Server ip address

I am trying to learn networking by using “Multiplayer Shootout” game project. One basic thing is not clear to me - where is server ip address set? I see CreateSession node in MyGameInstance blueprint, and I see UseLan property set to true, but what about ip? Also, when searching for sessions with FindSession node in ServerList widget, it also doesn’t mention any ip. Only Use Lan option.

So, my question is simple, how does client knows server ip address? It was so simple in Unity, why is networking so complicating in Unreal?

Any interest to help is welcome.

ps. I must say I feel discouraged to post questions here, since none of my questions so far didn’t get any kind of answers. Please prove me wrong.

Hi MarsaPalas,

The online session blueprint nodes were created to help games discover servers when the IP addresses aren’t known ahead of time. When using OnlineSubsystemNull, which is the case in Multiplayer Shootout if the Steam client isn’t running, the “Create Session” node will cause the engine to reply to any “Find Session” requests it receives on the LAN.

“Find Sessions” will send a UDP broadcast packet to the LAN, to try to find any server that’s advertising a session. Any servers that have called “Create Session” will reply, the searching client will receive it, and keep track of the IP address which sent the reply internally.

When using Steam, or another online subsystem, the process is similar, but instead of using UDP broadcast the engine contacts the online service to get a list of available servers. The information needed to connect to these servers is stored internally, and the engine uses the BlueprintSessionResult structure to look up this information.

Thank you, you’ve been very helpful :slight_smile:

You can try “openlevel” .
Use ip and port to connect. :slight_smile:

38955-a12.png

So i just cant connect to didacated server in internet, only lan? If i not use steam, psn, xblive, etc in my project.

Dear Ryan Gerleve,

Is there a way to enter a specific IP address? I understand the value of finding sessions via Steam or something, but it would be very helpful to somehow manually be able to input an IP address to connect to. This would be helpful for testing as well is if one wants to run there in matchmaking server.

Please advise.

Thanks,
-X

-1. I don’t think you’ve ever even tried this. This would attempt to load a map called 127.0.0.1.umap, not establish a connection to 127.0.0.1.

That is actually a valid way to connect to a specific IP. Epic made one interface both to open a map or connect to the server. So you minused him for no reason.