Multiplayer Connection

[Verbose Mode]

We've been trying to play multiplayer for a while now, and Vintage Story will just randomly... not connect? I'm asking here because I don't know if it's a bug, just that it happens apparently at random and there is no consistent fix. While our game is modded, we have tried it unmodded to identical results. It will work, people can connect, then suddenly with no change people can't connect, even during the same session with people already connected and are still playing.

The error is always the same:

Unable to connect to server.

A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or the established connection failed because the connected host has failed to respond.

 

We have tried setting proper subnet routers, firewall rules inbound and outbound, UpNP/UNP/TNP settings, checking for stale UpNP, assigning manual IPs, restarting things, moving to a dedicated server, updating, downgrading, reinstalling, and prayer. Everything seems to have worked once or twice then never again out of dozens of attempts. Only the dedicated server host can connect without failure. Yet we know it can be done and done consistently by others, so... how?!

Edited May 31, 2025 by Verbose Mode
additional info, tags

[FemboyDominator]

Can you ping the host at all? And I mean through command prompt, to the server's ip:

ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

If you can ping them through command prompt, but can't join through the game, then it's likely just a matter of the firewall blocking the connection.
If you're playing using a LAN emulator (Hamachi, Radmin VPN...) then you're gonna need to let the game access private networks. Windows usually pulls a window like this up when you're first launching a game, which my guess is where you left the networks unticked.

 

In which case, you're gonna need to edit the firewall rules. The window won't show up again but you can still do it in the "Advanced settings" of Windows' network menu.  Should be fine once everyone has it set to allow private network connections.

Edited May 29, 2025 by FemboyDominator

[Verbose Mode]

54 minutes ago, FemboyDominator said:

Can you ping the host at all? And I mean through command prompt, to the server's ip[snip]

We have tried, and the ping goes through perfectly fine for all parties. But Vintage Story cannot connect.

[DH_Jacklynn]

i too am having the same exact issue my friend and i have been struggling with this for nearly 4 days 

we are trying to do the P2P connection thing using the LAN button 2 times on 1.20.11

 

[Verbose Mode]

The issue is becoming WORSE. It is now more common that we can't play for days at a time, then for no reason it WORKS (nothing will have changed from the last time we tried and failed) then back to the new terrible normal and nobody but the host can connect.

Edited May 30, 2025 by Verbose Mode

[Gizo]

i am having the same issue. apparently its something thats been happening since 2023. Tyron said that "clients game will crash if a server rejects them". dunno how to fix..

[IchiruSan]

So the problem lies in the client of the game?

[DH_Jacklynn]

except neither of our games our crashing we just get denied when connecting

 

[IchiruSan]

For me it's random disconnection and then I need to restart the server coz neither of us can join. Server keeps running, there is no error message, just a massage that Ticks has been suspended

[Zane Mordien]

Well I'm no help, but I'll bump the thread for you. It happens sometimes to me and my son when we are playing on the server in our house, so the port forwarding isn't the issue for me since we are connecting to the servers home network IP and not the router's IP.  I usually have to reboot the server to get it to stop doing it. It doesn't happen very often to us, but it's only 2 of us so I'm sure it shows up more with more people. 

[MikailC]

I also started having this exact issue this morning with no discernable cause. Nothing on the machine has changed in anyway, but I went to bed and when I woke up...boom, no more ability to connect. Just gonna watch this thread to see if a fix is found.

[PennyPootatoTtv]

I can't join my daughter and I'm so frustrated. I get the same error. This is so frustrating. 

[Fskn]

the issue is upnp failing after a certain amount of time, ive made another post with a workaround i cooked up for myself that works if you cant port forward.

 

[CelticFox99]

Is this still being investigated?

Suddenly having this issue myself, my buddy can't connect to my game, neither through LAN, nor internet, even though it worked just fine two days ago. Searched the whole web, tried every setting and idea I could find, we both got the same version, port forwarding is enabled, turning off the whitelist, deleting the VintageStoryData folder and reinstalling the game, nothing works. Other servers work fine for both of us, but private game no longer allows him to connect. Nothing has changed, nothing was updated, it just randomly decided to not work anymore.

[Mrcalzon02]

so, https://discord.com/channels/302152934249070593/1477708770669891616

 

[Mrcalzon02]

If you're still having this problem years later after the posting date when you start up a vintage story server and is deciding that it just can't talk to anyone ever no matter what port forwarding you use... I'm just as confused as you are. Best of luck.

[Teh Pizza Lady]

Double check that you have the ports open on your PC, router, etc, and that the port isn't blocked by your ISP. They are notorious for blocking ports you think should be open. Suddenlink, for example, blocks ports 80, 8080, 443 and a couple of others on residential internet but they are open on their business package.