Firewall is off.

When I go to start a game, I click "join game" and then go to the main screen and start a game. No one comes to play. I got it to work once.... but I don't know how.

Multiplayer.

If you want to play with other people, you have to decide how first:

a) You start a game and others join you

Click on the OPTIONS menu. In the NETWORK options select connection type (Connection - LAN /Internet). Set the online players limit (Max Players - should be small if you have a slow internet connection). The game can be registered in the lobby server in internet games (REGISTER IN LOBBY SERVERS), so other players can find your game in the JOIN GAME servers search. Now select a game mode, some maps from the list and press START GAME in the first menu. If your game has been successfully registered in the lobby server you will get a message in the game.

b) You join a game

Click on the JOIN GAME menu. If you know the IP address of the server you want to join then type it in the REMOTE HOST IP field. If you want to search for active servers in the internet or LAN, click REQUEST SERVERS. Double click or select a game from the list with the lowest PING time and with players on, then press JOIN GAME.

http://www.soldat.pl/manual/manual-en.html#START

Ok. Well that was both insulting and no help whatsoever. Thanks a lot. When I am connected to my ISP and I start Soldat and go to multiplayer and hit "JOIN" my DSL modem blinks and my internet connection dies. If I alt-tab out and sign back into my ISP after two or three tries I get it to work but this seems like a poor workaround. Why is this happening? Can I fix it?

er, well...

Try this ^^

http://archive.forums.soldat.pl/topic.php?topic_id=11320

Tried it. Didn't work. I don't think I have to open any ports because by crewing with it I can get it to work by minimizing the game and resetting my modem and then resinging on to my isp and repeating ad nauseum. I don't know what magic combo works but sometimes it works. What gives?