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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Starbound servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
The quickest way to join a friend’s Starbound session is through Steam: open your friends list, right-click the friend who is playing, and choose Join Game. For a server you manage yourself, open Multiplayer > Join Server, enter the host’s reachable IP address, and use port 21025 unless the host changed it. A dedicated server process can stay online independently of the game client for persistent play.
This guide explains each connection method, which address to use on a LAN or over the internet, how hosting and port forwarding fit together, and what to check when Starbound cannot connect.
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Choose the right way to connect
Starbound multiplayer is not one single service. The correct joining method depends on who is hosting, whether the session must remain online, and whether players are on the same network.
| Connection method | Setup effort | Must the host keep the game client open? | Network work | Persistence | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Join Game or Invite to game | Lowest | Usually yes for a friend-hosted session | Usually minimal | Session-based | Quick play with friends |
| Self-hosted direct IP | Moderate | No, if the dedicated server process remains running | May require address discovery and port forwarding | Available while the server process runs | Control and local ownership |
| Rented dedicated server | Moderate to high initially | No | Provider-specific configuration | Persistent according to the hosting plan | Always-on group or public server |
Steam joining is normally the least technical choice when the host is already playing. Direct IP is the flexible option when you control the server process. A rented dedicated server is useful when nobody wants to leave a home computer running, but it is optional; you do not need to buy a physical server.
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Join a friend through Steam
Steam integration is designed for a fast, friend-to-friend session. Both players need Starbound available through Steam, and Steam networking must be functioning for the account and client.
Use Join Game from the friends list
- Start Steam and sign in.
- Open the Steam friends list and find the person who is currently playing Starbound.
- Right-click that friend’s name and select Join Game.
- Allow Starbound to launch or come to the foreground if Steam prompts you.
- Choose the character you want to use when Starbound asks you to select one.
This route avoids asking for an IP address or manually entering a port. It is the practical first choice when you simply want to join a friend’s current session.
Accept an in-game invitation
The host can also invite you after entering a character session. Once the host has loaded into the game, the host uses Steam’s Invite to game option and selects your account. Accept the invitation through Steam, then select your Starbound character when prompted.
A Steam friend session is tied to the host’s active game session. If the host exits the session or closes the client, the join route normally ends with that session. For a world that should remain available while the host is away, use a dedicated server instead.
If Join Game is missing or fails
- Confirm that both accounts are online in Steam and that each player owns and can launch Starbound through Steam.
- Have the host load a character before trying the invite again; an invite sent before the host reaches a playable session may not behave as expected.
- Restart Steam and Starbound if the friend’s presence shows incorrectly.
- If Steam joining remains unavailable, switch to the direct-IP method and verify the host address, server process, and port.
Join a self-hosted server by IP address
A self-hosted connection uses a separate Starbound server process. The host starts that process, and each player connects from Starbound’s multiplayer menu using the host’s address. The commonly documented default port is 21025; a different port applies if the host changed the server configuration.
What the host must prepare
- A Starbound installation that can launch the dedicated server from Steam or from the server executable in the game installation.
- A server process that remains running while players need access.
- The correct address for the players’ network path: a private LAN address for the same home network, or an externally reachable address for internet players.
- Firewall and router rules that permit the configured Starbound port when the server is reached from outside the local network.
The server executable is separate from the ordinary game client. Starting it from Steam or directly from the installation allows the server to continue running without keeping a playable Starbound window open.
Find the address players should use
There is no universal “your IP” for every situation. Use the address that matches how the player is connecting:
- Same home or office LAN: give players the host computer’s private LAN address. This is typically the address assigned by the router and is visible in the host operating system’s network details.
- Virtual or overlay network: if everyone is connected through a virtual networking service, use the host’s address on that virtual network, not the ordinary LAN address.
- Internet connection: give remote players the home network’s externally reachable address. The router must forward the Starbound port to the computer running the server.
A joining player should never enter their own address. The address belongs to the machine running the Starbound server, and it must be reachable from the player’s network.
Start the server
- On the host computer, launch Starbound’s dedicated server from Steam or open the server executable in the Starbound installation folder.
- Leave the server process running. Closing it stops new connections and disconnects players who depend on that process.
- Check which port the server is configured to use. Use 21025 if it has not been changed.
- Allow the server through the host computer’s firewall when the operating system asks. A blocked firewall rule can look like an incorrect IP even when the address is right.
- For internet play, configure the router to forward the server port to the host computer’s private LAN address. The exact menu name differs by router, so look for a section such as port forwarding, virtual server, or NAT rules.
Port forwarding is generally unnecessary when every player is on the same LAN, but the host firewall can still block local connections.
Connect from Starbound
- Launch Starbound.
- Open Multiplayer.
- Select Join Server.
- Enter the host’s reachable IP address.
- Use port 21025 unless the host supplied a different configured port.
- Connect and select your character when prompted.
If the game presents separate address and port fields, enter them individually. If it presents a combined server entry, follow the field format shown by your Starbound build while preserving the host’s address and configured port exactly.
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Use a persistent dedicated server
A dedicated server is appropriate when the group wants a world that remains available without a player keeping the regular game client open. The server runs as its own process, so the host can close the playable Starbound client while the server continues operating.
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Self-hosting gives you control over the files, configuration, access rules, and uptime. Start the dedicated server executable, keep the process running, and provide players with the correct LAN, virtual-network, or public address. The machine must remain powered on and connected for the server to be reachable.
For an internet-facing server, plan for the router’s forwarding rule, the host firewall, and the possibility that the internet address changes. If the external address changes, remote players must receive the new address unless you have another address-management solution.
Rent a server from a provider
A rented Starbound dedicated server is a service rather than a physical product. The provider runs the server process in its data center, while you use the provider’s control panel or support process to configure the game and share the assigned address with players.
Before paying, verify the details that affect whether the service fits your group:
- Supported Starbound version and update policy.
- Whether mods are allowed and how they are installed.
- Server location or available geography for your players.
- Included memory, storage, backups, and player limits.
- Uptime terms, restart controls, and access to logs.
- Recurring price, billing period, cancellation terms, and any setup fee.
The server remains persistent according to the plan and provider’s operating policy, not according to whether your personal game client is open.
Understand port 21025
Port 21025 is the commonly documented default for Starbound connections. It is not a guarantee that every server uses that number: an administrator can change the configured port, and the joining player must use the changed value.
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Use 21025 when the host has not edited the server configuration and the router or firewall rule is built around that same port. The address and port must agree at every layer: Starbound’s server configuration, the host firewall, and the router’s forwarding rule.
When the host changed the port
Ask the host for the exact configured port rather than guessing. Update the forwarding and firewall rules to match, then enter that value in Multiplayer > Join Server. A mismatch commonly produces a timeout even though the IP address is correct.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a failed connection
Check problems in order, starting with the server itself and then moving outward to the address and network path.
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The server is offline
Confirm that the dedicated server process is still open and has not stopped because of an error, an update, or a computer sleep state. A direct-IP connection cannot succeed after the process has been closed.
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Ask the host whether you are playing on the same LAN, through a virtual network, or over the public internet. A private LAN address generally cannot be reached from the public internet, and a public address may be unnecessary or unsuitable for two machines on the same local network. Replace the address with the one appropriate to your path.
The port does not match
Verify the configured port with the host. Start with 21025 only when no custom port was set. If a custom port is in use, the host must share that number and use it consistently in the server, firewall, and router settings.
Port forwarding is missing
For players outside the host’s home network, confirm that the router forwards the Starbound port to the correct private address of the server computer. If the host computer receives a new private address from the router, an old forwarding rule may point to the wrong device.
The firewall blocks Starbound
Check the host operating system’s firewall permissions for the dedicated server. Permit the server process or its configured port on the network profile being used. A firewall exception on the wrong profile can leave the server reachable on one network but invisible on another.
A Steam join works but direct IP does not
This usually means the Starbound session and Steam relationship are healthy, while the manually supplied address, port, forwarding rule, or firewall path is wrong. Have the host confirm the server process and test with the correct LAN address first if both players are local.
Direct IP works locally but not remotely
If a LAN player can connect but an internet player cannot, focus on the public address, router forwarding, firewall profile, and whether the internet service permits inbound connections. The local test does not prove that the server is exposed outside the home network.
Mods, versions, and character selection
Both Steam joining and direct-IP joining still require the game to load a compatible session. Mod or build mismatches can cause connection problems, missing content, or a failed join. There is no single current compatibility matrix covering every Starbound mod combination, so treat each server’s mod list and game version as requirements supplied by its administrator.
Before joining a modded server
- Ask the administrator which Starbound build the server uses.
- Obtain the exact mod names and versions required by that server.
- Install or remove mods as directed, then restart Starbound before retrying.
- Do not assume that a mod working in single-player will work in multiplayer.
After a successful connection, Starbound may ask you to select a character. Choose the character intended for that server and avoid changing files or mods while the session is active.
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Choose a method for your group
Choose Steam when
- You are joining a friend who is already playing.
- You want the least setup and do not need an always-on world.
- The host is comfortable keeping the Starbound client active for the session.
Choose self-hosted direct IP when
- You want control over the server files and configuration.
- You can keep a computer and server process running.
- You are willing to identify the right address and, for remote players, configure forwarding and firewall access.
Choose rented dedicated hosting when
- The world should remain available while every player’s personal computer is off.
- Your group prefers provider-managed infrastructure.
- You have checked the provider’s version, mod, location, uptime, storage, and billing terms.
Connection checklist
- Is the host’s server process running?
- Are you using the host’s address rather than your own?
- Does the address match your network path: LAN, virtual network, or internet?
- Is the port 21025, or did the host configure another value?
- Do the router forwarding rule and firewall permit that same port?
- Are both players using compatible Starbound builds and required mods?
- Has the host loaded a character when using Steam Join Game or Invite to game?
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