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Arma 3 Server Ports: Which to Open and How to Forward Them

Forward UDP 2302–2306 to a fixed LAN address for a default Arma 3 server. This guide explains each port, router and firewall setup, custom base ports, multiple instances, BattlEye, RCON and browser troubleshooting.
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For a default Arma 3 dedicated server, forward UDP ports 2302–2306 from your router to the server computer’s fixed private IPv4 address, then allow the same range through the computer’s firewall. Port 2302 carries game and voice traffic, 2303 handles Steam queries, 2304 handles Steam master/reporting traffic, 2305 is the server’s allocated VON port, and 2306 is used by BattlEye. Home-router forwarding is primarily inbound UDP; BattlEye may also require specific outbound destinations when your network uses restrictive egress rules.

The default Arma 3 port block

Arma 3 does not normally use one isolated port. Its dedicated server reserves a five-port UDP block beginning with the configured game port. With the default base port of 2302, the block is 2302 through 2306.

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Port Protocol Function
2302 UDP Main Arma 3 game traffic. Voice-over-network (VON) traffic is associated with the main game port because of NAT behavior.
2303 UDP Steam query service used for server information and browser discovery.
2304 UDP Steam master and “to-master” reporting traffic.
2305 UDP VON port allocated by the server. The official note currently identifies it as allocated rather than actively used in every configuration.
2306 UDP BattlEye traffic.

These are configuration values from Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server documentation, not measured performance or usage statistics. If you have changed the base port, the numbers move with it rather than remaining at 2302.

Do you need TCP, UDP, or both?

Forward the server block as UDP. The game, Steam query/master functions, VON allocation, and BattlEye server traffic in the default block are assigned UDP ports. Creating broad TCP rules “just in case” does not make the server more discoverable and unnecessarily increases the exposed surface.

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BattlEye’s official network notes also identify outbound destinations at UDP and TCP 2344 and TCP 2345 for arma31.battleye.com. These are egress allowances for a restrictive firewall policy, not extra inbound ports that a typical home router must forward. If your router or host firewall permits normal outbound traffic, no special port-forward rule is usually needed for those destinations.

Requirements before you create a rule

Use a stable private IPv4 address

Port forwarding points to an address on your local network. If the server receives a different DHCP address after a reboot, the router can continue forwarding to the old machine or to nothing at all. Create a DHCP reservation in the router for the server’s network adapter, or configure a static address on the machine that is outside the router’s automatic DHCP pool. Record the address, subnet, gateway, and DNS settings before changing a static configuration.

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Know which device is actually on the public internet

The forwarding rule must exist on the router that owns your public IPv4 address. If an ISP modem, mesh gateway, or second router is also performing NAT, you have a double-NAT layout. Either place the downstream router in the upstream device’s bridge or passthrough mode, or forward the same ports through each NAT layer. A server can be configured correctly and still remain unreachable if the rule is made on the wrong device.

Confirm the server is listening

Start the dedicated server and verify that it is configured for the base port you intend to use. A router cannot deliver traffic to a process that is stopped, bound only to another interface, or using a different port. Keep the server’s launch parameters and router rules consistent.

How to forward UDP 2302–2306

  1. Reserve the server address. In the router’s LAN, DHCP, or Address Reservation section, bind the server’s MAC address to a fixed private IPv4 address. Reconnect or restart the server if the router requires it.
  2. Open the NAT page. Depending on the router, the menu may be called Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, NAT Rules, or Applications and Gaming. Choose a new custom rule rather than a preset for a different game.
  3. Select UDP. Set the protocol to UDP. If the interface offers TCP/UDP as one combined choice, use the combined option only when the router cannot create a UDP-only rule; do not add a separate TCP rule without a reason.
  4. Enter the port range. Use external port 2302 through 2306 and map it to internal port 2302 through 2306. A single range rule is equivalent to five individual rules when the router preserves each port number.
  5. Choose the destination. Enter the reserved private IPv4 address of the server, not the router’s address and not a public address returned by an internet “what is my IP” page.
  6. Keep port translation equal. Leave external and internal ports identical unless you deliberately changed the server’s configured base port and understand the resulting mapping. The simplest reliable arrangement is 2302→2302, 2303→2303, through 2306→2306.
  7. Save and apply. Some routers reload their firewall after applying a rule. Wait for that process to finish, then confirm that the rule is enabled rather than merely saved as a draft.
  8. Allow the host firewall. Permit inbound UDP 2302–2306 on the network profile used by the server and allow the dedicated-server executable when the firewall asks for an application exception.
  9. Test from outside the LAN. Use a friend’s connection, a phone hotspot, or another external network. Testing the public address from inside the same home network can fail when the router lacks NAT loopback (also called hairpin NAT), even though outside players can connect.

Do not test by opening a web browser to a UDP port. Browser requests are TCP/HTTP and cannot prove that an Arma UDP listener is reachable. Use an actual Arma client, the server browser, or a UDP-aware diagnostic method.

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Host-firewall configuration

Router forwarding and the operating-system firewall are separate controls. The router decides where an internet packet goes; the host firewall decides whether the server computer accepts it. Both must permit the traffic.

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Windows

Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, create an inbound rule for UDP local ports 2302–2306, and apply it to the network profile that the server uses. If you prefer an application rule, allow the dedicated-server executable and verify that the rule covers private or public profiles as appropriate. Avoid leaving the entire firewall disabled as a troubleshooting shortcut; a narrow port and program rule is easier to audit.

Linux and other Unix-like hosts

Permit inbound UDP 2302–2306 in the active firewall framework, such as UFW, firewalld, nftables, or a distribution-specific front end. The exact command depends on the distribution and existing policy. Check that the rule is attached to the interface and zone through which internet traffic arrives, and that a default-deny policy is not blocking the server process after the port rule is added.

Outbound restrictions

If your organization blocks outbound traffic by default, allow the BattlEye destinations identified in the official documentation: UDP and TCP 2344, plus TCP 2345, for arma31.battleye.com. These allowances are destination-specific egress rules. They do not replace the inbound UDP block used by players.

How the base-port setting changes the numbers

Bohemia’s documentation defines the initial game port with the command-line argument -port=<base>. Its wording is: “To define the Arma 3 Game port used, state -port= **** in your command line arguments (Where **** is the new initial Arma 3 Game, e.g. 2302).”

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When you choose a new base, Steam-related ports follow fixed offsets. The query port is base +1 and the to-master/reporting port is base +2; the remaining reserved positions continue through base +4.

Base-port example Reserved UDP block Role offsets
2302 2302–2306 Game/VON +0; query +1; master/reporting +2; allocated VON position +3; BattlEye +4
2402 2402–2406 Game/VON +0; query +1; master/reporting +2; allocated VON position +3; BattlEye +4

To move a server to base port 2402, change its launch parameter to -port=2402, then change the router and host-firewall rules to UDP 2402–2406. Leaving 2302–2306 forwarded while the process listens on 2402 will not create a working path.

Running more than one Arma 3 server

Each instance needs its own five-port UDP block. Bohemia’s example uses 2302–2306 for the first instance and 2402–2406 for the second. The documentation recommends leaving at least 100 ports between instances and suggests an offset of +200 or +1000 for maximum safety. Wider spacing reduces the chance that Steam query reporting collides with another server’s range or causes information to be associated with the wrong instance.

Instance Base port Forwarded UDP range Launch parameter
First 2302 2302–2306 -port=2302
Second 2402 2402–2406 -port=2402

Give each process a distinct configuration and ensure every forwarding rule targets the correct host and internal range. Do not assign overlapping blocks, and do not place an RCON listener inside any instance’s five reserved ports.

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BattlEye and RCON port selection

BattlEye occupies the +4 position in the server block, which is 2306 when the base is 2302. RCON is separate. BattlEye’s guidance requires RconPort to avoid the reserved Arma 3 range from gameport +0 through gameport +4. For the default instance, that means keeping RCON outside 2302–2306; for a server based at 2402, keep it outside 2402–2406 as well.

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With multiple instances, choose an RCON port that is outside every reserved block and not already used by another service. Apply a firewall rule for the RCON port only to the administrators or management network that needs it. Do not expose a broad RCON range simply because the game ports are already forwarded.

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Why a server may not appear in the browser

The router rule points to the wrong address

Compare the forwarding destination with the server’s current private IPv4 address. DHCP changes, Wi-Fi reconnects, and replacing a network adapter can invalidate a rule that used to work. A reservation prevents this recurring failure.

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Only the game port was opened

Opening 2302 alone may allow some direct traffic but prevents Steam query or reporting functions from working correctly. The complete five-port block is the supported default arrangement.

The protocol is TCP

Replace TCP-only rules with UDP rules for the server block. A TCP port checker can report “closed” even when the UDP service is correctly reachable, so use an Arma connection or UDP-specific test.

The host firewall still blocks the process

Temporarily inspect the firewall’s blocked-event log rather than turning protection off permanently. Confirm both the UDP port rule and the executable permission, then restore the narrow policy after testing.

The server is listening on another base port

Read the launch command or server log, identify the actual -port value, and calculate the five-port range from that value. Update every layer—router, host firewall, query expectations, and any documentation for players.

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Testing is occurring from inside the same network

NAT loopback support varies by router. A failed connection to the public address from a device on the same LAN is not conclusive. Test from a separate internet connection, and have an external player search for the server.

Another NAT layer or carrier-grade NAT is present

Check the router’s WAN address against the public address shown by an independent internet service. If the router has a private WAN address or the ISP places customers behind carrier-grade NAT, ordinary inbound forwarding may not be possible. You may need an ISP-provided public address, bridge mode, or a managed hosting arrangement instead of additional local rules.

Steam reporting is delayed or inconsistent

Query visibility depends on the query and master/reporting ports as well as the game listener. After changing ports, restart the server, allow time for the listing to refresh, and verify the full block rather than repeatedly changing unrelated settings.

Safer operating practices

  • Forward only the UDP range required by the configured instance; do not expose large “all ports” ranges.
  • Keep the server software, operating system, and BattlEye components updated according to their normal maintenance schedules.
  • Use a fixed address reservation and document which instance owns each five-port block.
  • Keep RCON outside all reserved blocks and restrict it to trusted administration networks.
  • Review router and host-firewall logs after changes so unexpected traffic is visible.
  • When retiring an instance, remove its forwarding rules and firewall exceptions rather than leaving unused ports exposed.

Quick configuration checklist

  1. Choose the base port and confirm the server launch parameter.
  2. Calculate base through base +4.
  3. Reserve a private IPv4 address for the host.
  4. Create matching UDP forwarding rules on the correct NAT device.
  5. Allow the same UDP range in the host firewall.
  6. Permit BattlEye’s outbound destinations only if egress filtering requires it.
  7. Keep RCON outside every five-port block.
  8. Test from an external network with an Arma client or server browser.
  9. For additional instances, leave at least 100 ports between bases; wider +200 or +1000 spacing is safer.

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