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Hytale’s documented dedicated-server default is UDP port 5520. The server normally binds to 0.0.0.0:5520 and uses QUIC over UDP, so you do not need a TCP forwarding rule. For a self-hosted dedicated server, forward UDP 5520 from your router to the server computer’s fixed local IP and allow inbound UDP 5520 in that computer’s firewall. If you use another port, set it with --bind and use that same number in the server, firewall, router, and player connection details.
Hytale port and protocol at a glance
| Setting | Default or required value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server port | 5520 | The documented default for Hytale dedicated servers. |
| Transport | UDP | Hytale uses QUIC over UDP; TCP forwarding is not required. |
| Default bind | 0.0.0.0:5520 |
The server listens on port 5520 on all local network interfaces. |
| Router rule | External UDP 5520 to internal UDP 5520 | Sends Internet traffic to the computer running the server. |
| Host firewall | Allow inbound UDP 5520 | Permits the operating system to accept the forwarded packets. |
| Custom port | Any available UDP port passed with --bind |
The custom value must match every firewall, router, and connection setting. |
These defaults come from Hypixel Studios’ Hytale Server Manual, updated October 12, 2026. A router rule alone is not enough: the packet must reach the correct local machine and then pass that machine’s firewall.
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The correct networking steps depend on whether you are running a dedicated server or temporarily sharing a singleplayer world.
Dedicated server on your own computer
A dedicated server is a separate Hytale server process that listens for incoming players. Internet players normally need your public address and the server port. This is the case where you configure a router port-forward and a host-firewall rule.
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Friend-world hosting from singleplayer
For a singleplayer world, Hytale has an Online Play setting that attempts direct or relayed connectivity automatically. It often configures the necessary networking without a manual router change. Only follow a port-forwarding instruction if the Online Play details explicitly say that your router is not forwarding a named UDP port.
How to open UDP 5520 for a dedicated server
1. Confirm the server’s bind and port
- Start the dedicated server normally, or inspect its help output to see the networking options.
- Confirm that the bind is
0.0.0.0:5520, the documented default. - If the server is bound to a different port, record that value; every later step must use it instead of 5520.
Binding to 0.0.0.0 allows the process to listen on the machine’s network interfaces. It does not itself make the server reachable from the Internet; the router and host firewall still control inbound traffic.
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2. Give the server computer a stable local IP address
Port forwarding targets a local address such as 192.168.1.50. If the router later assigns a different address through DHCP, the rule can point at the wrong computer. Create a DHCP reservation in the router for the server machine, or configure a static local address using your network’s documented method. Record the resulting address before creating the forwarding rule.
3. Create the router port-forward rule
- Sign in to the router’s administration interface.
- Open the section named Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server, or a similar label.
- Create a rule with a descriptive name such as
Hytale Server. - Set the protocol to UDP only.
- Set the external or public port to 5520.
- Set the internal or private port to 5520.
- Set the destination address to the server computer’s fixed local IP.
- Save or apply the rule, then restart the router only if its interface requires that step.
Do not select TCP or “TCP/UDP” unless your router offers no UDP-only option and its documentation confirms that combined rules are implemented safely. Hytale’s documented transport is QUIC over UDP, and TCP forwarding is not required.
4. Allow UDP 5520 through the host firewall
The operating system can still reject traffic after the router forwards it. Add an inbound UDP rule on the machine running Hytale.
Windows
Open PowerShell as an administrator and run:
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Hytale Server" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 5520 -Action AllowThe rule allows inbound UDP traffic on local port 5520. If Windows displays a network-profile choice when Hytale first starts, allow the server on the profiles that correspond to your trusted home network; do not broadly expose unrelated applications.
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Linux with iptables
Add the documented iptables rule:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 5520 -j ACCEPTWhether this rule persists after reboot depends on the Linux distribution and its firewall-management tools. Save it using the distribution’s normal persistence method and verify that another firewall layer, such as a cloud security group, is not blocking the same port.
Linux with UFW
For a system using UFW, run:
sudo ufw allow 5520/udpCheck the resulting rules with your firewall’s status command. Keep the rule limited to UDP; opening TCP 5520 does not help Hytale clients connect.
5. Start the server and provide the connection details
Start the server after the router and firewall rules are in place. Give players the public address required by your server setup and port 5520 when the client asks for a port. They must use the public address from outside your home network; the server computer’s private address is normally reachable only inside your local network.
Do not expose administrative services, remote-desktop services, file shares, or unrelated game ports on the same public interface simply because Hytale is open. Keep the forwarding table limited to the single UDP rule the server needs, and protect server accounts and operating-system access separately.
Using a custom Hytale server port
A custom port is valid when another service already uses 5520, your network policy requires a different number, or you want a non-default configuration. Choose an available UDP port and pass it with --bind. For example:
java -jar HytaleServer.jar --assets Assets.zip --bind 3500With that command, use UDP 3500 consistently:
- The server must show or listen on the custom bind value.
- The router must forward external UDP 3500 to internal UDP 3500 on the server computer’s fixed local IP.
- The host firewall must allow inbound UDP 3500.
- Players must be told the custom port when they connect.
Changing only one location creates a mismatch. For example, forwarding 3500 while the process still listens on 5520 sends packets to a port with no Hytale listener; allowing 5520 in the firewall while the process uses 3500 leaves the custom server blocked.
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Opening a friend world instead of a dedicated server
For a singleplayer world, use Hytale’s in-game connectivity controls rather than manually forwarding the dedicated-server default.
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- Open the world’s Online Play settings.
- Turn on Allow Other Players to Join.
- Save the Online Play settings.
- Let Hytale attempt direct or relayed connectivity.
Hypixel Studios states that this process normally happens automatically and that you do not need to change the router unless Hytale tells you to. The port used for a friend world can therefore differ from the dedicated-server default, and the game may display a specific UDP port when manual forwarding is necessary.
When Hytale reports that the router is not forwarding
If the Online Play detail says the router does not forward ports, note the UDP port named in that message. Forward that exact UDP port to the host PC’s current local IP, allow it through the PC’s firewall, and save the Online Play settings again. Do not substitute 5520 unless the game specifically identifies 5520 for that session.
How to verify the setup
Verify locally first
- Confirm the Hytale server process is running and bound to the expected port.
- Confirm the router rule targets the server computer’s current local IP, not an old DHCP address.
- Confirm the host firewall rule uses UDP and the same port as the process.
- Check that another application has not claimed the custom port.
Test from outside the home network
Have a player connect from a different Internet connection, such as a mobile hotspot. Testing from the same LAN can produce misleading results because some routers do not support “hairpin” or loopback connections to their own public address. A successful local connection proves the server is running, but it does not prove that Internet forwarding works.
Interpret the result
- Everyone on the LAN can join, but outside players cannot: investigate the router rule, public address, double NAT, or CGNAT.
- No one can join, including LAN players: check the server bind, process status, local firewall, and whether the client is using the right port.
- The connection works briefly and then fails: check whether the local IP changed, the server stopped, or security software removed the firewall exception.
Why friends still cannot connect
Double NAT: two routers are both translating addresses
Double NAT commonly occurs when an ISP gateway is connected to a second personal router. Forwarding only on the second router leaves the first router with no rule for the incoming packet. Resolve it by forwarding through both routers, putting the ISP gateway into bridge mode where supported, or connecting the server and clients through the main router. The exact menu names differ by equipment, but the principle is that every NAT layer between the public Internet and the server must pass the same UDP port.
CGNAT: the ISP does not give your home a directly reachable public IPv4 address
Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) shares one public address among multiple homes. In that arrangement, your own router cannot receive unsolicited inbound traffic from the Internet, so a normal port-forward rule cannot work. Ask the ISP whether it can provide a public IP address. If that is unavailable, use a private overlay such as Tailscale so participating players connect through the overlay rather than requiring inbound forwarding on the ISP’s shared address.
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Firewall or security software is blocking the process
Windows Firewall, a Linux firewall, endpoint security, or antivirus software can block Hytale even when the router is correct. Check that the rule is enabled on the active network profile, uses UDP, and names the actual listening port. Temporarily disabling protection is not a good permanent fix; instead, create a narrow Hytale rule and re-enable protection. If friend-world hosting fails while a dedicated server works, inspect the firewall prompt and antivirus network controls for the game client as well as the server process.
IPv6 changes the path
When both players have working IPv6 connectivity, Hytale can use an IPv6 address without IPv4 NAT port forwarding. This does not make an IPv4-only connection reachable, and it does not bypass a firewall. Permit the required traffic in the host’s IPv6-capable firewall and use the address Hytale supplies.
School, office, and public Wi-Fi restrictions
Managed or public networks may block game traffic, UDP, peer-to-peer connections, or unknown outbound destinations. A correctly configured home server can therefore remain unreachable to a player on a restricted network. Try a permitted alternative connection, such as a home network or mobile hotspot. Use a VPN only when it is allowed by the network owner and the service’s rules; a VPN cannot repair a missing public IP on the host unless both sides are configured to use the same permitted network.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Port forwarding is relevant only when you operate the server on your own network. Managed Hytale hosting removes the home-router step because the provider supplies the public networking, hardware, maintenance, and continuous availability. The trade-off is less direct control over the machine and a recurring provider charge whose amount depends on the service and plan.
| Consideration | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Install and run the server, configure UDP forwarding, set a fixed local IP, and maintain firewall rules. | Provider handles the public network and initial server provisioning. |
| Files and mods | Direct control of server files, configuration, and installed modifications. | Control depends on the provider’s panel, file access, and supported modifications. |
| Availability while the owner is offline | Depends on the home computer, power, Internet connection, and server process staying online. | Designed for continuous availability on provider hardware. |
| Router and NAT dependency | Requires working forwarding and a reachable public address, unless an overlay network is used. | Provider networking removes the need for home UPnP or port forwarding. |
| Maintenance responsibility | You handle operating-system updates, Hytale updates, backups, security, and troubleshooting. | Provider handles infrastructure maintenance; you still manage the game configuration and data according to its terms. |
| Recurring cost | No hosting-provider fee is established here, but you supply the computer, electricity, and Internet connection. | A recurring provider fee applies; the amount is not stated because it varies by provider and plan. |
Hypixel Studios identifies managed hosting as an option for players who do not want to configure home networking. Choose it when uptime and simpler networking matter more than having unrestricted access to your own machine.
Security and maintenance checklist
- Forward only the UDP port the Hytale server actually uses.
- Keep the server computer’s local IP fixed through a DHCP reservation or an equivalent static configuration.
- Do not open TCP 5520 merely because the number is the default; Hytale’s documented transport is UDP.
- Keep the operating system, Hytale server, and security software updated.
- Back up server files before changing versions, configurations, or modifications.
- Review the router’s forwarding table periodically and remove obsolete rules.
- Do not publish administrative interfaces or remote-management services alongside the game port.
- If you change the bind port, update the server command, firewall, router, and player instructions together.
Source and version note
The port and protocol details above follow Hypixel Studios’ Hytale Server Manual, updated October 12, 2026. Friend-world behavior and NAT guidance follow Hypixel Studios’ Joining Friends guidance, also updated October 12, 2026. Router labels and firewall persistence commands vary by operating system and hardware, but the required Hytale transport remains UDP.
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