in order for the server to appear on the host machine. It creates a virtual adapter solely for this cause.

So, what value should I give the manual metric and to which machine, just to be sure? Do I have to give the metrics to the virtual adapters, or the actual adapters I am using?

To make this very simple for me, adapter 1 is PC internet. Adapter 2 is PC loopback. Adapter 3 is laptop WiFi. Adapter 4 is laptop looback. This laptop loopback isn't being used right now, since I am not hosting on this machine.

Thanks for any help you can give!

[Fenixico]

This has been bugging me for a while, your solution worked. Thank you! Take my award :)

[Steve]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.