Problem Hosting MapTool Server

[DrBunilton]

Unfortunately I'm a lot better at the campaign design side of things than the technical side.

Version of MapTool: v1.5.14
Version of Windows, Linux, or macOS: Windows 10 (But I have the same trouble running from Linux on the same machine)
Version of the Java Runtime Environment: Version 8 Update 201 (build 1.8.0_201-b09)
Contents of the Help -> Gather Debug Info... window (use copy/paste, not a screen shot):

==== MapTool Information ====
MapTool Version: 1.5.14
MapTool Home...: C:\Users\laura\.maptool-rptools
Max mem avail..: 3 GB
Max mem used...: 2 GB
Custom Property: -DMAPTOOL_DATADIR=.maptool-rptools

==== Java Information ====
Java Vendor.: Oracle Corporation
Java Home...: C:\Users\laura\AppData\Local\MapTool\runtime
Java Version: 10.0.1

==== OS Information ====
OS Name........: Windows 10
OS Version.....: 10.0
OS Architecture: amd64
PATH...........: C:\Users\laura\AppData\Local\MapTool\app;C:\Users\laura\AppData\Local\MapTool
Number of Procs: 8

==== User Information ====
User Name: laura
User Home: C:\Users\laura
User Dir.: C:\Users\laura\AppData\Local\MapTool\app

==== Network Interfaces ====
Display Name..: Software Loopback Interface 1
Interface Name: lo
Address...: 127.0.0.1
Address...: 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1

Display Name..: Dell Wireless 1560 802.11ac
Interface Name: wlan2
Address...: 172.16.1.73
Address...: fe80:0:0:0:fdc7:a7c4:a659:fec1%wlan2

Host Address...: 172.16.1.73
Default Gateway: 172.16.1.254

==== Locale Information ====
Country.: United Kingdom
Language: English
Locale..: English (United Kingdom)
Variant.:

==== Encoding Information ====
Default Locale: en_GB
Default Charset: UTF-8
file.encoding: UTF-8
sun.jnu.encoding: Cp1252
Default Encoding: UTF8

==== Display Information ====
Number of Displays: 1
Display 1: 1920x1080(32)

==== Internet Gateway Devices ====
Device Name.: Pace UPnP
Model Name..: Linux router
Manufacturer: Linux
Model Number: 1
Model Desc..: Linux router
Firmware....: Linux/3.13.0-83-generic UPnP/1.1 MiniUPnPd/1.8
External IP.: 100.69.13.11

IP address reported as the Local Address in MapTool's Connection Information... window: 172.16.1.73

How far you've gotten in the list of FAQ steps as described above: I got to the second one, as that is where my problem is. I have no trouble connecting from another instance of MapTool on the same computer. But from another computer, the server doesn't show up. I'm fairly certain I forwarded the port correctly. I did it twice, with two different ports, following instructions both times to be sure I wasn't making any mistakes. Neither works for the server. I tried turning off the firewall on this machine, no dice. The other machine is running Linux, I don't know where the firewall is or whether it has one. I did ask a friend outside the house to try connecting, just in case it was just the Linux machine, but it timed out.

[Full Bleed]

Version of MapTool: v1.5.14
Version of Windows, Linux, or macOS: Windows 10 (But I have the same trouble running from Linux on the same machine)
Version of the Java Runtime Environment: Version 8 Update 201 (build 1.8.0_201-b09)

MT v1.5 now come with the Java Runtime included, so you don't need Version 8 installed any more.

I'm fairly certain I forwarded the port correctly. I did it twice, with two different ports, following instructions both times to be sure I wasn't making any mistakes. Neither works for the server. I tried turning off the firewall on this machine, no dice. The other machine is running Linux, I don't know where the firewall is or whether it has one. I did ask a friend outside the house to try connecting, just in case it was just the Linux machine, but it timed out.

So the port definitely isn't open.

You might want to try a couple quick things before getting too deep in the weeds:

1) Make sure UPNP is on in your router and try starting MT Server using it.
2) Check with your ISP to see if they have any tips for opening ports. Some ISPs require more hoop jumping.

[Phergus]

One of the first tests to try to check the accessibility of your server is to start a second instance of MapTool on the same computer.

Try to connect to your server from the second MapTool instance via the LAN or Direct tabs. On the LAN tab it should show up with the GM name. If it doesn't show up, use the Direct tab and put in your servers local IP. In your case it is 172.16.1.73. If it works, great. If it doesn't then you probably do have firewall software blocking access.

Next try connecting from a different computer on your LAN. This obviously requires a separate computer but it sounds like you have more than one. Same process as above. Attempt to connect via the LAN or Direct tabs. You can't use the RPTools server list for this step. If that works, then on to the next step. If not we're back to a firewall or network configuration issue.

Assuming those steps work, the best way to see if your server is visible to the outside is to use a service like https://www.canyouseeme.org . With your server running, go to that site with your browser and put in the port number you are using for MapTool. Default is 51234. If it reports failure then there is a port-forwarding issue or back to the firewall/network configuration.

As Full Bleed said, using UPnP is the best option if your router supports it and it appears that it does. In that case, you must enable it in the Start Server dialog and your router must not have a conflicting port-forwarding rule. Which is to say that you can't ask UPnP to let you use 51234 if you already have a rule on the router specifying it.