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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Valheim servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
Open Valheim, select Join Game, then choose Add server or Join IP. Enter the server’s public IP address and configured game port in the format the game requests, such as public-IP:port, and enter the password. Steam-backend servers normally require the host to forward ports 2456–2457 and allow the server through its firewall. Crossplay servers use a relay, so outside players generally do not need router port forwarding; they can join with a public IP and port, a numeric join code, or the server list.
What you need before joining
Ask the server owner for three details before opening Valheim:
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- The connection address: For an Internet connection, this is the host’s public or external IP address, not a private address such as
192.168.x.x. - The game port: Use the port configured for that server. The official default is port 2456, with the next port, 2457, also used by the server.
- The password: A password-protected server will ask for it after you select the server.
Also confirm which backend the server uses. A Steam-backend server is intended for the documented Steam setup and normally depends on port forwarding. A Crossplay server must be started with Crossplay enabled when Xbox or Microsoft Store players need to connect. All participating clients and the server should be on the same game patch.
Join a Steam-backend Valheim server by IP
Use these steps when the host is running the normal Steam backend and has provided a public address and port.
- Get the external address and configured port. Ask the owner to send the public IP and the server’s port. Do not substitute the owner’s private LAN address if you are connecting from another home or network.
- Open the join screen. Start Valheim and select Join Game from the main menu.
- Open the IP entry control. Select Add server or Join IP, depending on the label shown by your current game build.
- Enter the address in the requested format. If the field expects a combined value, enter
public-IP:port. Use the exact port supplied by the host rather than assuming the default. - Submit the entry and select the server. Valheim will attempt to contact the address. If the server requires a password, type it when prompted.
For a default Steam-backend dedicated server, the owner normally forwards ports 2456–2457 from the Internet router to the computer running the server. If the owner changed the launch setting with -port, the server uses that selected port and the next port, so the forwarding rule must match the custom pair instead of the defaults.
Iron Gate Studio’s official support guide, published April 11, 2024, describes Internet access to the Steam backend this way: “If you’re using the Steam backend, the most important thing is to make sure that the Server uses a Port Range that has access to the Internet.” The host must also allow the dedicated-server executable through the operating-system firewall.
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Crossplay is the required path when players on Xbox or the Microsoft Store need to join a dedicated server with Steam players. The host must start the server with the Crossplay backend enabled, using the -crossplay option.
Join with a public IP and port
- Ask the owner for the server’s public IP address and configured game port.
- In Valheim, open Join Game and select Add server or Join IP.
- Enter the address in the form the field requests, normally
public-IP:port. - Select the resulting entry and provide the server password if one is configured.
Because Crossplay traffic is relayed, outside players generally do not need the host to create router port-forwarding rules. The host still needs to run the server with Crossplay enabled and permit the server application through any local firewall that blocks it.
Join with a numeric code
- Have the host open the server’s pause menu and copy the displayed numeric join code.
- Open Join Game on your device.
- Select Add server and paste or type the join code supplied by the host.
- Choose the server and enter its password if requested.
Iron Gate’s Crossplay FAQ says that when a server is started through the game or as a dedicated server, the host can see a “Join code” by entering the pause menu. The code is often simpler than asking the host to identify an external IP address.
Join from the server list
If the Crossplay server is published to the server list, search for its name in Join Game and select it. The owner should tell you the exact server name and password so that you choose the intended world rather than another server with a similar name.
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Addresses Crossplay cannot use
Do not enter the host’s local LAN address or a loopback address for a Crossplay Internet join. Iron Gate’s official guidance specifically says those addresses cannot be used with Crossplay. A local address can be appropriate for a player on the same LAN in a non-Crossplay setup, but that exception does not make it valid for Crossplay.
Steam backend versus Crossplay
| Connection path | Address or entry method | Port forwarding | Platform reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam backend | Public IP address and game port | Normally required; the official default range is 2456–2457 | Steam users in the documented setup |
| Crossplay backend | Public IP and port, numeric join code, or server list | Not required for outside access because traffic is relayed | Cross-platform players when Crossplay is enabled |
Valheim’s official Steam announcement from September 14, 2022, states that dedicated-server hosts need to enable Crossplay if they want non-Steam players to join. Enabling the option is therefore a server-side requirement, not a setting that an Xbox or Microsoft Store player can fix from the join screen.
Which IP address and port should you enter?
Public IP for an Internet connection
Use the address assigned to the host’s Internet connection when you are joining from another network. A value beginning with a private pattern such as 192.168.x.x identifies the host’s local network and normally cannot route a friend from the wider Internet to the server. Ask the owner to confirm the external address if there is any uncertainty.
Port 2456 and port 2457
The official default is a two-port range: 2456 and the next port, 2457. The owner should provide a different value if the server was started with a custom -port setting. Enter the configured game port in Valheim; the host’s forwarding rule must cover that port and its next port.
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Use the host’s exact syntax
Some join controls display separate fields, while others expect a single value such as public-IP:port. Do not add a second colon, omit the port, or replace the public address with a private one. If the host provides a complete connection address from a managed hosting panel, copy it exactly into Join IP.
What the server owner must configure
If friends outside the local network cannot connect to a Steam-backend dedicated server, the owner should check the hosting computer and router in this order.
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1. Confirm the backend and port
Check how the dedicated server was started. Steam-backend hosting uses the configured game port and the next port; the official defaults are 2456 and 2457. If the launch configuration includes -port, record that value before creating the router rule. For cross-platform access, add the -crossplay option and make sure the participating setup uses Crossplay.
2. Forward the ports to the correct computer
Create the router’s forwarding rule for the server’s configured port range and direct it to the local IP address of the computer running Valheim. A rule aimed at a different machine will not reach the dedicated server, even when the public IP and port entered by the player are correct.
3. Allow the server through the operating-system firewall
Approve the dedicated-server executable when the host firewall asks. If the firewall has a manual application rule, allow the server program on the network profile used by the host. A router rule alone cannot help if the operating system discards the incoming connection.
4. Verify that the process is ready
Watch the dedicated-server console after startup. The official guide identifies “Game server connected” as the readiness message. If that message never appears, resolve the server startup problem before troubleshooting a friend’s IP entry.
5. Give players the current external address
The address a player needs is the host’s current public address, not necessarily the local address shown on the server computer. If the external address changes, send the new value to everyone who has saved the old connection entry.
Troubleshoot “can’t connect” errors
The player entered a private or loopback address
Replace the local value with the host’s public address when connecting over the Internet. This is especially important with Crossplay: local LAN and loopback addresses are explicitly unsupported for Crossplay joins. Only use a local address when the player and server are on the same LAN in a non-Crossplay arrangement.
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The port is wrong or only one port was forwarded
Ask the owner which value was used with -port. The selected port and the next port are used together, so forwarding only an unrelated default or only one member of the pair can prevent a Steam-backend connection. Recheck that the router rule points to the server computer.
Crossplay is not enabled
If an Xbox or Microsoft Store player is joining, confirm that the dedicated server was started with -crossplay. A Steam-only backend will not become cross-platform because the player selects a different join method. Restart the server with Crossplay enabled, then use its public IP and port, join code, or server-list entry.
The client and server are on different patches
Update the game on every participating device and update the dedicated server to the same patch. Valheim’s official announcement warns that a different patch can prevent a connection. Check this before changing router settings, particularly after a game update.
The firewall blocks the server
On the hosting computer, allow the dedicated-server application through the operating-system firewall. If the rule was created for an old installation or points to another executable, recreate or correct it. For Steam-backend hosting, check both the firewall permission and the router forwarding rule.
The server process is not ready
Ask the owner to look at the dedicated-server console for “Game server connected.” If the process is still starting, has stopped, or reports an error instead, an IP entry cannot succeed until the server is running normally.
The password is rejected
Have the owner confirm the current password and send it exactly as configured. Password mistakes occur after the network connection has succeeded, so changing the IP or port will not correct an incorrect password.
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The address works on the host’s LAN but not from outside
A local test proves that the server is reachable inside the home network, not that Internet access is configured. For a Steam-backend server, verify the public address, the configured port pair, router forwarding to the correct machine, and the firewall permission. For Crossplay, verify that the server is actually using the Crossplay backend and use its join code or server-list entry as an alternative to direct IP entry.
The server was visible before but is no longer reachable
Confirm that the server is still running, that its external IP has not changed, and that the host has not changed the -port setting. A changed port or address makes a previously saved join entry stale. The owner should send a fresh connection address or join code.
Joining from the same local network
A player on the same LAN may be able to use the server computer’s local address for a non-Crossplay/LAN setup. That is a different path from an Internet join. Do not copy this local-network behavior to a friend connecting remotely, and do not use a local or loopback address for a Crossplay server. For remote Steam-backend players, provide the public address and configure the default 2456–2457 range or the custom range selected by the host.
Use a managed Valheim server instead
If you do not want to configure a home router and firewall, a managed Valheim host can perform much of that setup for you. The provider’s control panel normally displays a connection address. In Valheim, open Join Game, choose Join IP, and enter the address shown in that panel. Confirm whether the service uses Steam or Crossplay, which platforms it supports, and whether the displayed value already includes the port. A managed service removes much of the port-forwarding work, but players still need the correct game patch and password, and cross-platform groups still require Crossplay to be enabled.
Server administration details that affect joining
The official Iron Gate guide lists a default save interval of 1,800 seconds (30 minutes). That setting controls how often the world saves; it does not change the IP address, port, or join procedure. Players should still leave a session normally when possible, while the owner should verify that the dedicated server remains online and reports “Game server connected” before distributing its address.
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Quick checklist for the player
- Open Join Game and choose Add server or Join IP.
- Use the host’s public address for an Internet connection.
- Enter the configured game port in the requested
IP:portformat. - For a default Steam-backend server, expect ports 2456 and 2457 to be forwarded by the owner.
- For Crossplay, use a public IP and port, numeric join code, or server list; never use a local or loopback IP.
- Make sure Xbox and Microsoft Store players are joining a server started with Crossplay.
- Update the client and server to the same patch.
- Enter the current password and confirm that the server console reports “Game server connected.”
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