# Problems using Steam/Counter-Strike v1.6 through a router



## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

Hey all. I ran into some trouble yesterday after installing my first ever router (yay), a NETGEAR RP614v3. I've tried reading up on the Counter-Strike forums as well as portforward.com and techguy.org but can't quite get it going. To get specific...

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The problem is that I can't connect to any Counter-Strike server. When trying to do so, the connection window opens and it says "establishing network connection", but that's as good as it gets. A few seconds later it retries the connection again, which repeats a few times, after which it simply gives up.

I've tried opening the relevant ports which according to both portforward.com and the CS forums are 27000-27015, 27020-27039 and 1200. Having done this my port forwarding settings look like this:










(Before setting up the forwarding of these ports I had issues even starting the Steam application. Well, it actually worked fine the first time I tried after installing the router, but later on in the evening when I tried starting Steam it tried to update itself which failed. Opening the above ports solved this problem at least, now I just can't connect to any servers.)

Now, I didn't specifically configure a static IP for my computer but with my wired router it seems to me that as long as the network cable from my ethernet card is connected to the same place on the router it will always have the same IP, in this case 192.168.0.2. My list of attached devices looks like this then:










My router is running firmware V6.0NA (Sep 03 2004). I have UPnP enabled since it helped me get my FTP client working better. I am also running a software firewall, AVG v7.1. Lastly, my copy of Counter-Strike is quite legal, I bought it (well, HL) years ago.

Much obliged for any help or suggestions. Please let me know if I can add any other information that might help. Cheers.

PS. I suppose it could be something other than the router causing problems, but seeing as I've played CS on this computer perfectly well until yesterday and installing the router is the only significant thing I changed on it yesterday, it seems like a giveaway that that's what's acting up. DS.


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## GCDude (Apr 1, 2005)

All looks pretty good, couple suggestions though:-

the screen shot u have of ports, doesnt say if its tcp or udp ports. When u add them does it give a choice, or does it do both? My site  gameconfig, shows - TCP Ports: 27030-27039 & UDP Ports 1200,27000-27015 for counterstrike.

Youre not using the firewall built into XP as well as AVG's? I would suggest turning both off 'whilst testing' and see if this is the problem. These maybe blocking unless uve stated for them not to. You could also try www.portdetective.com which will test if those ports are truly open.

Let us know how u get on.


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## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

Thanks for the reply. Okay, I had the Windows firewall off originally but reinstalled my system yesterday and then it was on again by default. It's turned off now, and I temporarily disabled AVG as well. Also, in the router configuration there is no option to choose UDP or TCP, which I was concerned about for a while but it seems to me since each port apparently is always either one - like 1200 is always a UDP port - it's not necessary... I guess.

Still doesn't work I'm afraid. I downloaded portdetective and checked a selection of ports in the intervals I've forwarded for CS (27000, 27008, 27015, 27020, 27033, 27039), all of them checking out as "open". For comparison, I tested port 27040 which is outside the intervals and it was reported to be closed, so it seems to work alright.

As far as I can tell I really have forwarded the proper ports correctly. Also like I said I reinstalled Windows, and along with it Counter-Strike as well of course, and AVG and what not. Also tried changing my internal IP like someone suggested, as well as setting a (nother) solid IP and forwarding all ports to that one instead. Bottom line, ports forwarded for IM clients, Skype etc all work, and tests indicate my CS ports are open too... but there it just doesn't work. Lastly I also tried unplugging the router yesterday to run without it, and then CS worked fine, as usual.

I'm running out of ideas frankly, any other suggestions are most welcome. Next I'm phoning the phone support of the store that sold me the router but I've little hope they'll be able to help. Currently I'm thinking it's somehow an incompatibility in how the router is built, so I might just change it for another one too. I'll keep reporting back on how things happen.

Thanks again.


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## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

Additionally, I went further and uninstalled AVG altogether so now I have no software protection for the moment (taking my chances by now!). Also I've tried configuring the router to point to my computer as a DMZ server both with and without the SPI firewall (and a respond-to-ping-or-not setting) but it doesn't make a difference. I still can't connect to any CS servers.


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## GCDude (Apr 1, 2005)

Hmm very puzzling, its sounds like youve got the ports setup correctly (if port detective is coming back and saying those ones are open and the rest are shut, its pretty conclusive!). 

Have you tried any other online games that you may have? Can you run dxdiag and see if everything is okf with DirectX? Apart from that im struggling to come up with any further suggestions at the mo 

Anyone else got any ideas?


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## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

Dxdiag didn't seem to find anything wrong. I haven't tried any other online games, just other online services (MSN, Skype, etc) and they work fine.

Now, in a recent turn of events... I phoned the Swedish Netgear support line and they agreed I'd done pretty much everything I could, but they also sent me a router firmware update (6.1) that wasn't to be found on their webpage ("uhm, oh yeah, I see that hasn't been put on the web yet..."). Anyway, I upgraded and now running a port scanner (ShieldsUP) all the ports I'd previously opened came back as "closed", while those I hadn't touched came back as "stealthy". I also try to connect to CS which doesn't work, although MSN and the others still do. Hmkay goes I, and delete all my port forward settings altogether... and... now I can connect to those CS servers again.

It's weird enough, and I suspect this is the same as when I'd just installed the router... then I could also play fine for an hour or so, but later in the evening I had to start forwarding ports for it to work. Same with other applications, MSN and Skype and the rest, they'd work at first but after some time require their ports to be forwarded.

But, right now I'm running with router operational and can get to anywhere without having any ports forwarded at all. ShieldsUP say all my 1024 first ports are stealthy which is good apparently. If it stays this way, all good, and while I suspect things might start to require forwards again by tonight when I'm getting ready to sit down and play some... maybe, just maybe, the firmware upgrade really did solve the problem.

Fingers crossed! I'll let you know what happens.


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## S132 (Mar 30, 2006)

Steam sucks period.

Im having a problem like yours and its best you posted here, because if you post at the official site forums the volunteer moderators will throw links to faqs or how to fill out a support ticket lmao.


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## GCDude (Apr 1, 2005)

Glad that youre making some progress  even though it dont make much sense, lol

FYI, i suggested directx checking as some games uses directx for network code (msn, skype wouldnt use them), just incase something was screwy there.

yeah let us know if u get the exact issue pinpointed, fingers crossed.


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## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

Well, two days on it's still working so I guess the firmware upgrade really was what made the difference. I still find it somewhat odd that now everything works without any ports forwarded at all, but then a week ago I didn't know FA about routers and I'm hardly an expert now either, so what do I know? 

Conclusion: don't trust official websites to always provide newest drivers/firmware. You'd think... haha, ohwell.

Big thanks to everyone who helped!


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## *chocomintchip* (May 5, 2006)

Hi I just recently made a dedicated server, installed amx mod x on it and made myself admin. Now the last thing to do is to open the right ports so people can connect to my server. I know how to open the ports I just dont know which ones to open. Im running on my parents router and I know the user name and password to get into the router to open the ports. Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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## anlag (Mar 5, 2005)

*chocomintchip* said:


> Hi I just recently made a dedicated server, installed amx mod x on it and made myself admin. Now the last thing to do is to open the right ports so people can connect to my server. I know how to open the ports I just dont know which ones to open. Im running on my parents router and I know the user name and password to get into the router to open the ports. Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Bit late, but others may have the same problem so I'm posting this all the same. It's directly copied from a post by PanchoDaz on the www.counter-strike.net forums:



> Router Ports
> If you use a router to connect to the internet then you will need to make sure that you have not restricted the ports that Steam needs in order for you to play.
> 
> The following ports should be opened for Steam to use:
> ...


The portforward.com site is great by the way, contains very good information on how to forward ports for various applications on various routers. Good luck.


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