SquadSquad Server Not Showing in the Server Browser? How to Fix It
Unlicensed Squad servers list under Custom Servers. If yours is not there, check ShouldAdvertise, the query port 27165, browser filters and the server version.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 5 min read
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If your Squad server does not show in the browser, first look in the right place: unlicensed servers only appear under the Custom Servers tab, and an empty or modded server is hidden until you tick Show Empty Servers or Show Modded Servers in the filters. If it is still missing, the cause is usually ShouldAdvertise=false or IsLANMatch=true in Server.cfg, a closed or mismatched query port (27165 by default), or a server that is behind the current game version. Most owners find it in the first step.
Squad has no simple join by IP from the game menu, so a server that is not listed is effectively unreachable for most players. That makes this worth fixing properly.
Step 1: Look in Custom Servers with the right filters
The main browser tab only shows servers licensed by Offworld. Everything else is under Custom Servers. Then:
- Open Server Browser and switch to Custom Servers.
- Open the filters and tick Show Empty Servers. A new server with zero players is hidden otherwise.
- If you run Workshop mods, tick Show Modded Servers too.
- Clear any ping or region filter while testing.
- Search for a distinctive word from your
ServerName.
If it appears now, nothing is broken. Tell your players about the tab and the filters, or pin the instructions in your Discord.
Step 2: Check Server.cfg
Open SquadGame/ServerConfig/Server.cfg and check these lines:
ShouldAdvertise=true
IsLANMatch=false
ShouldAdvertise=false keeps the server out of the public list entirely. IsLANMatch=true turns it into a LAN only server. Either one copied from a test setup is enough to hide you. Restart after changing them.
Step 3: Check the ports
Squad needs several UDP ports open, and the browser depends on the query port:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7787 | UDP | Game traffic |
| 7788 | UDP | Used alongside the game port |
| 27165 | UDP | Steam query, the server browser |
| 15000 | UDP | Beacon |
The query port in your start command (QueryPort=27165) must be the one you forwarded and allowed through the firewall. Two classic mistakes:
- Changed ports, old forwards. If you start with
Port=7797 QueryPort=27175, forward those numbers, not the defaults. - Two servers, one query port. Each server on a machine needs its own query port. Only the first one to start will be listed.
Forward the ports to the local IP of the server machine and set a DHCP reservation so that IP does not change. Our port forwarding guide covers routers, and if nothing outside your home can reach the server, check whether you are behind CGNAT.
Step 4: Update the server
When Squad updates, players get the new client and the browser stops showing servers on the old build. Update the server with SteamCMD:
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\servers\squad +login anonymous +app_update 403240 validate +quit
Then restart. If you run Workshop mods, check they have been updated for the new game version too. A big mod that has not caught up can stop the server from loading its layers, which looks like the server never coming up.
Step 5: Make sure it actually finished starting
A Squad server is only listed once the first layer has loaded. On a modded server with large maps that can take a while. Watch the log until the layer is loaded and no errors follow. Common reasons a server sits half started:
- A layer in your rotation that does not exist in this version, so the server cannot load it.
- A mod referenced in the rotation that is not installed.
- Not enough RAM for the map and mods, which makes the server crash and restart in a loop.
Fixing the rotation usually means copying current layer names from the game rather than from an old list.
Step 6: Give the list time
Steam's master list picks the server up a short while after it starts answering queries. After a restart or name change, wait a few minutes and refresh before changing anything else.
Joining without the browser
While you fix the listing, players can still get in through Steam's own server list: in the Steam client, open View, then Game Servers, go to Favorites, click Add a Server and enter the address with the query port. Once added, they can connect from there. This also helps when the in game browser is slow to refresh.
Quick reference
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Visible only under Custom Servers | Normal for unlicensed servers |
| Missing until filters change | Empty or modded server hidden by filters |
| Missing everywhere | ShouldAdvertise=false, IsLANMatch=true, or query port closed |
| Second server never listed | Shared query port |
| Disappeared after a patch | Server or mods out of date |
| Never finishes starting | Bad layer name, missing mod, or not enough RAM |
On a hosted server
On a GamezServers Squad server, the game, query and beacon ports are assigned and open on a fixed address with DDoS protection, which removes Step 3. Advertise Server is a switch in the panel, Workshop mods install from the item IDs you list (reinstall after changing them), and the live console shows the layer loading so you know exactly when the server should appear. If you are starting from scratch, our Squad setup guide covers the full config, and the admin guide covers staff once players can find you.
FAQ
Why is my Squad server only under Custom Servers?
That is where every unlicensed server is listed. The main tab is for servers licensed by Offworld Industries.
What is the Squad query port?
27165 by default, set with QueryPort= in the start command. It must be open over UDP for the browser to find the server.
Why can't I see my empty Squad server?
The browser hides empty servers by default. Tick Show Empty Servers in the filters.
Can players join a Squad server by IP?
Not from the game's menu. They can add it to Favorites in Steam's Game Servers window and connect from there.
Skip the setup. Your own Squad server.
Then $19.99/mo. Just trying it? $5.00 for 3 days
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