server not showing on my friends pc

[Mario6764]

i have read the Q and A and the Troubleshooting but nothing works plus sometimes it disconect me from the online services of age of empires 2 DE and i have to clean up to make it work again, i am using a custom launcher with the companion and using radmin VPN for lan because it has work for me in other LAN games but maybe it dosent work for aoe2

[MaMo7x]

I have tested RadminVPN it works pretty fine.

HOW TO SETUP
I suggest you use this version of ColdClientLoader/gbe_fork.
and setup files in steam_settings folder like this:

CustomLauncherFolder
| ColdClientLoader.ini
| steamclient.dll
| steamclient64.dll
| steamclient_loader_x64.exe
\steam_settings\
-| configs.app.ini
-| configs.main.ini

Not important to create dlls folder or use dlls file. (I myself don't use it as of right now.)

and use the latest version of ageLANServer.

And setup launcher files config.toml as given and config.aoe3.toml in /launcher/resources/

And setup server file config.toml in /server/resources/config/

Change IP 192.168.1.32 to YOUR (or whoever is running the server) RadminVPN IP e.g. 26.200.156.87 in all of the given launcher and server config files.

HOW TO LAUNCH
Then open up a command prompt (cmd) and cd into the server folder and execute the server_aoe2.bat file

This needs to be done only on the Machine which is running the web server) {DISCLAIMER: running the web server != hosting the game/lobby}.
and then go to launcher/ and double click or open the launcher_aoe2.bat file.
And whenever your session ends (means you close the game) you should run cleanup_aoe2.bat and close the cmd on which server is running.

Also, don't forget to change file types cause the files I've attached here would be .txt on download you need to manually change their type in the name.

[MaMo7x]

@luskaner I think the mistake they are making is running the server & client with default settings which end up both creating their own servers and becomes the reason of not showing the server (by server I think he meant the lobby in-game) from both sides.

[luskaner]

@MaMo7x that's a possibility but I would need the server logs to be sure. Also if for some reason discovering does not work he can hardcode in [Server].Host in https://github.com/luskaner/ageLANServer/blob/main/launcher/resources/config.toml the radmin VPN IP of the server, I know some VPN's might have issues with broadcast and/or multicast (maybe not configured or maybe just a firewall issue)

[Mario6764]

i will try

[Mario6764]

it dint work my friend still cant see my match

[Mario6764]

access_log_2025-01-15T19-27-50.txt

[MaMo7x]

That is not an usual RadminVPN LAN IP . . it's usually in 26.x.x.x.

Also, it didn't seem your games even got connected/launched with the aoeLANServer/launcher.
Have you allowed the programs through firewall?
These programs should be allowed in firewall:
launcher/bin/agent.exe
launcher/launcher.exe
server/server.exe
<GameFolder>/BattleServer/BattleServer.exe
<GameFolder>/AoE2DE_s.exe

Can you guys please share screenshot of your RadminVPN. (with visible IP addresses)
And share your launcher/resources/config.toml file (usually GitHub won't allow .toml change extension to .txt [as it is plain text file] and then drop in the comment)

Let's say we have
YOUR_IP = 26.157.23.1
FRIEND_IP = 26.76.54.10

And FYI you both have to use the CustomLauncher (companion) as I mentioned above but one of you have to run the server/server_aoe2.bat, while forcefully set on your RadminVPN IP and to do that RadminVPN IP should be set in both launcher/resources/config.toml->[Server].Host = 26.157.23.1 same on both your machines + [Server].Start should be set to false also for both of you, and server/resources/config/config.toml->[Server].Host = 26.157.23.1 on your machine.

And both of you must be launching the game through launcher/launcher_aoe2.bat.

[Mario6764]

we have right setup of randmin vpn we have used for so many games and i was missing the ip on config of the launcher, the radmin ip was only in server config file so il tell you guys what happend when my friend and i try again

[Mario6764]

i got this error when both are in aoe 2 server browser but if only one is playing aoe 2 works fine, so i tought it was the steam user id but is different and the name too soo i dont know what to do and the server isnt showing could we talk in discord or using some kind of software to see my screen or talk

[MaMo7x]

I think @Mario6764 is correct!, I myself RadminVPN with my friends and couldn't find the host and some of us failed to connect to multiplayer services.

[MaMo7x]

@luskaner my mistake I tested it locally and didn't tested the latest server/launcher with live environment (with friends) . . but now it seems there is a problem I'll share access_logs later.
EDIT: access_log_2025-01-18T16-13-38.txt when I was testing on RadminVPN. (I think the multicast was off for this)
EDIT x2: The problems are

• Sometimes some of the people cannot connect to multiplayer services.
• Unable to see the host of each other.
• Unable to see friends in the friend list (like we used to invite other people even if host cannot be seen and that used to work).

[MaMo7x]

we have right setup of randmin vpn we have used for so many games and i was missing the ip on config of the launcher, the radmin ip was only in server config file so il tell you guys what happend when my friend and i try again

Brother in the meantime I would suggest you to use this release of launcher.
This one works for me to this day.

[luskaner]

Hello:

@MaMo7x Wow so many issues, while the first could be a launcher misconfiguration, the other are certainly server-related likely new to v1.5 and v1.6 to support AoE III and AoE I respectively.

Edit: If you could test v1.4 too it would be helpful as at that point the server was mainly untouched. Finally v1.5 to pinpoint if it was v1.5 or v1.6 issue

[luskaner]

Hello @MaMo7x:

So I've tested it with 2 PC's with official game and launcher (Steam & Xbox versions):

Sometimes some of the people cannot connect to multiplayer services.

I have not encountered this in my limited testing using real LAN but maybe happens randomly or more likely when using the VPN/internet?

Unable to see the host of each other.

It works fine for me, including joining a password-protected lobby, etc.

Unable to see friends in the friend list (like we used to invite other people even if host cannot be seen and that used to work).

It works fine for me, including the invitation itself and accepting it.

I wonder if these issues are related to the Steam emulator or even the VPN/Internet to some extent. Plus the access logs you posted look fine for me but without the full responses is difficult to say.

[MaMo7x]

Hmmm . . . OK I'll retest with LAN and VPN both and will let you know.
PS: I'm using custom launcher. Will test with steam too...

[Mario6764]

this is what i see

[Mario6764]

configs.user - Copy.txt

ColdClientLoader - Copy.txt

this is all i have newest build 1.6.8

[luskaner]

Hello:

It seems like your Steam Emu is executing another launcher/emu or whatever; not the game directly, that's why what you have configured is not being applied and causing the issues... you are using the path D:\Games\Age of Empires II - Definitive Edition\Launcher.exe in ColdClientLoader.ini but you should be using AoE2DE_s.exe not Launcher.exe

[Mario6764]

good afternon ummm i dint think i have to tell this because well the game opens with the multiplayer but i changed the name of the .exe because the first time it dint let me open the aoe2DE_s.exe so i changed the name of the exe and it worked but now i know it wasnt that but i never changed the name but i will try changing the name

[Mario6764]

same result

[Mario6764]

and this happends when my friends put my ip btw i have to use the test one and then select mines in launchers cmd

[luskaner]

Hello:

I'm having difficulties understanding the situation;
If you want to host the server, why is your friend running the server? The error shows that you can only listen to your own network adapters IP's (connected), to be sure, run ipconfig in cmd.exe.
Your friend can configure your IP but that should be in the launcher config in this file https://github.com/luskaner/ageLANServer/blob/main/launcher/resources/config.toml (not the server) and then running his launcher after you host the server.

Please, to make sure we are on the same page, post the screenshot of you hosting the server and both you and your friend launcher execution.

[Mario6764]

oh i see i dint know that let me try now and no i wasnt trying to host the server in my friends pc

[Mario6764]

we still facing the same problem when i reconect to mp services my friends multiplayer goes grey and viceversa

[Mario6764]

what could be @luskaner i spent the other night making campaigns and we relaly want to play it

[luskaner]

The only last thing to try is to set GeneratePlatformUserId to true in the server config file, if that does not work we will have to work it out through Discord some day

[Mario6764]

alr let me try

[Mario6764]

now i am stuck at a infinite loading screen, if you want we can work this out in discord and anydesk

[luskaner]

OK add me in Discord luskaner#9654

[luskaner]

@Mario6764 ?