For a self-hosted Don’t Starve Together dedicated server, forward the server’s player-facing UDP port—10999 by default—from your router to the computer running the server. Allow that same UDP port through the computer’s firewall, and use a different server_port for every server or shard on the same machine. The master_port is for communication between shards and normally should not be forwarded to the Internet.
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Which ports does Don’t Starve Together use?
A dedicated server has several network settings, but they do not all serve the same purpose. The setting that players use to reach the server is server_port.
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| Situation | Port guidance | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| One dedicated server | UDP 10999 by default | The player-facing listener for incoming game connections. |
| Several servers or shards on one computer | A unique server_port for each process |
Prevents two processes from trying to listen on the same UDP port. |
| Same-LAN server-list visibility | Keep the player port in 10998–11018 | Klei’s documented range for appearing in the local listing; ports outside it may not be shown to players on the same LAN. |
| Master and Caves cluster | Separate player ports in each shard’s configuration | Each player-facing shard must be reachable on its own port. |
| Shard coordination | master_port |
Internal master/non-master shard communication; normally not a public Internet listener. |
Klei describes server_port as “the UDP port that this server will listen for connections on.” The value can be set in a shard’s server.ini under the [NETWORK] section or supplied with the -port launch option. When both are present, Klei’s command-line guidance says -port overrides the server_port value in the configuration file.
The practical consequence is simple: the port in your router rule and firewall rule must match the effective value used at launch, not merely the value you remember putting in a file.
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Do you need to port-forward a dedicated server?
Yes, when people outside your home network need to join a server running on your own computer. A dedicated server does not use the same connection “punch-through” mechanism as a game hosted directly by a player’s client. Internet players therefore need a path through your router to the dedicated server’s private LAN address.
Port forwarding is not normally required for a client-hosted game in which one player’s game acts as the host. That is a different connection model. This article concerns a continuously running dedicated server process, whether it is on a home PC or another machine behind your router.
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Forwarding a port does not make the server public by itself. The server must be running and listening, the host firewall must permit the traffic, and your Internet service must provide a reachable public address. If your provider places your router behind carrier-grade NAT, an ordinary home-router forwarding rule may never receive unsolicited Internet traffic.
Understand server_port, master_port and related settings
server_port: the port players need
This is the UDP listener for a particular server or shard. The default dedicated-server value is 10999. If you change it, every place that refers to the player-facing port must change with it: the launch command or server.ini, the router rule, the operating-system firewall rule, and any address or connection instructions you give to players.
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Two server processes on one computer cannot normally bind the same UDP port. Give every process a unique value. For example, a single-machine cluster might use UDP 10999 for the Master shard and UDP 11000 for the Caves shard. Those numbers are an example, not a mandatory pairing; the important requirements are uniqueness and consistent configuration.
master_port: shard-to-shard communication
master_port is used for inter-process communication between the Master shard and other shards. It is not the port friends use to enter the world. Klei forum guidance describes it as communication between the master and other shards and says it is not exposed to the Internet, so it normally should not be included in a router port-forwarding rule.
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The Steam master-server setting
Some maintained configuration references list 27016 as a default steam_master_server_port. That setting is distinct from the player-facing server_port. Do not substitute it for UDP 10999, and do not assume it is the port that friends must connect to. The player port is the value selected for server_port (or overridden with -port).
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Choose ports for one server or a multi-shard cluster
Single dedicated server
Leave server_port at UDP 10999 unless another application already uses it or you have a specific reason to change it. Forward UDP 10999 to the server computer’s private address and permit it through the host firewall.
Several independent servers on one machine
Assign a different player port to each server. Keep the values within 10998–11018 if you want the best chance of appearing in the same-LAN server listing; Klei documents that range for LAN visibility. A port outside the range may still be usable for a connection made by address, but same-LAN players may not see it in the listing.
Master plus Caves
Each shard has its own configuration. Set a unique server_port in the Master configuration and another in the Caves configuration, then create a reachable forwarding rule for each player-facing port. Forwarding only the Master port is insufficient: players who need to load the Caves shard must be able to reach that shard’s listener as well.
The two shards also need matching cluster information and a correctly configured master_port for local coordination. That internal coordination setting is separate from the two public player ports.
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Port-forwarding setup: exact sequence
- Find the effective player port. Open the relevant shard’s
server.iniand inspect[NETWORK]server_port. Also inspect the startup command or service definition for-port, because that command-line value takes precedence. Write down the effective UDP port for every shard. - Give the host a stable private address. In your router’s DHCP or LAN settings, create a DHCP reservation for the server computer, or configure a carefully managed static address on the computer. A forwarding rule tied to a changing address will silently break when the lease changes.
- Create the router rule. Open the router’s port-forwarding, virtual-server, or NAT section. Add a rule using protocol UDP, set the external (WAN) port to the effective
server_port, set the internal (LAN) port to the same number, and select the reserved private IP of the server computer. Save and apply the rule. - Permit the same UDP port on the host. Add an inbound rule in the operating system’s firewall for the server executable or for the exact UDP port. If you have separate rules for different network profiles, make sure the profile currently assigned to the server’s network connection is covered.
- Repeat for every player-facing shard. A Master and Caves cluster needs one forwarding rule and one firewall allowance per distinct
server_port. Do not add a public rule formaster_portunless a specific, current deployment design explicitly requires it. - Start the server and verify the listener. The process must be running while you test. Confirm its log or configuration shows the intended port and that no second process is competing for the same value.
- Test from outside your LAN. Ask a friend on another connection to join, or test from a device using cellular data. Testing from the same Wi-Fi network can succeed because of local routing behavior even when the Internet path is broken.
Router interfaces use different labels, but the required mapping is always the same: UDP, public port equal to configured server_port, private port equal to that value, destination equal to the server’s stable LAN IP.
How to test a UDP port correctly
Many online scanners test only TCP. A TCP-only “closed” result is not proof that a Don’t Starve Together server is unreachable, because the dedicated listener uses UDP. Use a test that explicitly supports UDP, and run it while the server is active.
- If an external UDP test succeeds and friends can join, the forwarding path is working.
- If the test reports no response, verify the server is listening on the port you tested, then check the router protocol and destination address.
- If a test tool cannot perform a meaningful UDP probe, use a real connection attempt from outside the home network rather than treating a TCP result as decisive.
Some routers do not support reliable “hairpin” or NAT-loopback testing. In that case, a computer inside the same home network may fail to reach the public address even though remote players can connect. Always include an off-LAN test.
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Local players can see the server, but remote friends cannot
- Check that the forwarding rule points to the server’s current private IP, not an old DHCP address.
- Confirm the rule is UDP, not TCP or TCP/UDP when the router’s combined mode behaves incorrectly.
- Compare the router’s external and internal port with the effective
server_port, including any-portoverride. - Temporarily review the host firewall log or rule set to verify that inbound UDP is allowed for the active network profile.
- Check whether the ISP uses carrier-grade NAT. If the router’s WAN address is private or differs from the public address shown by an Internet service, inbound forwarding may be impossible without an ISP-provided public address or another hosting arrangement.
An online checker says the port is closed
First determine whether it checked UDP. Then confirm the server was running during the probe. A stopped server may not answer, and a TCP-only scanner cannot validate a UDP listener. Next recheck the destination IP, protocol, and host firewall.
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The Master shard works, but Caves does not
Compare the two shard configurations line by line. Each shard needs its own unique server_port, and each of those ports needs a matching router rule and firewall allowance. One forwarded port cannot carry both player-facing listeners when they are separate processes.
The cluster reports a master_port error
Treat this as a shard-configuration or local inter-process-communication problem first. Verify that the shards use the intended cluster settings, can communicate on the host, and start with compatible configuration files. Adding a public forwarding rule for master_port is generally unrelated to this failure.
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Check the player port against Klei’s documented 10998–11018 LAN-listing range. A server using a value outside that range may not be listed to local players even if a direct connection is otherwise possible. Also verify that local firewall rules allow the game traffic and that the server is advertising the intended shard.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forwarding TCP only: DST’s dedicated player listener is UDP.
- Forwarding the wrong number: a
-portlaunch option overrides the value inserver.ini. - Using one port for every shard: each process on one computer needs a unique
server_port. - Forwarding only the Master port: every player-facing shard, including Caves, needs its own reachable port.
- Forwarding
master_portto the Internet: it is intended for internal shard communication and normally should remain private. - Forwarding to a changing IP: reserve the host’s LAN address so the rule continues to target the right computer.
- Trusting a TCP scanner: a TCP result does not establish whether a UDP service is reachable.
- Testing only from inside the house: local success does not prove that the router and ISP path work for remote players.
A compact configuration checklist
- Identify the effective
server_portfor each shard. - Use UDP and keep every same-machine player port unique.
- Keep ports in 10998–11018 when same-LAN listing visibility matters.
- Reserve a stable private IP for the host computer.
- Forward each player port from the router to that IP and the same internal port.
- Allow each UDP port through the host firewall.
- Leave
master_portinternal unless a documented deployment specifically says otherwise. - Test while the server is running from a network outside the host’s LAN.
- If remote access still fails, investigate CGNAT or a private WAN address at the ISP.
Bottom line for a typical home setup
For one dedicated server, the usual arrangement is UDP 10999 forwarded to the server PC’s stable private IP, with the same UDP port allowed by the PC’s firewall. For Master plus Caves, choose a different player port for each shard and forward both. Keep master_port for local shard communication rather than exposing it publicly. Matching the running configuration, router rule, firewall rule, and external test is what makes the connection reliable.
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