The Port Forwarding thread: Minimizing multiplayer connection issues

Your only options are to either use IPv6 (if available), rent a VPN offering a dedicated/public IPv4 address (or configure a VPS to work as a VPN and forward ports from it) or change the ISP as you can't rely on the availability of TURN servers because they seem to be in constant scarcity.

Peer to Peer is the most cost-efficient implementation for Frontier unfortunately.
Yes, the VPN route (one that supports PF) was my next stop though I'm waiting first to see if Odyssey improves enough to retain my interest and the interest of the people I play with.
 
With IPv4 address exhaustion and the increasing use of Carrier Grade NAT to help alleviate this issue, peer-to-peer networking for a computer game is just not a workable option. It's a big pity that Frontier went down this route as it excludes a lot of people from multiplayer content, including myself for that matter.

I play a few Internet based multiplayer games and ED is the only one that I have problems with because I'm behind Carrier Grade NAT.
I feel sorry for you. CGNAT is the devil :( What ISP is this?
 
Port forwarding helps, but disconnects still exist, less than before, but too much to play the game with comfort. If previously I was getting blue cobra and purple python errors almost every time turning on and off FSD drive, now I'm getting mauve adder when doing missions in a multicrew with another player in the same local network :( The game's net code is awful, the game is not ready for a release yet.
 
now I'm getting mauve adder when doing missions in a multicrew with another player in the same local network :(
Make sure you both use different UDP ports. You can do so in the network settings, under IPv4: Enable the option "port forwarding" and choose a different mapped port number.

If you both use the same UDP port, your router may, when forwarding a port, misdirect the data, causing the disconnect.
 
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Yep, thanks, currently, I have machines using different ports assigned: 5100 and 5101. The router forwards both TCP and UDP traffic to the corresponding computer based on the port value.
 

Viajero

Volunteer Moderator
Yep, thanks, currently, I have machines using different ports assigned: 5100 and 5101. The router forwards both TCP and UDP traffic to the corresponding computer based on the port value.
You have two port forwarding rules at your router, one for each computer, correct? Verify as well each PC has a separate static IP address and that those are the ones used in each rule.

Also, just in case choose UDP only at your router port forward rules. There are routers that have an option to use both protocols TCP/UDP at the same time. We have seen players reporting issues when both protocols were chosen in the router rule. Just use UDP is my recommendation.
 
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Viajero

Volunteer Moderator
I won't say it doesn't happen, but this makes little sense. It would have to be a pretty broken router.
Maybe, but I have seen some negative test results when both protocols were chosen in the router, that turned positive when only UDP was chosen. Maybe it´s nothing but hey.
 
I can report that, after following the port-forwarding steps (which are quite straightforward and sensible when studied), my installation* didn't change. I'm still in a port-restricted, double-NAT setup despite having forwarded everything precisely and correctly.

* Due to the ISP and my desire to have my own router (non-negotiable), I have a double-NAT arrangement that is problematic. I do have successful connections and can play with a wingmate without too much trouble. I have not tried to play with more wingmates, and I do see some failures in connections, however.
 
I can report that, after following the port-forwarding steps (which are quite straightforward and sensible when studied), my installation* didn't change. I'm still in a port-restricted, double-NAT setup despite having forwarded everything precisely and correctly.

* Due to the ISP and my desire to have my own router (non-negotiable), I have a double-NAT arrangement that is problematic. I do have successful connections and can play with a wingmate without too much trouble. I have not tried to play with more wingmates, and I do see some failures in connections, however.
Hmm, I've got double-NAT too (same reason, I think: I don't trust the ISP's router). I simply made it forward everything to my router and my router does the right thing. My friend and I got our port forwarding configured (his was fun due to a configuration bug in his router, but we figured that one out) and were finally able to do some physical multi-crew. Haven't used it since, though.
 

Viajero

Volunteer Moderator
I have added a bit of detail related to internet providers that use CGNAT aswell in the first post, as some players have found that even after doing properly all the steps 1 to 3 in the OP the port forward test in step 4 was still coming negative. If that is your case double check if your ISP networking is based on CGNAT:

- CGNAT: In this case routers are unable to port forward due to the internet provider using "master routers" in order to share a public IP address among several customers.
in carrier-grade NAT networks, even though the router at the consumer end might be configured for port forwarding, the "master router" of the ISP, which runs the CGN, will block this port forwarding because the actual port would not be the port configured by the consumer.
For these cases you may need to contact your internet provider directly and request them to give you a non shared or exclusive public IP address (so then you can do your port forward normally), or open a port for you. This may come at a cost but it can be worthwhile at least to ask.
 
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Also, Double-NAT configurations will have the similar issues as CGNAT does because you get an internal IPv4 address on the inner router and cannot forward ports with it.
 
Also, Double-NAT configurations will have the similar issues as CGNAT does because you get an internal IPv4 address on the inner router and cannot forward ports with it.
Not a problem if you have sufficient control over both routers (which I do). Problems arise when you do not have control over one or more of the routers (meaning any level of NAT can be dealt with so long as you have sufficient control over all routers involve in the NAT).
 
I am now paying extra per month for a static IP but unfortunately the issues still persist and the steps didn't work to resolve it sadly :(
 
I am now paying extra per month for a static IP but unfortunately the issues still persist and the steps didn't work to resolve it sadly :(
Did you forward the ports and allowed Elite Dangerous (the game client, not the launcher) in the firewall as instructed?
 

Viajero

Volunteer Moderator
I am now paying extra per month for a static IP but unfortunately the issues still persist and the steps didn't work to resolve it sadly :(
You mean the open port test tool still gives you a negative?
Is that static IP an external dedicated address for you and not shared with any other users for your CGNAT provider?
 
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I am now paying extra per month for a static IP but unfortunately the issues still persist and the steps didn't work to resolve it sadly :(
Make sure you actually have an externally routeable IP address on the WAN side of your router: ie, NOT 10.X.X.X (10/8), 192.168.X.X (192.168/16), or 172.16.X.X to 172.31.X.X (172.16/12).
 
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