Query Port

[2399Skillz]

I have asked this question before, but no one seemed to of had an answer for it, and it has happened again on two of my servers, so I figured I'd ask once more.

The query port for Unreal Tournament is the game port + 1, so a game port of 6666, would have a query port of 6667; correct? Well, this was true up until lastnight when my server crashed. So I rebooted it, and it still appeared to be down, well come to find out the query port changed itself to 6668, so it appeared to be down.

I looked in the server log, and nothing at all showed any problems. Just a 'ucc.init soft restart'.

Any clues?

[Imaginos]

You're using the same ports as IRC..

[2399Skillz]

That shouldn't matter though, if I'm not running an IRC server, should it? Plus, it's not just 6666, it has happened on other ports as well.

[Imaginos]

Yeah, it should be fine.. You didn't mention running an ircreporter mutator.
Screwy behavior though.

[2399Skillz]

But if something is running on that port, then UT will not be able to default to that port, correct?

[RickJames]

Wow, we just started having the exact same problem a week or so ago!!!

There are 3 different servers on this box, game ports 5555, 8888, and 9999 (we have tried others as well), and they are all having this problem, which is that we think the servers are down because the favorites show them as down. But what is actually happening is that the query port has changed from offset +1 to as much as offset +5.

This happens mostly during map switches, but it also occurs during the middle of the game.

There are no apparent errors in the logs to explain why this is happening.

Does anyone have ANY idea what could be causing this? Help!!!

[2399Skillz]

I did the same thing. Though I stopped using port 9999, because I found it to ALWAYS confuse Unreal Tournament with the 5 digit query port.

[RickJames]

It's strange that you are having the same problem at the same time, because I searched for a couple hours yesterday, and couldn't find anyone that as ever had this problem. Now two people having the same problem at the same time. Weird...

[MakDad]

Hi Skills,

RickJames and I are trying to figure this out. Running two servers on one box. Have been using ports 8888 and 9999. The game changes the query ports from 8889 to 8892 and 10000 to 10003. It has been doing this since early October. In the same situation as yourself, I have been rebooting the servers like mad thinking they were down and yea, logs do not help at all.

I used to run ports 7777 and 5555 until they started getting ddos attacks so I switched. Been running 8888 and 9999 for over a year now. I have not been making any changes to the servers so I can only assume this is a network issue or malicious activity. I don't think the master server is at fault. Since I am not the only one having this issue I am leaning towards the idea that it may not be a corrupt system file, but I will find out soon when I reinstall UT on the box.

One thing I would like to know to help determine if this is a network thing, is your host Rackshack?



MakDad

[2399Skillz]

No, my host is not Rackshack.

Are all of you running Linux, with the ASU startup script?

[RickJames]

Yes for both.

[RickJames]

Have you by chance tried reinstalling UT? We haven't tried that but thats the next logical step to at least try and narrow it down to UT or OS/network/etc.

[2399Skillz]

I have reinstalled before, and it still did it.

[MakDad]

I am running linux using the 436 patch (the updated patches dont work well with the mods i use). I dont use asu, i find it easier to use a ucc startup script that i execute via ssh. I have even started a 3rd test server on the same box using ports 7777 and 5555 and without any mods, skins or vps. Just a plain startup with CTF-Face, same results. Doesn't make sense.

I wonder if that other fellow that had this issue back in June had results. Might be worth our time to try and contact him.

http://www.unrealadmin.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6634

Also, in the past my servers would appear to be shutting down a lot. I am begining to think that maybe this has happened to my servers before and just gradually corrected itself.

The net does not have any info on this matter from what I have noticed thus far.


MakDad

[2399Skillz]

More information:

My query ports are back to normal now. I haven't done anything to the servers, simply went to work, got home and they appeared to be down. So I manually changed the query port back to the default one, and it was working.

Weird? Yes.

As for tha guy back in June, weird thing is I was having the same problem then as well.

[RickJames]

Yes, but will it stay that way?

Seriously, though, thats good to hear. I hope it does.

It would be really nice to know, programatically, how the query port is chosen (and probably only Epic could answer that). But I'm guessing it take the first unused port after the game port. So maybe if for some reason it is unable to bind to offset +1, it tries +2, and so on. Thing is, I can't imagine what would be using the ports, esp since we have tried random game ports to no avail. Sigh...

[2399Skillz]

Ha! It's changed to something crazy now. 6673 Game port is 6666. Freaky. I know.

I am beginning to wonder if this isn't some sort of security flaw?

[2399Skillz]

I think I may have found the problem. Just need to do some testing.

First, I assume all of you are using Linux to power the server? Second, I assume all of you have NgStats enabled? (This is by default on a default Linux server, so if you reinstalled it, and never changed it; then it's logging the stats)

To check, you will need to open the UnrealTournament.ini (your server.ini) and look for the entry:

[Engine.GameInfo]
~
bLocalLog=False
bWorldLog=True
bBatchLocal=False
~

This is what a default *.ini entry will look like. (With alot of other stuff in there, these are just the important ones) Now, I changed: bWorldLog=True to False

[Engine.GameInfo]
~
bLocalLog=False
bWorldLog=False
bBatchLocal=False
~
Like so, and rebooted my server. Then I checked the server in the browser, and it appeared to be offline. This was a good thing, I manually edited the query port back to 6667, and the server showed up! So, unless this was just a concidence, then that method worked, and something with NGstats is messing up the query port. (Which could be the reason why we all can have the same problem, around the same time.)

I will leave it like this and keep checking on it. So if one of you will do the same, please let us know the results.

[2399Skillz]

Well, that didn't fix it. The port is back to 6670 now. Still gonna look into and research until I figure this out. It's pissing me off.

[RickJames]

I know just what you mean my friend! Please keep us posted!