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The Soulmask “Connection to Host Lost” message means your client has lost, or stopped receiving, its connection to the game host. The cause is usually one of three things: a local PC or network problem, a server that is offline, restarting or misconfigured, or a conflict involving mods, firewalls or another device on the same network. Work through the checks below in order; the pattern of who can and cannot connect will identify where the fault is.
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What the error actually means
Soulmask keeps a live connection between your game client and the host running the world. If that connection drops, stalls for too long or cannot complete the required handshake, the game removes you from the session and may return you to the main menu. The message does not, by itself, prove that your computer is at fault.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallMost cases fit one of these scopes:
- Local client or network: your game version, installed mods, Windows Firewall, router, NAT path or internet connection prevents a stable link.
- Server or host: the dedicated server is offline, restarting, overloaded, listening on the wrong ports or starting with incompatible parameters.
- Another device or application: a second process, security product or device on the same network is competing for a port or disrupting traffic.
A Steam player has described unofficial-server joins ending with “connection to host lost,” “connection timed out” or a return to the main menu. A commenter suggested checking for missing mods (Steam Community, April 17, 2025). That is an anecdotal report, so treat mod compatibility as a check, not a universal explanation.
Use the failure pattern to choose the right branch
| What you observe | Most likely scope | Next place to look |
|---|---|---|
| Only your account or PC fails while others enter | Client, local firewall, router/NAT path, local mods or client version | Verify files and versions, compare mods, test another network and inspect firewall permissions |
| Every player is rejected or disconnected | Server downtime, restart loop, startup parameters, port forwarding or host firewall | Check the server process, launch configuration, configured ports and host firewall |
| Direct IP connection works, but the server list does not | Query-port exposure or server-list configuration | Verify the configured query port and its forwarding; do not assume the game port is the only requirement |
| The problem started immediately after an update | Client/server version mismatch or mod incompatibility | Compare both versions and every required server mod before changing router settings |
| Joining works on a phone hotspot but not at home | Home router, ISP route, NAT or local network filtering | Check router rules, port forwarding and security software on the home network |
Fixes for a player joining someone else’s server
- Restart the session cleanly. Exit Soulmask rather than leaving it suspended, restart the PC, then launch the game again. If the server owner is available, ask them to restart the dedicated-server process as well. A stale client session or a server that has just completed a restart can otherwise look like a port failure.
- Confirm the destination details. Recheck the server address, game port and password exactly as supplied by the host. A single changed digit, an old address or an incorrect password can prevent the connection even when the server appears in a list. If the host recently changed providers or network equipment, request the current address and port instead of relying on a saved entry.
- Compare game versions. Your client and the server must be on compatible current versions. If the error began after an update, ask the administrator which version the server is running and whether it has finished updating. Do not alter router settings until this comparison is complete; a version mismatch can produce the same visible symptom.
- Check required mods. Unofficial servers may require mods that are absent, disabled or at a different version on your installation. Compare the server’s required list with your local list and let the game finish downloading or updating each required item. Because the missing-mod explanation comes from community reports rather than a universal developer diagnosis, remove it from consideration only after the server owner confirms the exact mod set.
- Allow Soulmask through Windows Firewall. In Windows, open Windows Security, select Firewall & network protection, then Allow an app through firewall. Add
Soulmask.exeif it is not listed and enable the network profiles appropriate to the network you are using. A host machine may need this exception even when a joining player does not, so ask the administrator to check it on the server PC too. - Test from a different network. Connect the PC through a phone hotspot or another trusted network and try the same server. If the alternate network succeeds, the game installation is less likely to be the cause; investigate the home router, ISP path, NAT behavior or local filtering. If the failure follows you across networks, compare versions and mods again and ask whether other players are affected.
- Record the result, not just the message. Note whether the server appears in the list, whether direct connection is available, how long the join attempt runs, the exact wording (“connection to host lost” versus “connection timed out”), and whether another player can join. These distinctions let the administrator test the correct layer instead of repeatedly restarting the same service.
Checks for a dedicated-server owner
If several players fail at once, concentrate on the host before changing every client. Holy.gg identifies a misconfigured dedicated server as a classic cause of this error (April 10, 2026). Verify that the server process is running continuously, is not caught in a restart loop and has completed loading the world. A server that accepts a connection and then immediately returns everyone to the menu may be starting with invalid parameters or losing access to its configured ports.
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Verify the configured ports
Dedicated-server examples commonly use game port 8777 and query port 27015. A Steam configuration example sets GameServerQueryPort=27015 and uses direct connection through port 8777; another discussion describes 8777 and 27015 as default private-connection ports (Steam Community examples). These are examples, not fixed requirements. Read the server’s actual launch file and host instructions before opening or changing ports.
| Port role | Example value | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Game connection | 8777 | The server is listening on the configured value and players use that same value for direct connection |
| Server query/listing | 27015 | The query service is enabled and the value is exposed as configured, especially when direct IP works but the server list does not |
Forward the configured UDP game and query ports from the router to the server’s private IPv4 address. The forwarding target must be the computer actually running Soulmask, not a changing address assigned to a different device. If the host’s private address changes, a rule that worked yesterday can silently point to the wrong machine.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsLook for port conflicts
Another process can already occupy a configured port. The hosting guidance recommends using netstat to inspect port use and changing the launch file’s -Port= value when necessary (Holy.gg, April 10, 2026). Check the process that owns the port before selecting a replacement, then update the router forwarding rule, firewall exception and player connection details together. Changing only one of those locations creates a new mismatch.
Audit startup parameters
Review the complete command or configuration used to start the server. Confirm the server name, maximum-player setting, player password, administrator password, game mode, -Port, -QueryPort and any other parameters supplied by the host instructions. A typo or an option left over from an older installation can prevent players from entering the world even when the process appears in Task Manager.
Keep a copy of the last known-good configuration before editing it. Change one value at a time and restart the server after each deliberate change. This makes it possible to identify whether the failure came from a port value, a password, a mode selection or another launch option rather than losing track of several simultaneous edits.
Apply the host firewall exception
On the server PC, use Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall and add Soulmask.exe when it is missing. Permit the profiles that match the host’s active network. A router rule can be correct while Windows still drops inbound traffic, so test from outside the local network after saving the exception. If the server is hosted by a provider, give its support team the configured game and query ports, the startup parameters and the time of the failed attempt.
Direct connection versus the server list
For a private server, direct connection separates the game-port path from the server-browser path. Start the server, launch Soulmask, choose its direct-connect option and enter the host’s reachable IPv4 address plus the configured game port. The Steam example uses port 8777 (Steam Community). Use the actual value in the server’s configuration if it differs.
If direct connection succeeds while the server list remains empty or times out, the game port is probably reachable and the query path deserves attention. Recheck the query-port value, forwarding and firewall exposure. If both methods fail, return to the server process, startup parameters and host firewall rather than treating the browser display as the root cause.
How to isolate router, NAT and ISP problems
An alternate-network test is the quickest practical separator between the PC and the home connection. A successful hotspot attempt points toward the home router, ISP route, NAT behavior or a local security rule. Compare the router’s forwarding target with the server’s current private IPv4 address, confirm that the configured UDP ports are forwarded, and check whether another device is using the same address or port.
A failed test on multiple networks does not prove the server is healthy or broken. Combine it with the scope test: if other players connect while you fail everywhere, focus on your client, versions, mods and firewall; if everyone fails everywhere, the administrator or hosting provider must investigate the server.
What not to change first
- Do not randomly open ports. Start with the values in the server’s launch file. Opening unrelated ports can add exposure without correcting the connection path.
- Do not assume 8777 and 27015 apply to every server. They are common examples, and administrators can change them.
- Do not disable security software as a permanent fix. Use a specific application or network exception, then restore normal protection and retest.
- Do not treat a server-list failure as proof that the game port is closed. Query traffic and game traffic can use separate configuration values.
- Do not change client and server settings simultaneously. A controlled, one-change-at-a-time test identifies the real fault and makes rollback possible.
When to contact the host or provider
Escalate when the server process repeatedly restarts, every player is rejected, the configured ports are already forwarded, and the host firewall exception has been checked. Supply the server address (without publishing passwords), configured game and query ports, startup parameters, client and server versions, required mods, the exact error wording and the approximate time of the attempt. Tell support whether direct connection works and whether a hotspot changes the result.
If only one player remains affected after the server owner confirms a healthy session, that player should provide their Windows version, Soulmask version, mod list, firewall profile and alternate-network result. This evidence is more useful than repeating “it disconnects,” because it identifies whether the failure follows the account, computer or network.
A compact decision path
- Ask whether anyone can connect. If nobody can, inspect the server and host network first.
- If others can connect, compare your client version and required mods with the server.
- Try the same join through a phone hotspot or another network.
- If direct IP works but the list fails, inspect the query-port path.
- If the server recently updated, align versions and mods before editing router rules.
- After each change, restart the affected service and record whether the symptom changed from timeout to immediate disconnect or disappeared.
Evidence and limitations
The port values, direct-connect example and mod explanation above come from hosting and community material, not a guarantee that every Soulmask server uses identical settings. Confirm the active launch file and current host instructions before changing ports. No named statistic or official developer statement establishes a single universal cause for this exact error; diagnosis therefore depends on the scope and pattern of the failure.
“A misconfigured dedicated server is another classic cause of the Connection to Host Lost error.” — Holy.gg, April 10, 2026
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