Issues with setting up a server (SRB2Kart)

[Putuk]

Hi, I'm having some issues with setting up a SRB2Kart server.
I'm no stranger to hosting SRB2Kart games, in fact, I've hosted them a number of times within my friend circle, great times were had all around.
Anyhow.

Recently, when I try to host a server, my friends cannot join and the server does not appear on the Server Browser (https://ms.kartkrew.org/) when Advertise is set to "Yes".

(Above screenshot taken by a friend, it does not advance beyond this screen if they try to join.)

Now I've struggled with port forwarding in the past on several different routers, but usually I'd find a solution. I'm aware that on V1.6 manual port forwarding is no longer required. In fact, a friend has tested hosting a game and I was able to join without any issues whatsoever (said friend has also never touched port forwarding settings in their modem).

So if port forwarding is no longer a problem, I'm a little stumped on what I could possibly do.
Me and a friend have tried and experimented with all manner of things for a few hours earlier today.
I tried setting the master server to "https://mb.srb2.org/MS/0", as the FAQ suggested, to no avail.
I tried setting up the server both with and without mods, both leading to the same result.
I tried deleting and reinstalling SRB2Kart, once more leading to no change.
I tried all manner of port forwarding settings on my router (oddly, the IP I type into a web browser to gain access to my router controls and the IP I get when I google "what is my IP" are different, I have tested if it's different when I turn the PC off and on again, it remains the same EDIT: upon further testing, it DOES change from day to day, perhaps that's relevant to my issues).

(Above screenshot of what I've entered in my port forwarding settings. Confused on how it'll make a difference, since V1.6 doesn't seem to need it anymore.)

The only last bit of relevant information I think I could share is that recently I've moved from Ireland to Austria. Ever since I started trying to host games from Austria, I've been unable to set up a server.
One last notable thing here is that my PC got damaged during transport, however was fixed and later also underwent a factory reset, as something came loose and made it so my PC was unable to update Windows. The PC was reset very recently, about a week and a half ago. I'm no computer guy, so I'm just providing all the information I possibly can.

Well, I suppose one last scrap I can offer is the game log:
SRB2Kart v1.6 (Nov 1 2022 22:58:16 024a140e) SDL Windows 32-bit Discord: connected to Putuk#8362 (153322136755372033) Starting Server.... Binding to 0.0.0.0:5029 Network system buffer: 64Kb Contacting the server... Sending join request... Join accepted, waiting for complete game state... *Player 1 has joined the game (node 0) (self) Speeding off to level... Recording demo replay\online\1683435180-MAP01.lmp Map is now "MAP01: Green Hills Zone" *Player 1 renamed to Putuk I_ShutdownGraphics(): shut down Shutting down gamecontroller system I_Joystick: SDL's Game Controller system has been shutdown Shutting down joy system I_Joystick: SDL's Joystick system has been shutdown I_ShutdownTcpDriver: shut down I_ShutdownSystem(): end of logstream.


I really hope someone can help me with this conundrum, I really miss karting nights.
And thank you in advance for the help!

EDIT:
I've done more tests, once more to no avail, HOWEVER:
When checking the server browser, I was able to find this entry which had my IP.

This means I am connecting to the master server, however, I cannot be reached for some reason.

 

[Watermelon]

The PC was reset very recently

Perhaps you forgot to make Windows Firewall allow SRB2Kart to listen for incoming connections. Try to allow SRB2Kart through Windows Firewall.

it DOES change from day to day

If your 192.168.what.ever IP address (the internal address) changes periodically, then you'll have a hard time forwarding ports in your router. You need to either set up a DHCP reservation (or "static lease") in your router, so it will always give you the same internal IP address automatically, or (less recommended) configure your computer to not request any IP address from your router and just use the "static" address that you give it. This way, when your router forwards incoming connections from outside to your computer, your computer would always be at the same internal address and not "disappear", so all incoming connections will "find" your computer.
If the IP address you see using websites such as WhatIsMyIP.com (the external address) changes periodically, then don't worry: If you're advertising yourself on the master server, you've got nothing to worry about; if you're telling your friends your IP address, just make sure to check your IP every so often and give them the most up-to-date one, and that's all.

my port forwarding settings. Confused on how it'll make a difference, since V1.6 doesn't seem to need it anymore

It's not that it doesn't need it anymore, it's just that SRB2Kart has a NAT hole-punching mechanism or something like that included. These mechanisms aren't perfect, however.

This means I am connecting to the master server, however, I cannot be reached for some reason

Don't confuse the two. The fact that you appear on the master server doesn't mean you're "halfway" there or something. You appear on the master server because SRB2Kart contacts it and registers itself on it (and deregisters when you shut down the server). You could technically register a fake server too if you want, without running any server at all. Hosting a server and registering it on the master server are two separate functions.

 

[Putuk]

I appreciate the responses, but I've already discovered the issue:
Many German (and by extension, Austrian) routers have systems in play that make it impossible for people to connect to you.

There are three solutions to this problem:

• Rent a server
• Have a friend host
• Use a public server

I'll probably end up renting my own server in due time.

 

[Watermelon]

I appreciate the responses, but I've already discovered the issue:
Many German (and by extension, Austrian) routers have systems in play that make it impossible for people to connect to you.

There are three solutions to this problem:

• Rent a server
• Have a friend host
• Use a public server

I'll probably end up renting my own server in due time.

You could also use an external VPN product like Hamachi or Radmin, but I've personally had issues using both of them. Basically they enable you and your friends to connect directly to each other's computers, bypassing firewalls in the middle, without actually hosting a VPN server yourselves. And it's free, so you shouldn't need to rent a server or anything.