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The quickest route is Garry’s Mod → Find Multiplayer Game → choose a server → Join Server. Use the Internet tab for public servers, Local Network for a LAN game, History or Favorites for servers you have used before, and the developer console with connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT when you already know an address. This guide covers each method, password-protected servers, Steam invites, Workshop downloads, and a blank-server-browser fix.
Before you join
Have Garry’s Mod installed and running through Steam. You also need to know what kind of server you are trying to reach:
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- Public server: Find it in the Internet list.
- LAN server: Look under Local Network while connected to the same local network as the host.
- Friend-hosted game: Use Steam’s Join Game action when your friend is already in a joinable server.
- Known address: Connect directly with the server’s IP address and port.
Some servers require maps, addons, or other Workshop content. Garry’s Mod can download required files as you connect, so the first connection may take longer than later visits. If the host supplies a Workshop collection, subscribing to it before joining can prevent missing-content problems.
Join a public server with the normal browser
- Launch Garry’s Mod.
- Choose Find Multiplayer Game from the main menu.
- Select the Internet tab to browse public servers.
- Choose a gamemode if the menu offers gamemode filters, then select a server.
- Review the listing and click the blue Join Server button.
The server panel identifies the server name, address, player count, map, and ping. Ping is a connection-latency indicator; when two otherwise suitable servers are available, the one with the lower ping will usually feel more responsive. A high player count is not automatically a problem, but a full server may reject new connections until a slot opens.
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During connection, Garry’s Mod may download files supplied by the server. Do not close the game while that process is running unless it has clearly stopped responding. A server can require a map or addon that is not part of the base game, and those files must be present before the client can finish loading.
What the browser tabs mean
| Tab | Use it when | What you should expect |
|---|---|---|
| Internet | You want a public server anywhere on the Internet. | A list of publicly advertised servers with address, map, players, and ping. |
| Local Network | The host and your computer are on the same LAN. | Servers visible on the local network rather than the wider Internet. |
| History | You previously joined the server. | Previously visited servers, useful when a current Internet search is unreliable. |
| Favorites | You saved the server for repeat visits. | Your personally saved server list. |
| Legacy Browser | The current browser does not show the server or its filters behave unexpectedly. | The older server-browser interface and its additional filter controls. |
Connect directly by IP address
Direct connection is the most dependable method when a friend, community page, or server listing gives you an address. The address normally includes an IP address, a colon, and a port, such as 127.0.0.1:27015.
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- Open Garry’s Mod.
- Open the developer console by pressing the tilde key (
~) orF10. On keyboards where the tilde key is difficult to identify, try the key immediately below Esc; the exact layout varies by keyboard. - Type
connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT, replacing the placeholder with the complete address. - Press Enter and wait for the connection and any required downloads to complete.
For example, the command format is connect 127.0.0.1:27015. Do not add angle brackets, quotation marks, or a space around the colon. If the person giving you the address supplied a different port, use that port exactly.
Password-protected servers
A dated Steam Community tutorial describes entering a password command before connecting:
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- Open the console.
- Enter
password TEST, replacingTESTwith the server password. - Enter
connect IP.ADDRESS:9999, replacing both the address and port with the values supplied by the host.
This sequence is community guidance rather than an official guarantee that applies to every server configuration. If it fails, ask the server operator whether the password has changed or whether the server expects a different joining method. Treat passwords as private: do not post them in a public chat or server listing.
Join a friend through Steam
When the server browser is empty or your friend is already playing, Steam can bypass the listing altogether. Open your Steam friends list, right-click the friend who is in the server, and choose Join Game. This works only when the friend is currently in a joinable server and their privacy or server settings allow friends to join.
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Join a Garry’s Mod server on a LAN
- Make sure the host and joining computer are connected to the same local network.
- On the joining computer, open Find Multiplayer Game.
- Select Local Network.
- Select the host’s server and click Join Server.
If the LAN server does not appear, have the host provide the address shown by the server or the local address they intend you to use. Enter that address with connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT. A server can be running correctly while remaining invisible because the browser is filtering it; direct connection separates a discovery problem from an actual connectivity problem.
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Fix a blank or incomplete server browser
A blank list does not prove that every server is offline. Filters, the selected tab, or the simplified display can hide results. Facepunch’s support guidance recommends this reset sequence:
- Open Find Multiplayer Game and switch to the Legacy Browser.
- Find the browser filters and untick Simplified List if it is enabled.
- Restore the filter values to their defaults rather than keeping narrow map, player, region, or latency restrictions.
- Select the Internet tab.
- Press Refresh All and wait for the list to repopulate.
After refreshing, search again using the server name or gamemode. Check that you are not looking at Local Network, History, or Favorites when you intended to search the Internet. If the list remains unusable, ask a friend or server operator for the address and connect through the console. This fallback works even when browser discovery is failing.
When only some servers are missing
- One known server is absent: Use its IP and port with the console; the listing may be filtered or temporarily unavailable.
- Every server is absent: Reset the Legacy Browser filters, disable Simplified List, choose Internet, and use Refresh All.
- The server appears but will not open: Check whether it is full, password-protected, or waiting for required Workshop files.
- A friend is online but the listing is absent: Try Steam’s Join Game action or request the direct address.
Workshop content, missing textures, and ERROR models
Servers can require Workshop addons, custom maps, models, materials, or other content. If your client lacks those files, you may see missing textures or large ERROR models after loading. The connection can also appear to stall while the required content downloads.
What to do before joining
- Allow Garry’s Mod time to download the content instead of cancelling immediately.
- If the host publishes a Workshop collection, open it in Steam and subscribe to the collection before reconnecting.
- Restart Garry’s Mod after subscribing if the game does not begin downloading the files.
- Confirm that the map or addon named by the server operator is installed and enabled where the operator’s instructions require it.
Downloading content does not mean every server uses the same files. A collection for one community may not fix missing content on another server, so use the collection or instructions associated with the specific server you are joining.
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Choose the right joining method
| Method | Address already known? | Best for | Browser discoverability | Password handling | Workshop downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet browser | No | Public servers you want to browse. | Depends on filters and refresh results. | The server prompts or rejects the connection if a password is required. | May download automatically during connection. |
| Local Network tab | No | Servers on the same LAN. | Visible only when local discovery works. | Depends on the host’s settings. | May download automatically during connection. |
| History or Favorites | Saved by the game | Servers you have visited or saved. | Does not require a fresh public-list search. | Enter the password if the server requires one. | Missing files may need to be downloaded again. |
| Console connect | Yes | A server supplied by a friend or operator. | Not dependent on browser visibility. | Enter the password first when the operator’s instructions require it. | Still required if the server uses custom content. |
| Steam Join Game | No | A friend already in a joinable server. | Bypasses the server list. | Controlled by the server and friend’s join settings. | May download during the resulting connection. |
Common connection problems and fixes
Connection times out
Verify every character in the IP address and port. A typo can send the connection to a different machine or nowhere at all. Ask the operator whether the server is currently running, full, or restricted. If the address came from an old message, request a current one.
You are rejected immediately
Check for a password requirement, a full server, or a server-side restriction. Enter the password command before connect when the host instructs you to do so. If the server uses a private whitelist, only its operator can authorize your account.
The game says files are missing
Let the download finish, then reconnect. Subscribe to the server’s Workshop collection if one is provided. Missing textures and ERROR models indicate absent content, not necessarily a failed network connection.
The map will not load
The server may require a custom map that your client has not downloaded. Confirm that the map download starts, and ask the operator for the correct Workshop collection or map instructions. Joining a different server will not install content that belongs only to the original server.
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The server is visible but has an unexpectedly high ping
Compare another server in the same region or gamemode. Ping varies by server location and network route; use the listing’s ping value as a selection signal, not as a guarantee of performance under every load condition.
What to expect after the first successful join
After the map loads, the server may display its own rules, menus, or addon interfaces. Read those instructions before selecting a team or spawning. Server-specific controls and content are not standardized by Garry’s Mod, so a command that works on one community’s server may do nothing on another.
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Fast decision checklist
- Do you have no address? Open Find Multiplayer Game and search Internet.
- Is it a nearby host on your LAN? Choose Local Network.
- Have you joined before? Check History or Favorites.
- Is a friend currently playing? Right-click the friend in Steam and choose Join Game.
- Do you know the IP and port? Open the console and run
connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT. - Is the browser blank? In Legacy Browser, untick Simplified List, restore defaults, select Internet, and press Refresh All.
- Do you see missing textures or ERROR models? Wait for downloads and subscribe to the host’s Workshop collection when available.
For most players, the browser path is enough: open Find Multiplayer Game, select the appropriate tab, choose a listing, and click Join Server. When discovery fails, a complete IP-and-port address plus the console command is the reliable fallback.
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