Ok this is probably very incomplete but i think there needs to be some sort of thread on trouble shooting with setting up a server.

The main goal of this article is to get your server working; you can do the optimising and customising yourself

Setting up a listen server
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This is very simple if you have a functioning version of sourceforts. When sourceforts loads click create game and choose your options.

Setting up a Dedicated server
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To do this you firstly need Source dedicated server installed, this can be found on steam. Secondly you need to COPY your sourceforts folder into the dedicated server folder like this:
Copy this folder : <steamdir>\SteamApps\SourceMods\sourceforts
To here : <steamdir>\SteamApps\<username>\source dedicated server\sourceforts

Obviously you need to replace the <steamdir> and <username> values.

Trouble Shooting
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Setting In Game Varibles

Check the value of "ip" by typing in "ip"
If this is not set to your global ip and you are behind a router change it!!!
It is quite possible it will be set to your local ip e.g. "localhost" or "192.168..."

Type in the console "sv_lan 0"
In a few moments a message should appear saying "connected to steam servers, VAC enabled" or "Cannot connect to steam servers, VAC disabled"

Note: if you get the first message well done you are working! don’t panic if you can see yourself on the list, if you are behind a router you never will.

Note: if you have to change the ip value, you will need to change it every time you set up a server, to make this easy put it into your .cfg file. this is server.cfg or listenserver.cfg in the sourceforts/cfg folder! This way it will be run every time your server starts.

If you still get cannot connect, you must have a router or firewall problem!

Firewalls & Routers

Firstly any software firewalls must be configured to allow hl2 to execute and server. If in doubt disable the firewall to test the server, do not do this permanently.

If your router has a firewall or NAT you need to forward the ports to your computer. You do this by finding the configuration page of your router; this could be http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1

For more information look to : http://www.portforward.com/

Other Programs

Close other programs that access the internet, such as Xfire, Web servers and firewalls. Close everything you can to see if it helps!

Definitions
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Console

The console is a drop down menu in game that lets you type in commands. You will need this at some point. If you are accessing this for a dedicated server you can get it via a tab. If you are in a listen server you can press "`" to access it (the button to the left of 1) If this doesn’t work you need to turn it on, press escape > options > keyboard > advanced options > tick "enable developers console"

Listen Server

A listen server is a server that allows the host to play the game on the same machine that hosts it. This is very good for temporary games, but is not advisable for a permanent server as it will be slower.

Dedicated server

A dedicated server hosts the game without entering a player into it. This can be run on Windows or Linux.

Firewall

A software of hardware device that blocks data transfer to and from the internet. This will allow through data through configured ports.

Broadband Router

Some people do not have the luxury of connecting directly to the internet. They connect via a router; they often have inbuilt firewalls and NAT. A routers job is to supply one or more computer with the internet. Many routers if they work over a network connection have a web based configuration page. Try http://192.168.1.1 , or look in the manual!

NAT

NAT is a clever thing that routers do to let multiple hosts behind a router send and receive data through certain ports. To get sourceforts working it is needed to forward these ports to your computer.

IP

An IP is like the address of your computer, if you are behind a router you will have two IP's a local ip and a global ip. To find your global ip go to:

http://www.ipaddressworld.com/

To find out your local ip address go to:
Start > Run > Type "command", press enter.
Type "ipconfig", press enter.
Your IP is the one that begins with "192.168"

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I hope this article has been of some help, more to be added im sure.

Cellarmation

Stickied and added quotations to the thread title to make it more clear. Feel free to continue to edit the original post with new information.

Well, all it says is..

Network IP: 192.168.1.100, Mode MP, Dedicated Yes, ports 27015 SV / 27005 CL

And then nothing happens after that.

This is my command line perims

".\HLServer\srcds.exe" -game sourceforts -console +map sf_skywalk +port 27015"

if you are behind a router you may need to add some extra lines in your server.cfg file like :
i suggest this because it has you ip as a local ip. anything with 192.168 is local. When it connects it should say something like connect to vac servers. I only ever did this as a listen server, so your problem may be slightly differant, what os are you on?

I am using windows Xp sp2 Pro.

Alright, I understand how to set up a dedicated server through this, but what I want to do a listen a server, and that is what I am having problems with.

My firewall has every single possible Steam and HL related exe allowed.I have 27010 to 27016 forwarded, just in case. Before I try and create the game, I do sv_lan. Then in the options I double check that lan game is no checked. When I then create the game, and someones tries to join through connect ipaddress, they get the response that they can't join because it is a lan server. Yet that should not be the case. Am I missing something here?

heartbeat 1
sv_lan 0

If those don't work its a router/firewall problem generally.

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no that's definatly a game problem (not for the devs to fix). I went to steam support and they suggest you need to type in sv_lan 0... as if you didn't already know.

try typing this in DURING the game. That should work as far as I know.

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Bitza: Cusomtized to be Criticized
aka: Sgt.Grinn

I don't have router. How do make a pernament server then?

Wont work, usually when you make the game it sets up the IP there, and if sv_lan is 1 then it will automaticely(im tipsy i dont want to spell correctly) make the IP your routers IP(AKA Lan IP usually something like 192.168.15.101(or 100)) If you make it sv_lan 0 while the IP is that it wont change.

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:O