Problem with the first Initialization of my LN node, dial tcp my-external-ip:9735: connect: connection timed out

[scottcarter2020]

Background

I was following 402 Payment Required's LN video over here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0siLF9zmWo) and everything was good so far, until the moment of the first Initialization of my LN node, I got an (dial tcp my-external-ip:9735: connect: connection timed out) error.

Your environment

• version of lnd: I don't know, I guess it's the latest version.
• which operating system (uname -a on *Nix): Ubuntu 18.04
• version of btcd, bitcoind, or other backend: bitcoind 0.19.1
• any other relevant environment details: My Ubuntu is running on a VM machine with a (bridged) internet connection

Steps to reproduce

I don't know how to reproduce the problem but here is a log with my issue

2020-08-14 20:33:16.008 [INF] BTCN: Server listening on [::]:9735
2020-08-14 20:33:16.009 [INF] SRVR: Initializing peer network bootstrappers!
2020-08-14 20:33:16.009 [INF] SRVR: Creating DNS peer bootstrapper with seeds: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:16.010 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:33:16.022 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:16.426 [INF] DISC: Obtained 1 addrs to bootstrap network with
2020-08-14 20:33:19.428 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 2s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #1)
2020-08-14 20:33:21.428 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:21.463 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:33:21.464 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:33:21.464 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 4s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #2)
2020-08-14 20:33:25.464 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:25.504 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:33:25.504 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:33:25.504 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 8s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #3)
2020-08-14 20:33:33.504 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:33.539 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:33:33.539 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:33:33.539 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 16s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #4)
2020-08-14 20:33:49.540 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:33:49.540 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:33:49.578 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:33:49.578 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 32s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #5)
2020-08-14 20:34:21.579 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:34:21.580 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:34:21.735 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:34:21.735 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 1m0s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #6)
2020-08-14 20:35:21.736 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:35:21.736 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:35:22.280 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:35:22.280 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 1m0s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #7)
2020-08-14 20:35:27.316 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to connect to ##################################################################@my-external-ip:9735: dial tcp my-external-ip:9735: connect: connection timed out
2020-08-14 20:36:22.280 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: BOLT-0010 DNS Seed: [[nodes.lightning.directory soa.nodes.lightning.directory] [lseed.bitcoinstats.com ]]
2020-08-14 20:36:22.347 [INF] CRTR: Pruning channel graph using block 0000000000000000000f09423cef42338b27f29244a99deed77411cf2e6edb57 (height=643720)
2020-08-14 20:36:22.349 [INF] CRTR: Block 0000000000000000000f09423cef42338b27f29244a99deed77411cf2e6edb57 (height=643720) closed 0 channels
2020-08-14 20:36:22.461 [DBG] NTFN: Filtering 3178 txns for 0 spend requests at height 643720
2020-08-14 20:36:22.523 [INF] NTFN: New block: height=643720, sha=0000000000000000000f09423cef42338b27f29244a99deed77411cf2e6edb57
2020-08-14 20:36:22.523 [DBG] SWPR: New block: height=643720, sha=0000000000000000000f09423cef42338b27f29244a99deed77411cf2e6edb57
2020-08-14 20:36:22.523 [INF] UTXN: Attempting to graduate height=643720: num_kids=0, num_babies=0
2020-08-14 20:36:22.524 [DBG] DISC: New block: height=643720, hash=0000000000000000000f09423cef42338b27f29244a99deed77411cf2e6edb57
2020-08-14 20:36:22.757 [INF] DISC: Attempting to bootstrap with: Authenticated Channel Graph
2020-08-14 20:36:22.758 [ERR] SRVR: Unable to retrieve initial bootstrap peers: no addresses found
2020-08-14 20:36:22.758 [DBG] SRVR: Waiting 1m0s before trying to locate bootstrap peers (attempt #8)

Expected behaviour

I expected the Initialization would work normally without any issues.

Actual behaviour

The first Initialization of the LN node didn't happen, stuck in the loop of trying to locate bootstrap peers

[Roasbeef]

If the connection is timing out, then something might be up with your local network. I'd also check if you're able to hit the DNS seeds manually as well.

[scottcarter2020]

If the connection is timing out, then something might be up with your local network. I'd also check if you're able to hit the DNS seeds manually as well.

I was starting the Initialization by the following way

lnd --externalip=X.X.X.X

And I've my lnd configuration file with the following attributes

alias=
debuglevel=debug
bitcoin.active=1
bitcoin.mainnet=1
bitcoin.node=bitcoind

I created the file (before) I started the Initialization.

Could you tell me please how I check if I'm able to hit the DNS seeds manually, unix beginner here.

[wpaulino]

dig nodes.lightning.directory should return some IP addresses if you're able to reach it.

[scottcarter2020]

dig nodes.lightning.directory should return some IP addresses if you're able to reach it.

So I open a new terminal and write (dig nodes.lightning.directory) ?

[wpaulino]

Yes, feel free to paste the output here.

[scottcarter2020]

Yes, feel free to paste the output here.

; <<>> DiG 9.11.3-1ubuntu1.12-Ubuntu <<>> nodes.lightning.directory
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 48349
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 25, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 65494
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;nodes.lightning.directory. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:

;; Query time: 154 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.53#53(127.0.0.53)
;; WHEN: Fri Aug 14 23:13:30 EET 2020
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 454

[Roasbeef]

Clipped the response slightly, but that looks to be fine. It may be the SRV records instead that aren't getting through? In either case, if you can connect to even a single existing node, you'll be able to boostrap the channel graph.

[Roasbeef]

Closing as the DNS seed is working properly, so this indicates an issue w/ the user's local network set up.