L4D server issues

Ok so i set up a dedicated server, and it seems no one can join it through matchmaking.

Plus I keep getting this on my console

A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.247:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.

Since today's update no one is joining my server through matchmaking anymore, maybe it's related?

well i hope someone can help us out...

A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 69.28.140.246:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.
A2C_PRINT from 72.165.61.189:27011 :
Bad challenge.

Every single one of my 11 L4D servers have this spammed in each console, not one person has joined since.

I am getting this same thing as well. I'm worried, only because this isn't as wide spread as I thought it would be.

[Mangr0v3]

What is A2C_PRINT ?

[thesidetalker]

After yesterday's update my servers were working perfect. People would join from a lobby within a few seconds of my servers starting up.

This morning every console was filled with those A2C messages. I updated all my servers and now no one can join from matchmaking. (search key still works sometimes for private ones, direct connect still works too)

I tried made a new vanilla server and it wont work either. Right after the update tool finished I started it up and it just sits idle.

Still no luck here, everything was fine yesterday.

Something in the second patched messed up whatever is happening now.

I have patched and removed all addons from my servers and now I'm no longer getting the A2C_PRINT messages but nobody ever connects to my servers, I cannot connect using my sv_search_key too.

This sucks, I'm wasting money here.

Any ideas?

[Simbot]

Our two public servers were fine yesterday but after today's update no one has joined them.

I tried fresh install of L4D but no luck.

you think steam will take a look at this or no?

Originally Posted by zingking

you think steam will take a look at this or no?

Yes I do, just got to be patient.

Originally Posted by zingking

you think steam will take a look at this or no?

I would bloody well hope so, otherwise we'll find a lot less servers to play on anyway as the people paying for these unused servers will soon get rid of them. :/

If we're lucky it'll be fixed sometime next week. Until then, guess i have to time get my last 2 expert campaigns done through some locally hosted games...

[Dantemss]

Just found this in ID's source code (half-life was based on it):

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:...&ct=clnk&gl=us

/*
=================
SVC_GetChallenge

Returns a challenge number that can be used
in a subsequent client_connect command.
We do this to prevent denial of service attacks that
flood the server with invalid connection IPs. With a
challenge, they must give a valid IP address.
=================
*/
void SVC_GetChallenge (void)
{
int i;
int oldest;
int oldestTime;

oldest = 0;
oldestTime = 0x7fffffff;

// see if we already have a challenge for this ip
for (i = 0 ; i < MAX_CHALLENGES ; i++)
{
if (NET_CompareBaseAdr (net_from, svs.challenges[i].adr))
break;
if (svs.challenges[i].time < oldestTime)
{
oldestTime = svs.challenges[i].time;
oldest = i;
}
}

if (i == MAX_CHALLENGES)
{
// overwrite the oldest
svs.challenges[oldest].challenge = (rand() << 16) ^ rand();
svs.challenges[oldest].adr = net_from;
svs.challenges[oldest].time = realtime;
i = oldest;
}

// send it back
Netchan_OutOfBandPrint (net_serversocket, net_from, "%c%i", S2C_CHALLENGE,
svs.challenges[i].challenge);
}

and

challenge = atoi(Cmd_Argv(3));

// note an extra byte is needed to replace spectator key
Q_strncpyz (userinfo, Cmd_Argv(4), sizeof(userinfo)-1);

// see if the challenge is valid
for (i=0 ; i<MAX_CHALLENGES ; i++)
{
if (NET_CompareBaseAdr (net_from, svs.challenges[i].adr))
{
if (challenge == svs.challenges[i].challenge)
break; // good
Netchan_OutOfBandPrint (net_serversocket, net_from, "%c\nBad challenge.\n", A2C_PRINT);
return;
}
}

I'm trying to figure out what it means...

I Guess the server is having trouble finding the client's ip address?

Originally Posted by GeXeH

Every single one of my 11 L4D servers have this spammed in each console, not one person has joined since.

Ditto. I have 8 L4D servers on win32. I have disabled all addons, ran updates with verify_all, and even tried a complete clean install. Still, no dice.

Here is what my configs look like:

sv_minrate 10000
sv_maxrate 50000

sv_steamgroup 721118
sv_gametypes "coop,versus" //added post-patch

sv_lan 0
sv_voiceenable 1
rcon_password password

Since updating Thursday around 11:00 PM EST, all my public servers had been printing the A2C_PRINT Bad Challenge message. Now I am not even getting any challenges.

Also, I no longer see the "heartbeat" message that I used to when the server was idle.

How am I going to get awesome internet e-cred with 8 servers that don't work?