Resolved Workaround if you cannot join your own dedi server

This is a workaround for everybody running a dedicated server on the same PC as the game and albeit other people can join, the dedi host cannot. Usually this is caused by newer routers that don’t support NAT loopback, a necessary function for your network to re-direct http-calls from inside the network.
A solution for people running a dedicated server machine and a dedicated gaming machine in the same LAN has been posted here by @Racki

Hier ein kleiner Trick für alle die einen Dedicated-Server auf ihrem Gaming-PC hosten, aber selbst dem Server nicht beitreten können. Der häufigste Grund dafür sind neue Router die NAT Loopback nicht unterstützen, was aber benötigt wird um http-Anfragen in demselben Netzwerk richtig zuweisen zu können. (Deutsche Anleitung siehe unten)
Falls ihr einen dedizierten Server-PC plus einen Gaming-PC in einem LAN betreibt, funktioniert die unten beschriebene Lösung nicht. Für derartige Fälle hat @Racki hier eine Lösung gepostet.

1. Step

• Press windows-key+R to open the run-dialog, enter “hdwwiz” without the quotation marks and hit Enter.
• In the following window click next, on the next page select the second option (should say sth like “select hardware from a list manually”) and click next again.
• From the list select “network adapter” and click next.
• On the next page select “Microsoft” as Manufacturer (left) and on the right side select “Microsoft Loopbackadapter”. Click next and wait until installation is finished.

2. Step

• Press Win-key+R again, enter “ncpa.cpl” without quotation marks and hit Enter.
• In the appearing window you will find a new network connection called “LAN Connection XY…Microsoft Loopbackadapter”, right click this and select Properties.
• On the Properties page click on “Internetprotocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” so it is highlighted, then click the Properties button.
• Select “Use the following IP address” and enter your PCs external IP, which you can find out here What Is My IP f.e.
• Click OK, a warning will appear, notifying you that the Subnet mask is missing. Simply click OK again and the standard Subnet mask will be entered automatically.
• Click OK.

Now you should be able to join a server within your own network or on the same PC as the game.
Note: If your ISP assigns you a new IP each time you re-connect, you will have to change the IP used in the adapter accordingly (or get a fixed IP). (Cheers to Gareth for pointing this out)

1. Schritt

• Windows Tast+R drücken, ein Fenster öffnet sich und dort "hdwwiz" eingeben, mit Enter bestätigen, "Willkommen" Seite öffnet sich und auf "Weiter" klicken.
• Dann den Punkt "Hardware manuell aus einer Liste wählen und installieren" anwählen, weiter klicken.
• Eine Liste erscheint, dort "Netzwerkadapter" auswählen.
• Im nächstes Fenster links "Microsoft" auswählen und rechts den "Microsoft Loopbackadapter", "Weiter" klicken und installieren.

2. Schritt

• Klicke unten links auf's Windows Symbol, gib "Netzwerkverbindung" ein und lass Dir diese anzeigen (oder Windows-Taste+R drücken und “ncpa.cpl” eingeben).
• Ein neues Netzwerk erscheint in der Liste, welches "LAN VERBINDUNG XY...Microsoft Loopbackadapter" heisst.
• Rechtsklick darauf und "Eigenschaften" auswählen.
• Hier auf "INTERNETPROTOKOLL 4 (TCP/IPV 4)" klicken so dass es blau hinterlegt ist, dann auf den Button "Eigenschaften".
• "Folgende IP Adresse verwenden" aktivieren und die eigene IP eintragen (kann man z.B. hier rausfinden What Is My IP).
• "Ok" drücken. (Es erscheint ein Hinweis, dass die Subnetzmaske fehlt, einfach OK klicken, dann wird die Standardsubnetzmaske automatisch eigetragen (bei mir die 255.0.0.0).)
• "Ok" klicken.

Jetzt sollte der Server auch aus dem eigenen Netzwerk heraus erreichbar sein bzw. wenn er auf demselben Rechner wie das Spiel läuft.
Anm.: Es ist üblich, dass die Internetprovider beim neu verbinden auch eine neue IP vergeben, die müsste dann natürlich im Adapter entsprechend geändert werden. Kann man umgehen. (statische externe IP, aber das müsst ihr bei Bedarf selbst rausfinden)

Cheers

Christian

 

Thank you!!! you saved me hours of searching in google on this topic.

 

I did everything like described but still can't join my own servers. Any else here who has Telekom router (W921V), who could help me out?

 

All ports forwarded?
Firewall entries set?
Are you using DynDNS or alike?
Are external clients able to join?

 

I did the port forwarding and set the loopback adapter to the same ip address as my network adapter. Others can join my servers, just I can't.
I am not using any other tools. What DNS serrver shall be entered for the loopback? I have entered my router as standard gateway and as dns scerver

 

Ok, so ports are forwarded correctly. Was just asking about the DynDNS cause I think if you use that the local IP might have been the wrong choice...
But yes, afaik your routers IP is the one to use...
Sometimes adding a re-route in the Windows host file also helped, maybe try that too. https://help.screenconnect.com/Cannot_access_external_IP_address_from_LAN#Modify_your_hosts_file

 

I found it I had a major thinking mistake - I mistook the IP address for the loopback adapter with the internal IP of my PC, rather than the external IP on the internet. I shouldn't have used ipconfig to find the IP address
Thanks for your help.

 

Ah ok, yes you have to use the external one.
So it works now, you can connect yourself?

 

Yes everything works absolutely fine. A big Danke schön

 

Great.
Glad you found the sollution.

Viele Grüße

Christian

 

Thanks for this guide Christian. Might be worth noting that when your external IP changes you have to go into the LAN Connection XY…Microsoft Loopbackadapter and add in the new IP. This caught me out today, I kept getting the "No response from server" message after joining and selecting a car.

 

If you google "what is my IPv4 IP address?" you will get a proper answer. For me, the link above gave me an IPv6 address. I used the site "ip4.me". Thank you, for the first time I was able to create a server and join my own server.

Developers:
Now can we take this to the next level? How do I get the 4 racing chairs on my home LAN to be able join a game hosted on one of them? I can get the host chair to host and play using the software fix, but the other 3 still suffer from "no response from server" when trying to join that game.

Installing the software loopback fix on those chairs did not work. I have removed firewalls both hardware and software. I checked my ISP provided modem/router for NAT functionality. I put it in bridge mode and tried a router that has options that seem to be NAT loopback functionality (Linksys EA3500 that I have as a spare), but it doesn't specifically describe it as NAT. I removed any sort of network protection from everything Windows and hardware.

Can this be done? We don't want to race on someone else's server. It seems most people would rather play "3 lap crash 'em up and then switch tracks" type of events (no offense to the other racing adults out there, but you know what I am talking about if you have raced on the Internet). We want to race 10 laps on the same track and then do it again, and again, cleanly, all day long, together in the same room on our own dedicated server with our own rules.

We can host and play together all sorts of other racing and FPS games with no issues. We have been hosting and playing Raceroom Injection for years, We REALLY REALLY want to make this game our next game that we play . We have cash and we buy content, probably all of it but not unless we can host our own game and play together. We race every week, together.

I am willing to buy a router with KNOWN "NAT loopback" functionality. Can you suggest one? It seems to be a feature that doesn't exist on most routers anymore. it is apparently a security risk so it is not offered.

All of the NAT info on the internet gets confusing... NAT loopback, NAT hairpin, NAT on a stick... Are all of these the same thing? I am not an IT guy.

Developers: Let's say someone wanted to host a 16 racer LAN event using Raceroom Experience. How would they do it?

My equipment ...
4 clients plug into a Netgear GSS108e 8 port switch.
That plugs into a Cisco Dpc3941T cable modem/router (Comcast is my ISP)
The Cisco modem has a bridge mode, I am ready to try any router that you can suggest that has NAT loopback that works with the game.

Games we have purchased 4 copies of in the past.
Toca
GTR series
Raceroom Injection
F1 series
Dirt Series
Grid series

Thanks for listening.
(FYI I am in California, USA)

 

I think I have found a proper router but I am not sure... On page 73 of the TPLink TL-WDR4300V1 router manual it says there is a switch for NAT...
Link to manual...
(Sorry, I am not able to post links)
Has anyone tried hardware with NAT loopback successfully?

 

The Linksys EA3500 router DOES have NAT enabled so I don't think the solution for me is a new router with NAT. I also made sure that "filter internet NAT redirection" is unchecked (and I have tried it checked too)

Today's testing:
Cisco ISP modem/router in bridged mode
Linksys EA3500 router with NAT disabled and router's firewalls on (high security mode)

results:
Turning router NAT on/off and hardware/software firewalls on/off does not seem to affect anything.
1) I CAN join a game hosted on the same computer using the Microsoft software loopback adapter regardless of those settings.
2) Other computers within my LAN cannot join that game regardless of those settings.

 

Sounds like you haven't configured port forwarding on the router to me, did you do that? I had a similar issue, I could connect but others couldn't. Port forwarding fixed that for me.

 

Thanks for this, everything works great!

 

Finally got everybody within my LAN able to join a game created on a separate machine within the LAN.
It WAS a port forwarding issue. Thanks to Gareth for forcing me to revisit. I had assumed turning off any and all firewalls would open all ports, apparently that is not the case.

-With all firewalls off I still had to set up rules to forward the necessary ports to the local IP address of the host computer. For me, port forwarding rules were not necessary when the same computer was host and client, only the Microsoft Loopback Adapter (see post #1) was necessary. Note your router may change the local IP address it assigns to your computer which affects your forwarding rules...There might have been some time wasted here as I removed power from my router a few times

-Router NAT on/off does not matter, but I had to uncheck "filter internet NAT redirection" within my router settings.

-No Microsoft Loopback Adapter needs to be created if the game is hosted on a computer that will NOT be joining the game, but is within the same LAN as the clients.

Once I got everything set right we were able to have 4 racers driving in a game hosted by a 5th computer, all within the same LAN.

 

Great you got it working.

Just note that the guide above is mostly aimed at people using basic consumer routers. As yours has got advanced NAT settings I assume you've got a more professional/aftermarket router, but in many consumerware pieces all those options aren't available and with those a workaround might still be the only way to host a server and connect to it from within the same LAN.

 

I have following problem:
I can create a server and join. But others cant join my server. Any suggestions?

Ich habe folgendes Problem:
Ich kann einen dezidierten Server erstellen, ihn finden und joinen. Sogar auch fahren ;-)
Andere können diesen finden, aber nicht joinen (no response from server)
Lösungsvorschläge?

Danke und VG

Edit: Der o.g. Text bezieht sich drauf, indem ich meine IP4 eingebe.
Wenn ich die nicht eingebe, kann ich selbst nicht joinen.

 

Also wenn Du selbst beitreten kannst, aber externe Clients nicht, dann liegt das oft an fehlendem oder falsch eingerichteten Port-Forwarding.
Welchen Verbindung hast Du denn und welchen Router? Hast Du schon die erforderlichen Ports freigegeben und wenn ja wie?