Unturned Server Not Showing or Friends Can't Connect (Fixes)

An Unturned server that is not on the Internet list, or that players time out joining, usually has one of these problems: no valid Game Server Login Token (GSLT), so it only runs as a LAN server; neither port forwarding nor Fake IP is set up; the server is on an older build than the players; a Workshop map or mod fails to download for joining players; or a password, whitelist or ban keeps someone out. Players can also join by Server Code, which takes the list out of the equation and tells you whether the server itself is reachable.

Start with the Server Code

Every Unturned server gets a 17 digit Server Code when it starts. The console shows it, and there is a Copy Server Code button in the server console window. Players enter it in Connect from the Play menu.

• Joining by code works, the list does not show it: the server is fine. It is a listing problem, so check causes 1 and 4.
• Joining by code fails too: the server is not reachable or refuses the player. Check causes 2, 3 and 5.

Without a GSLT the code changes every time the server launches, so do not hand out an old one.

Cause 1: no GSLT, so it is a LAN server

By default an Unturned server is only visible on the same local network. To be an Internet server it needs a Game Server Login Token.

1. Go to steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers while signed in to Steam.
2. Create a token with app ID 304930 (the Unturned game, not the dedicated server tool).
3. Put it in the server's startup as -GSLT <token>.
4. Restart.

Each token works for one server at a time. Two servers sharing a token knock each other off. Steam does not let limited accounts create tokens, so use a full account in good standing. If you deleted a token on the Steam page, every server using it stops listing.

The full setup with Commands.dat is in our Unturned hosting guide.

Cause 2: neither port forwarding nor Fake IP

An Internet server must be reachable one of two ways. You only need one.

Port forwarding. Unturned uses the port you set (27015 by default) and the one above it, both UDP. Forward both on your router to the PC running the server and allow Unturned.exe or the headless server through the firewall. The router steps are in our port forwarding guide.

Fake IP. Set Use_FakeIP to true in the server's Config.json, under the browser or server settings depending on your version. The server then gets an address through Steam's relay network, so you do not need to forward ports. Run CopyFakeIP in the server console to get the address to share. Fake IP is the fix for connections behind carrier grade NAT, where no port forward can work. Check with this CGNAT test if you are not sure.

Cause 3: version mismatch

Unturned updates often, sometimes several times a week. When Steam updates players, a server on the old build either drops out of their list or refuses them with a version error. Update the server through SteamCMD (the dedicated server app ID is 1110390) and restart. Rocket and OpenMod plugins can break after a big update, so if the server will not start afterward, check for plugin errors in the console and update or remove the plugin.

Cause 4: the list itself

The Internet list is big and heavily filtered.

• Search a distinctive part of the server name rather than scrolling.
• Check the filters: map, password, PvP or PvE, perspective, and the ping limit. A server that is far away can be hidden by the max ping filter.
• Plugin and monetization filters can also hide servers depending on how the server describes itself in Config.json.
• Newly started servers take a couple of minutes to appear.
• Read the server's own listing rules too: Unturned has hosting rules for Internet servers, and servers that break them can be removed from the list.

Cause 5: Workshop content fails to download

When a server runs a Workshop map or mods from WorkshopDownloadConfig.json, joining players download them first. If that fails, the join looks like a timeout.

• A large map takes time. Ask players to subscribe to the map on the Workshop before joining, so it is already installed.
• A Workshop item that was removed, made private or updated in a broken way stops everyone. Check each file ID still exists and is public.
• The Map line in Commands.dat must match the map's exact name, or the server falls back or fails to load.

Our guide to adding Workshop maps to an Unturned server covers the file in detail.

Cause 6: password, whitelist and bans

• Password in Commands.dat, or -Password on the launch line, sets the join password. Players enter it when they connect.
• If a whitelist is on, only whitelisted Steam IDs can join.
• Banned players see a ban message. Check bans with the console before chasing network ideas.
• BattlEye: players need BattlEye to run with the game. A broken BattlEye install shows up as kicks on join for that player only.

The commands for bans and whitelists are in our Unturned server commands guide.

When one player cannot join

If everyone else can, it is their machine. Have them verify the game files in Steam, restart Steam, turn off any VPN and let BattlEye install or repair itself on launch.

Skip the token and the ports

Causes 1 and 2 are the hard part of running Unturned yourself. On a GamezServers Unturned server we create the GSLT for you, so the server lists on the Internet tab from the first start, and it has its own address with its ports open, so neither port forwarding nor Fake IP is needed. Rocket comes set up, Commands.dat and WorkshopDownloadConfig.json are in the file manager, and the live console shows the Server Code and every join. If it is still missing from the list a few minutes after starting, email support@gamezservers.com.

FAQ

Why is my Unturned server not showing on the Internet list?

Most often it has no valid GSLT, so it runs as a LAN server. Create one for app ID 304930, add it with -GSLT and restart.

How do I join an Unturned server with a Server Code?

Open Play, then Connect, and enter the 17 digit code from the server console.

Do I need port forwarding for an Unturned server?

Not if you use Fake IP. You need either port forwarding (port and port + 1, UDP) or Fake IP, not both.

Why do players time out joining my Unturned server?

Usually a Workshop map or mod download failing or taking too long, or ports that are not reachable. Have players subscribe to the content first and check the ports.

Can two Unturned servers use the same GSLT?

No. Each server needs its own token, or they knock each other off the list.