Games' server browser STOPS my internet connection

[Marko]

I've been having this issue now for years but only for certain games, it's time to finally crowd source a solution.

Space Engineers - Hell Let Loose - Garry's Mod

Those are 3 game examples that I can think of, when using their in game server browser - it stops my internet.

Basically, when I click on "Enlist" for example in Hell Let Loose, which starts loading all the possible servers - it takes upwards of 2-3 minutes for the list and in the mean time, I cannot do anything else that relies on an internet connection.

Discord stops working, Chrome / Firefox / Edge all won't open even google, instead it is just loading forever UNTIL the server browser in the game loads the servers or I cancel it.

Even when I cancel the server browser and go back to the main menu, it takes a few seconds for the internet connection to react normally.

Using speedtest, my internet connection hovers around 80+ mbit (not mb) download and 40mbit upload. My packetlosstest results are perfect as well, 0.0%

The things I've tried to fix this are:

* I tried changing the built in steam settings value from 5000 to 300 but all this does is shorten the amount of time the browser loads servers and returns a very small amount of servers now. So in general, this does absolutely nothing worthwhile.

* Tried a fresh install of mentioned games

* Formatted my PC multiple times to no avail

* Switched WiFi usb sticks (before you say it's wifi, every other games browsers work fine, the speed is fine, download is fine, everything only breaks when the server browser OF THESE GAMES starts loading servers)

One thing after searching online for now years that someone mentioned is that it could be related to NAT -- I'm no expert and I don't know ♥♥♥♥ about networking, all I know is my NAT is on strict by default from my provider, the hopes of changing that are close to zero because it's in a country where the company will not let you speak to IT but instead will connect you to a random person working as an intern and it's not even my router it's family owned so I don't even want to mess too much with it.)

I've seen A LOT of threads relating to this problem online but in the end barely anyone managed to find a solution and if a solution was found it was extremely niche and not for the majority of those having this problem. I hope anyone experienced something like this and managed to fix it, thank you for your help.

[Iceira]

You sure yuo dont lose Global connection 3 minute in windows, then that happend and it return with a connection again after this.

It's exatly 3minute not 2:50 or 3:10, ( require you know what happend at windows desktop ) assme you can taskout to windows, if you cant do anything.

ps.
Normal it means you have a issue to the wallplug that cause this, you ISP could be good idea to talk with what do they see. are your connection down if they have wallplug as border edge as ISP area or maybe basement in Building complex anfd you have own local network or ISP at campus aka. building complex.

[Nx Machina]

It is your wifi internet connection not being able to process the data quick enough.

As for a speedtest that is only doing a single process and not retrieving from a server list.

[Iceira]

Reboot owbn rouyter also a good idea, just incase ISP did change something.


ps.
Other old advice make sure own router firmware is update, it do happend they do make fixes, and is require, same as your lan netcard drivers.

[Iceira]

just use NAT, alot better then forward rules.

[LabRat13]

Has started happening to me too. When I click on "browser community servers" on CS2, not only it fails to obtain IP from any community server it also kills off the entire internet for me for some time.

[Marko]

Originally posted by LabRat13:

Has started happening to me too. When I click on "browser community servers" on CS2, not only it fails to obtain IP from any community server it also kills off the entire internet for me for some time.

I gave up on playing Hell Let Loose, Garrys Mod and Space Engineers multiplayer because of this. Completely unplayable. Every time I booted up Hell Let Loose, I had to wait several minutes at the server browser and then when it loaded in, all the data is old and basically worthless because the second I click on a (for example) 50/99 server it jumps to 98/99 + 6 in queue.

I used to play Garry's Mod around 2016 a lot but now I can't even browse the servers. So now every time I see a game has this issue (because it's per game not for every game) I refund it and give up.

It seems the general consensus is that it's the NAT rule (going from open to moderate to strict) and mine is strict. Games like Destiny 2 I can't even attempt to play co-op because it won't let me group up with anyone because of my NAT type. I can only co-op with someone who has it on "open" but that was rare among my friend group at the time.

Asking my internet provider about this, being in a country where you would have to go through 10 deadweight employees to get to a person that even knows what a router is, practically impossible.

So for now, I'm avoiding these games like the plague. I have a download / upload speed ranging from 80-150mbit on both ends so the fact that devs make a server browser that causes my router to think it's having a DDOS attack is insane to me in 2025.

[Iceira]

You sure you have all them steam port's open, ask own ISP and Recheck own windows firewall and router.

NAT or not something dont seem to add up here.

ps.
I know for a fatc that host a game and play coup with someone require i have a publih ip adr.
thats my own local house building firewall that our ISP has done it, and the only info i notice was on local own isp webpage it require public ip adr to play with other at playsteamtion network.

Some ISP is very bad to explan or use thats how the security work for that building complex, i had to call them, and alomost drag it out of them. ( thats what other technician call amature , dont forget we other was use to have all ports open. )

Make sure router firmware is update, and you can whitelist aka make right ports open
i doubt steam and game devs is not the problem here, then it work for so many opthers.

Use spare pc or recheck why you have this DOS attack, this mean your router do not allow incoming traffic.

gl with it.

ps.
Router brand support page and own ISP is the right support here for you, and the friend laptop ala spare pc, is to try rulreout own mistake with main pc if you have that choise.

ofc you can ask steam support but i doubt they have any issue, but aient that's why you ask them to make sure there is no issue with it.

Also a clue you have several game issue, why it point at own steam ports is not egtting through. ( CS game is one of them games that is well test by millions of players )
dont think they will agree with you its a game or steam issue.

[Iceira]

Dont forget if you have a wallplug with patch cable you can bypass own router and test directly witha laptop, but that depend on wallplug ports is a rj-45, many connection is that today. ( more a what if own router is the problem somehow. ) also sametime test cable with other cable cat5e or cat6 ( depend on 1gb wan connection or not. )

[76561199488710560]

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[LabRat13]

Originally posted by Ratsmon:

Originally posted by LabRat13:

Has started happening to me too. When I click on "browser community servers" on CS2, not only it fails to obtain IP from any community server it also kills off the entire internet for me for some time.

I gave up on playing Hell Let Loose, Garrys Mod and Space Engineers multiplayer because of this. Completely unplayable. Every time I booted up Hell Let Loose, I had to wait several minutes at the server browser and then when it loaded in, all the data is old and basically worthless because the second I click on a (for example) 50/99 server it jumps to 98/99 + 6 in queue.

I used to play Garry's Mod around 2016 a lot but now I can't even browse the servers. So now every time I see a game has this issue (because it's per game not for every game) I refund it and give up.

It seems the general consensus is that it's the NAT rule (going from open to moderate to strict) and mine is strict. Games like Destiny 2 I can't even attempt to play co-op because it won't let me group up with anyone because of my NAT type. I can only co-op with someone who has it on "open" but that was rare among my friend group at the time.

Asking my internet provider about this, being in a country where you would have to go through 10 deadweight employees to get to a person that even knows what a router is, practically impossible.

So for now, I'm avoiding these games like the plague. I have a download / upload speed ranging from 80-150mbit on both ends so the fact that devs make a server browser that causes my router to think it's having a DDOS attack is insane to me in 2025.

Maybe you could try server browsing using your mobile data and then switch to your wifi when the game connects. Cuz that’s what I am doing as a temporary solution until I fix my problem.

[Ettanin]

Steam's server browser pings up to 5,000 servers per minute.

It's either your weak router or your cheapskate ISP with their cheap CGNAT gateway that cannot handle this kind of traffic. Not Valve's fault.

Try lowering that value and see if it fixes the issue.

[Marko]

Originally posted by Ettanin:

Steam's server browser pings up to 5,000 servers per minute.

It's either your weak router or your cheapskate ISP with their cheap CGNAT gateway that cannot handle this kind of traffic. Not Valve's fault.

Try lowering that value and see if it fixes the issue.

Didn't say it was Valve's fault. I blame these games in particular because any other game server browser doesn't have that kind of thing happen.

Other game browsers can load thousands of servers but these ones don't.

Changing the ping setting makes it so the internet connection doesn't break but the servers don't load anyway because now it's returning 5 servers at a snails pace.