Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

[[Expletive Deleted]]

This is a poll to see who here is having problems connecting to co-op servers and what you have done to fix it. Or, HAVE you fixed it?
I'm asking because I've tried the official suggestions, from removing my router, to putting my system in the DMZ, to forwarding all of the ports.
Honestly, forwarding the ports is the only viable solution for most people I've talked to. I can't remove my router for long as my wife still needs to use her computer. I don't like removing the router nor putting my system in the DMZ much for security reasons, too.
Does anyone have a no-crap, really works solution? I've tried everything official I've seen, and a few other things that didn't seem to do anything at all so I changed them back.
The official response is still that they can't reproduce the problem in their lab, no crap, but it must be that end-users are messing it up and don't know what they are doing.
So, any ideas?

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

Pretty sure everyone is having some sort of problem...whether not seeing a lot of servers, or getting the "stale" servers showing up (that do nothing when you click on them). I have no router, and my ZoneAlarm turned off when I play, and I often have to try 5 or 6 servers down the list before I can join one of them (usually with a crappy ping).

The only thing that seems to work for sure if having friends send you an invite to their game. That method seems quite reliable.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

Yep, same here. Invites work 100% or hosting yourself.

Which is strange because when I throw a Co-Op game for anyone to join, I usually get a few people. I dont know how they are doing it.

Crunch

[[Expletive Deleted]]

Re: Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

Yep, same here. Invites work 100% or hosting yourself.

Which is strange because when I throw a Co-Op game for anyone to join, I usually get a few people. I dont know how they are doing it.

Crunch

Invites don't work 100%. I've invited my friend quite a few times and he gets "this game session is no longer available" or some such crap.

[Iwantcable]

Re: Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

Yep, same here. Invites work 100% or hosting yourself.

Which is strange because when I throw a Co-Op game for anyone to join, I usually get a few people. I dont know how they are doing it.

Crunch

Same. Can't join anything with the browser, but when I host it fills up in literally <5 seconds. This is a shame because with an unstable 512/256 connection I'm a horrible host.

[[Expletive Deleted]]

Re: Who Here is Having Problems Connecting to Co-Op Servers?

Same. Can't join anything with the browser, but when I host it fills up in literally <5 seconds. This is a shame because with an unstable 512/256 connection I'm a horrible host.

That's pretty much what happened to me, but in reverse. My friend was in a hotel, he could host but had unstable, laggy internets. I tried to host but he couldn't join, even with friend invites. While I was in the invite screen, 2 people got into my lobby. While I was hosting, awesomesauce. The guys who joined loved it, as there was almost no lag for any of us. I still never got to host for my friend, though. :cry:
If there was a problem with my configuration, wouldn't it have prohibited the random guys from joining? If there was a problem with my friend's configuration, why could I join when he hosted? Why can neither of us join public co-op servers?