How to quickly find servers on the network?

Question

Computer networks

Tell me, what are the ways to quickly find computers on the network?
Let's say I made a game with me and anyone can put a server for themselves (as in counter)

, I understand perfectly well that when you create a server in counter, information about it flies to the valve server, and in fact the client takes the ip of the server from valve, but I have there is no central server where information about the created servers would wander.

So far, I see only one solution for myself, this is to sort through all ip 0.0.0.0 -> 255.255.255.255 in turn. and try to search for servers among them. Unfortunately, this is a rather lengthy process. Even a simple enumeration (without polling the servers themselves takes a decent amount of time, about 30 minutes).

How can this process be accelerated?

Answer 1

So far, I see only one solution for myself, this is to sort through all ip 0.0.0.0 -> 255.255.255.255 in turn. and try to search for servers among them

And get a ban from the provider.

but I don’t have a central server where I would wander infa about the created servers

Obviously - somewhere to store the list. If you don’t want to spend money on a simple server in the cloud for a conditional 30 rubles. per month - store in a text document on the same pastebin and similar services.

Answer 2

Embed the list in the game. And update it with an update.

Answer 3

I perfectly understand that when you create a server in counter, information about it flies to the valve servers, and in fact the client takes the ip of the server with valve, but I don’t have a central server where info about the created servers would wander

It depends on what version of contra. There are plenty of local CS 1.6 servers that valve knows nothing about. And if you do not know the IP and port, you will not find this server.
To know about the server - its owner must advertise it. Write ads, send you sms, or maybe create a web portal about CS, in a few years, when it becomes more or less popular, you can make a page with a list of different CS servers on it, and say that everyone can publish their addresses here.
Well, or do it like Valve - build functionality into the client, when the server starts, it reports itself to Valve and all clients receive information about this server from the central Valve server.
Otherwise, no way.
PS the idea of ​​scanning everything from 0.0.0.0 to 255.255.255.255 sounds a bit ridiculous. Banned for a start. Second will take a little more than 30 minutes.

Answer 4

Create your own IRC channel and have the servers check in every, say, 30 minutes.
Then the task of the client is to get the chat history in 30 minutes.

Answer 5

An example of an attempt to scan the entire Internet ten years ago, it took 10 months and a botnet of 420,000 devices.