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If a Space Engineers dedicated server is running but missing from the Join Game > Servers list, first select the browser icon that matches the server’s configured network type: Steam for a Steam server or EOS for an EOS server. Then check Join Game > LAN, History, and Favorites. Use Direct Connect with the public IP address and port shown for the LAN entry. This immediately tells you whether only the listing is broken or whether players cannot reach the server at all.
The other common causes are a private or Steam-group-restricted visibility setting, an unforwarded UDP port, a host firewall rule, an incorrect value in SpaceEngineersDedicated.cfg, a second network interface, or interference from mods, VPN software, antivirus, or custom launch options. Work through the checks below in order; each one removes a different failure point.
What “not showing up” actually means
The server browser and the game connection are separate functions. A server may be started correctly and still be absent from Servers because the client is looking at the wrong network type, the server is intentionally private, or a listing service cannot see it. Conversely, a server may appear in a list but fail to connect because NAT, routing, or a firewall blocks the game traffic.
Use these three observations to classify the problem:
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- Visible in LAN: the server is discoverable on the local network. If remote players cannot join, investigate public addressing, UDP forwarding, and firewall rules.
- Reachable with Direct Connect but absent from Servers: the game path works; focus on Steam/EOS selection, visibility, favorites, and browser filters.
- Not visible in LAN and Direct Connect fails: treat it as a startup, port, configuration, interface, or firewall problem before troubleshooting the browser.
Fastest triage sequence
Have the host and one client perform this sequence without changing several settings at once. Record the result of each step so you know which change fixed the issue.
- On the host, confirm that the dedicated-server window is running and that the intended world and server name were loaded.
- On the client, open Join Game > Servers and select the icon matching the server’s network type: Steam or EOS.
- Check Join Game > LAN, then History and Favorites. A server can be absent from the public list yet present in one of these views.
- In the LAN view, hover over the server to read its public IP address and port. Enter those values in Direct Connect from a player who is outside the host’s network.
- If Direct Connect succeeds, leave the server configuration alone and troubleshoot listing filters. If it fails, continue with port forwarding, firewall, configuration, and clean-test checks.
1. Confirm that the dedicated-server instance really started
A window or process is not proof that the intended instance is serving the intended world. Keen’s setup procedure is to launch SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, select Local/Console, configure the instance, enter a server name and world name, and press Save & start.
Check the startup state
- Open the same Dedicated Server Manager profile that contains the server you expect players to join.
- Verify that the server name and world name are filled in rather than left at an unintended default.
- Press Save & start after any change. Closing the manager without saving leaves the previous configuration active.
- If the instance is installed or run as a service, use an account with administrator rights. A service that lacks the required permissions may not bind its ports even though the manager appears installed.
For a first diagnostic run, start only one instance. Multiple profiles using overlapping ports can make it look as though the wrong server is missing or cause one instance to fail to bind.
2. Make the server visible while testing
Private servers are deliberately omitted from the public Servers list. If you are diagnosing discovery, temporarily make the server public. Restore the privacy setting after testing if you do not want an open listing.
Review access restrictions
- Private: players should use an allowed invitation or another supported access method; do not expect the server in the public browser.
- Steam-group restriction: a group-only server may be visible only to members of that group. Test with a client account that belongs to the selected group.
- Public: this is the correct setting for testing whether the normal Servers browser can discover the instance.
Do not use privacy changes to diagnose a connection that already fails through Direct Connect. Privacy controls affect listing and eligibility; they do not repair a blocked UDP path.
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3. Select the correct Steam or EOS network filter
In Join Game > Servers, the client’s network icon must match the server’s NetworkType. Select the EOS icon for an EOS server and the Steam icon for a Steam server. A mismatch prevents the server from appearing even when the process is healthy.
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|---|---|---|
NetworkType set to Steam |
Steam icon | Server is running but absent from the selected list |
NetworkType set to EOS |
EOS icon | Server is running but absent from the selected list |
Check the setting in the configuration file
Close the manager or stop the instance before editing its configuration. The file is located at:
AppDataRoamingSpaceEngineersDedicatedSpaceEngineersDedicated.cfg
For a Steam-mode server, Keen’s guidance is to verify values equivalent to:
<ServerPort>27016</ServerPort>
<SteamPort>8766</SteamPort>
<NetworkType>Steam</NetworkType>The port values may be custom, but they must agree with the manager, the router rule, and the host firewall. Ensure that only one network mode is enabled. After saving, restart the dedicated server and select the corresponding icon on every client. If you switch from Steam to EOS, change the network mode deliberately and retest rather than leaving conflicting entries enabled.
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Try a different network interface
Hosts with Ethernet, Wi-Fi, virtual adapters, or VPN adapters can bind the server to an interface that players cannot reach. In Dedicated Server Manager, select a different available network interface, save, restart, and test again. Temporarily disconnecting a VPN or disabling unused virtual adapters can make the correct interface obvious.
4. Forward the game port and allow it through the firewall
Space Engineers uses UDP for game communication. The documented default listen port is UDP 27016. A working setup requires both router forwarding and a rule in the operating system’s host firewall; opening only one is insufficient.
| Item | Default or required value | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Game listen port | UDP 27016 | Forward from the router’s public interface to the server computer’s private IP |
| Custom game port | The value chosen in the manager/configuration | Forward that UDP value instead of 27016 |
| Steam port in Steam mode | 8766 by default in the documented configuration | Keep it consistent with the server configuration and any local firewall rule required by the installation |
Router checklist
- Give the server computer a stable private address, either with a DHCP reservation or a static LAN address.
- Create an inbound UDP rule for the configured game port. For the default setup, forward UDP 27016 to the server computer’s private address.
- If you changed the port, remove stale rules for the old value or update them to the new value.
- Apply the router settings and restart the router only if its interface requires that step.
Forwarding to the wrong private address is common after a reboot or DHCP lease change. Confirm the destination address on the server computer immediately before testing.
Host-firewall checklist
- Allow the dedicated-server executable, or create an inbound rule for the configured UDP port.
- Apply the rule to the active network profile used by the server.
- Check for a second security product that may filter traffic even when the operating system firewall says it is allowed.
For isolation only, Keen recommends temporarily disabling the server and client firewall and antivirus protections. Re-enable them immediately after the test and create narrow allow rules instead of leaving protection disabled.
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Direct Connect is the most useful branch in this diagnosis. In Join Game > LAN, hover over the server entry to obtain the public IP address and port. Give those values to a player who is not on the same home network, then use Direct Connect.
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If Direct Connect works
The server is reachable. The remaining problem is discovery: select the correct Steam/EOS icon, make sure the server is public, check Steam-group restrictions, and inspect History and Favorites. Avoid changing router rules when the direct path already succeeds.
If Direct Connect fails from outside but works locally
The server is probably listening, but traffic is not crossing the network boundary. Recheck the public IP, UDP forwarding destination, host firewall, and whether the internet connection uses carrier-grade NAT or another upstream router. If there are two routers, the rule may be required on both, or the server may need to be placed behind the internet-facing router.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsIf Direct Connect fails locally and remotely
Return to startup, port, interface, and configuration checks. A local failure means the issue is not merely public NAT. Confirm the configured port, stop duplicate instances, select the correct interface, and run the clean test described below.
6. Run one clean test with variables removed
Mods and launch options can affect stability and connection behavior. Keen specifically recommends starting once without mods and without custom launch options on either the server or the client.
- Stop the server and make a backup of the current world and configuration.
- Disable all server mods and remove custom server launch options.
- On the test client, disable custom launch options and use the normal game profile.
- Disconnect VPN software on both sides. If necessary, temporarily disable antivirus and firewall protections solely to determine whether they are blocking the test.
- Start the server, select the matching Steam or EOS browser icon, and try LAN and Direct Connect.
- Restore protections, then re-enable mods, launch options, and other variables one at a time. Test after each change.
If the clean instance is discoverable, the last reintroduced variable is the likely cause. Do not leave security software disabled as a permanent workaround.
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7. LAN, same-machine, and no-Steam scenarios
Players on the same LAN
LAN discovery requires the players to be on the same physical or logical network. A VPN can place one player on a different virtual network even when both are in the same building. Disconnect active VPN connections during LAN testing and confirm that the client is connected to the intended home or office network.
Hosting and playing on the same computer
Use a separate client session only after the dedicated instance has started successfully. If local testing behaves differently from an external test, do not assume the public port is open; test from an outside network as well. Local loopback and router hairpin behavior vary, so an external player is the decisive check for internet reachability.
Running without Steam logged in
Keen states that the Dedicated Server Manager executable can be run as administrator from the DedicatedServer64 folder without starting Steam. This is useful for a service or unattended host. It does not remove the need to configure the correct network type, ports, firewall rules, and client browser icon.
8. Symptom-to-fix decision table
| Observed symptom | Most likely area | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Server process runs, but Servers is empty | Steam/EOS filter or visibility | Select the matching icon; make the server public; check group restrictions |
| Server appears in LAN, but remote players cannot join | Router or host firewall | Forward the configured UDP port and allow it through the host firewall |
| Direct Connect works, browser listing does not | Discovery only | Check icon, privacy, History, Favorites, and network interface selection |
| LAN discovery fails for players on the same network | Different networks or VPN | Confirm the same LAN and disconnect VPN adapters |
| Changing mods changes whether it connects | Mod or launch-option interference | Reproduce with a no-mod, no-custom-option instance, then add items back individually |
| Service starts inconsistently | Permissions or duplicate bindings | Run the manager with administrator rights and verify that no other instance uses the same port |
9. Self-hosting or managed hosting?
Self-hosting gives you direct control over worlds, configuration, mods, update timing, and hardware location. It also makes you responsible for UDP forwarding, firewall maintenance, backups, updates, uptime, and diagnosing issues such as the one in this guide. A managed host can remove much of the network administration, but you trade away some control and must evaluate its locations, mod support, backup policy, update process, support quality, and recurring cost.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Control and mod flexibility | Full access to files, launch settings, worlds, and mod changes | Depends on the provider’s control panel and policy |
| UDP forwarding and firewall | You configure the router, host firewall, and network interface | Provider normally manages the public endpoint; you still configure in-game settings |
| Backups and updates | You schedule, verify, and restore them | May be included, limited, or billed separately; verify before subscribing |
| Latency and location | Determined by your internet connection and physical host location | Choose from the provider’s available regions and check player latency |
| Cost | Uses existing hardware and bandwidth but consumes electricity and maintenance time | Recurring fee; current prices vary by region, memory, slots, and billing term |
| Support | You troubleshoot the operating system, router, and game | Support scope varies; confirm whether it covers network discovery, mods, and restores |
If you cannot configure NAT, maintain a Windows server, or provide reliable uptime, managed hosting may be simpler. Before moving, confirm that the host supports the network mode your players use, permits the mods and world size you need, and provides a backup you can download or restore.
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10. Final recovery checklist
- The intended instance was launched with
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, configured in Local/Console, and started with Save & start. - The server is public while discovery is being tested; any Steam-group restriction is understood.
- The client selected Steam for a Steam server or EOS for an EOS server.
SpaceEngineersDedicated.cfgcontains the intended network type and port values, with only one network mode enabled.- UDP 27016, or the chosen custom port, is forwarded to the correct private IP and allowed by the host firewall.
- The server’s network interface is reachable and not being selected through a VPN or stale virtual adapter.
- LAN, History, Favorites, and Direct Connect were tested separately.
- A no-mod, no-custom-launch-option test was completed, with security software restored afterward.
- For LAN testing, every player is on the same network and has VPN connections disabled.
When Direct Connect works, stop changing network infrastructure and correct the browser filter or visibility setting. When Direct Connect fails, keep working from the server outward: startup, configuration, interface, firewall, router, and finally the internet path.
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