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How to Direct Connect to a Space Engineers Server

Open Join Game → Direct Connect, enter the host’s complete IP:port address, select the matching Steam or EOS path, and troubleshoot the server, UDP forwarding and firewall when it will not respond.
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In Space Engineers, open Main Screen → Join Game → Direct Connect, enter the server address in PUBLIC_IP:PORT format, and submit it. The documented dedicated-server default is UDP port 27016, but the administrator may have changed it, so use the exact port supplied by the host.

Direct Connect works when the address is reachable, the server is running, the required UDP port is exposed, and your game is using the server’s Steam or EOS network path.

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What Direct Connect is for

The Join Game screen separates public dedicated servers, player-hosted games, LAN games and friends. Direct Connect is the option for a private game whose host gives you an address. It bypasses browsing through the public list: you enter the destination manually and the game attempts to contact that server.

A complete connection detail normally contains an IP address and a port, written like PUBLIC_IP:PORT. The IP identifies the host; the port identifies the server process listening on that host. A correct IP with the wrong port is still an unsuccessful connection.

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Get these details before opening the game

Ask the server owner for all of the following rather than guessing:

  • The address reachable from your location: a public address for an Internet connection or a LAN address when you are on the host’s local network.
  • The configured listen port. Keen Software House documents UDP 27016 as the default dedicated-server port, but it can be changed.
  • The server password, if one is enabled.
  • Whether the server uses Steam or EOS (Epic Online Services) networking.
  • Whether the server is currently running and accepting players.

If the owner only sends an IP address, ask for the port as well. Do not assume 27016 unless the owner confirms that the server still uses the default.

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How to connect step by step

  1. Start Space Engineers and stop at the main screen.
  2. Select Join Game.
  3. Select Direct Connect. Enter the address exactly as supplied, including the port after the colon. For example, a host might provide a value formatted as PUBLIC_IP:27016; replace both parts with the host’s real values.
  4. On PC, choose the server view that matches the network technology the host specified: Steam or EOS. Steam is the PC-only path. EOS supports PC, PlayStation and Xbox crossplay, so an EOS server is the relevant choice when players on those platforms need to play together.
  5. Submit the connection. If the server requests authentication, enter its password and wait for the world to load.

Use the actual address given by the administrator. Do not add spaces, substitute a private address for a public one, or append 27016 to a server that uses another port.

Choosing the right address: LAN versus Internet

Where you are playing Address to request What the host must provide
Outside the host’s home or office network The host’s reachable public IP address and configured UDP port Router forwarding from that port to the server computer, plus a firewall rule allowing the same UDP traffic
On the same local network as the host The server computer’s LAN address and configured port, when the network setup uses local access The server process running and local traffic permitted by the host computer and network

A private LAN address generally cannot be reached by a player who is elsewhere on the Internet. Conversely, giving a remote player a LAN address can make the server appear offline even when it is working locally.

Understanding port 27016

Keen’s dedicated-server documentation identifies UDP 27016 as the default listen port. “Default” does not mean universal: the administrator can specify another port in the server configuration. The owner should tell every player the final IP-and-port combination after configuration.

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Value Meaning
UDP 27016 Keen’s documented default dedicated-server listen port
A different UDP port A deliberate host configuration; players must enter that port instead of 27016

Port numbers are paired with a transport protocol. The documented requirement is UDP; forwarding or allowing only TCP does not satisfy that requirement.

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Why Direct Connect says the server is not responding

A non-response message indicates that the connection attempt did not reach a usable server endpoint. Work through the checks in this order.

1. Confirm the server is actually running

The owner should verify that the dedicated-server process is started and listening on the intended port. A powered-off computer, stopped service or crashed process produces the same symptom as an incorrect address from the player’s perspective.

2. Verify the public IP and port

Have the owner read the current public address and the configured port from the server setup. The official support guidance specifically points administrators to the public IP-and-port pair and the SpaceEngineersDedicated.cfg configuration file. If the host changed the port, entering 27016 will fail even when the IP address is correct.

3. Check router forwarding

For an Internet-hosted server, incoming UDP traffic on the selected port must be forwarded by the router to the computer running the dedicated server. The forwarding destination must be the correct server computer; forwarding to another device leaves the game unreachable.

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4. Check the host firewall

The computer’s firewall must allow incoming UDP traffic on the same configured port. Router forwarding and firewall permission are separate controls: allowing one does not automatically allow the other.

5. Match Steam and EOS

On PC, select the network view that corresponds to the server. A Steam-only server is not the same connection path as an EOS server. EOS is the path used for PC, PlayStation and Xbox crossplay; Steam is the PC-only path.

6. Check the password

If the address is reachable but the server requires a password, enter the password supplied by the owner. Ask the owner to confirm whether the password was changed or whether the server is currently restricted.

Host-side checklist for an Internet server

The player cannot repair these settings from the Join Game screen. The server owner should complete each item:

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  1. Start the dedicated server and verify that it remains running.
  2. Record the configured UDP listen port. Use 27016 only when the configuration still uses Keen’s default.
  3. Give remote players the current public IP address, not the server computer’s private LAN address.
  4. Forward incoming UDP traffic on the configured port from the router to the dedicated-server computer.
  5. Allow incoming UDP traffic on that port through the computer’s firewall.
  6. Provide the correct Steam or EOS choice and any required password.

Keen recommends a static public IP for hosts serving people outside the local network. A stable address reduces the chance that players retain an old destination after the host’s public address changes.

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Steam, EOS and crossplay decisions

Steam networking

The official multiplayer guidance describes Steam as the PC-only route. Use it when the server and all intended players are operating through the Steam path on PC.

EOS networking

The official wiki says EOS supports PC, PlayStation and Xbox crossplay. Select EOS when the server is configured for that service and players include consoles or PC users connecting through the crossplay-compatible route.

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When the choice is unclear

Do not alternate randomly between the two views. Ask the administrator which service the server uses; the answer determines the correct selection on the PC Join Game screen.

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Dedicated-server requirements versus player requirements

The following figures apply to operating a dedicated server, not to joining someone else’s server. A player connecting to an existing server does not need to supply these resources.

Dedicated-server item Documented minimum or default
Memory 6 GB RAM minimum
Bandwidth 5 Mbps minimum
Listen port UDP 27016 by default; configurable

These are host-side figures from Keen Software House’s dedicated-server documentation. They do not guarantee a particular simulation performance or player capacity; they simply identify the stated minimum memory and bandwidth and the default port.

Self-hosting or rented hosting

You can operate the dedicated server on your own computer or use a hosting provider. The practical choice depends on who will administer the network and how much control the group needs.

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Decision factor Self-hosted server Rented server
Platform You select and maintain the PC or console-compatible arrangement required by the group. Choose a host whose offering matches the intended platform and crossplay route.
Network administration You handle the router’s UDP forwarding, firewall rules and public-address changes. The provider supplies the reachable service endpoint, while you still configure the game.
Configuration and mods Direct control of server files, settings and modifications. Control depends on the provider’s panel and plan.
Uptime Depends on your computer, power and Internet connection. Depends on the provider’s service and maintenance.
Recurring cost No hosting subscription is established by the connection procedure; you provide the hardware and network. Pricing varies; the official page naming providers does not establish current prices or referral terms.

Keen’s official hosting information names GTX Gaming for PC hosting and Nitrado for Xbox hosting. Those names identify platform-oriented options; confirm current features, availability and pricing directly with the provider before subscribing.

Useful connection examples

Remote player, default port

The owner confirms that the server uses the documented default and sends an address in the form PUBLIC_IP:27016. From outside the owner’s network, enter that complete value in Direct Connect, choose the server’s Steam or EOS path, and authenticate if prompted.

Remote player, custom port

The owner configures another UDP port and forwards that port to the server computer. Enter PUBLIC_IP:CUSTOM_PORT, not PUBLIC_IP:27016. The custom value must agree across the dedicated-server configuration, router rule, firewall rule and the address given to players.

Player on the host’s LAN

The owner supplies the server computer’s LAN address and port when local access is appropriate. A player elsewhere should instead receive the public address and use the Internet forwarding arrangement.

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What to send the administrator when asking for help

A precise report is more useful than “it does not connect.” Include:

  • The exact address and port you entered.
  • Whether you are on the same LAN as the server or connecting over the Internet.
  • Whether you selected Steam or EOS.
  • The wording of the error, such as “server is not responding.”
  • Whether other players can connect.

The owner can then compare your entry with the public IP, the SpaceEngineersDedicated.cfg port, the router’s UDP forwarding rule, the firewall allowance and the server’s current running state.

Quick checklist

  • Use Main Screen → Join Game → Direct Connect.
  • Enter the complete IP-and-port value supplied by the host.
  • Use UDP, not a TCP-only rule, for the documented dedicated-server port.
  • Choose Steam or EOS to match the server.
  • Use a public address for remote play and a LAN address only when local networking calls for it.
  • Ask for the password when the server is protected.
  • If the server is unreachable, have the owner check the running process, configured port, router forwarding, firewall and current public IP.

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