Separate the symptoms
I joined, but vehicle appearance is still loading
The 1.0.1 update introduces a vehicle-appearance loading counter near connection status. Paint, rust and dirt textures are sent in stages, prioritising nearby vehicles. A running counter is different from a failed connection.[1]
The host disconnected, then could not host again
The developer says 1.0.1 fixes a host-disconnect case that previously required restarting the game before rehosting. Confirm you have the update before treating that old workaround as a permanent requirement.[1]
The game is connected, but driving still has high ping
The update improves packet-loss handling and adds automatic router negotiation. It does not claim to remove latency caused by every route or connection. Record the symptom and report it if it persists.[1]
Connection checklist
The announcement itself suggests restarting Steam when the update is not visible. Its F8 report changes include ping, packet loss, relay status, pending vehicle textures and connection errors, helping the developer distinguish different causes.[1]
What the router change means
While in a lobby, 1.0.1 can request UDP ports 7777–7780 through UPnP or NAT-PMP. The developer describes this as an attempt to obtain a direct connection rather than relay traffic. With an unsupported router, the announcement says nothing changes.[1]
The documented opt-out is the launch option -noupnp. This is an explanation of the game’s automatic feature, not an instruction to disable your firewall or expose arbitrary ports. Manual router changes are outside this guide.
When the connection is not the main problem
If only an uprighted vehicle refuses to move for a non-host, the update documents a separate seat/vehicle bug. Follow the vehicle recovery checks. A silent radio likewise has a cassette-related check; it is not by itself evidence of a failed lobby.