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Open Garry’s Mod, select Find Multiplayer Game, choose the appropriate server list, select a server, and press the blue Join Server button. If you already have a server address, the faster fallback is the developer-console command connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT.
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Choose the right way to connect
Your best joining method depends on what information you have and how the server is being hosted. Public servers are normally found through the Internet list. A server on the same home or school network belongs in Local Network. A server you visited before may be available in History, while a server you deliberately saved appears in Favorites. If the modern browser does not show useful results, the Legacy Browser provides the older listing interface. When a friend gives you an address, connecting by console avoids server-list discovery altogether.
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| Situation | Best route | Do you need an address? | Password handling | Possible content download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public server you want to discover | Find Multiplayer Game → Internet | No | Only if the server is protected | Possibly |
| Server on your local network | Find Multiplayer Game → Local Network | No | Only if the host set one | Possibly |
| Server visited previously | History | No, if it remains in the list | Only if required | Possibly |
| Server you saved manually | Favorites | No, after saving it | Only if required | Possibly |
| Browser is empty or unreliable | Legacy Browser, then refresh filters | Not initially | Only if required | Possibly |
| Friend supplied an IP and port | Developer console with connect |
Yes | Enter the password first when needed | Possibly |
| Friend is already playing on a joinable server | Steam Friends → right-click friend → Join Game | No | Handled by the server if applicable | Possibly |
Join a public server through the normal browser
1. Open the multiplayer menu
- Launch Garry’s Mod.
- On the main menu, select Find Multiplayer Game.
- Choose the Internet tab for public servers.
The browser presents server entries with the information you need to make a selection, including the server name, address, current player count, map, and ping. Use those fields to identify the intended server rather than selecting a result solely by name; several servers can use similar names.
2. Select a server and connect
- Click the server listing you want.
- Review its address, player count, map, and ping in the server panel.
- Click the blue Join Server button.
“To join a server, simply click the blue ‘Join Server’ button on the server menu.” — Garry’s Mod Wiki, Facepunch Studios
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Garry’s Mod can download files required by the server while the connection is being established. The first connection can therefore take longer than later visits, especially when the server uses custom maps or addons. Leave the game open while that transfer completes instead of assuming that a delayed loading screen means the server has disappeared.
Use the other browser tabs correctly
Local Network for LAN servers
Select Local Network when the server is running on the same local network as your computer. This is the appropriate list for a friend hosting from another computer in the same home, classroom, office, or other shared network. If the host is not on the same network, Local Network is not the correct discovery method; ask for the server address and use the console procedure instead.
History for previously visited servers
The History tab is useful when you connected to a server before but did not save it as a favorite. Find the earlier entry and use its Join Server button. History is a record of prior visits, not a guarantee that the server is currently online, accepting players, or using the same map and content.
Favorites for servers you want to keep
Use Favorites for servers you have intentionally saved. This avoids searching the full Internet list each time. A favorite can still fail to connect if the server address changes or the server is unavailable, so treat it as a saved listing rather than proof that the server is operating.
Legacy Browser when the modern list is unhelpful
Choose Legacy Browser to open the older server-browser interface. This is especially useful for diagnosing an empty or strangely filtered Internet list because it exposes filter controls that may be hidden in the simplified view.
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Connect directly with an IP address and port
Direct connection is the most dependable route when a friend, community post, or server directory gives you a complete address. A server address normally contains an IP address and a port, such as 127.0.0.1:27015. The port is part of the address; omitting it can send the client to the wrong endpoint.
Open the developer console
Open Garry’s Mod’s developer console with the tilde key or with F10, as documented by Facepunch support. If one key does not open it on your keyboard layout, try the other documented key before troubleshooting the server itself.
Run the connection command
- Click inside the console input area.
- Type
connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT, replacing both placeholders with the supplied address. - Press Enter.
For example, the documented local-server form is connect 127.0.0.1:27015. Do not type the words IP_ADDRESS or PORT literally; substitute the actual values you were given. Copying the address exactly is important because a single changed digit can point to a different server.
Enter a password-protected server
A dated Steam Community tutorial describes entering password TEST first and then connect IP.ADDRESS:9999, replacing the example password, address, and port. This is community guidance rather than an official Facepunch guarantee, so follow the exact sequence supplied by the server operator if it differs. Keep the password command and connection command separate, and do not publish a private password in a public chat or forum.
Join through a Steam friend
When a friend is already connected to a joinable Garry’s Mod server, Steam can bypass the server browser. Open your Steam friends list, right-click that friend, and choose Join Game. Facepunch support identifies this as an alternative when the browser is not useful.
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The option depends on the friend actually being in a joinable server. If the friend is at the Garry’s Mod menu, in a private session, or on a server that does not expose joining, Steam may not show the action or the attempt may not lead into the game. Ask the friend to remain connected and confirm that the session accepts additional players before trying again.
What happens when the server needs Workshop content
Servers can require Workshop addons, maps, or other custom content. During connection, Garry’s Mod may download those files. A server that uses substantial custom content can therefore take noticeably longer to load than a mostly standard server.
Subscribe when the host provides a collection
If the server operator supplies a Workshop collection, subscribe to that collection when instructed. Subscribing gives your client access to the required addons before or during the connection process, depending on how the server distributes them. Keep the game open while Steam and Garry’s Mod finish processing the content.
Recognize missing-content symptoms
A client that lacks required files can see missing textures or models labeled ERROR. Those symptoms indicate that the server content is not fully available on your computer; they do not by themselves prove that the server listing is fraudulent or offline. Check whether the host supplied a collection or separate download instructions, then reconnect after the required content is present.
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Fix an empty or broken server browser
A blank browser does not necessarily mean that no servers exist. Filters, the simplified display mode, and the selected tab can hide otherwise available listings. Facepunch’s support guidance recommends correcting those settings before abandoning the browser.
Restore the Legacy Browser filters
- Open Find Multiplayer Game.
- Open Legacy Browser.
- Check whether Simplified List is enabled; if it is, untick it.
- Restore the filter values to their defaults rather than keeping restrictive custom settings.
- Select the Internet tab.
- Press Refresh All and wait for the list to repopulate.
Filters can exclude servers by game mode, map, player count, or other criteria. Returning to defaults removes that hidden restriction and gives the browser a clean starting point. After the refresh, narrow the results again only if you have a specific reason to do so.
Use a known address if refresh does not help
If the list remains empty after the filter reset and refresh, ask a friend for the server’s IP address and port or obtain the address from a server directory. Then use the developer-console command connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT. This bypasses browser discovery, so it is the practical fallback when the listing service is not returning useful results.
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| Method | Best when | Main requirement | What it avoids | What can still interrupt joining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet browser | You want to discover a public server | Accurate filters and a populated list | Finding an address manually | Hidden filters, unavailable listings, or required downloads |
| Local Network tab | The host is on your LAN | Both computers on the same local network | Entering an address | The host not being on the same network or not advertising the session |
| History | You visited the server before | A retained previous listing | Searching again | The server address or availability having changed |
| Favorites | You saved a server for repeat visits | A saved listing | Repeated discovery | Address changes or server downtime |
| Legacy Browser | The standard browser is empty or confusing | Default filters and a refresh | Relying on the simplified display | The browser still failing to return results |
| Console | You know the exact IP and port | Complete address, plus password when required | Server-list discovery | Incorrect address, password, or missing content |
| Steam Join Game | A friend is already on a joinable server | The friend’s Steam session must expose joining | Searching and copying an address | The friend being unavailable or the server restricting joins |
Work through common connection failures
The server does not appear
Start with the Legacy Browser procedure: disable Simplified List, restore default filters, select Internet, and use Refresh All. If the listing is still absent, stop relying on discovery and request the address from the host. A direct connect command tests the specific server instead of the browser’s ability to find it.
The console command does not reach the intended server
Recheck every character in the IP address and port. The documented command requires the format connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT; do not remove the colon or replace the port with a different value. If the server is password-protected, use the password sequence supplied by its operator. A community example uses password TEST before the connect command, but that example is not a universal official procedure.
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Connection appears stuck while loading
Determine whether Garry’s Mod is downloading required server files. Custom addons and maps can extend the first connection, and a client without those files may later display missing textures or ERROR models. If the host supplied a Workshop collection, subscribe to it and allow Steam and the game to finish preparing the content before trying again.
Steam has no Join Game option
Confirm that your friend is currently inside Garry’s Mod on a joinable server, not merely online in Steam. If the option still does not appear, ask for the server’s complete IP-and-port address and connect through the developer console.
A reliable workflow for joining a friend
- Ask whether the server is public, LAN-only, or friend-hosted, and request its address, port, and password if applicable.
- If the friend is already playing and the session is joinable, try Steam’s Join Game action first.
- If Steam cannot join you, use Find Multiplayer Game and select Internet for a public server or Local Network for a LAN server.
- If the listing is missing, reset the Legacy Browser filters, disable Simplified List, select Internet, and press Refresh All.
- If discovery still fails, open the console with tilde or F10 and run
connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT. - Apply the host’s password instructions, then wait for required Workshop maps and addons to download.
- If textures or models appear as missing or ERROR, check the supplied Workshop collection or other content instructions before reconnecting.
This sequence moves from the least manual option to the most direct one. It also separates two different problems: finding the server and obtaining the files that the server requires. Solving the first does not automatically solve the second.
Information to request from a server host
When someone invites you to a private or unfamiliar server, ask for the details that determine which connection route will work:
- The complete IP address and port, written in the form
address:port. - Whether the server is public, LAN-only, or restricted to Steam friends.
- A password and the exact order in which the host expects it to be entered.
- A Workshop collection or other required-content instructions.
- The server’s displayed name and map, so you can confirm that a browser result is the intended one.
Having those details prevents the most common ambiguity: trying to find a non-public server in the Internet list, or trying to join a public listing without installing its required custom content.
Quick Recap
Quick checklist
- Launch Garry’s Mod and open Find Multiplayer Game.
- Use Internet for public servers and Local Network for LAN servers.
- Use History or Favorites when the server was previously visited or saved.
- Select the listing and press the blue Join Server button.
- For a known address, open the console with tilde or F10 and run
connect IP_ADDRESS:PORT. - For a friend’s active joinable session, try Steam’s right-click Join Game command.
- If the browser is blank, disable Simplified List, restore default filters, choose Internet, and press Refresh All in the Legacy Browser.
- Expect downloads when the server requires Workshop addons or maps.
- Investigate missing textures and ERROR models as signs of missing server content.
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