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Server Troubleshooting

Most server problems show up in the log files (logs/).

If you are running the container image, you can also check:

docker compose logs --tail 100

The server stops right after starting

  • No configuration: A first start without cfg/server.cfg displas a hint to rename the shipped server.cfg.example. Copy and adjust it, start again
  • The port is already in use: Another program on the machine is bound to the game or voice port. Stop it or move your server to another port as described in Networking & Ports
  • The bind address is wrong: A sv_bindaddr that names an interface the machine does not have cannot be used. Remove the setting to listen on every interface again
  • The server cannot write to its folder: The updater and log writing both need write access to the server directory
  • You did not provide a sv_server_key nor did you set sv_lan true. If you do not want to register your server in the global server list, setting sv_lan allows you to run your server without any internet connectivity

Players cannot connect

  1. Is the server listening? The log contains the bind address, usually [::]:20770. If it does not, see the previous section
  2. Are the ports open? Both UDP and TCP are needed for both ports
  3. Is traffic reaching the machine? On home connections this means forwarding the ports from the router to the machine running the server. Also make sure to make a firewall exception
  4. If you are hosting a public server using a server key, make sure that the address you are advertising in sv_endpoint is correct. If you are not advertising an address, your server is listed under its registered IP address
  5. In a container, are the ports published? A port has to be listed in the compose file. Leaving it out makes the server unreachable even though it starts fine

If a player is on the same network and cannot connect either, the problem is likely with your configuration and not with your network infrastructure.

Players connect but get stuck loading

Check if you forgot to open the TCP side for both ports. Bundle downloads happen via HTTP, which is a TCP connection.

Voice chat does not work

Voice chat uses its own port, both UDP and TCP. If the game itself works and voice does not, verify that you forwarded and opened the second port.

A good indicator for network issues with VOIP is repeated client log entries like this:

audio::voip::VOIPManager: Failed to connect to VOIP server <server_ip>:20771. Requesting a fresh password

Voice can also be disabled on the server with sv_voip_enabled, check your cfg/server.cfg.

The server keeps restarting or stopping

Some automatic restarts are expected, depending on your update configuration. If a server keeps repeatedly restarting, it might be crashing. Inspect the log files in logs/ and make a report.

The server does not appear in the server browser

The server is either lacking a sv_server_key issued from the management panel or is outdated and requires an update (see Updates)

Where to look next