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To join a Don’t Starve Together server, connect the game to your Klei account, choose Browse Games, search for the server or filter the list, then select it and enter its password if required. For a Steam friend’s hosted world, use Invite to Game or Steam’s Join Game. For a local-network game that does not appear in the browser, check the LAN tab and, if necessary, connect with the host’s IP address and port using the c_connect console command.
Standard method: join through Browse Games
The server browser is the normal way to join a public or otherwise discoverable world. Before searching, make sure the game is signed in to the Klei account you intend to use. The Help Center’s first requirement is to be connected to a Klei account; without that connection, server discovery or joining may not work as expected.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems1. Connect the game to your Klei account
- Start Don’t Starve Together.
- Confirm that the game is connected to your Klei account. If it is not, complete the account connection from the account options shown by the game.
- Return to the main screen after the account connection is complete.
Use the same account state when troubleshooting later. If one attempt was made while signed out and another while signed in, first establish a clean, connected session before diagnosing the server itself.
2. Open Browse Games
- From the main screen, choose Browse Games.
- Wait for the available-server list to load.
This is the standard discovery screen for servers that the host has made visible. A server that is configured as local-only may intentionally be absent from the public list, so an empty search result does not automatically mean that the world is offline.
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3. Search or filter the list
- Enter the server name supplied by the host, if you have one.
- Apply the available filters to narrow the results when several servers have similar names.
- Check the spelling carefully, including spaces and punctuation in the name.
The Help Center specifically supports both server-name searching and filters. Ask the host for the exact displayed name rather than relying on a nickname or an abbreviated description.
4. Select the server and provide its password
- Select the matching server in the results.
- If the host configured password protection, enter the password exactly as provided.
- Submit the join request and wait for the connection to complete.
A password-protected server can still be visible when its visibility settings allow listing. A missing password is therefore different from a missing server: if you can see the server but cannot enter it, ask the host to confirm the password and whether it has recently changed.
Joining a friend’s hosted world on Steam
When a friend is already hosting a world through Steam, an invitation or Steam’s friend-list join action is often quicker than searching the browser.
Use Invite to Game
- Ask the host to open the Steam overlay or friend controls while the world is available.
- Have the host choose Invite to Game for your Steam account.
- Accept the invitation and allow Don’t Starve Together to handle the join request.
The host must send the invitation to the account you are actually using. If you are signed in to a different Steam account or have the game connected to a different Klei account than expected, correct that account mismatch before trying again.
Use Steam’s Join Game action
- Open your Steam friends list.
- Right-click the friend who is hosting the world.
- Choose Join Game.
Klei forum guidance identifies this as an alternative to an invitation. It applies to a friend’s Steam-hosted session; it is not a general replacement for the server browser or for joining a dedicated server by address.
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Joining a LAN server
For a normal local-area-network world, the host should already be playing before you search. Both computers or consoles must be on the same local network for a LAN-only listing to be discoverable.
Check the LAN tab first
- Have the host start the world and remain in the session.
- On the joining device, open Browse Games.
- Open the LAN tab.
- Select the host’s world when it appears, then enter the password if one was configured.
The LAN tab is the first check because it uses the game’s local discovery path. Searching only the public list can miss a world deliberately restricted to the local network.
If the LAN listing is missing: use c_connect
Klei forum guidance describes a direct-console fallback when a LAN world does not appear. This requires details from the host and should be used only for a server you are authorized to join.
- Ask the host to read the cluster configuration and provide the values named
master_ipandmaster_port. - Confirm whether the server has a password.
- Open the Don’t Starve Together console on the joining device.
- Enter the command with the host’s exact IP address and port:
c_connect("IP address", port, "password")Replace IP address, port, and password with the values supplied by the host. If the server has no password, omit the password argument:
c_connect("IP address", port)Keep the quotation marks and punctuation shown in the command format, and do not substitute a guessed port. A wrong address or port will fail even when the world is running. This direct command is a technical fallback for a local or otherwise authorized connection; it is not a way to bypass a server’s access controls and is not the normal method for public-server discovery.
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Why you cannot see a friend’s server
Server visibility is controlled by how the host created the world. Work through the causes below in order instead of assuming that every invisible server is a network failure.
The host chose local-only or LAN access
Klei’s dedicated-server settings guidance says an offline_cluster is not listed publicly, can be joined only by players on the local network, and does not provide Steam-related functionality. A player outside that local network will not find it through the public browser or through Steam friend actions.
Ask the host whether the world is intended to be public or LAN-only. If it is LAN-only, move both players onto the same local network and use the LAN tab. If that is not possible, the host must change the world’s access configuration rather than expecting an outside player to discover it.
The host is not currently playing
A friend-hosted world generally needs the host’s game session to be available when you attempt to join. Ask the host to enter the world first, then retry Invite to Game, Steam Join Game, or the relevant browser search.
The name search is too broad or inaccurate
Use the exact server name and filters. Similar names can produce a long list, while a small spelling difference can produce no match. Have the host read the name as it appears in the server list rather than sending an informal label.
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The server is visible but password-protected
Visibility and authorization are separate settings. A password-protected server may remain listed; you still need the password selected by the host. Ask the host to verify capitalization, punctuation, and whether the password was changed after the server was created.
Steam functionality is unavailable by design
An offline cluster can disable Steam-related functionality. In that case, Steam invitations and Steam’s Join Game action are not reliable paths. Use the LAN tab when you are on the same local network, or ask the host to provide the configured IP and port for the c_connect fallback.
The Klei account connection is incomplete
Return to the account check before changing server settings. The standard join instructions begin with a connected Klei account, so sign in or reconnect, return to the main screen, and repeat the browser search.
Choosing the right join method
The following comparison separates the methods by the conditions they require. Platform availability alone does not establish that every platform combination can share one server.
| Method | Server visibility | Must the host be playing? | Ease | Password | Platform notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browse Games search | Public or otherwise browser-visible | Not stated for every server type; a friend-hosted world should be available when you join | Browser and filters; no command required | Enter it when the host enabled protection | Use only where the platform and server support the same connection path |
| Steam Invite to Game | Steam-accessible friend session | Yes, the host must have the world available | Usually the simplest friend-join option | Handled by the session unless the game asks for one | Steam-specific |
| Steam Join Game | Steam-accessible friend session | Yes | Right-click the host in Steam and choose the action | Handled by the session unless requested | Steam-specific |
| Browse Games > LAN | Local-network listing | Yes; the host should already be playing | Simple when discovery works | Enter it if configured | Both players must be on the same local network |
c_connect |
Direct address supplied by the host | The host’s server must be running | Technical console fallback | Include the optional password argument when required | Requires the host’s exact master_ip and master_port |
Dedicated servers and persistent worlds
A dedicated server is a separate, advanced setup from joining a friend’s currently hosted game. Its configuration can define a cluster name, password, LAN-only behavior, and offline mode. A persistent dedicated world can remain available without the original host keeping the game client open, which is useful for groups that play at different times.
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Joining still depends on the configuration chosen by the administrator. A public-facing cluster can be discoverable through the browser when listed; an offline or local-only cluster will not be publicly listed and may not support Steam functionality. Ask the administrator for the exact server name and password for browser joining, or for the configured address details if they have instructed you to use a direct connection.
The available guidance does not establish a current commercial hosting provider, pricing, or a universal dedicated-server setup procedure. Do not infer a hosting service, plan, or cross-platform guarantee from the fact that dedicated-server settings exist.
Platform and cross-play expectations
Klei lists Don’t Starve Together as available on Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, iOS, and Android. Its product information also lists Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, the Apple App Store, and Google Play.
Those availability lists identify where the game can be obtained; they do not provide a complete compatibility matrix for every cross-platform pairing. Before promising that two players can share a server, verify the exact combination of platforms, editions, and server type involved. If both players are on Steam, the Steam invitation and friend-list methods described above are the clearest supported path in the supplied guidance. For other combinations, rely on the platform-specific joining options shown by the game and confirm compatibility with the server administrator.
A practical troubleshooting sequence
When a join attempt fails, use one controlled sequence so that each change has a clear purpose.
- Confirm account status: reconnect the game to the intended Klei account.
- Confirm the host state: ask the host to start or reopen the world and remain in it while you try to join.
- Identify the server type: ask whether it is public, password-protected, LAN-only, or an offline cluster.
- Use the matching discovery path: public or visible servers through Browse Games; local worlds through Browse Games > LAN; Steam friend sessions through an invitation or Join Game.
- Check credentials: use the exact server name and the current password, if any.
- Escalate to the direct command only for LAN or authorized technical access: obtain
master_ipandmaster_portfrom the host, then use the correctc_connectform. - Recheck platform compatibility: if the players use different platforms, do not treat the game’s availability on both devices as proof that the pairing can connect.
If the direct command fails, verify the address and port character by character with the host and confirm that the server is still running. If the server is invisible but the host says it is public, have the host recheck its visibility configuration before changing client settings.
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What the host should send you
To avoid back-and-forth messages, ask the host for the details that match the selected join method:
Quick Recap
- Browser join: the exact server name, any required filter information, and the current password.
- Steam join: confirmation that the world is open and the host’s Steam account is the one on your friends list.
- LAN join: confirmation that both devices are on the same local network, plus the password if configured.
- Direct console fallback: the values of
master_ipandmaster_port, and the optional password. - Different platforms: the exact platform and edition on each side, so compatibility can be checked before troubleshooting discovery.
Quick decision guide
- If you have a server name, start with Browse Games, search, filter, select, and enter the password.
- If a Steam friend is already hosting, ask for Invite to Game or use Steam’s Join Game.
- If the world is on your local network, open the LAN tab while the host is playing.
- If a LAN world is missing, request
master_ipandmaster_portand usec_connectwith the optional password only when authorized. - If the server cannot be found, determine whether it is local-only or an offline cluster; those settings intentionally prevent public listing and can disable Steam functionality.
- If players use different platforms, verify the exact pairing instead of assuming cross-play from the game’s platform availability list.
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