Encountering issues when trying to connect to your own server in Sons of the Forest can be puzzling, especially when using the local host address 127.0.0.1. It’s unexpected for a direct connection to your own machine to face routing problems. Let’s troubleshoot why you might be unable to launch and join your Sons of the Forest server.
Initially, consider potential software conflicts on your system. If you’ve already attempted disabling BullGuard, it’s less likely to be the culprit unless persistent network rules are interfering even when deactivated. For a definitive check, temporarily uninstalling BullGuard could confirm whether it’s the source of the problem.
Another common interference could be Windows Firewall, particularly after system updates.
To ensure this isn’t blocking your connection, verify that Windows Firewall is turned off.
If the firewall isn’t the issue, the next step is to check Windows Defender. If you have a third-party antivirus program installed, Windows Defender should typically disable itself to prevent software conflicts.
However, it’s worth manually confirming that Windows Defender is turned off. Focus on using the Windows Defender toggle buttons as described in the tutorial, disregarding any instructions about group policy or registry edits for this purpose. After disabling it, test if you can now connect to your server.
If these steps haven’t resolved the connection problem, let’s perform a network isolation test to diagnose the issue further. Disconnect your Ethernet cable to completely cut off internet access to your machine. Then, attempt to connect to your server using 127.0.0.1.
If this connection is successful, it indicates a problem related to your network configuration or external connections. If you still cannot connect, even without internet access, the issue likely lies within your local system environment. Since this problem is occurring across multiple machines, identifying common software or settings on those systems would be a beneficial next step in your troubleshooting process.
