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To keep a Rust dedicated server online while removing it from the public browser, give it a separate Steam queryport and block that queryport with your host or provider firewall. Leave the game connection port open for players who know the address. The server will no longer answer the discovery requests that populate Steam and Rust server listings, but direct connections can continue.
Set server.queryport to a UDP port different from server.port, deny inbound traffic to the queryport, restart the server, and test with client.connecthidden IP:PORT. Hiding is not an access-control system: use a whitelist or skip-queue controls as well when only approved players should enter.
What removing a Rust server from the list actually does
A hidden Rust server is still running and still reachable through its game port. The change affects discovery, not the game protocol itself. Public browsers rely on a separate Steam query endpoint to learn that a server exists and to display its name, map, player count and other metadata. Blocking that endpoint prevents those discovery queries from receiving a response.
Players who already know the server’s IP address and game port can connect directly. Players searching the normal Rust or Steam browser should not receive a usable listing from the server while the queryport remains blocked.
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This is administrator-controlled network behavior, not a special “private” mode that grants permission to selected users. Anyone who obtains the address and port may still attempt a direct connection unless you add authentication, a whitelist, or queue restrictions.
Game port and queryport: the distinction that matters
Rust uses two separate UDP endpoints for this purpose:
server.port: the game connection port. Clients use it to join and play.server.queryport: the endpoint used by Rust, Steam and compatible server tools to discover and describe the server.
Facepunch’s server-creation documentation states that both ports must be reachable UDP ports and that they cannot be identical. If you do not set a queryport explicitly, Rust derives a default relative to server.port or rcon.port, depending on the configuration. Relying on an implicit value makes firewall work harder, so assign a dedicated value and document it.
Blocking the game port would stop players from joining; blocking the queryport is the deliberate way to stop browser discovery while preserving direct play.
What you need before changing the server
- Administrative access to the Rust server’s startup parameters or
server.cfg. - The current game port, public IP address and hosting-provider firewall controls.
- Permission to restart the dedicated server.
- A test client that is allowed to connect directly.
- A list of approved Steam users, if the server must be private rather than merely unlisted.
Use a queryport that is separate from the game port and record both values. A nonstandard value can reduce accidental conflicts, but the number itself does not provide security. The firewall rule is what prevents discovery.
How to hide the server step by step
1. Choose and assign a separate queryport
Pick an unused UDP port and set it explicitly with server.queryport. You can place the setting in the launch parameters or in server.cfg, according to how your host starts Rust.
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An illustrative launch configuration is:
+server.port 28015 +server.queryport 28016The numbers above are examples only. Substitute the actual ports available on your machine. Do not reuse the game port, and do not select a port already occupied by another service.
If you use a configuration file, the equivalent setting is a line such as:
server.queryport 28016Keep the game-port setting and query-port setting together in your documentation so a later restart, migration or firewall change does not accidentally expose the server.
2. Create an inbound deny rule for the queryport
At the host operating-system firewall or the hosting provider’s network firewall, reject inbound UDP traffic whose destination is the queryport. The rule should target only that port; leave the game port’s required UDP rule in place.
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- Open the firewall management interface for the server or virtual machine.
- Create an inbound rule with protocol UDP and destination equal to the value assigned to
server.queryport. - Set the action to deny or reject, depending on the provider’s terminology.
- Place the deny rule ahead of any broad “allow all UDP” rule if the firewall evaluates rules in order.
- Save or apply the policy, then verify that it is attached to the public interface and the correct server instance.
Facepunch’s hidden-server guidance is explicit that the Steam queryport should remain blocked; otherwise the server can be discovered in the Steam master list and Rust listings. If your provider has both a perimeter firewall and a host firewall, apply the restriction where public traffic first enters and confirm that no later rule reopens the port.
3. Restart Rust and confirm the new settings
Restart the dedicated server after changing startup parameters or server.cfg. Check the startup log or administrative console for the configured game and query ports. A restart is important because changing a file does not necessarily change a process that is already running.
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Confirm that:
- The process is listening on the intended game UDP port.
- The queryport value is the one you blocked.
- The firewall rule is active after the restart.
- No second server instance is using the old configuration.
4. Test direct connection from an allowed client
From the Rust client, open the console and use the hidden-server connection command documented by Facepunch:
client.connecthidden IP:PORTReplace IP with the server’s public address and PORT with server.port, not the queryport. A successful connection demonstrates that the game endpoint remains available while browser discovery is blocked.
If the command fails, test the game port and server process first. Do not remove the queryport block as a troubleshooting shortcut; doing so restores public discovery.
5. Add access control when the server is genuinely private
Unlisted does not mean restricted. If only invited users should play, add a separate access policy. Facepunch documents a configuration using server.maxplayers 0 and granting approved users skip-queue access through global.skipqueueid. Apply those controls according to your server’s administration workflow and verify that approved accounts can join before distributing the address.
Use the discovery block for visibility and the access controls for authorization. Neither mechanism replaces the other:
- A blocked queryport hides metadata from ordinary browser discovery but does not identify who is allowed to connect.
- A whitelist or skip-queue arrangement controls entry but does not necessarily remove the server from public listings.
6. Reduce accidental exposure of the address
Facepunch recommends that Steam users associated with hidden servers remain Invisible. Public streams and screenshots can reveal an IP address, game port or connection workflow even when the queryport is blocked. When demonstrating the server, use an off-screen keybind for direct connection where appropriate and avoid displaying console commands or configuration that disclose the endpoint.
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Why blocking the queryport removes browser discovery
The Rust discovery sequence has two stages. First, the client asks Steam for Rust servers. Steam returns candidate addresses. The client then sends Source A2S queries to those addresses to obtain current server information. A server appears in the browser when it responds to that query path.
The queryport is the endpoint used to obtain the server name, player count, map and active-player information. A firewall block interrupts the second stage. The game port remains a separate path for an already informed client, so direct connections continue to work.
This also explains why changing the displayed server name, password or map does not remove a server from the list. Those settings affect what a query returns; they do not stop the query from reaching the server.
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| Approach | Visibility | Access | Operational complexity | Metadata exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block the queryport | Not discoverable through normal Steam/Rust browser queries while the block is active | Anyone with the address and game port can still attempt to connect | One explicit UDP firewall rule plus a restart and verification | Browser A2S queries cannot obtain live server details through the blocked endpoint |
| Leave the queryport open | Server remains eligible for browser discovery | Controlled by the server’s normal password, queue or permission settings | No special firewall rule, but ordinary public administration | Name, map, player count and related information can be queried |
| Block the queryport and add whitelist or skip-queue controls | Hidden from ordinary listings | Approved users receive the required permission; unknown users are denied or held | Firewall management plus user and permission administration | Discovery exposure is reduced, while the game port still requires access control |
Choose the first option when the goal is simply direct-connect access. Choose the combined approach when the server is for a defined group and an exposed address would not be sufficient protection.
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The wrong port was blocked
Compare the firewall rule with the running value of server.queryport. If the convar was changed but the process was not restarted, the old port may still be active. An omitted queryport can also resolve to a value based on server.port or rcon.port, so inspect the effective configuration rather than assuming a number.
The firewall rule targets TCP instead of UDP
Rust’s game and query endpoints in this configuration are UDP. A TCP-only deny rule does not block Source A2S discovery. Change the rule protocol to UDP and ensure it applies to inbound traffic on the public interface.
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A provider-level allow rule overrides the host rule
Many hosts expose a network firewall separate from the operating-system firewall. If the provider permits the queryport, a local rule may not produce the behavior you expect, or the provider policy may be applied before local filtering. Review both layers and remove any broad allow that takes precedence over the deny rule.
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The game port and queryport were set to the same value
Rust requires separate reachable UDP ports. Assign a distinct queryport, update the firewall to match it, restart, and test the game port independently. Do not attempt to hide the server by blocking the shared port; that also blocks players.
Troubleshooting a server that disappeared unexpectedly
An unexpected disappearance is not automatically evidence of a successful hidden-server configuration. Check the following in order:
- Query-port reachability: verify whether the queryport is blocked, open, or intermittently filtered after a firewall change.
- Server responsiveness: confirm that the server process is running and responding normally to the expected A2S traffic when it is supposed to be public.
- Port assignments: make sure
server.portandserver.queryportare both configured, reachable where intended, and not identical. - Policy status: Facepunch’s community-server rules allow browser delisting or other sanctions for violations. A policy action is separate from an administrator’s firewall choice.
If the intent is to be public, restore the intended queryport reachability only after confirming the configuration and policy status. If the intent is to be hidden, leave the block in place and focus testing on direct game-port connectivity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Blocking the game port: this makes direct connections fail instead of removing only discovery.
- Using the same value for both ports: Rust requires distinct UDP endpoints.
- Changing only the server name: browser eligibility is determined by query responses, not by the name shown in those responses.
- Assuming hidden means secure: anyone who learns the address can still try the game port unless access controls are configured.
- Forgetting the provider firewall: a host rule may be insufficient when a cloud or dedicated-server firewall separately permits the queryport.
- Publishing the connection details on stream: visible IP and port information defeats the practical privacy benefit of an unlisted server.
- Testing with the queryport in the client command:
client.connecthiddenneeds the gameserver.port.
Maintaining a hidden server over time
Treat the queryport and its firewall rule as a paired configuration. When migrating hosts, changing ports, restoring a backup or adding a second server, update the convar and firewall together. Keep a short record containing the public IP, game port, queryport, firewall location and approved-user procedure.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAfter every maintenance restart, perform one direct-connect test from an approved client. If you intend the server to remain hidden, verify that the queryport is still denied at both the provider and host layers. If you intend to reopen listings, remove the deny deliberately and confirm that the server responds to discovery queries rather than assuming that a process restart alone will publish it.
Finally, review privacy practices whenever staff, players or streamers change. Visibility settings on associated Steam accounts, off-screen connection keybinds and careful handling of IP information reduce exposure that a firewall rule cannot address.
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