When something breaks

Find what you’re seeing below. Each part says what’s usually behind it and what to try, most likely first.

The launcher always says why a join stopped. The notification’s title names the step (Could not join, Could not connect, The server refused the join, Session ended), and the line under it is the exact reason. Old notifications stay under the bell icon.

A server won’t let you in

Reason	What to do
Server full!	The server is full. Use the Free slots filter, or wait.
This server requires a NodeMP account: sign in to the launcher and join again	The server wants an account and you’re in Test Drive. Settings → Account → Sign in.
This server needs a newer launcher — update now	Click Update now: the launcher updates, restarts and joins again.
Your NodeMP mod is out of date for this server (it speaks wire protocol …, the server …). Reinstall it from the launcher.	Close the game, click Settings → Launcher → Client mod → Check now and join again.
Could not reach the server	Nothing answers at that address: the server is off or its port is closed. Refresh the list or ask the host.
server certificate fingerprint mismatch	The server’s certificate changed. Ask the host whether they reinstalled it.
Your BeamNG install does not match the game's own file list (3 files differ). Verify the game's files in Steam and try again. …	Verify the game files in Steam: BeamNG.drive → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
You are banned from this server	This server banned you. If the host gave a reason, you see that instead.
The server is starting up; join again in a moment.	The server is still starting. Try again in a minute.
Connection refused	A plugin on the server turned you away: a whitelist, a rule. Ask the host.

If the reason isn’t in this table, look it up on Error messages.

A strict server refuses you

A strict server wants everyone on a clean, untouched game. When something differs, the launcher shows the first problem in plain words, some advice, and a Copy button that copies a command listing every problem.

What usually trips it, even if you never changed anything on purpose:

• Leftovers of unpacked mods in your user folder: files like info_*.json or *.jbeam in %LOCALAPPDATA%\BeamNG\BeamNG.drive\current\vehicles\ from mods removed long ago. Your saved configurations (<name>.pc with their pictures) are fine.
• Your own maps and scripts in current\levels\, current\lua\, ui\, art\ or scripts\. Move them elsewhere while you play on strict servers.
• Extra files in the game folder: other tools, ReShade, a mod unpacked into the game folder by mistake.
• A different game version. The game just updated and the host hasn’t yet, or the other way round. Then the list is full of the game’s own files, such as /Bin64/BeamNG.drive.x64.exe (hash).

Zip mods in your mods\ folder never fail the check.

To see every problem: close BeamNG.drive, click Copy under the refusal, paste the command into Command Prompt or PowerShell and press Enter. Each line of the result is a reason and a path:

Reason	What it means	What to do
overlay	A file in your user folder replaces or adds game content.	Move it out of current\. Zip mods belong in mods\.
unlisted	An extra file in the game folder.	Delete it yourself: Steam’s check doesn’t remove extra files.
hash, size, missing	A game file was changed or is missing. Many of them, including /Bin64/…, mean you and the server have different game versions.	Verify the files in Steam, update the game, or wait for the host to update.
crc, extra, duplicate	Something inside one of the game’s archives is off.	Verify the files in Steam.

During the session a strict server checks again: on its own schedule (every 10 minutes unless the host changed it) and after files change. If something changed, the session ends. Put the files back as they were and join again.

Mods don’t download

• The download is slow. Give it time. A download is never stopped for being slow, only when nothing moves at all.
• The download broke off. Join again: what finished stays in the cache, and the rest is fetched.
• One mod fails every time. The server may not have it, the file may be broken, or the host marked it as one you get yourself; then the message says where to put it. Otherwise, tell the host.
• The disk is full. Server mods live in the launcher’s cache. Content lists them with their sizes; remove the ones you don’t need (with the game closed).

The game doesn’t start, or closes right away

1. Open Settings → Game and check that the launcher sees a game version. If not, click Browse or Find it.
2. Try another Graphics mode. Direct3D 11 is the fallback when D3D12 misbehaves.
3. Verify the game files in Steam.
4. If the game started and closed, its log says why: %LOCALAPPDATA%\BeamNG\BeamNG.drive\current\beamng.log.

If BeamNG.drive is already open when you join, the launcher uses it instead of starting a second copy.

You got dropped

A short drop doesn’t end your session: the launcher reconnects by itself (A bad connection). If the session did end, the reason is in the notification:

Reason	What to do
Kicked, Banned, or the host’s own words	An admin or a plugin removed you. Ask the host.
Server shutdown	The server stopped or is restarting. Give it a few minutes.
Resume rejected	The server wouldn’t take the reconnect back. Join again.

Session ended with no reason at all means BeamNG.drive was closed.

The server list is empty

• Connection lost at start: click Try again. If NodeMP can’t be reached right now, choose Continue without the list: Direct Connect still works.
• No servers online: the launcher reached NodeMP fine; nobody is running a public server right now.
• Nothing matches these filters: there are servers, your filters hide them. Click Reset all filters.
• A server you know is running isn’t listed: it may be private, or have no key at all. Join it with Direct Connect.

The launcher’s traffic helper

Every join starts a second copy of the launcher in the background, without a window. It starts the game, talks to the server and carries your traffic while you play. When the launcher says The launcher’s traffic helper stopped, it means this background part, and the line under the title is the last line of its log. Look it up under Helper exit codes.

What to send when you ask for help

On Discord, send:

1. launcher.log, right after the problem; it starts over on the next join.
2. The exact message: the title, the line under it, and the text under Details.
3. Which server, and what you were doing.

If the problem is inside the game (a car missing, the chat acting up), add the game’s log, beamng.log.

What	Where
launcher.log	%LOCALAPPDATA%\NodeMP\helper\logs\ (Settings → Launcher → Logs)
beamng.log	%LOCALAPPDATA%\BeamNG\BeamNG.drive\current\
Downloaded server mods	%LOCALAPPDATA%\NodeMP\helper\cache\
The client mod	%LOCALAPPDATA%\BeamNG\BeamNG.drive\current\mods\multiplayer\NodeMP.zip