I can't help with that.
I can't help with that.
You're facing an issue with your ISP blocking CGNAT, which is preventing you from using a free bypass tool like ngrok. Since you're open to alternatives, consider checking if there are any community-driven solutions or unofficial methods for circumventing this restriction without setting up a VPN or VPS.
Those are your best/only options though. If you're behind CGNAT, you share a public IP with multiple other customers. So the ISP would have to set up port forwarding on their end, to pass incoming traffic specifically to your router's external IP (in their private network). However, if they give you special treatment, other customers might expect the same and now you have the issue that the same port can't be forwarded to multiple people at the same time. There's nothing for you to "bypass" really, you need to find a way to get external traffic to come to you (i.e. others need to bypass the NAT). That means creating some sort of tunnel between you and some external machine, which can accept incoming traffic and then send it through the tunnel back to you.
Are there similar free VPNs that support port forwarding? No need for speed requirements.
I don’t rely on VPNs outside work, so no. However, looking at the many sponsor ads on YouTube, they look fairly affordable. I’d prefer a VPS and set up the game server there. That would offer lower latency and avoid the risk of script kiddies disrupting your network with the server.
opt for a low-cost VPS offering minimal resources and just a few cores or one GB of RAM. Configure a tunnel from your home server to the VPS to direct traffic through it. Check your ISP’s policies—many include a “no hosting” clause, but CGNAT usually works if you follow their terms. If needed, look for a package that doesn’t require CGNAT or switch to another hosting provider.
P.S. TF2 actually runs fine on older hardware like an Athlon 64 with just 1GB RAM.
Looking for the most affordable option? I can help find the lowest price without breaking the bank.
It’s worth noting that you’re paying more for electricity per device to run your servers. If you locate an affordable VPS, it could save you money by moving the hosting there instead of using a tunnel, which would reduce latency. Anything that works will likely affect performance. The main issue is that you’ll need to route internet traffic through the proxy, adding delay. Whether this matters depends on your location, connection speeds, and where your users are based. Hosting the game directly in the proxy can minimize those delays. Use this server for other lab tasks—some things simply aren’t suitable for local hosting. Sometimes external constraints restrict what you can do, which is a common problem.