protonscr

steamcmd doesn't work with IPv6 disabled via kernel

steamopen SteamCMD
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#7692 · opened 2021-03-04 by ZizzyZizzy · updated 2026-08-24 · 3 comments · github
ZZizzyZizzy 2021-03-04 github

Your system information

ii steamcmd:i386 0~20130205-1 i386 Command-line interface for Valve's Steam

Ubuntu 18.04

  • Opted into Steam client beta?: [No]
  • Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes]

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

steamcmd fails to download if IPv6 is completely disable via kernel params

[  0%] Checking for available updates...
[----] Verifying installation...
Steam Console Client (c) Valve Corporation
-- type 'quit' to exit --
Loading Steam API...CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
OK.

Connecting anonymously to Steam Public...CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
Retrying. . .
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
Retrying. . .
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
Retrying. . .
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
Retrying. . .
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
CreateBoundSocket: failed to create socket, error EAFNOSUPPORT (97)
FAILED login with result code No Connection
ERROR! Failed to request AppInfo update, not online or not logged in to Steam.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Disable IPv6 in sysctl and grub
  2. Reboot
  3. Attempt to use steamcmd
Ddinsdalepiranha 2021-09-22 github

I am suddenly seeing this with the Steam Client today. Same OS with IPv6 disabled.

Bbooth-f 2021-11-01 github

It is recommended that you not disable IPv6. Even if your network does not have working IPv6, some OS services depend on IPv6 being enabled in the kernel for proper functionality.

Please re-enable IPv6 in the kernel, reboot your machine and try running steamcmd again.

Eetkaar 2026-08-24 github

Same here. Error message disappeared once I removed ipv6.disable=1 from /etc/default/grub (and then update-grub):

#GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="ipv6.disable=1 quiet pcie_aspm.policy=performance pcie_port_pm=off"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet pcie_aspm.policy=performance pcie_port_pm=off"

Nothing extracted yet.