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Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted The Forest servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
To connect to a The Forest dedicated server, use either Steam’s server browser or the game’s direct-connect option. Steam Favorites uses the server’s IP address and query port; direct connect uses the IP address and game port. The default ports commonly listed for The Forest are game port 27015, query port 27016 and Steam communication port 8766, but the server’s own configuration file overrides those defaults.
If the server should appear publicly in Steam, the host also needs a Steam game server login token (GSLT) in config.cfg. Without that token, joining by direct address or a manually added Favorite may be the practical option.
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Choose the connection method
| Method | What you need | Best use | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam server browser Favorites | Server IP address and query port, entered as IP:QueryPort |
A server that is listed publicly or reachable through Steam’s query service | The host must expose the query port; public listing generally also requires a Steam game server token |
| In-game direct connect | Server IP address and game port | A server that does not appear in the browser | Menu labels and reliability can vary by game build; internet direct-connect behavior is not consistently documented |
Do not swap the two ports. The query port is used by Steam to discover and display the server. The game port is the one used for the actual game connection.
Information to get from the server host
Ask the host for the public IP address, the configured game port and the configured query port. If the host changed any defaults, those configured values take precedence over every general guide.
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- Public IP address: the address reachable from outside the host’s home or data-center network. A private address such as
192.168.x.x,10.x.x.xor172.16.x.xnormally works only for players on the same local network. - Game port: the port used by the running server for gameplay. The commonly listed default is
27015. - Query port: the port Steam uses to query server status. The commonly listed default is
27016. - Steam communication port: the commonly listed default is
8766. This is a server-side communication port, not normally the port you type into a direct-connect field.
Have the host copy these values from the server’s actual configuration rather than relying on an old setup post. Older guides use different port assignments, and a custom installation can use any explicitly configured values.
Method 1: Add the server in Steam Favorites
This route is useful when Steam can query the server even though it is not prominent in the public list. The address must use the query port, not the game port.
- Open the Steam desktop client.
- Select View in the top menu, then open Game Servers. Steam has changed this window’s placement and wording in some client versions, so look for the standalone server-browser window if the exact menu label differs.
- Open the Favorites tab.
- Choose Add a Server or the equivalent add-address control.
- Enter the server as
PUBLIC_IP:QUERY_PORT. With the commonly listed defaults, the format would bePUBLIC_IP:27016. - Add the address to Favorites and wait for Steam to query it.
- Select the returned server entry and choose Connect or Join Server.
If the entry remains empty or shows no response, verify that the host supplied the query port. Entering IP:27015 when the query service is on 27016 can prevent Steam from displaying the server even when the game port is reachable.
When the server is not in the public list
A server can be running and reachable without appearing in Steam’s general internet list. A host guide states that serverSteamAccount must contain a Steam game server login token (GSLT) in config.cfg for public browser listing. If that value is absent or invalid, manually adding the server to Favorites or using direct connect is more appropriate than waiting for a public listing.
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Method 2: Use The Forest’s direct-connect option
The second route starts inside The Forest. The exact label is not consistent across the guides available for the game, so look for a direct-address field under the multiplayer join flow.
- Launch The Forest.
- Choose Multiplayer.
- Choose Join Game.
- Look for Direct Connect, Enter IP or a similarly named address option. One guide places the relevant search controls under the Friends / LAN tab when a server is not automatically listed.
- Enter the host’s public IP address and game port. If the field accepts one combined value, use
PUBLIC_IP:GAME_PORT; with the commonly listed default, that isPUBLIC_IP:27015. - Submit the address and wait for the connection attempt to complete.
Direct connect is not the same as entering the query port. Use the game port for this method. If your build has no visible direct-connect field, use Steam Favorites instead, or ask the host which multiplayer tab their current build exposes.
Default ports and custom ports
The Official The Forest Wiki lists these default server settings:
| Setting | Common default | Role |
|---|---|---|
serverGamePort |
27015 |
Game traffic and direct-connect destination |
serverQueryPort |
27016 |
Steam server queries and browser status |
serverSteamPort |
8766 |
Steam communication used by the server |
These are reference defaults, not a guarantee for every installation. If the host’s config.cfg contains different values, use those values for forwarding and connection. No retrieved source identifies port 2026 as a default for The Forest. A server using 2026 would have to set it explicitly, forward it on the host’s network and give it to players as the relevant game or query port.
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Port forwarding for the host
A server behind a home router must be reachable from the internet on the ports selected in its configuration. The forwarding destination is the computer running the dedicated server, and that computer should keep the same private LAN address so the router does not send traffic to the wrong machine later.
Use the configuration as the authority
- Open the dedicated server’s
config.cfg. - Record the values for
serverGamePort,serverQueryPortandserverSteamPort. - Forward the configured game and query ports from the router to the server computer.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through the operating system firewall on the required network profiles.
- Restart the server after changing ports or its configuration.
One hosting guide lists a broader range of 27015–27030, plus 8766 and 80, for both TCP and UDP. That list is not corroborated by the Official The Forest Wiki, and port 80 is unusual for this purpose. Do not open that entire range automatically. First compare the guide with the current server configuration and the host’s own documentation, then forward only the ports the installation actually uses.
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To make the server discoverable in Steam’s public browser, place the host’s Steam game server login token in the configuration entry named serverSteamAccount. A configuration line may look like serverSteamAccount=YOUR_GSLT, with the real token substituted for the value shown in code. A missing token does not necessarily mean the server process is offline; it primarily affects public Steam listing according to the available hosting guidance.
Troubleshooting a server that does not appear
1. Confirm that the server is actually running
Have the host verify that the dedicated-server process started without configuration errors and that it is listening on the configured ports. A server that stopped during startup cannot answer either Steam queries or direct-connect attempts.
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2. Check the address and the correct port
For Steam Favorites, use IP:QueryPort. For in-game direct connect, use the IP and game port. Replacing one with the other is the most common port-specific mistake in these two workflows.
3. Check the router and firewall
Verify that forwarding points to the current private IP address of the server computer. Also check the computer’s firewall and any separate security appliance. A successful connection from the same LAN does not prove that an internet player can reach the forwarded public address.
4. Check public-listing requirements
If the server is reachable by address but absent from the public browser, verify serverSteamAccount and the GSLT first. The host should also confirm that the query port is forwarded and matches serverQueryPort.
5. Treat LAN-only behavior as a separate symptom
A February 2018 Steam forum report describes a server that could be joined over LAN but not through the internet list despite port forwarding. That report is old and may describe a different build or network environment, so it is not proof that current versions have the same defect. It does show why a LAN success test is insufficient: test from a genuinely external connection, then inspect the public IP, forwarding target, firewall and token.
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6. Consider network arrangements that block inbound connections
If every setting appears correct but external players still time out, the host’s internet service may place the router behind carrier-grade NAT or another upstream gateway. In that arrangement, ordinary home-router forwarding may not create a reachable public endpoint; the host must obtain a reachable public address or use a hosting environment that permits inbound game traffic.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do when direct connect is unavailable
Not every guide exposes the same multiplayer labels. If Direct Connect or Enter IP is absent, add the server in Steam’s Game Servers > Favorites window using the query port. If Steam also fails to query it, the host should verify the query-port forwarding and configuration before changing player-side settings.
Client and host checklists
Player checklist
- Obtain the host’s public IP, game port and query port.
- Use
IP:QueryPortin Steam Favorites. - Use the game port—not the query port—for direct connect.
- Remove stale Favorite entries and add the address again if the host changed ports.
- Ask whether the server uses custom values instead of 27015, 27016 and 8766.
Host checklist
- Confirm the dedicated server starts and stays running.
- Copy port values from the active
config.cfg. - Forward the configured ports to the server computer’s current private IP.
- Allow the server through the operating system firewall.
- Set a valid
serverSteamAccountvalue when public Steam listing is required. - Test from outside the local network, not only from a LAN client.
Do not use Sons of the Forest instructions
The Forest and Sons of the Forest are different games with different server systems. Advice about one game’s lack of direct-IP support, port layout or join workflow should not be transferred to the other. The methods above apply to The Forest dedicated servers.
Quick decision guide
| Situation | Recommended next step |
|---|---|
| Host gives you an IP and query port; Steam can query the server | Add IP:QueryPort under Steam’s Favorites tab |
| Server is not publicly listed but the host gives a game port | Use the in-game direct-connect or Enter IP option with IP:GamePort |
| Server works on LAN only | Check public IP, router forwarding, firewall, upstream NAT and the GSLT; the old 2018 report is not a current-version diagnosis |
| Someone tells you to use port 2026 | Use it only if the host explicitly configured and forwarded it; it is not a listed default |
| Instructions mention Sons of the Forest | Discard them and obtain The Forest-specific settings |
The Bottom Line
Use Steam Favorites with IP:QueryPort when Steam can query the server, or use The Forest’s direct-connect field with IP:GamePort when the server is not listed. Start with the host’s active config.cfg; the commonly listed defaults are game 27015, query 27016 and Steam 8766, while custom ports and public listing depend on the host’s setup.
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