TF2 Server Browser help?

[Dirty Hipsters]

I've been having problems with the server browser in TF2 for the past week. No matter what I do and no matter how long I wait, the server browser can't find a single game, nor can it find my favorite servers.

Now the game actually works totally fine, I can connect to games and play without any problem, but the only way I can join a game is if someone either sends me an invite, or I join them from my friends list. This means that I can only get into TF2 when some of my friends are online playing it, which is annoying.

Now, I've taken a few steps to try and fix this, I've attempted all of the basics (restart game, restart steam, restart computer, verify cache, uninstall and reinstall game), and none of it has worked. I've also asked Steam support for help and they told me that it's a common problem that can be fixed by turning off my firewall, which I did, and which had no effect.

I've been playing TF2 for years and I've never had this problem. It's really annoying, can anyone help me out?

 

[scorptatious]

Have you checked any of the boxes that only brought up servers that had users playing, support replays, or anything like that? If so, servers that don't meet these conditions don't appear on screen.

Of course then again, games would appear on-screen regardless. So I'm not sure either.

 

[tendaji]

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

 

[Sleekgiant]

Just re read the OP


I still think you are going to have to reinstall :V

If you have any custom files delete them(HUDs, skins, etc.)

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

 

[Sleekgiant]

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

Okay, has he tried plugging directly into the modem? It's a longshot, but the hardware firewall on his router might be messing things up, and it's a really easy problem to troubleshoot.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Just re read the OP


I still think you are going to have to reinstall :V

If you have any custom files delete them(HUDs, skins, etc.)

I've already tried reinstalling and it didn't work.

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

Okay, has he tried plugging directly into the modem? It's a longshot, but the hardware firewall on his router might be messing things up, and it's a really easy problem to troubleshoot.

I don't think it's a problem with the modem because all my other games work online just fine, including all the other Valve games. Don't have any problems getting games in Left4Dead. Besides, I've been using this same router for the last 4 years and it's never had this problem before.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Just re read the OP


I still think you are going to have to reinstall :V

If you have any custom files delete them(HUDs, skins, etc.)

I've already tried reinstalling and it didn't work.

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

Okay, has he tried plugging directly into the modem? It's a longshot, but the hardware firewall on his router might be messing things up, and it's a really easy problem to troubleshoot.

I don't think it's a problem with the modem because all my other games work online just fine, including all the other Valve games. Don't have any problems getting games in Left4Dead. Besides, I've been using this same router for the last 4 years and it's never had this problem before.

Man, I don't know then. If you've reinstalled it and it's not a problem with your modem, firewall, or router, all I can think of is maybe you set something in the console that is screwing things up and was carried over from the cloud when you reinstalled. I know there's console commands that can simulate a high ping; maybe you set something like that by mistake or did it on purpose and forgot?

Edit: There is one other thing, but I'm sure you've already tried it: have you tried manually refreshing the server list? There's a button to do it in the browser.

 

[Sleekgiant]

Just re read the OP


I still think you are going to have to reinstall :V

If you have any custom files delete them(HUDs, skins, etc.)

I've already tried reinstalling and it didn't work.

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

Okay, has he tried plugging directly into the modem? It's a longshot, but the hardware firewall on his router might be messing things up, and it's a really easy problem to troubleshoot.

I don't think it's a problem with the modem because all my other games work online just fine, including all the other Valve games. Don't have any problems getting games in Left4Dead. Besides, I've been using this same router for the last 4 years and it's never had this problem before.

Seems you need to buy more hats

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Just re read the OP


I still think you are going to have to reinstall :V

If you have any custom files delete them(HUDs, skins, etc.)

I've already tried reinstalling and it didn't work.

Yeah I have the same problem. But what happens for me is that I get about 2 minutes of usability on the Server Browser when I start up the game before it cuts out. So have favorites that you can quickly access I guess.

I don't get the two minutes, I literally get nothing. All my server browser says is "no games responded to query."

This is a shot in the dark, but could your firewall be blocking whatever port the game uses to look for servers?

He disabled his firewall

Okay, has he tried plugging directly into the modem? It's a longshot, but the hardware firewall on his router might be messing things up, and it's a really easy problem to troubleshoot.

I don't think it's a problem with the modem because all my other games work online just fine, including all the other Valve games. Don't have any problems getting games in Left4Dead. Besides, I've been using this same router for the last 4 years and it's never had this problem before.

Man, I don't know then. If you've reinstalled it and it's not a problem with your modem, firewall, or router, all I can think of is maybe you set something in the console that is screwing things up and was carried over from the cloud when you reinstalled. I know there's console commands that can simulate a high ping; maybe you set something like that by mistake or did it on purpose and forgot?

Edit: There is one other thing, but I'm sure you've already tried it: have you tried manually refreshing the server list? There's a button to do it in the browser.

I'll check my console next time I boot the game, but I really don't think that's it since I very rarely mess with it.

Yes, I have tried refreshing the server browser. That's just a "Dell Tech support" question.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Yes, I have tried refreshing the server browser. That's just a "Dell Tech support" question.

Which is why I was a bit embarrassed to ask it, but when nothing else is working, sometimes the problem really is something that basic.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Managed to get the server browser to work again today. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling my antivirus and this did the trick (I have no idea why this worked).

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.