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Godlike.Host offers hosted Conan Exiles servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
If a Conan Exiles dedicated server cannot be reached, forward the correct ports to the server computer’s current LAN address, allow the same protocols through its firewall, and test from outside your home network. The normal arrangement is UDP 7777 for game traffic, UDP 7778 for the server-browser pinger, and UDP 27015 for server queries. Direct Connect uses the public address and game port (normally public-address:7777), not the query port. Confirm the process is listening before changing the router; otherwise, port forwarding cannot fix a server that is not bound locally.
Conan Exiles server ports at a glance
Each port has a separate job. A rule that opens the query port does not automatically make game traffic reachable, and a TCP rule does not satisfy a UDP service. Funcom’s dedicated-server documentation identifies these defaults and relationships:
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| Port | Protocol | Role | Where it is configured |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Main game traffic | [URL] section in Engine.ini, Port= |
| 7778 | UDP | Server-browser pinger | Always the game port plus one |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam/server query and discovery | [OnlineSubsystemNull] in Engine.ini, GameServerQueryPort= |
| 25575 | TCP | RCON remote administration | [RconPlugin] in Game.ini, RconPort= |
| 7777 plus the configured offset | TCP | On-demand mod-file transfer for applicable PC clients | ModFileDownload.DownloadPortOffset |
In Funcom’s wording, a default server listens on UDP 27015 and 7777. The pinger relationship means that changing the game port also changes the pinger port: a game port of 7779 requires a pinger on 7780.
Why one port can work while another times out
Conan Exiles uses different paths for joining, listing, querying, administration, and (on applicable PC configurations) transferring mods. The symptoms therefore point to different faults:
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- Direct Connect times out: investigate the game port, its UDP firewall rule, the router destination address, and whether the server is listening.
- The server is absent from the browser but Direct Connect works: check the pinger and query ports, then check the host firewall. Funcom notes that a firewall exception may be required for browser visibility.
- The query appears open but players cannot join: the query port is not the game port. Forward and allow the configured game port separately.
- RCON fails while players can join: check the TCP RCON rule and the RCON configuration rather than changing the UDP game rules.
- Mod downloads fail after a successful join: check the mod-transfer TCP port created by the configured download offset.
Do not open every protocol on every port. Match each rule to the service that needs it, and expose RCON only when you actually use remote administration.
Fix the problem in the right order
Work from the server outward. This avoids spending time editing a router when the dedicated-server process is stopped or bound to a different port.
- Start the dedicated server and inspect its log or process state. Look for the bind/listen messages and confirm that startup completed without a port-in-use error.
- Confirm the configured values. In
Engine.ini, check the[URL]section and thePort=value. In the query section, check[OnlineSubsystemNull]andGameServerQueryPort=. The pinger is still the game port plus one. If RCON is enabled, check[RconPlugin]inGame.iniand itsRconPort=value. - Check for a local collision. Another Conan server, a locally running Conan client, or another application may already occupy one of the selected ports. Stop the conflicting process or move the dedicated server to a coordinated set.
- Reserve the host’s LAN address. Create a DHCP reservation in the router for the server computer’s network adapter. Record the current private address and make sure the forwarding rules point to that exact address.
- Forward the required UDP ports. Create separate rules for the game, pinger, and query ports. Select UDP, specify the same external and internal port unless you have a deliberate translation design, and target the reserved server address.
- Allow matching inbound traffic on the host. Add operating-system firewall rules for the same port numbers and protocols. A router rule cannot override a blocked host firewall.
- Test from outside the LAN. Use a friend’s connection, a mobile hotspot, or another external network. A test from the same LAN can give a false failure when the router does not support NAT loopback (also called hairpin NAT).
- Use Direct Connect with the WAN address and game port. Enter the public address followed by the configured game port, such as
public-address:7777. Do not append the query port for this test. - Use the launcher port test if available. The launcher documentation describes a
-testportforwardingcommand that can test arbitrary port specifications. Test the ports you actually configured, not only the defaults.
Verify the server is listening before touching the router
A forwarded port is useful only when a process is bound to it. Read the dedicated-server log first, then verify locally with the operating system’s socket tools.
Windows checks
In PowerShell, inspect UDP endpoints with:
Get-NetUDPEndpoint | Where-Object {$_.LocalPort -in 7777,7778,27015}For TCP listeners, including RCON or a mod-transfer listener, use:
Get-NetTCPConnection -State Listen | Where-Object {$_.LocalPort -in 25575,7777}The process identifier shown by these commands can be matched to Task Manager. If no endpoint appears, fix the server configuration or startup error first. If a different process owns the port, resolve that collision before adding forwarding rules.
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Linux checks
On a Linux host, run:
ss -lunpfor UDP sockets and:
ss -ltnpfor TCP listeners. Filter the output for the configured game, pinger, query, RCON, and mod-transfer ports. A listener bound only to 127.0.0.1 is not reachable from other machines; it must bind to the appropriate LAN interface or all intended interfaces according to the server’s multihome settings.
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Check Engine.ini and Game.ini values
Use the actual values in the files as the source of truth. Defaults are common, but an earlier configuration change, a hosting panel, or a second server may have changed them.
Game port
In Engine.ini, the [URL] section should contain the game port, for example:
[URL]
Port=7777If you choose another game port, use that value everywhere: server startup parameters, router forwarding, host firewall, Direct Connect, and any external test.
Query port
In the query section, verify the server-query value:
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[OnlineSubsystemNull]
GameServerQueryPort=27015The query port is for discovery and browser information. It is not the port a player normally enters to join directly.
RCON and mod transfer
If remote administration is enabled, the RCON port is set in Game.ini under [RconPlugin]. Forward it as TCP only, protect it with a strong password, and avoid exposing it when you do not need it.
On-demand mod transfer uses TCP on the game port plus the configured ModFileDownload.DownloadPortOffset for applicable PC clients. Calculate that port from the values in your configuration; do not assume that the default game port itself is always the mod-transfer endpoint.
Reserve the LAN address and configure port forwarding
Why the destination address matters
Routers forward to a private address such as 192.168.1.50 or 10.0.0.25. If DHCP later gives the server a different address, the rules continue pointing at the old machine or an unused address. The result looks like a dead port even though the server and router settings appear correct.
- Find the server computer’s current LAN address and hardware (MAC) address.
- Create a DHCP reservation for that adapter in the router.
- Reconnect the server or renew its lease, then confirm it retained the reserved address.
- Edit each forwarding rule so its destination is that reserved address, not a previous lease.
Rules to create
For default settings, create separate inbound UDP rules for 7777, 7778, and 27015. If the game port is changed, replace 7777 with the new value and set the pinger to the new game port plus one. Add TCP 25575 only when RCON is enabled. Add the applicable mod-transfer TCP port when clients need on-demand mod downloads.
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Some routers label the fields External port, Internal port, Destination IP, and Protocol; others call the feature Virtual Server, NAT, or Port Forwarding. The labels differ, but the values and protocols must agree.
Public-address sanity check
Compare the WAN address shown by the router with the address reported by an independent “what is my IP” service. If the router receives a private address, a carrier-grade NAT address, or an address different from the one people use to connect, inbound forwarding may be impossible from the public Internet without an upstream change. In that case, contact the ISP or place the upstream gateway in a suitable bridge or forwarding arrangement.
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Windows Defender Firewall, a Linux firewall, or endpoint-security software can discard packets after the router has forwarded them. Create inbound rules that match both the port and protocol.
Windows approach
- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Select Inbound Rules, then New Rule.
- Choose Port, select UDP, and enter the configured game, pinger, and query ports. Create separate rules when that makes auditing easier.
- Add a TCP rule for RCON only if it is enabled, and another for the applicable mod-transfer port if required.
- Limit the rule to the network profiles and source ranges you actually trust, then confirm the rule is enabled.
If a third-party security suite controls the firewall, create the exception there as well. Test with the firewall temporarily disabled only as a short diagnostic, then re-enable it and create a precise rule.
Linux approach
Funcom’s Linux example permits UDP 7777, 7778, and 27015 and treats TCP 7777 and TCP 25575 as separate documented rules. Adapt the example to your configured ports and firewall manager rather than copying it blindly. For a firewall that distinguishes protocols, the UDP game, pinger, and query entries must remain UDP; RCON remains TCP. Confirm that the rule is loaded and persistent after reboot.
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Direct Connect versus the server browser
Direct Connect
Direct Connect tests game reachability. Enter the public WAN address followed by the game port, for example:
public-address:7777Substitute your chosen game port when it is not the default. Using 27015 here tests the query service instead of the game service and commonly produces a timeout or failed join.
Browser visibility
The browser depends on query and pinger traffic in addition to a functioning game listener. If Direct Connect succeeds but the listing is missing, verify the query and game-plus-one pinger rules, the host firewall exception, and the server’s public-address or multihome configuration. Browser propagation can also take time after a restart, so test Direct Connect while diagnosing listing issues rather than treating the browser as the only signal.
Running more than one server or a client on the same machine
Only one process can own a given local port. A second dedicated server, or a Conan client running on the same host, can collide with the defaults. Choose a coordinated set and apply it consistently. Funcom’s example is:
| Service | Example alternate value |
|---|---|
| Game | 7779 |
| Pinger | 7780 |
| Query | 27016 |
- Assign each server a unique game port.
- Assign its pinger to game port plus one.
- Assign a unique query port.
- Change the corresponding
Engine.inivalues. - Update router forwarding and host-firewall rules together.
- Use the new game port in Direct Connect and in any launcher port test.
Do not change only the query value or only the router rule. A partial change creates a server that may appear in one diagnostic but fail at the next stage.
Diagnose common failure patterns
| Symptom | Most useful checks |
|---|---|
| No local listener | Read the startup log, correct the INI syntax, and resolve a port collision or failed bind. |
| Works on the LAN, fails from the Internet | Check the reserved destination address, WAN address, router forwarding, and host firewall. Test from an external network. |
| Direct Connect works, browser listing is absent | Check query and pinger UDP rules and the firewall exception required for browser visibility. |
| Browser entry appears, joining fails | Verify that the game UDP port, not merely the query port, reaches the server. |
| Everything stopped after a reboot | Check whether DHCP changed the server address and whether firewall rules or the dedicated-server service started automatically. |
| One of two servers works | Inspect both processes for duplicate game, pinger, or query ports and give each a complete unique set. |
| RCON cannot connect | Check the configured RCON TCP port, its firewall rule, the router rule, password, and whether the RCON plugin is running. |
| Clients join but cannot obtain mods | Calculate the TCP mod-transfer port from ModFileDownload.DownloadPortOffset and allow that port if the feature applies. |
Security and maintenance after the fix
- Forward only the services you use. The game, query, pinger, RCON, and mod-transfer endpoints have different purposes.
- Keep RCON on TCP, use a strong unique password, and restrict its source addresses where the router and firewall support that control.
- Document the game, pinger, query, RCON, and mod-transfer values beside the server’s reserved LAN address.
- After changing a port, restart the dedicated server and retest from outside the LAN; an old process may still be holding the previous value.
- Recheck forwarding after replacing the router, changing ISP equipment, or moving the server to another network adapter.
The reliable end state is straightforward: the server process listens on the configured ports, the router forwards those ports to the current reserved host address, the host firewall permits the matching protocols, and an external Direct Connect test reaches the game port. Browser discovery and optional services can then be validated separately.
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