You most likely have a router that has needs to be configured to forward the ports to the PC that is running the server. Most home style router are configured to allow outbound connections but prohibit inbound connection which is what you dedicated server needs. The configuration is normally like so: Internet ----- Router ---- PC. You need to tell the router to forward the incoming ports for the server to the IP number of your PC. You then need to allow those ports inbound access through your PC’s firewall. This should help

I started a server and no one can join the game
http://hce.halomaps.org/index.cfm?nid=237

At the bottom there is a section on how to open and forward ports

I guess it's now time to learn HOW they work. This will be very basic: Think of ports as channels. When someone makes a connection to your IP number they also need to supply the channel or port number. For example by convention port 80 is for http-web, port 25 for smtp-email, port 21 for ftp…etc. Each server and client needs to agree on a port number to connect. For the Halo server the default ports are 2302 for the client (the channel he sends out on) and 2303 for the server (the channel he listens to), but you can change them if you want. So in order for a default Halo game client to connect to your Halo server the port (or channel) 2303 on the server must be open for the connection to be made.

Think of routers as doorways. They can open in or out to allow traffic to pass. They also can only allow some traffic – a specific port for example – to go in our out. Most home routers by default are set to allow traffic to go out but not to go in. This is for security reasons. So since the router allows traffic out the client (halo game) can connect to servers on the internet but because the router prevents traffic in no one can connect to a server on the inside.

So to run a server you have to configure the router to allow traffic on certain ports (2302,2303) to be allowed in. You also have to tell the router where that traffic should go once it is allowed in. This is called port forwarding. You tell the router to forward all inbound traffic on specific ports (2302,2303) to one of the PC’s on the inside of the router. This is done in the router’s configuration tool.

You will have to talk to your dad about it, as painful as that may be, if he is the only one that can configure the router. There is no way you can “do it” without configuring the router.

typically speaking, when using a router to sign in you type in http://192.168.1.1
some models are slightly different though. for example, i put in 192.168.2.1

bear in mind that 192.168.1.1 IS NOT your ip address, but rather just the local address the router uses.

1. I doubt anyone will be able to join if you still haven't forwarded ports. It doesn't work just like updating to a new version.

Lets say that there is a house, in that house are thousands of doors on one wall. Now lets say that 990 of those doors are either locked or lead to endless space. Now, if someone tries to walk through a door that is locked they will just run into it. If they run into a door that leads to nothing, they float away into nothing. Now if the door they want, leads to the place they want to be, and isn't locked, they get to go there.

Now apply this to the halo server. The halo server is the destination that they want to be at, the port is the door. The player wants to be at the server, which is where the right door leads, door 2303 I believe. Now if you have the door un forwarded then it leads to the endless space. If you have a firewall blocking it, it's locked. Now a new update of the halo server can't change the fact that that door leads to space. This is why no one can join, if they try, the server will not respond as their requests to join the server, lead into the endless space, they won't reach your server. To correct that, you forward your port, there is a website that helps with that, you look up your router and forward the correct ports. http://portforward.com

2. This is probably not the server's fault. Do you have the map in the server's map folder?

3. No, but it is recommended that for any type of server, you put the most power to it, otherwise the game play could be compromised by the slowness of the server.
Edited by cheater101 on Jun 26, 2010 at 01:22 PM
Edited by cheater101 on Jun 26, 2010 at 01:24 PM

Heyy guys umm this is kinda off topic and i know i am a n000b but how do u know what type of router or whatever 2 forward like from that list on the port forwarding website. How do u tell which one u have coz i lost like the documents (instructions and whatever) that came wiv my modem...
thanks guys thomo

If you can't find the make and model number check the stickers on the bottom of your router.

If you do not know exactly what you are doing or are having problems, Start Here.
http://portforward.com/help/pfprogression.htm

i think 2312

No, i am not great with this but.
You need to open ports 2301 and 2302 on your router, do the portfarward thing and open those ports and probly name them halo and set the other settings acording to the portfarward guide for your model router.
Ask your dad for help?