How do I host a server?

[jamie]

Hi, I want to host a simple server for my friends and I, we've tried using Hamachi but my friend will always get 1000+ latency, is there a way to host a server without my friends lagging that much?

[Underqualified Gunman]

do you know how to port foward? if so then use that if not then look up a guide find out what your router is then try the normal admin access

[Sparks]

Yes, the easiest way is to host a listenserver from within the game itself - from the main menu select Start New Game, then in the Create Server window that pops up, select your desired map from the Server tab, then from the Game tab un-check the LAN Game tickbox and then set your other options there as desired. When ready, at the bottom of the Create Server window, select the Start button. This will launch your server online.

However, in order for your friend's game to be able to communicate with your new game server, you will first have to create rules in your internet router (forward game ports) which is less complicated than it sounds. There's lots of fteam articles but the best site is www.portforward.com, if you enter your router make and model, and select Half-Life as the game, it usually gives you all the details needed to successfully forward ports.

This is what Hamachi attempts to get around, by creating a VPN tunnel, but it's only good for the players on that network at that time, you won't see your server announced in the Steam Master Server list - for that you need to forward ports and run your listenserver directly.

A console report of STEAM Auth Server means your server has onnected to the steam master server and your game should be visible now in the server list, and joinable by anyone. If you don't get this, and players see your game but get "Server not responding" when they try to connect, then your ports aren't forwarded properly (usually).

This info is all on svencoop.com as well as the steam forums.

[jamie]

Originally posted by Sparks:

However, in order for your friend's game to be able to communicate with your new game server, you will first have to create rules in your internet router (forward game ports) which is less complicated than it sounds.

Actually, it's quite complicated for me. Here in Australia we have a thing called the National Broadband Network. Basicly. I have no router. Therefore I don't know how I can port foward.

[Underqualified Gunman]

HUH WTF tgen

[Sparks]

Originally posted by Zhaeo:

Actually, it's quite complicated for me. Here in Australia we have a thing called the National Broadband Network. Basicly. I have no router. Therefore I don't know how I can port foward.

Ok being in the UK I had to google your NBN, but it looks like whether you are on fibre or copper connection to the NBN, from what I see you will still get a modem/router to connect your home network to the service, and I'm guessing that like most modem/routers this will have a NAT firewall that you need to traverse to enable your game server communicate both ways. Use your modem's admin password to log on to it using your web browser, and explore the 'advanced settings' menu if there is one. See if there's anything like port forwarding/triggering in the menus.

If you are unlucky enough to get your service via satelite due to your location, then I guess that latency will be a big problem for you whatever you do, due to the round-trip time and the very limited bandwidth available from the current generation of satelites.