CS 1.5 Server Problems

[recraw1]

I am having problems with counterstike 1.5. I have a server and have no problem creating a game and joining from my 2 other PC. But when my friends try to join my server some strange things happen. 1. They type in the IP and are able to join, and 2. The next day they type it in and all they see is ???? for the server info. Why can they see it one day and not the next. I have since set my IP as static so that they don't have to type it in but some can see my server and some can not. Any sugestions as what I need to do to allow them to join. They are able to ping my IP and get it to respond. They just can't find my server.

[The Real Bingo]

You probably need to open up some ports on your router. Sorry, but I dont know which ones correspond with CS.

[recraw1]

ports are already open. I've already had these people connecting. When they try to reconnect they are having problems.

[The Terk]

well, since the WON servers are down (they authenticate cdkeys) they will be unable to get their key authenticated, if its a lan(w/out net access) u shouldnt see problems, but if they are connecting from the internet, you will all need to update to 1.6 and get all those updates, and ur server will need to have the dedicated server patch (avaliable through steam)

*NOTE: also, they might need TCP/IP, NetBUI(sp?), IPX, and other such protocals....