FoundryFOUNDRY Server Not Showing in Server List? Fixes That Work
FOUNDRY dedicated server missing from the Steam server list? Check server_is_public, the query port, version and filters, and join by IP Direct Connect.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 6 min read
On this page
- How FOUNDRY servers are found
- Step 1: Test IP Direct Connect
- Step 2: Check server_is_public
- Step 3: Open the query port (self hosting)
- Step 4: Same version on server and game
- Step 5: Look in the right list, with the right filters
- Step 6: The server is up but nobody can join
- A note on Pause Server When Empty
- Quick checklist
- Let someone else keep it reachable
- FAQ
A FOUNDRY dedicated server only appears in the Steam server list when server_is_public is true in app.cfg and its Steam query port (27015 by default) is reachable from the internet. If either is off, the server still runs and players can join it through Multiplayer, IP Direct Connect. So check the public flag and the query port first, then the version, and use Direct Connect in the meantime. Most groups never need the list at all.
How FOUNDRY servers are found
It helps to know there are two separate paths into a FOUNDRY server, because they fail for different reasons:
| Path | Uses | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| IP Direct Connect | The game port (server_port, UDP 3724 by default) |
The address, port and password |
| Steam server browser | The Steam query port (server_query_port, UDP 27015 by default) |
server_is_public=true and the query port open |
The server list is the Steam server browser, which the official FOUNDRY dedicated server page points to for public servers. If players can join by IP but cannot see the server in the list, the game port is fine and the problem is the public flag or the query port. If they cannot join by IP either, the problem is the server itself, the game port or the version.
Step 1: Test IP Direct Connect
- Launch FOUNDRY and choose Multiplayer.
- Pick IP Direct Connect.
- Enter the address with the port, for example
203.0.113.10:3724, and the password if there is one.
On our servers the address and port to type are shown in the panel. If this works, your friends can play tonight and you can fix the listing at your own pace.
Step 2: Check server_is_public
Open app.cfg in the server folder and look for:
server_is_public=true
If it says false, the server never registers with Steam and will not appear anywhere in the list. That is a perfectly good setting for a private group, and many hosts leave it off on purpose.
On GamezServers this is the Server Public setting in the panel. It is on by default, and the panel writes it into app.cfg every time the server starts. That also means a hand edit to server_is_public in the file is replaced on the next start, so change it in the panel instead.
Step 3: Open the query port (self hosting)
The Steam list reaches your server on the query port, not the game port. A home hosted server needs both forwarded:
- On your router, forward UDP 3724 and UDP 27015 to the PC running
FoundryDedicatedServer.exe. Our port forwarding guide has the router side. - Allow the server through Windows Firewall on public networks.
- If you run two servers on one PC, each needs its own
server_portandserver_query_port, and both pairs forwarded.
Common mistakes are forwarding only 3724, forwarding as TCP instead of UDP, or forwarding to an old local IP after the PC got a new one from the router. If your ISP uses carrier grade NAT, no forwarding will work: see hosting a game server without port forwarding.
On a hosted server the query port is assigned and open for you, so this step does not apply.
Step 4: Same version on server and game
FOUNDRY is in Early Access and patches often. When the game updates and the server does not, players on the new build cannot see or join the old server. The official troubleshooting advice is to make sure the server version matches the game version.
- Self hosted: run SteamCMD's
app_update 2915550before starting. If an update keeps failing, delete the install and reinstall, which the official page also suggests. - GamezServers: Auto update the server is on by default and runs at each start, so a restart from the panel after a patch brings it up to date.
If the game is on a beta branch through Steam's Betas tab and the server is not, they will not match either. Everyone should be on the same branch as the server.
Step 5: Look in the right list, with the right filters
In the Steam client, open View, then Game Servers, and look under the Internet tab with the game filter set to FOUNDRY. Then:
- Search for one distinctive word from your server name, not the whole thing.
- Turn off filters that hide empty, full or password protected servers. A new private server is all three of those things at once at some point.
- Give it a few minutes after a start. A server that just came up may not be listed yet.
The name players search for is server_name in app.cfg, or Server Name in our panel, which is limited to 40 characters.
Step 6: The server is up but nobody can join
Sometimes the server is listed, or reachable by IP, but joins fail. Check:
| Symptom | Cause |
|---|---|
| Wrong password message | Password in server_password changed and was not shared |
| Joins, then kicked or errors on load | Player's mods differ from the server's mods |
| Connects to an empty new world | server_world_name does not match the save folder |
| Slow first join | Large factory loading for the first time after a start |
Mods are the most common one. FOUNDRY does not sync mods on join, so every player needs the same set as the server. Our guide to installing mods on a FOUNDRY server covers building a matching Workshop collection. For the world name problem, see how to move a FOUNDRY world to a dedicated server.
A note on Pause Server When Empty
With pause_server_when_empty=true the world freezes while nobody is connected. It does not hide the server or stop it from being listed. It only stops the factory from running unattended, which is usually what a co-op group wants. On our servers this is Pause Server When Empty in the panel, on by default.
Quick checklist
- Direct Connect works? Then only the listing is broken.
server_is_public=true(Server Public in our panel).- UDP 27015 and UDP 3724 forwarded, if self hosted.
- Server updated to the same version as the game.
- Search the Steam server list with filters cleared.
- Same mods for every player.
Let someone else keep it reachable
A FOUNDRY server from GamezServers has its own address with the game and query ports already open, so the self hosting half of this list goes away. Server name, password, max players, map seed, autosave interval, Server Public and Pause Server When Empty are panel settings, Auto Update keeps it on the current build after a restart, and one click backups protect the factory before you change anything. For setting up your own from scratch, see how to host a FOUNDRY server.
FAQ
Why can I join my FOUNDRY server by IP but not find it in the list?
The server is running and the game port works, so the listing is the problem: server_is_public is false or the Steam query port, UDP 27015 by default, is blocked.
What ports does the FOUNDRY server list need?
The Steam query port, UDP 27015 by default. The game itself uses UDP 3724.
Does a FOUNDRY server have to be public?
No. Private servers work fine through IP Direct Connect, and a password keeps strangers out even when the server is listed.
My FOUNDRY server disappeared after a game update. Why?
The game updated and the server did not. Update the server, or restart it on GamezServers so Auto Update runs.
Where do I change the server's name in the list?
server_name in app.cfg, or the Server Name setting in our panel. Restart after changing it.
Skip the setup. Your own Foundry server.
Then $19.99/mo. Just trying it? $5.00 for 3 days