LIVE Dedicated Server problem

I'm having an issue with the dedicated server, that I'm hoping someone here can help me resolve.

The dedicated server is installed on my 2003 R2 SP2 box. The install and update all went smooth. I am able to host a LAN dedicated server without any problem, and connect with a H2V client on the same network. The problem comes when I host a LIVE dedicated server. I start the server, autosignin is configured and works, live key is entered, and status shows the following:
h2server$ status
Network mode: LIVE
Current state: online - pregame lobby
Sign-in: myemailaddy@domain.com (Automatic)
Name: -my server name-
Playlist: -my playlist path-
Custom map folder: -my custom map folder path-

Playing Team Shotguns on Beaver Creek
Next: 3 Plots on Burial Mounds.
No players present.

Privacy is set to OPEN, and the LIVE account that I'm logged in with is a silver account. It looks like it's working right? Well it never shows up in my H2V client in the server browser under the LIVE section.

Both the dedicated server and the H2V client are behind a NAT'ed firewall, and ports UDP/88, UDP/3074, and TCP/3074 are all forwarded to the dedicated server. The H2V client is logged on with a different silver account and the server browser under the LIVE section shows approximately 35 other servers, but not mine.

Any suggestions?

Well I don't know if its the same in Halo 2 as it was in Halo 1.
But in Halo 1 running a dedi. off of your computer you had to change your port numbers. Could be the same.. not exactly sure. I havent messed with the Dedicated server yet.

Try this...

http://www.h2vista.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3179

Thanks for the reply.

I've hosted Halo PC and Halo CE dedicated servers before, and the Halo 2 PC isn't even remotely similar.

I know on Halo 1 there is a switch you can put on the command line that will specify which port the dedicated server should use. I don't see that option for h2server. The only options I've found for h2server are the create/delete service switches and the lan/live switches.

H2V is picky about how it connects and no you can't specify what port it uses or IP for that matter, I'd say it has to do with your firewall settings. Could you just for a test take the firewall out of the picture and see if you can connect?

Thanks Doc.

I'll try it without the firewall this evening and see what happens. The three ports I have forwarded were suggested on another forum, so I'm not sure if they're accurate. I can't seem to find any "official" statement concerning port forwarding and XBox Live. :P

Edit: NM...found the official statement...LOL http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908874

Does that mean your working?

By your original post, it looks as if it is connecting to LIVE. I tmight take a minute or two for it to populate on the list for people to connect to. Also, the server name is the same as the Live Account name you used to have it sign in.

3074 is the only port we have open for our H2V server

and of course 88 thats for HTTP

3074 is for LIVE connection, there are different UDP ports for dedi servers, how do I know? I ran two dedis and one of them said port 20748 was being used (something like that).

you can use a couple of freeware programs (or use the command prompt if you know how) called WireShark and TCPviewer to see what connections are being made and by what program. But I would like to know if you were able to connect w/o the firewall up and running.

Syuusuke is fallowing me :XD:

I have Netlimiter Pro, it shows what ports and the IP address that the server is connected to/using.

I noticed that each time a new round begins, the port changes...and in the lobby it's always 3074...pfft

Well apparently I tried to change too many NAT settings at one time on the ol' SMC router. The UDP/88 and UDP/3074 took, but the TCP/3074 was missing. I added TCP/3074 and it works flawlessly. Thanks for your help everyone.

lol can some 1 help me plz i am running h2 server on vista and it says this

h2server$ status
Network mode: LIVE
Current state: offline -waiting to reconnect
Sign-in winggy-13@live.com (Automatic)
Description: Come Here!!!
Playlist: C:\users\winggy\documents\my games\halo 2\server\funfun.hpl


and i cant connect it just says offline help me plz

Well, either just wait, maybe try if the machine has internet-access, and check your config.

The computer has internet connection and is working fine. I can get in when running the game using live, but when running the dedicated server i cant get it to connect.

Forwarded ports? And not running the server on your h2v gaming machine?

i have a cable modem that i am directly connected to no router (what the hell is forwarding ports???)

Maybe your modem is a modem-router combi, i guess you know where to search for next. And hosting a ded. and playing on the same machine is basicly a no-no...

it isnt i combi. thats what the manual says.

Running a soft-firewall on that machine?

yeh, i have comodo firewall
i'll try lookin at that

brb

I think a very important question was not answered...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vicky

Forwarded ports? And not running the server on your h2v gaming machine?

---

What OS are you running your server on? With vista you must install the service as administrator.

Also is your h2server "service" running? and if not did you try starting it manually?

I've never had any problems with ports needing to be forwarded for the server but i did with the UAC. Turn that off along with windwos firewall.

Make sure you have the latest updates.
Live=http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=98609
M$ update=http://http://download.microsoft.com...718/Update.exe
server update=http://h2v.halomaps.org/index.cfm?pg=3&fid=2236

I'm just listing some of the symptoms of a few of the server problems i have an antidote for. lol

ok im back

Then you may wanna create a network rule that allows UDP 3074 in and out.

Please don't double post. Just edit your previous post.

Thanks.

ok installed the updates, fixed the firewall problem, and i am running the ded on a pc that has the game installed but i have yet to play it on this machine. and it still aint working and about eveory other time i type "status" on my command prompt it says "reconnecting" then "offline- waiting to reconnect"

Vista OS?

Did you check to see the status of your service?

control panel/Administrative Tools/services

If running vista do you have the UAC turned on and/or windows firewall?

restarted both programs but stinn wont connect

uac: off
Firewall: off
halo 2 (game) installed on this machine never used
h2 ded server still not doin shit!!!

Still didn't answer 2 of the 3 questions. Very important ones.

1 i'm assuming now your running on windows vista since you said you have halo installed on that computer. When you installed the service did you right mouse click the CMD prompt and click "run as administrator"? And then log off and back on....

2 Open up control panel/administrative tools/services.
Is your h2server "service" running in there?

3 A new question. Did you try running h2server.exe as a console instead of a service?

Just letting you know i've had about every problem in the book with my DS and alot that were new to everyone.
Oh and don't go installing and uninstalling the h2server service a bunch of times because it is recorded by the big man and your key will become invalid, After that you'll either have to give up on the whole Dedi thing or buy another copy.