"Sending punch packet..." --- Ping

[Emgiell]

There are clearly players in the server why can't I join.

[Ad Bot]

[EcstaticEggplant]

the server may have just closed

[Emgiell]

the server may have just closed

My steam friends where actively playing on it.

[Eon]

You can't connect to it.

[Trogtor]

You can't connect to it.

nice detective work, genius.

care to give a speed test, op?

[Emgiell]

I forgot to note that this seems to only happen on random servers.

nice detective work, genius.

care to give a speed test, op?

Will soon.

[Emgiell]

care to give a speed test, op?

Speed test gives me the ping (17) and then down right stops working.

[honytawk]

Speed test gives me the ping (17) and then down right stops working.

You mean this one: http://www.speedtest.net/ ?
Are you on a public network by any chance?
Something like a hotel or airport?

Some of those network block certain ports, which can cause you not to connect to everything.

Or is this issue about one specific server?

[Kyuande]

If some people can connect to them just fine, your router isn't handling the connection properly