No More Room in Hell 2No More Room in Hell 2

connection-issues

title: "No More Room in Hell 2 Connection Issues Tips & Strategies" description: "Fix connection issues tips & strategies in No More Room in Hell 2 with our comprehensive troubleshooting guide. Solutions for common errors, crashes, and." keywords: ["NMRiH2", "No More Room in Hell 2", "fix", "error", "crash", "bug", "issue", "problem", "connection", "issues"] date: "2026-08-16" lastModified: "2026-08-16" category: troubleshooting tags: [connection, network, multiplayer, nat, port forwarding, dns, vpn, steam]

Connection Issues

Playing No More Room in Hell 2 (NMRiH2) with friends or randoms can be a nightmare if your connection is misbehaving. From invisible servers to rubber-banding zombies, network problems come in many forms. This guide covers the most common connection issues and how to solve them, whether you’re on a home network, behind a strict NAT, or using a VPN.

Cannot Connect to Servers (Firewall / Port Issues)

If you can’t connect to any NMRiH2 servers at all, the most common culprit is your firewall blocking the game or its required network ports. NMRiH2 uses Steam networking and Unreal Engine’s online subsystem. This means it relies on both TCP and UDP traffic, typically on the following ports:

ProtocolPort(s)Purpose
UDP27015 – 27016Steam multiplayer / voice
UDP27017Steam matchmaking
TCP27036 – 27037Steam P2P / friends
UDP7777 – 7778Unreal Engine game traffic

These are the default ports. Some servers may use custom ports, but for most players, opening these in your firewall is sufficient.

Windows Firewall

  1. Press Windows + R, type wf.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Click Inbound Rules in the left pane.
  3. Click New Rule… in the right pane.
  4. Select Port, then click Next.
  5. Choose UDP, enter 27015-27016, 27017, 7777-7778 in the “Specific local ports” field, and click Next.
  6. Select Allow the connection, then Next.
  7. Check all three profiles (Domain, Private, Public), then Next.
  8. Name the rule “NMRiH2 UDP” and click Finish.
  9. Repeat steps 3–8 for TCP using ports 27036-27037 (and optionally 27015-27016).

After adding the rules, restart Steam and launch the game. If you still can’t connect, check your router’s firewall or security software (e.g., Norton, McAfee, Bitdefender) and add NMRiH2 as an allowed application.

High Ping and Latency Solutions

High latency makes zombies teleport, shots register late, and teammates desync. Here are practical steps to reduce ping:

  • Select a geographically close server – In the server browser, sort by ping or choose a server in your region. Joining a European server from North America will always lag.
  • Use a wired Ethernet connection – Wi-Fi adds 1–10ms minimum and is susceptible to interference. Plug in a cable if possible.
  • Close bandwidth-heavy applications – Streaming video, cloud backups, and downloads saturate your bandwidth. Pause them before playing.
  • Limit background network traffic on your router – Enable Quality of Service (QoS) if your router supports it, prioritizing traffic to your gaming PC.
  • Change your Steam download region – Occasionally the game routes through a bad relay. Open Steam Settings > Downloads > Download Region and select a nearby, less congested region.
  • Check your router’s bufferbloat – Perform a bufferbloat test (e.g., waveform.com/tools/bufferbloat). If you have high latency while downloading, enable Smart Queue Management (SQM) on your router if available.
  • Reduce in-game graphical settings – While not a direct network fix, lower FPS can cause input lag and make latency feel worse.

If your ping is still high, it may be your ISP, your router, or a poor route to the server. The next sections cover NAT, UPnP, and DNS which can affect routing and connectivity.

Server Browser Not Showing Servers

You open the in-game server browser, but the list is empty or only shows a few unofficial servers. Try the following in order:

  1. Click Refresh a few times – the list can take a while to populate.
  2. Clear your filters – disable any “show full servers”, “empty servers”, or “password protected” filters you may have enabled.
  3. Verify you’re online in Steam – go to Steam > Friends, and make sure your status is not “Invisible” or “Offline”.
  4. Verify the game’s files:
    • Right-click NMRiH2 in Steam Library > Properties > Installed Files > Verify integrity of game files.
  5. Restart the game and Steam.
  6. If the browser still shows nothing, you may have a firewall rule that blocks the game’s broadcast traffic (UDP 27017). Double-check the firewall rules from the previous section.
  7. Try connecting directly using Steam’s “Join Game” feature if a friend is hosting – this tells you whether the issue is the browser or your network path.

If you see some servers but not the official ones, you may be on a VLAN or behind a network that restricts Steam’s matchmaking. In that case, move to the NAT and DNS sections below.

NAT Type and UPnP Settings

NAT (Network Address Translation) determines how your router exposes your console/PC to the internet. NMRiH2 works best with an Open NAT. A Moderate or Strict NAT can prevent you from hosting games, joining certain players, or seeing all servers.

  • Open NAT – Your device can initiate connections to anyone, and anyone can connect to you. This is ideal.
  • Moderate NAT – You can connect to some players but not all. This is usually caused by a blocked port.
  • Strict NAT – You can only connect to players with Open NAT, and your ability to host is severely limited.

Enable UPnP

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) lets your devices automatically open the ports they need without manual router configuration. To enable it:

  1. Open your router’s admin panel (see the port forwarding section for how to find it).
  2. Look for UPnP or Universal Plug and Play under network settings or advanced settings.
  3. Set it to Enabled and save the changes.
  4. Reboot your router and your PC.

After enabling UPnP, start NMRiH2. The game should automatically open the required ports. If UPnP is disabled or your router has buggy UPnP, you’ll need to set up manual port forwarding, explained below.

Check Your NAT Type

NMRiH2 may not display your NAT directly. You can check it indirectly:

  • In Steam, go to Friends, then in the bottom right you might see a “NAT” indicator (often after a proximity test). Alternatively, run a network test in another Unreal Engine game (e.g., Rocket League) or use a tool like netstat -ano after launching the game to see if UDP 7777 is listening.

If your NAT is strict, proceed to port forwarding.

Router Port Forwarding for NMRiH2

Manual port forwarding is the most reliable fix for NAT and hosting issues. Below are step-by-step instructions that apply to most routers. Be aware that the exact menu names vary by manufacturer, but the principle is identical.

  1. Find your router’s IP address:

    • Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
    • Type ipconfig and look for Default Gateway under your active network adapter. It’s usually something like 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1.

  2. Open your router’s admin panel:

    • Enter the gateway IP in a web browser.
    • Log in with the router’s username and password. If you don’t know it, look for a sticker on the router or the manual. Common credentials are admin/admin, admin/password, or blank.

  3. Navigate to Port Forwarding:

    • Look for a section called “Port Forwarding”, “Virtual Server”, “NAT”, “Applications & Gaming”, or “Advanced > Forwarding”.

  4. Add a new forwarding rule for UDP ports:

    • Name: NMRiH2 UDP
    • Protocol: UDP
    • WAN Port / External Port range: 27015-27016, 27017, 7777-7778
    • LAN Port / Internal Port range: the same ports (or leave blank if your router auto-maps)
    • LAN IP address: your PC’s IP address (find it with ipconfig – it’s the IPv4 address, e.g., 192.168.1.100)
    • Save the rule.

  5. Add a second rule for TCP ports:

    • Name: NMRiH2 TCP
    • Protocol: TCP
    • WAN Port / External Port range: 27036-27037
    • LAN Port / Internal Port range: 27036-27037
    • LAN IP address: same as above.
    • Save.

  6. Assign a static IP to your PC (optional but recommended so the forwarding doesn’t break):

    • In Windows, open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.
    • Right-click your adapter > Properties.
    • Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties.
    • Choose “Use the following IP address” and enter:
      • IP address: 192.168.1.100 (or match your current subnet)
      • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
      • Default gateway: your router’s IP.
    • Click OK.
    • Alternatively, set up a DHCP reservation in your router’s LAN settings.

  7. Reboot your router and your PC.

After forwarding these ports, your NAT should become open or moderate, allowing you to host and join more servers.

DNS Issues and Alternative DNS Servers

Sometimes DNS problems prevent Steam, the server browser, or the game’s online services from resolving their hostnames correctly. If you experience timeouts, slow initial connections, or “connection timed out” errors, try flushing your DNS and switching to a faster public DNS.

Flush DNS Cache

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
  2. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
  3. Type ipconfig /registerdns and press Enter.
  4. Restart your PC.

Change to Alternative DNS Servers

Using reliable DNS like Google or Cloudflare can speed up name resolution and improve reliability.

  • Google Public DNS: Primary 8.8.8.8, Secondary 8.8.4.4
  • Cloudflare DNS: Primary 1.1.1.1, Secondary 1.0.0.1

To change DNS in Windows:

  1. Open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Click Change adapter settings.
  3. Right-click your active connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and select Properties.
  4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
  5. Choose “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter one of the alternative DNS pairs above.
  6. Click OK and reboot.

For router-level DNS, log into your router’s admin panel, find the “Internet” or “WAN” settings, and replace the DNS fields with the same public DNS addresses. This ensures all devices on your network benefit, not just your PC.

VPN Compatibility and Issues

VPNs encrypt your traffic and route it through remote servers, which can protect your privacy but wreaks havoc on multiplayer games. NMRiH2 is played on a fast, low-latency engine; a VPN often adds 20–100ms of latency and can cause packet loss, hidden servers, or inability to join.

  • Disable the VPN when playing NMRiH2 – the simplest fix. If you need the VPN for other applications, turn on split tunneling (if your VPN provider supports it) so only those apps use the VPN while NMRiH2 and Steam bypass it.
  • If you must use a VPN, choose a server geographically close to your game server. A VPN won’t improve your ping; it will only make it worse unless your ISP throttles Steam or is doing deep packet inspection.
  • Some VPNs conflict with Steam’s voice chat – if you have no voice but can still play, disable any VPN software that hooks into network adapters (e.g., virtual TAP/TUN adapters) or use Steam’s voice settings to try a different device.
  • If you’re using a VPN to bypass region locks, be aware that NMRiH2’s matchmaking may be region-aware, and you might see higher ping as a result. Consider switching to a manual server browser instead of quick play.

Steam Connection Troubleshooting

Since NMRiH2 requires Steam DRM and uses Steam’s networking layer, many connection issues originate in Steam itself. Try these steps:

  1. Restart Steam – completely close Steam from the system tray, then reopen it.
  2. Log out and back in – Steam may be having a temporary authentication issue.
  3. Verify Steam files:
    • Open Steam > Library > right-click NMRiH2 > Properties > Local Files > Verify Integrity of Game Files.
  4. Clear Steam download cache:
    • Steam > Settings > Downloads > Clear Download Cache. This will log you out, but it can fix corrupted Steam client data.
  5. Check Steam server status – watch for outages at steamstat.us. If Steam’s multiplayer services are down, you cannot fix that yourself.
  6. Disable Steam overlay – some players report that the Steam overlay interferes with the game’s network. Right-click NMRiH2 > Properties > uncheck “Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game”.
  7. Switch Steam Beta client – temporarily opt out of the Steam Client Beta (Steam > Settings > Interface > “Client Beta Participation”) if you’re enrolled.

Lag Compensation and Prediction Settings

NMRiH2, like many Unreal Engine games, uses client-side prediction to hide latency. You can adjust some network-related options to improve your feel, even if they don’t magically reduce ping.

In-Game Network Settings

Check your in-game Options > Network (if present) for any of the following:

  • Client-side prediction – This option makes your character move instantly when you press a
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