• Is the server running? Open the console: the top line shows the ports it is listening on.
• “unable to listen” in the log means another program has that port. On a TWGS server, 513 is often taken: use another rlogin port, and change the BBS door to match.
• Windows Firewall: the installer's rule allows lordsrv.exe; without it, add a rule (see Network and firewall). Other firewalls and routers need the ports too.
• From outside your network: check the router's port forward (see Network and firewall).

• “this BBS has no key”: the BBS isn't in RLoginAllow and sent no key (or a wrong one). Check the address in the log line rlogin from <address> refused; add it to RLoginAllow, or have the BBS sign up for a key.
• “your BBS's access is turned off”: bbs enable <tag>.
• “is a telnet account here”: that name belongs to a telnet account and can't come in by rlogin.
• “can't be used here”: the BBS name has nothing a server account name allows.
• A BBS lost its key: bbs newkey <tag> and give them the new one.

• The server is running in another folder, or AdminPort is 0 or taken.

• A console window still has lordsrv.exe open. Close it, or rename the old file out of the way first (Windows allows renaming a running program).

• The log says why. “All of that game's nodes are busy”: raise MaxNodes.
• The game's error.log, in its folder, has errors from inside the game.

• Fixed in 1.3: turning Dead off in the player editor now also restores hit points. On older versions, set their hit points as well.

See When an IGM doesn't work.

Each line has the date, time and the connection number in brackets:

2026-10-29 08:18:19  [1] rlogin connection from 144.6.157.162
2026-10-29 08:18:19  [1] rlogin client "Tester" from BBS CLTEST terminal "xtrn=A"
2026-10-29 08:18:19  [1] new rlogin account Tester@CLTEST (144.6.157.162)
2026-10-29 08:18:19  [1] Tester@CLTEST entered game A node 1
2026-10-29 08:18:26  [1] Tester@CLTEST hung up in a game
2026-10-29 08:18:26  [1] Tester@CLTEST left game A node 1 (exit 0)

Lines starting console: are commands typed at the console.