What ports does a 7 Days to Die server need?

TCP 26900 and UDP 26900 to 26903, per the official help center. TCP 8080 and 8081 are only for remote administration.

Why is my 7 Days to Die server not showing up?

Check ServerVisibility is 2 in serverconfig.xml and UDP 26900 is forwarded. Friends can join by IP in the meantime.

How do I join a 7 Days to Die server by IP?

Enter the IP and port in the two boxes at the bottom of the server browser screen.

Do I need to forward port 26903?

Yes. The official help center says it's currently unused, but not forwarding it may block joining.

Why does a friends-only 7 Days to Die server not appear?

With ServerVisibility 1, the server only shows to friends after the first player joins manually by IP.

7 Days to Die server: friends can't join? Ports 26900-26903

Quick answer

The Fun Pimps' official port list for a 7 Days to Die dedicated server is TCP 26900 plus UDP 26900 to 26903 (all based on ServerPort in serverconfig.xml). UDP 26903 is currently unused, but the official help center warns that not forwarding it may block joining. If the server isn't listed, check ServerVisibility (2 = public). Friends can always join by typing your public IP and port into the boxes at the bottom of the server browser.

Ports

26900 TCP: Game details query port (ServerPort)
26900 UDP: Steam master server list
26901 UDP: Steam communication
26902 UDP: Game networking (LiteNetLib)
26903 UDP: Currently unused, but forward it: leaving it closed may block joining
8080-8081 TCP: Web dashboard and telnet. Only for remote admin; keep closed otherwise

How to fix it, step by step

Check serverconfig.xml. ServerPort is 26900 by default. Set ServerVisibility to 2 for a public listing (1 = friends only, 0 = not listed). Set a ServerPassword if you want one. Start the server with startdedicated.bat, which loads -configfile=serverconfig.xml.
Forward TCP 26900 and UDP 26900-26903. Reserve the server PC's local IP and forward TCP 26900 and UDP 26900-26903 to it. If you change ServerPort, the other ports move with it (port +1, +2, +3).
Allow the server through the firewall. Open the same ports in Windows Firewall, or allow the server executable on Private and Public networks.
Join by IP. Friends type your public IP and port into the two boxes at the bottom of the server browser. On the server PC itself, use 127.0.0.1; on your LAN, use the server's local IP.
Match versions. Update the dedicated server whenever the game updates, and make sure players aren't on a different branch than the server.
Test from outside and check CGNAT. Test from a phone hotspot. If everything is forwarded and outside players still time out, compare your router's WAN IP with your public IP (see the CGNAT guide).

Why the server isn't listed

ServerVisibility 0 hides it. 1 (friends only) only works after the first player has joined by IP, because nobody is "friends" with a dedicated server.
UDP 26900 (Steam master server list) isn't forwarded.
LAN only: keep ServerPort between 26900 and 26905 or 27015 and 27020 if PCs on the same network should see it as a LAN server.

Admin ports

The web dashboard (TCP 8080) and telnet (TCP 8081) are only for remote administration. If TelnetPassword is empty, telnet listens only on the local machine. Don't forward these to the internet unless you need them.

Test it from the outside

Your own Wi-Fi can't tell you whether friends can reach the server. The free Server Doctor check contacts your server once from the internet, the way the game does, and tells you the most likely cause. The same check runs in Discord with /fix.

No PC to host 24/7?

Horde nights are heavy on the host PC, and the world only runs while it's on. Behind CGNAT nobody can join a home server. A hosted 7 Days to Die server has its own public IP and the ports already open.

Still stuck? Get free help from real people in our Discord

Post your game, where it runs and what the check said in #help-forum. Other server hosts and the Server Doctor team can take a look. Free.

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Friends can't join your 7 Days to Die server?