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If your Arma 3 server is not showing up in the server browser, the usual cause is that Steam cannot reach the server over the required UDP ports. Verify that the server is registering, forward UDP 2302–2306 to the correct computer, allow those ports through the host firewall, and confirm that your internet connection has a real public IPv4 address. Then test with a UDP-aware query or Direct Connection instead of relying on a TCP port checker.
What “not showing up” usually means
Arma 3’s browser does not discover a home-hosted server simply because the dedicated-server process is running. The process must start correctly, contact Steam’s master servers, answer queries on its Steam query port, and accept traffic from the internet. A failure at any of those stages can make the server invisible even when the console appears normal.
Separate the symptoms before changing settings:
- Nobody can see the server: suspect registration, incorrect ports, firewall rules, a private WAN address, or a stale router mapping.
- The server appears but nobody can join: check the game port, firewall, BattlEye and server configuration after discovery is working.
- Friends can join by IP but cannot find it in the list: discovery or Steam query traffic is more likely than the game port itself.
- People on the same home network can join but internet players cannot: the server is probably running; investigate forwarding, the public address and carrier-grade NAT.
Use the sequence below rather than changing several variables at once. Start with the server log, then verify port arithmetic, router forwarding, host firewall and the type of address supplied by your ISP.
Arma 3’s default UDP ports
For the default base port, forward the following UDP ports to the computer running the dedicated server:
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| Purpose | Default UDP port | What it carries |
|---|---|---|
| Game and voice (VON) | 2302 | Normal game traffic and in-game voice communications |
| Steam query | 2303 | Browser queries used to retrieve server information |
| Steam master | 2304 | Registration and master-server communication |
| Reserved VON | 2305 | Reserved voice traffic |
| BattlEye | 2306 | BattlEye anti-cheat communication |
Forwarding UDP 2302–2306 as a contiguous range is the simplest default setup. Do not create only a TCP rule: these services use UDP. A TCP-only port checker can report “closed” even when the Arma service is correctly reachable.
The numbers are relative to the game’s base port. If you launch the server with -port=, the game port becomes the value you supplied and the associated ports move with it:
- Game/VON: base port
- Steam query: base port + 1
- Steam master: base port + 2
- Reserved VON: base port + 3
- BattlEye: base port + 4
For example, a base port of 2402 implies query port 2403 and the remaining ports 2404–2406. The router rules, firewall rules and any external test must use that shifted range. A manually specified query port that no longer matches the base-port relationship has been reported as a cause of an unlisted server, although that report comes from a single community thread rather than an official diagnostic.
1. Confirm that the dedicated server is registering
Read the RPT log
Start the server and open its current RPT log. Look for lines that identify the game port and Steam query port. A healthy startup report commonly shows values equivalent to “Game Port: 2302, Steam Query Port: 2303,” followed by a successful connection to Steam servers. The exact wording varies with the server build and launch method, so focus on the numbers and whether a Steam connection is reported.
If the log shows a different base port than you expected, use the logged value when configuring the router and firewall. If it never reports a Steam connection, fix startup, credentials, command-line options or outbound network access before troubleshooting inbound forwarding. A server that has not registered cannot appear in the public browser regardless of router settings.
Allow time for listing
Community reports indicate that a newly started server can take roughly five to ten minutes to appear online. Leave the process running during that interval, then refresh the browser. This is an anecdotal timing estimate, not a guaranteed service-level delay; a server that remains absent after the wait still needs the checks below.
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Check filters and version alignment
Before assuming the network is broken, clear restrictive browser filters. Check that the browser is showing internet servers rather than LAN, favorites or a narrow mission, difficulty, player-count or mod filter. The client and server should also be on compatible game versions and use the same required mods. Filtering cannot be corrected from the router, so remove it as a variable first.
2. Remove conflicting manual port overrides
Inspect -port and query-port settings
Search the launch shortcut, batch file, service definition and server configuration for -port= and any setting named steamqueryport or equivalent. Record the actual game port from the RPT log, then calculate the expected query port as game port + 1.
If you deliberately use a non-default base port, keep the complete shifted range together. If you do not need a custom query-port override, remove it and let Arma 3 derive the query port from the game port. A community report specifically described an unlisted server being fixed by removing a mismatched query override and opening the default range; treat that as a practical lead, not a universal rule.
Restart after changing ports
Stop the server completely before editing the launch parameters. Start it again, reread the RPT log and verify that the reported ports changed as intended. Router rules for the old range do not automatically follow a command-line change.
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Port forwarding targets a local IP address. If the server computer receives a different address from DHCP after a reboot, the router may continue forwarding to a machine that no longer hosts Arma 3.
- In the router’s client or DHCP list, identify the server computer by hostname or network-adapter MAC address.
- Create a DHCP reservation for that computer, or assign a static address outside the router’s automatic pool according to the router documentation.
- Record the reserved address, such as
192.168.1.50, and use it as the destination for every Arma UDP rule. - Restart the server or renew its lease, then confirm that the computer still has the reserved address before testing.
A reservation is usually safer than manually choosing an address that could conflict with another device. The exact menu names differ by router firmware, so use the current labels shown by your model.
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4. Forward UDP 2302–2306 on the router
Use one contiguous rule when possible
Open the router’s port-forwarding, virtual-server or NAT section. Create an inbound rule for UDP ports 2302 through 2306, with the destination set to the server computer’s fixed LAN address. Some routers require separate entries for each port; create five UDP entries if a range is not supported.
- Set the protocol to UDP, not TCP or “TCP only.”
- Set the external range to the server’s actual base range: 2302–2306 by default, or the five-port range calculated from a custom base port.
- Set the internal or destination address to the reserved LAN IP of the Arma 3 server.
- Use the same internal port numbers unless your router explicitly supports and requires translation.
- Save or apply the rule, then reboot the router only if its interface requires a restart to activate NAT changes.
Do not forward the range to a different computer, a console, or the router’s own management address. If the router has separate “gaming,” “application,” and “advanced NAT” pages, ensure that only one active rule owns each port; duplicate or conflicting rules can send packets to the wrong host.
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Check double NAT
If an ISP modem feeds a separate personal router, both devices may perform NAT. In that layout, forwarding only on the inner router is insufficient. Put the personal router in the modem’s designated bridge or exposed-host arrangement where appropriate, or forward the same UDP range through both layers. Avoid exposing a device broadly unless you understand the security implications and can restrict the mapping to the required ports.
5. Allow the ports through the host firewall
The router can deliver a packet to the server computer, but the operating-system firewall can still discard it. Add an inbound rule for UDP 2302–2306 on the network profile the computer is actually using. If you selected a custom base port, substitute its calculated five-port range.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable when the firewall prompts, and verify that the permission applies to inbound traffic.
- Create an explicit UDP rule if an executable exception was created only for TCP.
- Apply the rule to the active private or domain profile as appropriate; a rule limited to an inactive profile will not help.
- Check third-party security suites for a second firewall that may override the operating-system rule.
Firewall interface labels change between Windows releases and security products. The important properties are direction (inbound), protocol (UDP), local ports (the five Arma ports), action (allow) and the active network profile. After saving, restart the server or its network service if the firewall software requires it.
6. Verify that your internet connection has a public IPv4 address
Compare router WAN and internet-facing addresses
Log in to the router and inspect its WAN or internet address. A normal public IPv4 address is routable from the internet. An address in 100.64.0.0/10 indicates carrier-grade NAT, where the ISP shares one public address among customers; inbound port forwarding cannot work through that arrangement. An IPv6-only or DS-Lite connection also prevents ordinary IPv4 forwarding to an Arma server.
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If the router’s WAN address differs from the IPv4 address shown by an external “what is my IP” service, another NAT device or the ISP is in front of your router. Ask the ISP whether a public IPv4 address or a non-carrier-grade service is available. The request may involve a business plan or an additional fee, and availability depends on location.
Why IPv6 alone does not solve this setup
The default Arma 3 forwarding instructions and the community fixes described here assume IPv4. An IPv6-capable client and server may require a separate, end-to-end IPv6 design and firewall policy, but simply enabling IPv6 does not make an IPv4 port-forwarding rule work. If the ISP supplies only IPv6 or DS-Lite, use a virtual LAN or hosted server instead.
7. Reset stale UPnP mappings
UPnP can create automatic mappings, but an old mapping may point to a previous LAN address or reserve ports that conflict with your manual rules. One community report resolved this by temporarily disabling UPnP, deleting or re-adding the manual forwards, and then re-enabling UPnP.
- Stop the Arma server.
- Disable UPnP in the router and remove stale Arma or game mappings if the interface lists them.
- Save the router configuration, then recreate the manual UDP rules for the correct five-port range and fixed LAN address.
- Start the server and confirm that the rules remain pointed at the current computer.
- Re-enable UPnP only if you need it for other applications; verify that it does not create duplicate Arma mappings.
If UPnP repeatedly changes the destination address or friends still cannot connect, leave UPnP disabled for this server and use explicit forwarding. The report supporting this sequence is anecdotal, so treat it as a recovery option for stale mappings rather than a required configuration.
8. Test with a UDP-aware method
Why ordinary port checkers mislead
Many web-based checkers send a TCP connection attempt. Arma 3’s relevant services listen and respond over UDP, so a TCP result of “closed” does not prove that UDP 2302–2306 is blocked. A UDP service may also answer only a protocol-specific query, meaning a generic UDP scan can be inconclusive.
Query the public address and Steam query port
From outside the home network, use a UDP-aware Arma or Steam server-query tool. A Steam API lookup such as GetServersAtAddress directed at your public IP and query port (2303 by default) can show whether Steam can find the server. Use the actual query port from the RPT log when the base port is customized.
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Testing from a phone on cellular data, a friend’s connection or a rented external machine avoids false positives caused by routers that do not support NAT loopback. A successful external query proves that discovery traffic reaches the server; it does not by itself prove that every client-side mod or BattlEye setting is correct.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.9. Try Direct Connection while discovery is being repaired
Players can often bypass the public list by opening the server browser’s Direct Connection tab, entering the host’s public IPv4 address and using game port 2302 for the default setup. For a custom base port, enter that custom game port instead.
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- Direct Connection succeeds, browser listing fails: investigate Steam registration, query-port arithmetic, filters and the query-port forward.
- Direct Connection fails from the internet but works on LAN: investigate NAT, public IPv4, forwarding and firewall rules.
- Direct Connection reaches the server but joining fails: inspect version, required mods, password, BattlEye and server-side configuration.
Do not give players a private LAN address such as 192.168.x.x; internet players need the public address, and the router must forward the selected game port to the server.
10. Use a decision tree to isolate the fault
The RPT log has no Steam connection
- Confirm that the dedicated server is fully started and not exiting because of a configuration or mod error.
- Check outbound connectivity and security software blocking the server process.
- Remove unnecessary port overrides and restart.
The log shows Steam connection, but no external query finds the server
- Verify that the query port is game port + 1.
- Forward the entire UDP range, not just the game port.
- Allow the same UDP range through the host firewall.
- Check the router WAN address for carrier-grade NAT, DS-Lite or double NAT.
External query works, but the browser still omits the server
- Wait several minutes after a fresh start and refresh the list.
- Clear browser filters and confirm that the correct server region or internet view is selected.
- Check for a stale manual query-port override or duplicate UPnP mapping.
The server appears, but friends cannot join
- Use Direct Connection with the public address and game port.
- Recheck the game-port forward and host firewall rule.
- Confirm that clients have the required version and mods and that BattlEye is not being blocked.
When port forwarding is impossible
Virtual LAN software
Virtual LAN tools such as Hamachi, ZeroTier or Tunngle can place players on an overlay network when the ISP uses carrier-grade NAT or IPv6-only access. Everyone must install and join the same virtual network, and the server may be reachable through the overlay address rather than the home public address. This is generally free or low-cost but adds client setup, another network adapter and possible latency or compatibility issues. It is not the same as appearing in the normal public browser.
Managed game hosting
A rented, managed Arma 3 server avoids home-router forwarding and ISP NAT entirely. The provider supplies an internet-reachable address and normally exposes configuration through a control panel. This is a paid option, while local forwarding and firewall changes are free. Hosting also means accepting recurring cost, provider limits and less control over the underlying machine. Choose it when reliable public access matters more than running the server on your own connection.
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Final verification checklist
- The RPT log reports the expected game and Steam query ports and a Steam connection.
- The server has been left running for at least the several minutes sometimes required for listing.
- No manual query-port override conflicts with the base port.
- The server computer has a stable LAN address.
- UDP 2302–2306, or the equivalent shifted range, is forwarded to that address.
- The host firewall and any security suite allow inbound UDP on the same ports.
- The router has a real public IPv4 address rather than
100.64.x.x, DS-Lite or IPv6-only service. - UPnP mappings are not stale or duplicated.
- An external UDP-aware query is being used instead of a TCP-only checker.
- Players have tried Direct Connection with the public address and game port.
If all ten checks pass and the server still does not appear, capture the RPT startup lines, the router’s WAN-address type, the exact base port and the result of an external UDP query. Those details distinguish a Steam-registration problem from an ISP or NAT limitation far more reliably than another generic port scan.
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