Port forwarding not working?

[vkzl]

Hi, I have an RT-AX58U. I used to run a dedicated server for the game, Left 4 Dead 2, but have stopped for a year or two. I'm trying to get back in it, and the port I'm trying to open for the server, 27015 for TCP and UDP, remains closed despite setting it to be open in the Asus Merlin Web GUI. (BTW, I'm testing it on port-checking websites using both my WAN IP and the 192.168.xx.xx IP that the device I'm using to host the server has, all sites report closed) I tried port-forwarding on the old firmware that I knew worked, then I tried updating the firmware to release, 3004_338.5_0, nothing has fixed it. I tried reverting back to non-Merlin, stock Asus firmware but I keep getting an "update unsuccessful" error, or something along the lines of that. I may have to factory reset to go back to stock Asus firmware. Before I essentially go nuclear, is there anyone that can help me troubleshoot what is wrong? Attached to this post is an image of my port-forward settings. The internal IP address is the device I'm using to run the server.

I am not at all an expert in any of this, I simply want to host a server to play games with my friends, so go easy on the technical speak. Thank you.

 

[jiroko25]

First of all make sure you have the game server open and listening on that port 27015
Second you can't use port checking websites with your local address (192.168.x.x) use your public IP address ( you can get it from icanhazip.com)
Third make sure your ISP allow open ports, my ISP for example provide me with 2 kind of public addresses randomely, one facing the internet I can have open ports, and another behind WAN, I just restart my modem couple of times until I get the first kind of ip.

if you want an easy solution, use a VPN, they allow port forawrding, the ping will increase a little but it will solve your problem even if ISP don't allow open ports

 

[vkzl]

First of all make sure you have the game server open and listening on that port 27015
Second you can't use port checking websites with your local address (192.168.x.x) use your public IP address ( you can get it from icanhazip.com)
Third make sure your ISP allow open ports, my ISP for example provide me with 2 kind of public addresses randomely, one facing the internet I can have open ports, and another behind WAN, I just restart my modem couple of times until I get the first kind of ip.

if you want an easy solution, use a VPN, they allow port forawrding, the ping will increase a little but it will solve your problem even if ISP don't allow open ports

1. The game is listening on that port, no one can connect, not even any devices connected to the same network used by the device hosting the server.
2. I said in the original post I tried my public and private IP.
3. My ISP may be the culprit here but I just don't fully understand what you said means. How can I tell if my ISP is providing me an IP? How Is it different from my WAN IP that's listed in the Asus Web GUI? I also already tried calling my ISP but I got a foreign person on the phone who only knew basic tech support. I don't really want to pay for a VPN just to host a game server once every couple months.

 

[ColinTaylor]

1. The game is listening on that port, no one can connect, not even any devices connected to the same network used by the device hosting the server.

So this is nothing to do with port forwarding. Try temporarily disabling the firewall on the hosting server.

 

[vkzl]

So this is nothing to do with port forwarding. Try temporarily disabling the firewall on the hosting server.

Just turned off the firewall and restarted the device, port is still closed.

EDIT: I decided just to test the server again and found that my laptop on my network was able to join the server. Then I asked a buddy to join and he was able to. So I guess the server works now, but what gives? Why didn't it work 2 months ago, and why do my ports still say they are closed? Anyone have any ideas?

 

[ColinTaylor]

and why do my ports still say they are closed?

If your server is using UDP for port 27015 then the online port checkers won't work as they can only test TCP.

 

[vkzl]

If your server is using UDP for port 27015 then the online port checkers won't work as they can only test TCP.

I have both TCP and UDP open, all sites report closed. I guess my problem is "fixed" now but I'm dissatisfied with it just kinda fixing itself.