If a Space Engineers server is missing, test it in this order: select the correct Steam or EOS server list, confirm the server is public and reachable, try Direct Connect, then check UDP forwarding, firewall rules and the dedicated-server configuration. EOS is the route for PC-to-Xbox play; Steam and EOS are separate discovery paths. If only your computer fails, repair the local game files and configuration after the network checks.
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Identify the failure before changing settings
The symptom tells you which layer to test first. Do not begin by reinstalling the game if nobody outside the host can connect, and do not reconfigure a router when Direct Connect already works for everyone except one PC.
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| What you see | Most useful first test | Likely scope |
|---|---|---|
| The server is absent from Join Game | Switch between the Steam and EOS icons, then check LAN, History and Favorites. | Server-list filter, privacy setting or discovery. |
| The server appears, but Direct Connect times out | Verify the public IP, listen port, UDP forwarding and the host firewall. | Internet reachability. |
| Direct Connect works on the same LAN but not for remote players | Check the host’s static public IP and router forwarding for the actual server port. | Home-network edge or ISP addressing. |
| You connect and are immediately disconnected, or only one PC fails | Confirm Steam/EOS mode, then repair that PC’s files, cache and runtime. | Network-mode mismatch or local client. |
Follow this fix path in order
1. Select the server’s network type
Open Join Game and look at the network icons before searching. A server configured for Steam is listed through the Steam path; a server configured for EOS is listed through EOS. Keen Software House’s support guidance is explicit: selecting the wrong icon can make a running server appear not to exist.
If you know the server is online but the main list is empty, also open the LAN, History and Favorites views. A previous connection can remain in History even when a public-list query is delayed, and a LAN server may never be intended for the public list. Use the icon that matches the server configuration, not the platform you happen to be using.
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2. Check whether the server is private or LAN-only
A private server is intentionally omitted from the public Servers list. For diagnosis, have the administrator temporarily make it public, apply the setting, restart the server if the host requires it, and search again. Restore the intended privacy setting after testing; a private world is not evidence of a broken server browser.
For a LAN session, every player must be on the same local network. Confirm that the host and player are connected to the same router or access point and that no active VPN is changing the route. A VPN can make two computers that are physically nearby look like they are on different networks, so disconnect it for the test. If the server is visible in the LAN view but not to an Internet player, move to the public-hosting checks below instead of changing LAN settings.
3. Use Direct Connect to separate discovery from reachability
Direct Connect is the quickest diagnostic because it bypasses the server-browser listing. On the host, select the server’s LAN entry and inspect the public IP address and port shown for that server. On the joining computer, open Join Game > Direct Connect, enter that IP and port, and attempt to join.
- Direct Connect succeeds: the server is reachable. The remaining problem is usually the selected Steam/EOS list, a private-server setting or delayed discovery.
- Direct Connect fails from outside the home but succeeds on the LAN: the server process is running, but the Internet path is not. Check the public IP, UDP forwarding and the host firewall.
- Direct Connect fails even on the LAN: verify the server’s listen port and network mode, then check local firewall, antivirus and VPN interference.
Use the port displayed by the server rather than assuming the default. A custom port must be forwarded and allowed in the firewall in exactly the same way as the default.
4. Make a self-hosted server reachable from the Internet
Keen’s dedicated-server guide lists three network conditions for public access: a static public IP address, UDP forwarding of the server’s listen port, and an incoming UDP rule in the server computer’s firewall. The documented default listen port is 27016. If the administrator selected another port, substitute that port in both the router and firewall.
- Give the computer running the dedicated server a stable address on the local network so the router continues forwarding to the same machine.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, create an UDP rule for the server’s listen port (27016 by default) to the dedicated server’s local address.
- On the server computer, add an inbound firewall rule that allows UDP traffic on that same port.
- Restart the dedicated server, obtain its current public IP, and test Direct Connect from a player who is not on the host’s LAN.
The static-IP requirement matters outside the home network. Keen states that without a static public IP you can host on the LAN, but people outside the LAN will not be able to connect reliably. A changing address can also make an old Direct Connect entry point to the wrong place, so confirm the address immediately before testing.
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Do not forward only a TCP rule when the server requires UDP. Do not forward 27016 if the configuration uses a custom port, and do not test against an old public IP copied from a previous session. Temporarily disabling the firewall, antivirus or VPN can isolate which control is blocking traffic; re-enable each protection and create a narrow allow rule after the test.
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5. Verify the dedicated-server configuration
Open the server’s SpaceEngineersDedicated.cfg and compare the network entries with the port-forwarding and firewall rules. The defaults documented by Keen are:
| Setting | Documented default | What must match |
|---|---|---|
ServerPort |
27016 | The UDP port forwarded by the router and allowed by the host firewall. |
SteamPort |
8766 | The server’s Steam networking configuration; do not substitute it for the documented listen-port check. |
NetworkType |
Steam in a Steam setup |
The icon selected by players in Join Game; an EOS server must use EOS instead. |
Only one network mode should be enabled. A Steam configuration should contain a single Steam network declaration, such as <NetworkType>Steam</NetworkType>; an EOS configuration should use EOS instead. Remove conflicting or duplicate mode entries, save the file, restart the dedicated server and repeat the Direct Connect test.
Check the configuration while the server is stopped so changes are not overwritten. Keep a backup of the file before editing. If a temporary test with the firewall, antivirus or VPN disabled changes the result, restore those protections and permit only the required server traffic rather than leaving them disabled.
6. Match the platform and network path
EOS is the cross-platform route for PC and Xbox. For a PC player joining an Xbox-compatible server, select the EOS icon and make sure the server itself is configured for EOS. A Steam-only server will not become cross-platform merely because an Xbox player knows its address.
Steam and EOS are separate server-list and networking paths, so every participant must use the path supported by that server. Switch icons in Join Game before changing router settings. Official Keen PC servers remain PC-only; an Xbox player should not expect those PC-only servers to appear as cross-platform options.
7. Repair the local PC client
When other players can join the same server, or when only one PC has the problem, apply Keen’s client-repair sequence. Back up personal settings before removing configuration files.
- In Steam, open the game’s properties and run Verify integrity of game files. Allow the process to finish, then restart Steam.
- Back up and remove
SpaceEngineers.cfgfrom the game’s user-data location. The game will create a fresh configuration on the next launch. - Remove the
ShaderCachedirectory so corrupted compiled shaders are rebuilt. - Restart Steam and launch the game again before testing the server.
- Install or repair the Visual C++ Redistributable 2017 package, then reboot Windows if the installer requests it.
- Update the graphics driver and install pending operating-system updates.
- Retry the same server and record whether the failure changed from missing-list entry to timeout, disconnect or successful join.
These steps address damaged files, stale configuration, shader cache, a missing runtime and outdated system components. They do not repair a wrong Steam/EOS filter, a private server, a missing static public IP or a router that is not forwarding UDP; perform the network checks separately.
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8. Collect logs and escalate a reproducible failure
If the ordered checks do not resolve the problem, reproduce it once and submit the resulting game or server logs to Keen Software House support. Include whether the server was Steam or EOS, whether the failure occurred on LAN or from the Internet, the exact port, the result of Direct Connect and the point at which the connection failed. Keen specifically requests logs for persistent EOS and regional-server issues.
An outage cannot be confirmed from the technical symptoms alone. Check Keen’s current support or service-status information when several unrelated servers fail at the same time, and attach the time and region to your report.
Interpret the Direct Connect result correctly
The server is listed only after switching icons
This confirms a discovery-path mismatch. Leave the server’s network mode unchanged and use the corresponding Steam or EOS icon in Join Game. Changing the router would not address this symptom.
LAN players connect, remote players cannot
The game process is functioning on the local network. Concentrate on the static public IP, the router’s UDP forward for the actual ServerPort, and the inbound firewall rule. Test again from a different network after each change.
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Verify that the dedicated server is running, that its configured port matches the LAN entry, and that only one network type is enabled. A local firewall, antivirus or VPN can block even a same-network test.
Only one player is disconnected
Have that player switch to the correct Steam/EOS list, then run the local repair sequence. If several players using the same network mode fail, return to the server-side configuration rather than repeatedly reinstalling one client.
Check the host computer’s capacity
Network correctness cannot compensate for a host that does not meet the documented dedicated-server baseline. Keen Software House lists these requirements in its current guide:
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| Profile | CPU | Memory | Bandwidth or address requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 3.2 GHz with 3 logical cores | 6 GB RAM | 5 Mbps bandwidth |
| Recommended | 4.5 GHz with 3 logical cores | 10 GB RAM | Static IP for public hosting |
These figures describe the dedicated-server host, not a guarantee that every world, mod set or player count will perform identically. If the machine is below the minimum, resolve that capacity issue before diagnosing intermittent joins. For a public server, the recommended static IP requirement remains a networking prerequisite even when the CPU and memory are adequate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Decide whether self-hosting is practical
Self-hosting is appropriate when you control the router, can obtain a static public IP, can forward UDP traffic and can keep the host online. The configuration work is free, but it requires access to the router and host firewall and someone to maintain the machine.
Managed hosting is the practical alternative when the Internet connection cannot provide a public static IP, the router does not permit port forwarding, or the host computer cannot remain online. A provider handles the public address and network edge, while you still need to choose Steam or EOS correctly and give players the matching connection details. Keen’s guide names GTX Gaming for PC hosting and Nitrado for Xbox hosting; verify current platform support, prices, capacity and cancellation terms directly with the provider.
Compare the remedy to the symptom
| Situation | Best remedy | Cost and effort |
|---|---|---|
| Server is online but absent from the list | Choose the matching Steam or EOS icon; check LAN, History and Favorites; confirm it is not private. | Free and usually takes a few minutes. |
| LAN works but Internet players time out | Use a static public IP, forward the configured UDP port and allow it through the host firewall. | No game fee, but requires router access and network administration. |
| Only one Windows PC fails | Verify files, reset configuration and shader cache, repair Visual C++ 2017, then update drivers and Windows. | Free local maintenance; allow time for downloads and restarts. |
| You cannot obtain a public IP or leave a PC online | Use managed hosting, then configure the correct Steam or EOS path. | Recurring provider cost; less router and uptime work. |
Do not pay for hosting merely to fix a list-filter mistake. Conversely, repeated client reinstalls will not create a public route through an ISP or router that blocks incoming traffic. Choose the remedy that matches the failing layer.
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- Confirm whether the server uses Steam or EOS and tell every player which icon to select.
- Decide whether the server should be private, LAN-only or publicly listed.
- For public access, confirm a static public IP, UDP forwarding for the configured
ServerPort(27016 by default), and an inbound UDP firewall rule. - Use the server’s current public IP and port for a Direct Connect test from outside the LAN.
- For PC-to-Xbox play, configure EOS and have players use the EOS list; do not use a Steam-only server.
- If one PC still fails, verify files, reset
SpaceEngineers.cfg, clearShaderCache, repair Visual C++ 2017, update drivers and update the operating system. - Record the network mode, region, port and exact error before sending logs to Keen support.
Working through these checks in sequence identifies whether the problem is visibility, reachability, server configuration, platform compatibility or one damaged client, which prevents unrelated changes from obscuring the real cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I see a Space Engineers server that is running?
First select the server’s matching Steam or EOS icon in Join Game. Steam and EOS use separate lists, so a running server can be invisible under the wrong filter. Also check LAN, History and Favorites, and ask the administrator whether the server is private.
Can a private Space Engineers server appear in the public list?
No. Private servers are intentionally omitted from the public Servers view. The administrator can temporarily make the server public as a diagnostic test, then restore the privacy setting after confirming that players can connect.
What does Direct Connect tell me?
Direct Connect bypasses browser discovery. If it works, the server is reachable and the problem is probably the Steam/EOS filter, privacy setting or delayed listing. If it works on the LAN but fails remotely, investigate the public IP, UDP forwarding and firewall.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhich port does a dedicated server use?
Keen documents UDP port 27016 as the default ServerPort. A custom ServerPort takes precedence, so use the port shown by the server and forward that exact UDP port in the router and host firewall. SteamPort is documented as 8766 and is not a replacement for the listen-port rule.
How do I let friends outside my home network join?
Public self-hosting requires a static public IP, UDP forwarding of the server’s listen port and an inbound UDP firewall rule on the dedicated-server computer. Test with Direct Connect from a player on another network, using the current public IP and port.
Can Steam and Xbox players use the same server?
Yes, when the server uses EOS and players select the EOS path. Steam-only servers are not cross-platform. Official Keen PC servers remain PC-only, so they should not be expected to work as Xbox cross-play destinations.
What should I repair when only my PC cannot join?
Verify Steam files, back up and remove SpaceEngineers.cfg, clear ShaderCache, restart Steam, repair Visual C++ Redistributable 2017, update graphics drivers and install operating-system updates. These steps target the local client, not router or server-list settings.
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Should I self-host or rent a server?
Self-hosting is practical when you control the router, can obtain a static public IP and can keep the machine online. Managed hosting is easier when port forwarding or public addressing is unavailable. Keen names GTX Gaming for PC and Nitrado for Xbox; check their current pricing and platform terms.
What information should I send to support?
Reproduce the failure and include logs, Steam or EOS mode, LAN versus Internet location, server port, region, exact error and the result of Direct Connect. This lets support distinguish discovery, reachability, configuration and client failures.
The Bottom Line
Start with the Steam/EOS icon and privacy checks, then use Direct Connect. A public self-hosted server needs a static public IP, UDP forwarding for its actual listen port and a matching firewall rule. If only one PC fails, repair its files and configuration; if the network edge is unavailable, managed hosting is the practical alternative.
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