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For a standard Steam-backend Valheim dedicated server, forward UDP ports 2456 and 2457 from your router to the computer running the server, and allow the server executable through that computer’s firewall. Valheim uses the port set with -port and the immediately following port, so changing the setting changes both ports you must forward. If the server starts with -crossplay, it uses a relay backend and does not need inbound router port forwarding for players connecting from outside your home network.
Which Valheim ports should you open?
The correct rule depends on the server backend. A default Steam-backend server listens on the configured port and the next consecutive port, using UDP. With the default command-line setting, that is UDP 2456 and UDP 2457. Forward both ports to the server computer’s local address; forwarding only one can leave the server unreachable or unreliable.
| Setup | Ports and protocol | Router forwarding for outside players | How players join |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam backend, default setting | UDP 2456 and UDP 2457 | Required, plus an operating-system firewall rule | Server browser or public address and configured port |
Steam backend, custom -port |
UDP chosen port and UDP chosen port + 1 | Required for both ports | Server browser or public address and configured port |
Crossplay backend (-crossplay) |
The server still has an internal configured port | Not required for access from outside the local network because traffic uses a relay | Supported server-list or join-code flow |
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server documentation describes the rule as “the specified Port AND specified Port+1.” Its stated default range is 2456–2457. These are UDP forwarding rules; do not create TCP-only rules in place of them.
How Valheim’s two backends change networking
Steam backend
The traditional backend exposes your home-hosted server directly to the internet. Your router receives an incoming connection on the forwarded UDP ports and sends it to the machine running the dedicated server. The router therefore needs a destination address, and the host operating system must permit the executable and traffic through its firewall.
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The server’s command line is the source of truth. If it starts with -port 2456, the router must forward that port and the next one. If you choose another value, use that value and its successor instead; forwarding the defaults while the process listens elsewhere will not work.
Crossplay relay backend
Starting the server with -crossplay makes it transmit through a relay service. Iron Gate says this backend does not require port forwarding to be accessible from outside the local network. Players on supported platforms can use the crossplay server-list or join-code method rather than entering your home public address.
Crossplay removes the inbound-router requirement, not every local networking requirement. The host computer still has to run the server, the operating-system firewall must allow it, and the command-line settings must be valid. A local player connecting from the same network can also encounter different discovery behavior than an outside player, so use the supported list or join-code path for crossplay.
Before creating a forwarding rule
Do these checks first. They prevent a correct rule from pointing at the wrong machine or an unstarted service.
- Confirm the backend. Decide whether the launch command includes
-crossplay. If it does, do not add inbound forwarding merely to make outside access possible. - Confirm the port setting. Record the exact value after
-port, or use the default if no custom value is supplied. The companion port is always the next integer. - Identify the server computer’s local address. On Windows, run
ipconfigand note the IPv4 address on the active adapter. On Linux, useip addror your distribution’s network settings. - Reserve that address in the router. A DHCP reservation ties the computer’s hardware address to the same local IPv4 address after reboots. A forwarding rule can silently break when DHCP assigns a different address.
- Make sure you control the router. You need administrator access to its NAT or port-forwarding page. Router menus and terminology differ by vendor and firmware; Iron Gate directs operators to the router’s own manual for model-specific clicks.
- Check the internet connection type. If your provider places you behind carrier-grade NAT, a home router rule may never receive an inbound IPv4 connection. You may need the provider’s assistance, a public-address option, or hosted service.
Step-by-step: forward the Steam-backend ports
1. Start the server with the intended settings
Open the dedicated-server launch script or shortcut and set the backend and port before touching the router. For the default setup, leave the port at its default. For a custom setup, write down the selected value and calculate the next port. Start the server and leave it running while testing; a router can forward traffic correctly even when no process is listening, which makes an otherwise good rule appear broken.
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2. Give the host a stable local address
In the router’s DHCP or LAN section, create a reservation for the server computer. Select the computer by its hostname or MAC address and reserve its current local IPv4 address. If your router has no reservation feature, configure a static address on the computer only after checking the LAN’s subnet, gateway, and DNS settings; an incorrect static configuration can disconnect the machine.
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Sign in to the router’s administration interface and look for a section named Port Forwarding, Port Mapping, NAT Rules, or similar. Do not confuse this with a browser’s security setting or a Wi-Fi guest-network control. The exact labels and screens vary, so follow the manual for your model.
4. Create the first UDP rule
Add a rule whose protocol is UDP. Enter the configured server port as both the external and internal port unless your network design intentionally translates ports. Set the destination to the reserved local IPv4 address of the server computer. Use a descriptive name such as “Valheim server port 1.” Save or apply the rule.
5. Create the companion UDP rule
Add a second UDP rule for the immediately following port, using the same destination address. Keep the external and internal values aligned with the server’s listening ports. Some routers accept a range; if yours does, a two-port range covering the configured value through its successor is equivalent. Separate rules are easier to audit and troubleshoot.
6. Allow the server through the host firewall
When Windows displays a firewall prompt for the dedicated-server executable, allow it on the network profile used by the host. If no prompt appears, create an inbound rule for the executable or for the two UDP ports, restricted to the profiles you actually use. On Linux, add equivalent inbound UDP rules in the active firewall system, such as firewalld, nftables, or UFW. Do not disable the firewall globally as a shortcut.
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7. Test from outside your network
Have a friend on another connection try the Steam server-list route or connect with the public address and configured port. Testing from the same Wi-Fi can give misleading results because some routers lack NAT loopback. Keep the server console visible so you can distinguish a connection attempt from a launch or world-loading error.
Using a custom port
A custom value is valid when it is free and consistently configured. Change the launch argument, then forward that chosen UDP port and the next consecutive UDP port to the same local address. The router’s external values, internal values, and the value supplied to players must agree with the command line.
For example, if the script uses -port 30000, the rules must cover UDP 30000 and UDP 30001. Do not forward the default pair at the same time unless you are intentionally running another server with those settings. If two Valheim instances share one public address, each instance needs its own non-overlapping pair and its own command-line port value; also give each process a distinct world and save location.
Changing the port does not bypass the firewall or an ISP-level NAT restriction. It only changes which two UDP destinations the router must map.
Firewall guidance by operating system
Windows
Allow the dedicated-server program when Windows asks. If you need to add a rule manually, open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, choose Inbound Rules, then New Rule. An application rule for the server executable is usually easier to maintain than a broad, permanently open rule. If you create port rules instead, select UDP and enter the configured port and its successor, then allow the connection only on the required network profiles.
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Check that a third-party security suite is not filtering the executable after Windows Firewall allows it. A rule that applies only to a private profile will not help if Windows has classified the active adapter as public; correct the profile deliberately rather than opening every profile.
Linux
Permit the same two UDP ports in the firewall framework enabled on the host. With UFW, for example, add rules for the configured port and its successor, then verify with ufw status. With firewalld or nftables, use the distribution’s normal permanent-rule workflow and reload the firewall. Confirm that the server process is bound to the expected address and ports with the platform’s socket tools before testing from outside.
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Firewall syntax differs across distributions. The important invariants are protocol (UDP), the two consecutive values, and the interface or zone through which internet traffic arrives.
How players connect
Steam-backend players
After the server is running and the forwarding rules are active, Steam-backend players can find it through the game’s server list or use the host’s public address with the configured port. Give outside players the public address, not the private address beginning with the home LAN’s ranges. A private address works only inside the same local network and is not a substitute for the router’s public address.
If your public address changes periodically, use a dynamic-DNS service or distribute the current address through a trusted channel. Dynamic DNS does not solve blocked inbound traffic or carrier-grade NAT; it only keeps a name pointed at the address you currently have.
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Crossplay players
For a server launched with -crossplay, use the supported crossplay server-list or join-code flow. Do not instruct outside players to use a loopback address such as 127.0.0.1, or to expect your private LAN address to work over the internet. The relay is the outside-access path described by Iron Gate.
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Troubleshooting when friends cannot connect
Work from the server outward. Change one variable at a time so you know which correction fixed the problem.
The server is not visible at all
- Confirm the dedicated-server process is still running and has finished loading the world.
- Read the launch script and compare its
-portvalue with both router rules. A stale rule aimed at the default pair will fail after a custom change. - Check that both rules use UDP and point to the current reserved local address.
- Verify the host firewall allows the executable or the corresponding UDP ports on the active network profile.
- Test from a genuinely external connection. A phone hotspot or a friend’s home connection is more informative than another device on the same Wi-Fi.
The server appears, but joining times out
- Check that the router rule is enabled and that the destination computer is powered on, awake, and connected by the expected interface.
- Look for double NAT: a modem/router supplied by the provider may be forwarding to your personal router, which then forwards to the server. Put the upstream device in bridge mode where appropriate or create the necessary mapping on both devices.
- Ask the internet provider whether the connection uses carrier-grade NAT. If the router’s internet address is not the address visible from the internet, inbound IPv4 forwarding may be impossible without a provider-side change.
- Ensure players are using the public address and the configured server port, not the host’s private address.
Local players connect but outside players cannot
The server and local firewall are probably functioning. Concentrate on the router’s destination address, upstream NAT, the public address being shared, and ISP restrictions. Verify the forwarding rule after every reboot if the host did not receive a reserved address.
Crossplay works locally but not remotely
Confirm that the server actually launched with -crossplay and that remote players are using the crossplay list or join code. A relay setup should not depend on an inbound home-router rule, but the host still needs outbound internet access and a firewall configuration that permits the server program to communicate.
A port-check website reports “closed”
Many generic port-check tools test TCP, while Valheim’s forwarding requirement is UDP. A TCP result therefore does not prove that the Valheim rule is wrong. Test with the game’s server discovery or a real remote join while the server is running, and verify the command line, router destination, and host firewall first.
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| Consideration | Home-hosted Steam backend | Rented or managed Valheim server | Home-hosted Crossplay backend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router work | Forward two UDP ports and maintain the destination address | Provider normally supplies the public endpoint; no home forwarding is needed | No inbound forwarding for outside access through the relay |
| Availability | Depends on your computer, power, and home internet staying online | Depends on the provider’s service and your subscription | Still depends on the host computer and internet connection |
| Control | Full control of files, updates, firewall, and network settings | Control varies by management panel and provider policy | Local control with relay-based external connectivity |
| Platform reach | Steam-backend participation | Depends on the host’s supported backend and configuration | Cross-platform participation when enabled and supported |
Rented or managed hosting is practical when the ISP blocks inbound connections, the router cannot be configured, or you do not want a home computer running continuously. Check the provider’s supported Valheim version, backup controls, world-file access, region, and whether crossplay is available before moving a world. Hosting does not remove the need to select the correct backend and port settings inside the server panel.
Security and maintenance practices
- Forward only the two required UDP ports to the dedicated-server machine; do not expose unrelated administration services.
- Keep the router, operating system, and Valheim server updated, and remove old rules when you retire a server.
- Use a DHCP reservation rather than relying on a manually remembered address.
- Restrict firewall rules to the needed executable, ports, and network profiles. Never solve a connection problem by permanently disabling the host firewall.
- Protect the router administrator password and do not publish it with the server address.
- Keep regular world backups before updates or configuration changes. A forwarding rule does not protect save files.
- Document the launch command, backend, reserved address, and router rule names so another household member can restore the service after a reset.
What to remember
Use the server’s command line as the authority: Valheim needs the configured UDP port and the next one. For the default Steam backend, that means the two default ports in the opening answer, forwarded to a stable local address and allowed through the host firewall. Crossplay changes the external path by using a relay, so outside players do not need an inbound router mapping; they should join through the crossplay list or code. If a Steam-backend server still cannot be reached, check the running process, exact port setting, destination address, UDP firewall rules, double NAT, and carrier-grade NAT in that order.
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