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A PC dedicated server for Space Engineers normally listens on UDP port 27016. To let people outside your home network connect, forward incoming UDP traffic on the server’s configured port from your internet router to the computer running the server, then allow that same UDP port through the computer’s firewall. If you changed the listen port, use the new value instead of 27016.
The port Space Engineers dedicated servers use
Keen Software House’s dedicated-server documentation identifies UDP as the game’s networking protocol and lists 27016 as the default listen port. The port is configurable, so the value shown in your dedicated-server configuration tool is authoritative. A server set to another port will not receive connections through a router rule that still points at 27016.
The forwarding rule is for the PC dedicated server, not for every device running the game. Your router receives an unsolicited packet from the internet, translates it through the port-forwarding rule, and sends it to the LAN address of the machine hosting the dedicated instance. That host must also accept the packet locally.
| Setting | Recommended value | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | UDP | Space Engineers gameplay communication |
| Default listen port | 27016 | The port used when the dedicated-server configuration has not been changed |
| Router destination | LAN address of the dedicated-server computer | The device that receives forwarded packets |
| Host firewall | Allow inbound UDP on the configured port | Whether the operating system accepts the packet after NAT |
What you need before creating a rule
Prepare these items before opening the router’s administration page:
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- The dedicated-server instance must be installed and created.
- Record its configured listen port. Use 27016 only when the configuration still shows the default.
- Identify the server computer’s current private IPv4 address, such as 192.168.1.50.
- Give that computer a stable LAN address with a DHCP reservation in the router or a correctly configured static address. Otherwise, the forwarding rule can silently point to another device after a lease change.
- Know whether your internet connection has a reachable public address. Carrier-grade NAT can prevent unsolicited inbound connections even when your local rule is perfect.
- Have administrator access to both the router and the server computer’s firewall.
How UDP port forwarding works
Port forwarding is a destination rule, not a request to open the entire computer. A typical entry has four fields: an external or public port, an internal or private port, a protocol, and a destination LAN address. For a server left at its default, set both port fields to 27016, choose UDP, and enter the reserved address of the dedicated-server PC.
Some routers call the feature Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or NAT Rule. The names differ, but the required values do not. If the interface asks for a source or external range, use a single port unless your selected networking mode or an explicit vendor document requires something else.
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Step-by-step: forward the server port
- Confirm the listen port. Open the dedicated-server configuration tool, select the instance, and note the network or server-port value. Leave it at 27016 for the default setup, or write down the custom value.
- Reserve the host’s LAN address. In the router’s connected-device or DHCP section, create a reservation for the server computer’s network adapter. If you use a static address instead, ensure it is outside the router’s automatic DHCP pool or otherwise coordinated with it.
- Open the router’s NAT page. Sign in to the internet-facing router and locate Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or the equivalent NAT menu. Do not create the rule on a secondary access point unless that device is also performing routing.
- Create one inbound rule. Give it a recognizable name, select UDP, enter the configured port as the external port, enter the same value as the internal port, and set the destination to the reserved LAN address of the dedicated-server computer.
- Save and apply. Routers often require an Apply, Save, or reboot action before the rule becomes active. Confirm that the entry is enabled and that no other rule claims the same external UDP port.
- Allow the host firewall. Add an inbound rule on the server computer for UDP and the identical listen port. A router rule cannot bypass a packet filter running on the host.
- Start the dedicated instance. Launch the server and verify that it reports the intended port in its status or configuration view. If you changed the port, restart the instance so the new binding is actually loaded.
- Test from outside the LAN. Have a player connect over a different network, such as a mobile hotspot or another household. Testing the public address from inside the same home network can fail when the router lacks reliable hairpin NAT, even though remote access works.
Allowing the port through the host firewall
On Windows, open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, choose Inbound Rules, and create a new rule. Select Port, choose UDP, enter the dedicated server’s port as a specific local port, and choose Allow the connection. Apply the rule only to the network profiles you actually use, give it a descriptive name, and ensure it is enabled.
If a security suite or a cloud host firewall is installed, it may filter traffic independently of Windows Firewall. Permit the same UDP port there as well. Do not switch off the firewall globally as a diagnostic shortcut; a narrowly scoped rule is easier to audit and remove.
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Public and private addresses: the part forwarding cannot fix
The router rule works only when the router has an address reachable from the public internet. A changing public address makes a shared address unreliable over time, so use a stable address from your internet provider or update players whenever it changes. Dynamic-DNS services can provide a stable name, but they do not bypass NAT or a blocked inbound path.
Carrier-grade NAT is a different limitation. In that arrangement, your router receives a private or shared address and the provider controls the upstream NAT device. You can configure every local setting correctly and still have no way to accept an unsolicited connection. Ask the provider for a public IPv4 address, use IPv6 with an appropriate firewall policy if every player can reach it, or move the instance to managed hosting that supplies inbound connectivity.
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Which Steam ports should you forward?
Generic Steam networking pages list several ports for different products and services, including TCP and UDP 27015, client ranges, peer-to-peer traffic, and remote-console functions. Those lists are not a Space Engineers instruction to forward every range. Keen’s dedicated-server guidance is the relevant authority for the game’s listen-port rule: forward the configured UDP port, normally 27016.
Do not add 27015, 8766, or broad Steam ranges merely because they appear in a forum post or a generic Steam table. Add another port only when the networking mode you selected or a vendor document explicitly requires it. Opening unrelated ports increases exposure and makes troubleshooting harder.
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Understanding the 0.0.0.0 bind address
A server configuration that shows 0.0.0.0 is bound to all local network interfaces. That allows the process to listen on available addresses on the computer; it does not publish the server to the internet and does not replace NAT or firewall configuration. You still need the router rule aimed at the computer’s stable LAN address and an inbound firewall exception for the listen port.
When friends cannot connect: a diagnostic sequence
The server is visible locally but not from outside
- Reopen the dedicated-server settings and verify the actual listen port. A custom value requires a matching router and firewall rule.
- Check that the router rule says UDP, not TCP or TCP/UDP if the interface treats those as separate choices.
- Confirm the destination LAN address matches the server computer’s current address. A DHCP change is a common cause of a rule that appears correct but reaches the wrong device.
- Verify the host firewall and any additional endpoint-security firewall both allow inbound UDP on that port.
- Test from a genuinely different network. A failed test from the same home Wi-Fi may be a hairpin-NAT limitation rather than an internet failure.
The port appears open, but the game still fails
- Make sure the dedicated instance is running and listening when the test is performed.
- Check for another application already using the selected UDP port. If you changed the Space Engineers port, restart the instance and update both forwarding and firewall entries.
- Inspect the router’s WAN address. If it is private or belongs to a carrier-grade NAT range, local forwarding alone cannot create an inbound path.
- Check whether a second router is upstream. Two layers of NAT require forwarding on the internet-facing device and, in some layouts, on the downstream router as well.
- Have the remote player enter the current public address and the port when the client interface requests it. Sharing a private address such as 192.168.x.x works only inside the same LAN.
The server stopped working after a network change
Recheck the DHCP reservation, the router’s WAN address, and the firewall profile. Moving the host to a different network adapter can create a new LAN address or cause a firewall rule scoped to the old profile to stop applying.
Home hosting versus managed hosting
Home hosting gives you direct control of the router, operating system, updates, and configuration, but you must maintain NAT, firewall rules, backups, and availability yourself. Managed hosting shifts those tasks to a provider in exchange for a recurring fee and less control over the underlying network.
| Decision factor | Home-hosted dedicated server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Router and firewall control | You configure and troubleshoot both | Provider usually supplies the public network path |
| Public address | Depends on your internet service and NAT | Typically included, subject to the provider’s plan |
| Backups and updates | Your responsibility | May be offered by the provider; verify the exact policy |
| Capacity | Limited by your CPU, memory, storage, and upload bandwidth | Limited by the selected plan and host hardware |
| Cost and latency | No hosting subscription, but uses your electricity and connection; latency follows your location | Recurring charge; choose a region close to players to reduce latency |
Choose home hosting when you can control the router and have a reachable public address. Choose managed hosting when carrier-grade NAT, unreliable upstream service, hardware limits, or the need for provider support outweighs the recurring cost.
Quick Recap
Security and maintenance checklist
- Forward only the configured UDP port; do not expose broad port ranges without a documented requirement.
- Keep the dedicated-server software and operating system patched.
- Use a DHCP reservation or an intentionally managed static address for the host.
- Back up the world and configuration files before updates or major setting changes.
- Review the router rule after replacing the host computer, changing network adapters, or installing a second router.
- Remove old forwarding and firewall entries when you retire an instance or change its port.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What port does a default PC dedicated server use? | UDP 27016. |
| TCP or UDP? | UDP for the Space Engineers listen port. |
| Where should the router send it? | To the dedicated-server computer’s stable LAN address. |
| What must the host allow? | Inbound UDP on the same configured port. |
| Do I need every Steam port? | No. Use the configured Space Engineers UDP port unless an explicit, applicable requirement says otherwise. |
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