Node Troubleshooting

If your node is acting up, offline, or not responding, this guide covers the most common diagnostic steps and fixes for both Linux and Windows.

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Is the Node Process Running?

Linux

Check if the GameCP process is active:

systemctl status gamecp

Or search for the process directly:

ps aux | grep gamecp

If the service is stopped, start it:

systemctl start gamecp

Windows

Check if the process is running:

Get-Process gamecp -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

To stop the process (if you need to force-kill it):

taskkill /IM gamecp.exe /F

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Firewall and Port Configuration

The node communicates over specific ports that must be open. The default depends on your connection method:

• Port 443 — HTTPS/SSL (domain-based connections)
• Port 80 — HTTP (IP-based or proxy connections)

Linux (UFW — Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp

Linux (Firewalld — CentOS/RHEL)

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=80/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=443/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Verify the Port is Listening

ss -tulpn | grep :80

Windows

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "GameCP HTTP" -Direction Inbound -Port 80 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "GameCP HTTPS" -Direction Inbound -Port 443 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow

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Checking Logs

Logs are your best friend when diagnosing issues.

Linux

View the most recent log output in real time:

tail -f /opt/gamecp/logs/gamecp.log

Or check the systemd journal:

journalctl -u gamecp -f

Windows

Logs are located in the GameCP installation directory. Open PowerShell and run:

Get-Content "C:\gamecp\logs\gamecp.log" -Tail 50 -Wait

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Restarting the Node

A simple restart fixes many issues.

Linux

systemctl restart gamecp

Windows

Restart-Service gamecp

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VPN and Connectivity

If your node connects through a VPN (used for IP-based or internal network connections), make sure the Tailscale service is running and authenticated.

Check the status:

tailscale status

Important: If tailscale status shows you as disconnected or offline, the node will not be able to reach the control panel. Make sure the Tailscale service is started and you are authenticated.

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Installing Dependencies (Windows)

Windows nodes may need Docker and Java installed manually. You can install them with:

winget install Oracle.JDK.21
winget install -e --id Docker.DockerDesktop

After installing Docker Desktop, make sure it is running before starting the GameCP service.

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Uninstall and Reinstall

If nothing else works, a clean wipe and fresh install usually resolves the issue:

1. Uninstall the current node — remove the GameCP service and files
2. Reinstall using a fresh install command from the Add Node dialog in your dashboard

Linux — Full Cleanup

systemctl stop gamecp
systemctl disable gamecp
rm -rf /opt/gamecp
rm /etc/systemd/system/gamecp.service
systemctl daemon-reload

Then run a fresh install command from your GameCP dashboard.

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Common Issues at a Glance

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
Node shows Offline	Service not running	systemctl start gamecp
Node shows Offline	Port blocked	Open port 80/443 in firewall
Node shows Offline	VPN disconnected	Run tailscale up
Node won't start	Permission error	Run as root or Administrator
Docker errors in logs	Docker not installed	Reinstall node (auto-installs Docker on Linux)
Connection refused	Wrong port configured	Check node settings in dashboard