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If a Satisfactory server is missing, first determine whether you are joining a Friends Only session or a dedicated server. For a dedicated server, confirm that the process is running and listening, then open and forward all three current default flows—7777/TCP, 7777/UDP, and 8888/TCP—to the correct host. Test from the same LAN and from an outside network so you can separate a server or firewall problem from NAT, CGNAT, or ISP filtering.
Start by identifying the kind of session
Satisfactory has two connection models that look similar to a player but require different troubleshooting. A Friends Only hosted session is created by a player and joined through the Join Game menu by friends. A dedicated server is a separate server process that you add and manage in the in-game Server Manager. It has its own listening ports, firewall rules, and router mappings.
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Friends Only session
- The host starts the game session from the normal game client.
- Friends join through the Join Game menu and the host must remain available.
- Troubleshooting should focus on the host’s game client, platform presence, local firewall, and the host’s network rather than dedicated-server ports.
Dedicated server
- The server runs as a separate
FactoryServer.exeprocess on Windows or an equivalent Linux process. - Players find and configure it through Server Manager.
- The process must be running, listening on the expected interfaces, allowed through the host firewall, and reachable through every required router/NAT rule.
Use this five-minute triage sequence
Run the checks in order. Changing several settings at once makes it difficult to tell which correction fixed the problem.
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- Confirm the session type. Make sure everyone is looking in the right menu for a Friends Only session or a dedicated server.
- Confirm the process is running. A stopped or crashed process is the most basic reason a dedicated server cannot be reached. The official dedicated-server troubleshooting page describes this as “The simplest reason for not being able to connect to the server is that it is not running.”
- Confirm the listener. Check that the server has bound the expected port and is listening on the LAN interface, not only on loopback.
- Check all current ports. On the default configuration, allow 7777/TCP, 7777/UDP, and 8888/TCP. A server that still has only the older 7777 rule can appear in a list and then fail during joining.
- Check the destination IP. The router must forward to the host’s current LAN address, not an old DHCP lease belonging to another device.
- Check the host firewall and antivirus. Permit the server executable and the exact TCP and UDP flows.
- Test locally, then remotely. A successful LAN connection proves the process and local path. If an external connection fails afterward, investigate NAT, CGNAT, ISP filtering, or an upstream firewall.
Verify that the dedicated-server process is running
Do this on the machine that is supposed to host the server, not on the player’s PC. A server can be installed correctly and still be unavailable because it was never started, crashed during launch, or was closed after an update.
Windows process check
Open Command Prompt and run:
tasklist | find "FactoryServer.exe"
If the command returns no process, start the dedicated server using the method you normally use, then repeat the check. Also inspect Task Manager for FactoryServer.exe. If it starts and immediately disappears, review the server’s own console output and logs for the launch error before changing router rules.
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Linux process check
Use the process-listing method documented for your installation and look for the server process, commonly with a command such as ps -ef | grep FactoryServer. Exclude the grep line itself when deciding whether the server is active. A service manager may report that a unit is enabled while the process has actually stopped, so verify the live process and its recent log output.
Check for duplicate instances
Running two server instances can produce a misleading result. The first instance may own the configured port while a second instance moves to another available port or fails to bind. Stop duplicate processes, start one instance, and record the port it actually reports. Use that value consistently in the server configuration, firewall, and router.
Check listeners and interface binding
A running process is not enough; it must be listening where other devices can reach it. Inspect the listening sockets on the host and confirm that the expected port is attached to 0.0.0.0, *, ::, or the host’s LAN address. A listener bound only to 127.0.0.1 accepts connections from the same machine but not from another computer on the network.
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Check both protocol families. Satisfactory’s default setup uses TCP and UDP on port 7777, while reliable messaging uses TCP 8888. A TCP-only check cannot prove that UDP game traffic is working, and a UDP check cannot prove that the reliable-messaging channel is open.
What a correct listener check tells you
- No listener: the process is stopped, still starting, crashed, or configured for another port.
- Listener on the wrong port: update the client, firewall, and forwarding rules to match the configured value.
- Listener on loopback only: change the bind/interface setting so the LAN interface is included.
- Listener on the expected port and LAN address: move to firewall and router testing rather than repeatedly restarting the server.
Open the three current default port flows
Since Patch 1.1.0.0, the default dedicated-server requirements are three distinct flows. Treat them as separate rules even though two use the same number.
| Port and protocol | Function | What to configure |
|---|---|---|
| 7777/TCP | Server traffic and HTTPS API | Allow inbound traffic on the host firewall and forward the router’s external port to the server’s LAN IP. |
| 7777/UDP | Game traffic and lightweight query | Create a separate UDP rule; a TCP rule on 7777 does not permit UDP. |
| 8888/TCP | Reliable messaging | Allow and forward TCP 8888 as well as 7777. This flow is required for current 1.1 servers. |
The port table applies to the default configuration. If the server was started with -Port= or a reliable-port setting, substitute the configured values everywhere. The server, operating-system firewall, router, and any upstream firewall must agree. Opening 7777 while the process listens on another value creates a visible-but-unjoinable or completely invisible server.
Configure the host firewall and security software
Permit inbound traffic for the server executable and for each required protocol. On Windows, create or verify inbound rules for FactoryServer.exe, 7777/TCP, 7777/UDP, and 8888/TCP. If you use a third-party security suite, its network shield can block traffic even when Windows Firewall shows an allow rule.
The official support guidance for strict or TBD NAT recommends resetting the firewall when its rule set is suspected, then allowing the game executable through antivirus or Windows Defender. A reset removes stale or conflicting rules, but it also removes unrelated custom exceptions; document other rules before performing it on a production machine.
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Firewall checks that catch common mistakes
- The rule is enabled only for the Private profile while the network is classified as Public.
- A rule allows TCP 7777 but has no UDP 7777 rule.
- 8888/TCP was omitted after a Patch 1.1 migration.
- The rule targets an old executable path after an update or reinstall.
- An endpoint-security product blocks the process before the operating-system firewall evaluates it.
After changing a rule, restart the server process and test again. If the host firewall is disabled temporarily for diagnosis, restore it immediately after the test and create a narrow allow rule instead of leaving the machine exposed.
Correct router and NAT forwarding
Forward the required external ports to the server’s current LAN address. Use separate entries for TCP and UDP where the router requires it:
- External 7777/TCP to the server’s LAN IP, port 7777/TCP.
- External 7777/UDP to the server’s LAN IP, port 7777/UDP.
- External 8888/TCP to the server’s LAN IP, port 8888/TCP.
If you intentionally use different external and internal port numbers, keep the mapping explicit and enter the external value wherever players are expected to use it. Do not assume that forwarding only 7777 is sufficient for a server moved to the 1.1 branch.
Reserve the host’s LAN address
DHCP can give the server a different address after a reboot. Create a DHCP reservation in the router or configure a suitable static address, then point every forwarding rule to that address. Verify the address on the host rather than relying on an old screenshot of the router table.
Watch for double NAT
Two routers in series can leave the first router forwarding to the second while the server sits behind the second router. Either place the downstream router in the upstream device’s DMZ only if you understand the security implications, or create matching forwards on both devices. A modem/router supplied by an ISP may also be performing NAT even when you have your own Wi-Fi router.
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Separate LAN problems from Internet problems
Perform two tests with the server running:
- LAN test: from another device on the same network, add or discover the server and attempt to join. Success confirms that the process, listener, LAN interface, and at least part of the host firewall path work.
- External test: use a device on a different network, such as a mobile connection, and test the server’s public address. Failure only on this test points toward router forwarding, double NAT, CGNAT, ISP filtering, or an upstream firewall.
Do not treat a web port checker as proof that the server is fully reachable. Many online checkers test TCP only, so a successful 7777/TCP result says nothing about 7777/UDP. The official wiki suggests using tools such as nmap and online checkers while explicitly advising administrators to verify 8888/TCP too. Run these checks while the server process is active; a closed port is expected when nothing is listening.
Interpreting the test pattern
| LAN result | External result | Most useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| Fails | Fails | Check the process, listener, bind address, and host firewall before touching Internet settings. |
| Works | Fails | Check forwarding destination, double NAT, CGNAT, ISP filtering, and upstream firewall rules. |
| Works | Works | The network path is functioning; investigate the client’s Server Manager entry, credentials, or version compatibility. |
Fix strict or TBD NAT status
Strict or TBD NAT generally means that the connection cannot establish the required inbound or return path. Correct the host firewall, router mappings, and address assignment first. Confirm that all three default flows are open and that the rules point to the machine currently running the server.
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If LAN connections work but Internet connections do not, compare the router’s WAN address with the public address shown by a separate Internet connection. If the router has a private or shared address rather than a public one, the server may be behind carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). In that case, ordinary home-router forwarding cannot create an inbound path; request a public address from the ISP, use an approved tunnel or relay design, or host the server on a network that provides a reachable address.
Some ISPs filter inbound traffic or block customer-hosted services. Ask whether inbound TCP and UDP forwarding is supported and whether nonstandard ports are restricted. Test from more than one external network before concluding that the game server itself is broken.
pfSense-specific outbound mapping
The official support guidance notes that pfSense users with strict or TBD NAT may need Hybrid or Manual outbound NAT mapping. Select the mode that preserves the required return path for the server and then verify the result from an external network. Do not change outbound NAT blindly on a production firewall; export the configuration first and document the rule you add.
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Use the symptom to choose the next check
| Symptom | First check | Likely action |
|---|---|---|
| Server absent everywhere | Process and listener state | Start or restart the dedicated server and verify that the expected port is bound. |
| Visible on LAN, absent from the Internet | NAT and an external test | Correct the forwarding destination IP and investigate CGNAT, ISP restrictions, or an upstream firewall. |
| Appears in the list, but joining never finishes | 7777/UDP and 8888/TCP | Forward and allow both flows end to end, then restart the process and retest. |
| Strict or TBD NAT | Firewall, antivirus, and router NAT | Reset a corrupted firewall configuration if necessary, allow the executable, and correct the NAT mappings. |
| Only the host can see it | LAN firewall and interface binding | Confirm the listener includes the LAN interface and permit inbound traffic from the local subnet. |
Recover cleanly after a Patch 1.1 migration
A common migration failure is keeping a pre-1.1 forwarding rule that covers only 7777. The server may still answer enough discovery traffic to appear in a list, but the join cannot complete because reliable messaging on 8888/TCP is blocked.
- Stop every running server instance.
- Record the configured game port and reliable-messaging port.
- Update the host firewall for TCP 7777, UDP 7777, and TCP 8888, or for the custom values actually configured.
- Update router forwards to the current LAN IP.
- Start one server instance and verify its listeners.
- Test from a second LAN device.
- Test from an external network while the process remains running.
If the LAN test fails after this sequence, return to process, listener, and firewall checks. If LAN succeeds but the external test fails, leave the server configuration alone and concentrate on NAT, CGNAT, ISP, or upstream-firewall causes.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Moving to managed hosting can remove home-router and CGNAT problems, but it does not automatically solve every compatibility issue. Evaluate a provider on the points that directly affect this failure:
| Decision axis | Self-hosting | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Firewall and file control | Full control, but you maintain every rule and update. | Depends on the provider’s panel and support policy. |
| Port configuration | You can select and forward custom values, subject to your network. | Confirm that the service exposes all required TCP and UDP flows. |
| CGNAT or ISP exposure | You may be blocked by a non-public WAN address or inbound filtering. | The provider normally supplies a reachable network path, but verify it. |
| Maintenance burden | You handle patches, backups, restarts, firewall changes, and monitoring. | The provider may handle infrastructure tasks; server-file access varies. |
| Cost and performance evidence | Uses your existing hardware and connection; capacity depends on them. | Prices and performance differ by provider and are not established by the networking guidance here. |
| Game branch support | You choose the installed branch and can update it yourself. | Confirm support for the current Satisfactory branch and all required ports before migrating. |
When to stop changing settings
Once the process is running, the listener is correct, all three flows are allowed, and both LAN and external tests succeed, further router changes are unlikely to help. At that point check that every player is using the intended server entry, that the server and clients are on compatible versions, and that the Server Manager configuration points to the correct address and port. Preserve the working firewall and NAT configuration so a later reboot or DHCP lease change does not reintroduce the problem.
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