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To let internet players join a Garry’s Mod server running on your home computer, forward the server’s gameplay port from your router to that computer, allow the same port through its firewall, and test from a different internet connection. The default Source Dedicated Server setup uses UDP 27015 for gameplay. The default RCON service uses TCP 27015 and should be forwarded only when you actually need remote administration.
The forwarding rule works only when your server has a stable private IPv4 address and your router has a real public IPv4 address. A changing LAN address, a second router, or carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) can make a rule appear correct while preventing friends from connecting.
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Home routers normally block unsolicited connections arriving from the internet. Port forwarding creates an exception: when a connection reaches a specified port on the router’s public, or WAN, address, the router sends it to a selected device on your home network. The server computer remains on a private LAN address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x; players outside your home use the router’s public IPv4 address.
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- The game server: Garry’s Mod must be listening on the selected port.
- The router: a NAT/port-forward rule must map the public port to the server computer’s private IPv4 address.
- The host firewall: Windows Defender Firewall or the Linux firewall must allow inbound traffic using the same protocol and port.
Changing only one piece—for example, forwarding TCP when the game is using UDP—does not make the server reachable.
Ports Garry’s Mod uses by default
| Purpose | Protocol | Default port | Forward when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gameplay traffic | UDP | 27015 | Always, unless you deliberately configure another server port |
| Source RCON | TCP | 27015 | Only when you operate the default RCON service and need remote administration |
Steam Support identifies UDP local port 27015 as the default gameplay port and TCP local port 27015 as the default SRCDS RCON port. If you start the server with an explicit -port value, that value replaces 27015 for the server traffic. Use the chosen value consistently in the launch command, router rule, firewall rule, and the address you give players. Do not assume that RCON is enabled merely because the game uses UDP 27015.
Prepare the dedicated server before changing the router
Install or update the server files
Facepunch documents SteamCMD app ID 4020 for Garry’s Mod dedicated-server files. From the directory where SteamCMD is installed, update the server with:
app_update 4020You can add validate when you need SteamCMD to check the downloaded files:
app_update 4020 validateRun SteamCMD’s commands in its own console, then close it or return to your normal shell before launching the server. Keep the server directory in a location your account can read and write.
Launch the server and choose its port
On Windows, Facepunch’s documented executable is srcds.exe. On Linux, the documented launcher is ./srcds_run -game garrysmod. A typical launch command includes the game, a map, a player limit, and, if required, an explicit port. For example, adapt this form to your installation:
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srcds.exe -game garrysmod +map <map_name> +maxplayers <player_limit> -port 27015./srcds_run -game garrysmod +map <map_name> +maxplayers <player_limit> -port 27015The angle-bracket values are settings you supply; they are not literal command arguments. If you omit -port, use the server’s default port. If you specify a different number, record it before creating any forwarding rules.
Confirm that the process is listening
Start the server, wait until it has finished loading, and check its console output for errors. The important result is that the dedicated server is bound to the intended port. A router rule cannot make a stopped process reachable. If you changed the port, verify that the console and your launch shortcut or script use the same number on every start.
Give the server computer a stable private IPv4 address
Port forwarding stores a destination device. If the router later gives that computer a different private address through DHCP, the rule can continue pointing at the old address and players will reach the wrong device or nothing at all.
Use a DHCP reservation when possible
- Open the router’s administration page.
- Find the LAN, DHCP, or connected-devices section.
- Identify the computer that runs the Garry’s Mod server by its hostname or network adapter address.
- Create a DHCP reservation for that device, keeping the address it currently uses or assigning an unused address within the router’s supported range.
- Reconnect the computer or renew its network lease, then verify that it received the reserved IPv4 address.
A reservation lets the router manage the address while ensuring the same computer receives it after reboots. Router labels vary; look for “DHCP reservation,” “address reservation,” or “static lease.”
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Use a static private address only if you can manage it safely
An alternative is to configure a static IPv4 address on the computer outside the router’s automatic DHCP pool. You must also set the correct subnet mask, gateway, and DNS settings. Avoid choosing an address that the DHCP server may hand to another device. A DHCP reservation is usually less error-prone because the router remains the authority for network settings.
Create the router’s port-forwarding rules
Sign in to the router that is directly connected to your internet service. Depending on its firmware, the page may be called Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or NAT Forwarding. Google’s router guidance describes the operation as sending a connection arriving on a specified port to a specific device.
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Forward gameplay traffic
- Choose Add rule, Create virtual server, or the equivalent control.
- Enter a descriptive name such as
GMod gameplay. - Set the external or public port to
27015, unless you intentionally selected another server port. - Set the internal or private port to the same number.
- Select UDP as the protocol.
- Choose the server computer’s reserved private IPv4 address as the destination device.
- Save or apply the rule.
For a server running on another port, substitute that number in both the external and internal fields unless you have a specific reason to translate between different numbers. The simplest configuration uses the same port on the WAN side, LAN side, server command, and client join address.
Forward RCON only when it is needed
If you use the default SRCDS RCON service remotely, create a second rule for TCP 27015 to the server’s private IPv4 address. Keep the destination port and protocol exactly as configured by the RCON service. Restrict the source addresses to trusted administrators if the router supports source filtering. If you do not need remote RCON, leave this rule out; gameplay does not require exposing the RCON service.
Some routers offer a combined “TCP/UDP” choice. For gameplay, select UDP when the interface allows a protocol-specific rule. Add TCP separately for RCON rather than exposing both protocols without a reason.
Allow the same traffic through the host firewall
Windows
Create an inbound rule in Windows Defender Firewall for the selected gameplay port and protocol. For the default setup, allow inbound UDP 27015 to the dedicated-server executable or to the local port. If you operate RCON remotely, create a separate inbound TCP 27015 rule. Apply the rule only to the network profiles you use and keep the program path limited to the dedicated server where practical.
Linux
Use the firewall manager enabled on the server—such as the distribution’s uncomplicated firewall, firewalld, or equivalent—to permit inbound UDP on the gameplay port. Add TCP on the RCON port only if RCON is required. Reload the firewall and confirm that the active rules, not merely a configuration file, contain the allowance.
Do not disable the entire firewall as a troubleshooting shortcut. A broad disable can hide the real protocol mistake and exposes unrelated services on the computer.
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Find the address players should use
Players outside your home connect to your router’s public IPv4 address, not the server’s private address. The join address combines that public address with the server port when the client requires an explicit port. Give friends the current public IPv4 address and the configured gameplay port.
Your public IPv4 can change when the ISP reconnects your service. If friends can connect one day but not after a modem restart, check whether the public address changed. A port-forward rule does not automatically update a changed public address.
Test from outside your home network
Have a friend try to join from a different internet connection, such as a separate household or a mobile connection. The server must be running during the test. An external port-checking method can also test reachability while the process is listening, but a checker that probes TCP cannot prove that a UDP gameplay port works.
Testing from another device on the same Wi-Fi is not conclusive. Many routers do not support NAT loopback, also called hairpin NAT. Without it, a local client using the public address can fail even though an internet player can connect. For a meaningful test, use a connection that is genuinely outside your home LAN.
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Troubleshoot in this order
The server works on LAN but not for remote players
- Confirm the server is running and listening on the port you think it is using.
- Check that the router rule uses UDP for gameplay, not only TCP.
- Verify that the destination IPv4 in the rule is still the server computer’s reserved address.
- Check the host firewall for an inbound allowance on the same UDP port.
- Test from an outside connection while the server is running.
A successful LAN connection proves that the server process is functioning locally; it does not prove that the router or firewall accepts internet traffic.
The router shows a private WAN address
Compare the router’s WAN or internet IPv4 address with the public IPv4 reported by a separate internet service. If the router WAN address is private, is in 100.64.0.0/10 (100.64.0.0 through 100.127.255.255), or differs from the public address, another NAT layer is likely present.
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Carrier-grade NAT lets an ISP share one public IPv4 address among customers. MikroTik documents that CGNAT prevents a customer from creating the inbound mapping required for a public service, and Cisco describes CGN as ISP-level sharing of public IPv4 space. In this situation, a rule on your home router cannot receive unsolicited internet connections. Ask the ISP whether it can provide a public IPv4 address. If it cannot, use a hosting or relay arrangement that does not require inbound connections to your home router.
Two routers are installed
Two routers create two NAT boundaries. This is common when an ISP gateway is connected to your own router. Where supported, place the ISP gateway in bridge mode so only your router performs NAT. Otherwise, forward the gameplay port on the outer gateway to the inner router’s WAN address, then create the normal rule on the inner router to the server’s private address.
Check every layer’s WAN and LAN addresses before changing firewall settings. Forwarding only on the inner router leaves the outer router blocking the request; forwarding only on the outer router leaves the inner router without a destination rule.
Friends connect intermittently
- Check whether the server computer received a new private IPv4 address despite the intended reservation.
- Check whether the ISP changed your public IPv4 address.
- Confirm that the server is currently listening on the configured port rather than having stopped or launched with a different option.
- Review the router rule after firmware updates; some routers disable or rename rules during configuration changes.
RCON does not work but gameplay does
Gameplay and RCON use different protocols. Verify that the RCON rule permits TCP and that the RCON service is actually configured and listening. Do not infer RCON availability from a successful UDP game connection. If you do not need remote administration, remove the TCP rule instead of weakening the firewall.
Security and reliability practices
- Expose only required ports: forward UDP gameplay and add TCP RCON only when necessary.
- Protect RCON: use a strong administrator password, restrict trusted source addresses when possible, and disable remote RCON when it is not in use.
- Reserve the LAN address: this prevents a DHCP change from silently breaking the destination.
- Keep the server updated: run SteamCMD updates for app ID 4020 during a maintenance window and review validation results when files are damaged.
- Monitor the public address: tell players the new address after an ISP change, or use an address-management method you control if appropriate.
- Keep the host firewall enabled: create narrow inbound rules instead of allowing every port.
- Separate server duties where possible: the fewer unrelated services on the gaming computer, the fewer services an exposed host can accidentally publish.
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Port forwarding is not the only way to host. A rented server or relay can avoid inbound connections to your home network, but it changes the trade-offs. Compare the options using the factors that affect your group:
| Factor | Home server | Rented server or relay |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound connectivity | Requires a reachable public IPv4, correct NAT rules, and an open host firewall | Usually avoids opening an inbound port on the home router; availability depends on the provider’s design |
| Recurring cost | No authoritative current price figure is established here; you provide the hardware, electricity, and internet service | Charges vary by provider and configuration; obtain the current quote before deciding |
| Mods and files | Direct control of server files, configuration, and installed modifications | Control depends on the service’s file and mod support |
| Bandwidth and latency | Uses your home upload capacity and the network path from your home | Uses the host’s connectivity and location; distance from players affects latency |
| Maintenance and exposure | You maintain updates, firewall rules, power, and router security; an internet-facing service is attached to your home network | The provider handles infrastructure, while you still maintain the game server and trust the provider with its availability |
If your ISP uses CGNAT and will not provide a public IPv4, a relay or external server may be the practical route. If you have a public IPv4, stable upload capacity, and want complete control over files, home hosting can work without paying for another machine.
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Complete port-forwarding checklist
- Install or update Garry’s Mod dedicated-server files with SteamCMD app ID 4020.
- Launch the server with
srcds.exeon Windows or./srcds_run -game garrysmodon Linux. - Record the actual gameplay port, including any explicit
-portvalue. - Confirm the server is listening before testing the network.
- Create a DHCP reservation or carefully configured static private IPv4 for the server computer.
- Forward UDP gameplay traffic from the router’s public port to that private IPv4 and the same internal port.
- Add TCP forwarding for the default RCON port only if remote RCON is required.
- Allow the matching ports and protocols in the host firewall.
- Compare the router WAN address with the public IPv4 and look for CGNAT or another router.
- Have someone outside your LAN connect while the server is running.
How to tell that the setup is complete
The configuration is working when the server remains on its reserved private IPv4, the dedicated-server console shows it listening on the chosen port, the router maps UDP gameplay traffic to that address, and the host firewall permits it. An outside player—not merely a device on the same Wi-Fi—can then join using your current public IPv4 address and gameplay port. Keep the TCP RCON exposure separate, limited, and optional.
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