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Common Satisfactory Server Issues and How to Fix Them

A practical, evidence-based guide to diagnosing Satisfactory dedicated-server failures, from stopped processes and LAN firewall blocks to port forwarding, strict NAT, timeout settings, branch mismatches and mod compatibility.
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Most Satisfactory dedicated-server failures become easier to solve when you test in layers: first prove that the server process is running, then connect from the same LAN, and only after that test from an external network. A LAN failure usually points to the process, server configuration, bind address, or host firewall. A working LAN connection with failed internet connections usually points to port forwarding, NAT, or the router. A server that works in vanilla but fails after adding mods has a separate compatibility problem.

The documented dedicated-server defaults are port 7777 on both TCP and UDP, plus reliable messaging on TCP port 8888. Custom -Port or -ReliablePort values replace those defaults. Keep the host’s LAN address fixed, collect logs before restarting, and do not expect a longer timeout to repair a blocked port or stopped process.

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Use a layered diagnosis instead of changing random settings

Write down the game/server branch, build, whether the server is vanilla or modded, the host’s LAN address, and the exact symptom. Then test in this order:

  1. Server process: confirm the dedicated-server service or process is running and has not crashed.
  2. Same-LAN test: connect from a computer on the same router. This removes internet routing and most NAT variables.
  3. External test: have a player connect from a genuinely different network, such as a mobile hotspot or another household. Some routers cannot test their own public address from inside the LAN because they lack NAT loopback.

Do not skip directly to timeout values or reinstalling the game. Each layer narrows the fault domain and prevents you from masking the original problem.

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The server does not appear to be running

Confirm the process and read the current log

Check the dedicated-server service or process status on the host. If it starts and immediately exits, open FactoryGame/Saved/Logs/FactoryGame.log and look at the final entries. Satisfactory rotates logs on startup, so copy the current file and any rotated files before launching again. Crash reports are written under FactoryGame/Saved/Crashes; preserve them when asking for help.

A log that ends during startup can indicate a missing or damaged file, a bad configuration value, an incompatible mod, or a crash rather than a networking problem. If the client or server crashes or behaves unusually, use your game platform’s file-verification function. Coffee Stain’s support guidance specifically recommends verifying files for crash and unusual-behavior reports.

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Separate a startup failure from a listening-port failure

A running process is not automatically a reachable server. After confirming that it stays running, check the host firewall and whether the configured game and reliable-messaging ports are listening. If the process is healthy but no machine on the LAN can connect, investigate the local firewall, bind address, and server configuration before touching the router.

Nobody can connect, including players on the same LAN

Check the host before the router

Start with the host’s process status and FactoryGame.log. Then confirm that the server is bound to the host’s active LAN interface and that the firewall allows the dedicated-server executable and its configured ports for private networks. A rule aimed at an old network profile or an old executable path can silently block every local connection.

Do not leave the firewall disabled as a permanent test. Create a narrow allow rule for the server executable and required ports, test, and then keep the narrow rule that works. If security software has its own application-control layer, allow the executable there as well.

Check the address clients are using

LAN players should use the host’s private address on the same network, not the router’s public address. Confirm that the address has not changed since the server was configured. A DHCP reservation in the router is usually the least disruptive way to keep it stable; a manual static address is another option, provided it is outside the router’s automatic allocation range and uses the correct gateway and DNS settings.

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Use a clean save and branch check

If the process runs but a particular world causes a hang or crash, create a new test save. A new save distinguishes a server-wide startup problem from a damaged or incompatible save. Also record whether the host and clients are on the main or Experimental branch and on the same build. Back up saves before changing branches.

LAN works, but internet players cannot connect

Give the host a stable LAN address

Port forwarding points to an internal address. If DHCP later assigns a different address, the forwarding rule still points to the old machine and an otherwise correct setup stops working. Reserve the host’s address in the router, or configure a properly documented static address, before troubleshooting the rules themselves.

Forward the ports that the server actually uses

For the documented current dedicated-server defaults, create rules to the host’s fixed LAN address as follows:

Function Default port Protocol Forwarding requirement
Standard Satisfactory server traffic 7777 TCP and UDP Forward external 7777 to internal 7777 unless you deliberately changed the server port.
Reliable messaging 8888 TCP Forward TCP 8888 to the same host when using the default reliable port.
Custom server port The value passed with -Port As required by that configuration Use the configured value instead of assuming 7777.
Custom reliable port The value passed with -ReliablePort TCP Use the configured value instead of assuming 8888.

Do not remap the standard external 7777 port to an unrelated internal number while diagnosing. Keeping external and internal values the same removes one source of error. If you intentionally use custom values, document both the command-line options and the router rules together.

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Do not confuse multiplayer-session ports with dedicated-server defaults

Coffee Stain’s multiplayer timeout and NAT troubleshooting page lists TCP ports 5222 and 6666, and UDP ports 5222, 6666, and 7777–7827. Those values address multiplayer-session troubleshooting and should not be substituted for the documented dedicated-server defaults of TCP/UDP 7777 and TCP 8888. Apply the set that matches the connection mode you are actually diagnosing.

Test from outside the LAN

Ask an external player to connect, or use a separate mobile connection. A test from inside the same router can appear to fail even when internet forwarding is correct if the router lacks NAT loopback. Conversely, a successful local test proves only that the process and local firewall are functioning; it does not prove that the public route is open.

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Players see a timeout or endless loading

Apply the low-risk connection checks first

Coffee Stain recommends several practical checks for timeout and loading symptoms:

  • Have the host try a different host machine or network when possible.
  • Set every player’s Network Quality to Ultra in the options menu, restart the game, and try again.
  • Test a fresh save to determine whether the symptom is tied to one world.
  • Check firewall and antivirus permissions for the game and dedicated-server executable.
  • Recheck the forwarded ports and the host’s current LAN address.

These checks are deliberately different: a fresh save tests world data, Network Quality tests client networking behavior, and port/firewall checks test reachability. Record which change affects the result instead of changing all of them at once.

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Understand the timeout settings

The configuration documentation records a default of 30 seconds for both InitialConnectTimeout and ConnectionTimeout. Administrators can raise these values in Engine.ini when slow hardware or a genuinely slow link needs more time to complete a handshake.

Increasing a timeout only makes the client wait longer. It cannot open a blocked port, revive a stopped process, correct a wrong address, or repair a firewall rule. Change one value, restart the server, and compare the result with the original log and symptom. If the failure occurs at exactly the same stage despite a longer value, return to process, LAN, and forwarding checks.

Strict or unknown NAT

Reset stale security and forwarding rules

Coffee Stain attributes strict NAT to routing problems involving the router, firewall, or antivirus. Remove obsolete forwarding entries, recreate rules for the host’s current fixed address, and reset firewall rules when they have accumulated conflicting blocks. Allow the game executable through security software rather than relying on a broad, permanent firewall bypass.

pfSense-specific routing

On pfSense, Coffee Stain’s published remedy is to use Hybrid or Manual NAT and add the required outbound mapping. The exact rule must match the internal host and the ports you configured; an automatic NAT mode that omits the mapping can produce a strict or unknown result even when inbound forwarding looks correct.

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Verify with an external connection

Re-test from a different network after each router change. Do not treat the router’s own port-check page or an inside-LAN connection as conclusive when NAT loopback is unavailable. A successful external connection is the meaningful confirmation that the public route, forwarding, and firewall path agree.

The server broke after an update or only one save fails

Record branch and build before changing files

Write down whether the installation is on the main or Experimental branch and the exact game/server build. A client and server on different branches or builds can fail to join even when ports are correct. After an update, verify the installation files and repeat the same-LAN test before changing router settings.

Use a new save as a controlled comparison

If a new world accepts connections but the established world does not, the issue is limited to that save or its content. Keep the original backed up, collect logs, and avoid overwriting it while testing. Coffee Stain specifically asks users with timeout problems to check whether the issue is restricted to a particular save.

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Back up before switching branches

Back up save files before moving between main and Experimental branches. Restore the backup only after returning to the branch and build that created it; a branch change can alter compatibility even when the save file itself is intact.

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A modded server will not accept clients

Prove the vanilla baseline

Remove mods from both the server and clients, then confirm that a vanilla dedicated server works on the same save or on a fresh test save. This isolates mod compatibility from networking, firewall, and save problems. If vanilla also fails, return to the layered network diagnosis instead of changing mod files.

Install only dedicated-server-compatible packages

Dedicated servers require mods specially compiled and marked for server use. A client-only package can prevent startup or joining even when every player has installed it. Keep the server’s mod profile and each client’s profile aligned, including exact mod versions and the game branch/build.

Add changes in small, reversible groups

Once vanilla works, add a small group of server-compatible mods, start the server, and test a client before adding more. Keep a copy of the known-good profile so you can remove the last group without guessing. The FICSIT documentation warns that installing mods one by one with ficsit-cli or a Mod Manager is possible but not recommended because client and server versions can drift and prevent connections; copying a client’s entire mods folder to a server is not supported.

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Read the log for the first mod error

Use FactoryGame.log and crash reports to identify the first load or dependency error, not merely the final connection message. A missing dependency, wrong version, or client-only package should be corrected in the mod profile before any further port troubleshooting.

Where to find logs, crashes, and saves

Collect evidence before restarting

Save a copy of FactoryGame/Saved/Logs/FactoryGame.log, rotated logs, and files under FactoryGame/Saved/Crashes before restarting or reinstalling. Startup rotates logs, so the line that explains a failure can disappear from the active file after another launch.

Protect saves during recovery

Back up the documented save directory before changing branches, removing mods, editing configuration, or replacing installation files. Keep the original backup read-only or in a separate location while testing a copy. This lets you compare a fresh save with the affected world without risking the only copy.

Know the limits of managed hosts

Third-party hosts may restrict access to installation files, logs, or save directories, and the modding documentation notes that support for third-party systems is limited. Before renting a server, confirm that the control panel exposes the files and backup controls you need. If it does not, ask support for the exact log, save, port, and mod-management capabilities rather than assuming they are available.

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Self-hosting versus managed hosting for troubleshooting

The better operating model depends on which controls you need. Neither model removes the need to match the game branch, server build, ports, and mod versions.

Decision area Self-hosted server Managed host
Router and firewall control You control the LAN address, firewall rules, NAT, and port forwarding. The provider normally controls the network edge; you must use the ports and firewall options it exposes.
Custom ports You can choose -Port and -ReliablePort and forward them yourself. Availability depends on the host’s panel and allocation policy.
Static IP or VPN options You can use a DHCP reservation, static address, or your own VPN design. Options depend on the provider’s networking features.
Save and crash-log access Direct access to the documented save, log, and crash locations. Confirm SFTP or equivalent file access and whether crash reports are downloadable.
Backups You must schedule and verify your own backups. Ask whether backups are automatic, how often they run, and whether you can download them.
Update timing You choose when to update and can coordinate branch changes with players. The provider’s image or update schedule may determine when builds become available.
CPU, RAM, and storage headroom You choose hardware and can monitor it directly. Check the allocated resources and storage limits before moving a large save or adding mods.
Dedicated-server mod policy You can manage compatible packages directly, while carrying the responsibility for version matching. Require explicit support for dedicated-server-compatible mods and profile/version controls.

Choose the model that provides the controls your diagnosis requires. If you cannot reach the router or obtain logs on a managed service, a networking issue may need provider intervention rather than more client-side changes.

A compact decision checklist

  1. Process: Is the dedicated server still running, and what is the last meaningful line in FactoryGame.log?
  2. Local path: Can a player on the same LAN connect using the host’s private address?
  3. Host security: Does the firewall allow the executable and configured ports on the correct network profile?
  4. Address: Is the host’s LAN address reserved or static, and does the router forward to that exact address?
  5. Ports: Are TCP/UDP 7777 and TCP 8888 still the configured defaults, or did -Port/-ReliablePort change them?
  6. External path: Has someone tested from a genuinely different network rather than relying on NAT loopback?
  7. Timeout symptom: Did Network Quality get set to Ultra, was a fresh save tested, and are the 30-second timeout settings being changed only for slow links?
  8. Version: Are host and clients on the same branch and build?
  9. Mods: Does vanilla work, and are every installed package dedicated-server-compatible with matching client/server versions?
  10. Evidence: Have logs, rotated logs, crash reports, and save backups been copied before another restart or file change?

Following this order tells you whether you have a dead process, a local firewall/configuration fault, an internet routing problem, a timeout caused by a slow path, or a version/mod/save issue. Each category has a different fix; treating them as one generic connection error is what makes troubleshooting take so long.

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