A very common problem with all multiplayer Source Engine games, including Garry's Mod, is when you open your in-game server browser, it shows no servers.
Finding the problem
First of all we must determine the issue. To do so we need to answer to those questions:
- Are your server browser Filters set to default?
- Can your Garry's Mod connect to any servers?
- Does any other Source Engine game on your PC have a working server browser or does the Steam Server Browser work?
1. Are your server browser Filters set to default?
To check this:
- Launch Garry's Mod
- Press "Find Multiplayer Game"
- Click "Legacy Browser" on the left side of the screen
- Untick "Simplified List" checkbox, if it is ticked
- Check the filters on the bottom of the Legacy Server Browser. This is what they should look like:
If some of the fields are not like they are no the picture above, change them so they match with the picture.
After you are done, make sure you are in the Internet tab and press "Refresh All" button. If servers still are not being found, continue reading.
2. Can my Garry's Mod connect to any servers at all?
To answer this question, you will have to manually find a server IP and try to connect to it using the developer console.
To find an IP address of a server, you can use services, such as GameTracker. Once you have picked a Garry's Mod server, copy its IP Address and launch Garry's Mod.
Alternatively you can ask your friend to find you a server IP, or ask him to join a random server, and try to connect to it by rightclicking on that friend in Steam friends list and selecting Join Game:
Once you found a server IP, open your developer console by either pressing and holding your tilde key ( ~ or § ) or pressing F10.
Now enter this command into the developer console:
connect <ip>
where <ip> is your chosen IP. For example
connect 127.0.0.1:27015
The game will now try to connect to that server. If such server exists, you should be able to connect to that server.
If the game fails to connect and shows "Connection failed after 4 retries", then the problem could be:
- Such server doesn't exist
- One or more firewall programs are blocking those games and Garry's Mod from accessing the Internet
3.1. Does any other Source Engine game on your PC have a working server browser?
To check this simply launch any of these games and test their server browser:
- Counter-Strike: Source
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Left 4 Dead
- Left 4 Dead 2
- Team Fortress 2
- Day Of Defeat: Source
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
If the server browser doesn't work in at least one of those games, then the problems might be:
- One or more firewall programs are blocking those games and Garry's Mod from accessing the Internet
- Something on your system is blocking Valve Master Server
If the server browser works at least on one of those games, then the list of possible causes is narrowed down to:
- Something on your system is blocking Valve Master Server
3.2. Does the Steam Server Browser work?
Incase you do not know what Steam Server Browser is, it's the built-in server browser into Steam.
To access it you have to right click on Steam in system Tray and click Servers.
If the Steam Server Browser doesn't work, then the only problem might be:
- Something on your system is blocking Valve Master Server
If the Steam Server Browser does work, then the problem might be:
- One or more firewall programs are blocking Garry's Mod from accessing the Internet
Solving the issue
Once you have figured out the likely problem, you can try to solve the problem yourself.
Cause #1: Firewall(s) are blocking Garry's Mod
The first thing you must do is to check all your firewall software and make sure none of them are blocking Garry's Mod from accessing Internet.
Unfortunately it's not possible to write a step-by-step tutorial on how to do so for every possible firewall problem there is, so you'll have to find that information yourself, or ask the community on the official Garry's Mod Help forums:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/4000/discussions/1/
Please note that some anti-virus programs, like ESET Smart Security or Avast, may include firewalls too, and you must take care of those too.
You can try temporarily disabling all your firewalls to test if the problem is indeed caused by a firewall blocking Garry's Mod.
Cause #2: Something on your system blocks Valve Master Server
This is the worst case scenario because there are a lot of things that can cause this.
This can be caused by Installing pirated Steam games, fiddling with Master Server lists for Steam and pirated Steam games. Broken hosts.txt file for Windows users. A firewall or router is blocking one or all of Valve Master Servers.
Things to try:
- Exit from Steam, delete config/ folder inside Steam/ folder and start Steam.
- Exit from Steam, remove everything from Steam except for appdata/ folder and Steam.exe and start Steam.
I can't fix it / Before contacting us
Please include as much information as possible to help us help you.
- What have you tried to solve the issue
- What do you thing the issue is
- Answers to the 3 questions from "Finding the problem"
Helpful links
Unpredictable Server Browser behavior
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5539-MJWZ-7760
Troubleshooting Network Connectivity
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1456-EUDN-2493
Programs Which May Interfere with Steam
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289
Configuring a router for multiple clients
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6370-QPHJ-3567
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