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To add an Arma 3 server to A3Launcher, keep the server online, submit its IP address and Steam Query Port through the A3Launcher Server Checker, and then restart the launcher after allowing up to 30 minutes for the listing to appear. The Steam Query Port is the game port plus one: a server using game port 2302 uses query port 2303.
What you need before adding the server
The listing process depends on A3Launcher being able to query a live Arma 3 server. Have the following information and access ready:
- A running server: the server must be online while you submit it. An offline server cannot complete the check.
- The server IP address: use the address players normally use to reach the machine or hosting instance.
- The Steam Query Port: this is not automatically the same as the game port. A3Launcher defines it as the game port plus one.
- Firewall access: the relevant game and query traffic must be allowed through the server and hosting firewall.
- Your server’s launch configuration: if the server uses mods, check its
-modparameter and the names of server-side mod folders before troubleshooting detection.
Many game-server control panels expose the query information directly. If your provider has an “Add server to A3Launcher” action, use that workflow rather than trying to infer values from unrelated connection fields.
Game port versus Steam Query Port
The most common setup error is entering the game port in the A3Launcher checker. The game port handles the game connection; the Steam Query Port is the separate port A3Launcher uses to discover and inspect the server.
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| Value | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Game port | The port configured for the Arma 3 game service | 2302 |
| Steam Query Port | The game port plus one, used for the A3Launcher check | 2303 |
For example, if the game service uses 2302, enter 2303 as the Steam Query Port. Do not enter 2302 merely because it is the port shown in a player’s direct-connect address. If your host uses a different game port, apply the same calculation and confirm the resulting value in the hosting panel.
How to add the server in A3Launcher
1. Start the server and leave it online
Start the Arma 3 instance and wait until the hosting panel and the server process show it as running. Keep it online for the entire submission and verification process. The documented workflow warns that the server must be running before you perform the check.
2. Copy the query information from the panel
Open the game-server panel and locate the server’s query information. Some panels show the IP and Steam Query Port as a combined value; others show them in separate fields. If the panel includes Add server to A3Launcher, click it and copy the query information it supplies.
Do not substitute a RCON port, a web-panel port, or a second game-service port. The value needed here is specifically the Steam Query Port.
3. Open the A3Launcher Server Checker
Open A3Launcher’s Server Checker page in your browser. This is the page used to submit a server for inclusion, not the normal in-app server search screen.
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4. Enter the IP address and Steam Query Port
Paste the server IP into the address field and enter the Steam Query Port in the port field. For a game port of 2302, the port field should contain 2303. Check the digits carefully before continuing; a valid-looking IP paired with the game port will still produce a failed or missing listing.
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5. Press Check
Choose Check to submit the server. The check is intended to confirm that the server can be queried and added to the A3Launcher listing.
6. Wait for propagation, then restart A3Launcher
A3Launcher states that a server can take up to 30 minutes to appear after it has been added. Once that period has elapsed, close and restart A3Launcher before checking again. A restart is explicitly required by the launcher’s instructions; leaving the existing launcher window open may leave you looking at an older server list.
Using a hosting panel’s one-click workflow
Some providers document a slightly different sequence. In the documented panel workflow, the owner starts the server, opens the game panel, clicks Add server to A3Launcher, copies the query information supplied by the panel, pastes it into the A3Launcher web page, and presses Check. The server is then intended to become joinable through A3Launcher.
This approach does not remove the important checks: the instance must remain online, the supplied port must be the Steam Query Port, and the host firewall must permit the required traffic. The button is a convenient way to obtain the correct query details; it is not a replacement for a running server.
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Firewall and reachability checks
If the checker cannot find the server, verify the network path before changing the Arma configuration. Open the correct ports in the server’s operating-system firewall, the hosting provider’s network firewall, and any control-panel security group that applies to the instance. A port opened in only one of those layers may still be unreachable from the public internet.
- Confirm that the public IP entered in the checker belongs to the running server.
- Confirm that the game port and the query port are both permitted where your host requires separate rules.
- Check that a recent server restart did not assign a new address or port.
- Keep the server online while repeating the check; testing an intentionally stopped instance will not produce a useful result.
The available A3Launcher guidance says to open the correct firewall ports but does not prescribe one universal rule set for every operating system or hosting provider. Follow the port and protocol instructions supplied for your particular Arma installation rather than copying a rule intended for a different panel.
Mod settings that can prevent detection
Server-side folders containing “server”
A3Launcher ignores server-side mods whose names contain the word server. This behavior can make a configuration appear to be missing content even though the files are present on the machine. Review folder names and the way the server classifies each mod. Do not assume that every directory in the server’s installation will be treated as a downloadable client mod.
Use the expected -mod format
A3Launcher gives a semicolon-separated Windows-style example:
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Too many server-side mods
The A3Launcher instructions identify a limitation in Arma’s SteamAPI implementation: an excessive number of server-side mods can prevent detection. If a heavily modded server is not being found, reduce the configuration to the required set and test again. Add nonessential server-side items back in small groups so you can identify the change that causes detection to fail.
When testing, distinguish between a mod needed only by the server and one that players must download. A3Launcher is designed to detect required mods and download them through torrents, but it ignores server-side entries containing “server,” so classification and naming matter.
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What players get after the listing works
A3Launcher describes itself as an Arma 3 launcher and downloader that automatically detects mods and downloads them via torrents. For a server owner, that makes the listing an onboarding route: players can find the server through the launcher and obtain the required client-side files instead of receiving a raw IP address and a manually assembled mod list.
Listing a server does not change the underlying Arma server configuration. Players still need a compatible Arma 3 installation, and the server still has to remain available. A successful check means the launcher can use the submitted query information; it is not a guarantee that every possible mod combination will be compatible with every player’s installation.
If the server does not appear immediately
It has been less than 30 minutes
Wait. A3Launcher’s own wording allows up to 30 minutes for a newly added server to appear. Repeatedly changing the port during that interval can introduce a second error and make the original problem harder to identify.
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Thirty minutes have passed
- Close A3Launcher completely.
- Reopen it so the server list is refreshed.
- Confirm that the server is still online.
- Recheck the IP address and make sure the submitted port is the Steam Query Port, not the game port.
- Review firewall rules for both the game and query traffic.
- Inspect the
-modparameter for the required semicolon-separated format. - Temporarily reduce excessive server-side mods and submit the check again.
This order starts with the highest-probability, lowest-impact checks. It also avoids treating a normal listing delay as a server failure.
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First verify that the process has not stopped and that its public IP and query port have not changed. A listing cannot remain useful when the server is offline. If you recently edited firewall rules, launch parameters, or mods, return to the last configuration that was detectable and reintroduce changes one at a time.
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| Symptom | Most relevant check | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| The checker rejects the submission | Server status and port value | Keep the server online and replace the game port with game port plus one. |
| The checker accepts it, but no listing is visible | Propagation and launcher cache | Allow up to 30 minutes, then restart A3Launcher. |
| The server is online but mods are not represented correctly | Folder names and -mod syntax |
Remove “server” naming from client-download entries where appropriate and use the documented semicolon-separated format. |
| A large mod setup is never detected | SteamAPI limitation | Reduce server-side mods, verify detection, and add required items back incrementally. |
| Direct connection works but A3Launcher cannot find it | Firewall and query reachability | Open the correct query path in every applicable firewall or security group and resubmit the query information. |
Choosing self-hosting or a game-server host for this workflow
The A3Launcher procedure works with either a machine you manage yourself or a managed game-server instance. The decision affects how easily you can satisfy the prerequisites, not the meaning of the query port.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted server | Game-server host |
|---|---|---|
| Staying online | You manage uptime, power, operating-system updates, and restarts. | The provider supplies the machine and panel, but uptime still depends on the selected service and your configuration. |
| Query information | You calculate game port plus one and verify the service is exposed. | The panel may display or generate the query information for you. |
| Firewall and ports | You control the host firewall and network edge. | You may control panel rules while the provider controls additional network layers. |
| Mods | You control files, paths, launch parameters, and updates. | The panel may simplify installation, but you still need a valid -mod parameter and compatible mod layout. |
| Restarts and updates | You schedule and perform them yourself. | The panel may provide scheduled restarts and update tools; exact features vary. |
| Latency | Depends on your connection and physical location. | Depends on the provider’s available regions and the location you select. |
| Total monthly cost | Depends on existing hardware, electricity, bandwidth, and maintenance. | Depends on the selected plan and any additional services. |
The cited A3Launcher instructions establish the online-server and query-port requirements, but they do not provide an independent benchmark of hosting performance, latency, or total cost. Evaluate those factors against your own player locations and administration requirements.
Optional sponsored placement
A3Launcher also offers paid sponsored placement for owners who want additional visibility. The current sponsor page, accessed October 14, 2026, states a minimum price of £5 per server per month. The process is to sign in with Steam, find the server by IP address and Steam Query Port, and select a monthly sponsorship.
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- The first six launcher positions are sponsored.
- Sponsored selection is randomized and weighted by the amount paid.
- Estimated impressions are not guaranteed.
- A server offline for 24 hours is removed from the listing until it is online again.
Placement is optional and does not replace the technical listing procedure. The price and placement terms are service details that can change, so check the current sponsor page before paying.
A concise owner checklist
- Start the Arma 3 server and keep it online.
- Copy the IP address and query information from the hosting panel, if available.
- Calculate the Steam Query Port as the game port plus one.
- Open the correct ports in all applicable firewalls.
- Use the A3Launcher Server Checker.
- Paste the IP address and Steam Query Port, then select Check.
- Wait up to 30 minutes.
- Restart A3Launcher and search again.
- If detection fails, inspect “server” mod naming,
-modsyntax, and the number of server-side mods.
Final result
The reliable path is simple but exact: submit a live server, use the Steam Query Port rather than the game port, allow the listing time to propagate, and restart A3Launcher. Most failures trace back to one of those prerequisites, a blocked query port, or a mod configuration that A3Launcher cannot interpret.
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