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Open Valheim, choose Join Game, then select Add server or Join IP. Enter the server’s public IP address and configured game port. Steam-backend servers normally require the host to forward ports 2456–2457 and allow the server through its firewall; Crossplay servers use a relay and can also be joined with a numeric code or from the server list.
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First identify which backend the server uses
The correct joining method depends on whether the dedicated server is running Valheim’s Steam backend or its Crossplay backend. Ask the server owner which backend is enabled before troubleshooting an address or port. The distinction determines whether router forwarding is normally needed and whether players outside Steam can connect.
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| Connection path | What the player enters | Port forwarding for the host | Platform reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam backend | Public IP address and game port | Normally required; the official default range is 2456–2457 | Steam users in the documented setup |
| Crossplay backend | Public IP and port, numeric join code, or a server-list entry | Not required for outside access because traffic is relayed | Cross-platform players when Crossplay is enabled |
Valheim’s official Steam announcement dated September 14, 2022, says a dedicated-server owner must enable Crossplay if non-Steam players are to join. A Steam player can still join a Crossplay server, but the server must be started with Crossplay enabled for Xbox and Microsoft Store participants.
Collect the address and port before opening Valheim
Use the public address for an Internet connection
For a friend connecting from another home or mobile network, the server owner must provide the server’s public or external IP address. An address such as 192.168.x.x is a private LAN address; it points to a device inside the owner’s home network and normally cannot be used by someone on the wider Internet. A loopback address refers to the local computer itself and is not a substitute for a public server address.
A local address can be appropriate when two players are on the same LAN and the setup is a non-Crossplay/LAN connection. Do not carry that exception over to a Crossplay Internet join: Iron Gate’s Crossplay guidance specifically says local and loopback addresses cannot be used there.
Confirm the configured game port
Ask the owner for the port selected when the server was configured. If no custom port was chosen for a Steam-backend dedicated server, the official default range is 2456–2457. Valheim uses the selected port and the next port, so a server configured with a different starting port also needs the corresponding two-port range handled by the host’s network setup.
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Understand the entry format
The join screen generally expects an address in the provider’s or host’s IP:port form. Enter the public address, a colon, and the game port exactly as supplied. If the owner gives a numeric Crossplay join code instead, use the code workflow described below rather than trying to turn the code into an IP address.
Join a Steam-backend server by IP
Use this sequence when the server owner is running the normal Steam backend and has given you a public address and port.
- Get the connection details. Ask for the public/external IP address, the configured game port, and the server password. If the owner changed the default port, request that value explicitly.
- Open the join screen. Launch Valheim and select Join Game. Choose Add server or Join IP, depending on the label shown by your current game build.
- Enter the address. Type the supplied public address and port in the expected
IP:portformat. Do not substitute the owner’s private LAN address when you are connecting from a different network. - Wait for the connection attempt. If the server is reachable and the versions match, Valheim should proceed to the password prompt or the world connection screen.
- Enter the password. Type the server password when prompted. A correct address and open port do not bypass the password requirement.
What the host must do for Steam backend access
The player cannot repair a missing forwarding rule from the join screen. The server owner must configure the network path first:
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- Forward the configured game-port range from the router to the computer running the dedicated server. For the official default, that is ports 2456 and 2457.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through the operating system’s firewall on the server computer.
- Make sure the forwarding rule targets the correct machine. A rule aimed at another computer on the LAN will leave the intended server unreachable.
- Start the server and watch its console. Iron Gate’s official guide says the server is ready when the console reports “Game server connected.”
Iron Gate’s April 11, 2024, support guide describes Internet access to the port range as the most important Steam-backend requirement. If the console never reaches the connected message, solve the server-startup problem before testing the client’s address.
Join a Crossplay server
Crossplay changes both the available players and the network path. The server owner must start the dedicated server with the Crossplay backend enabled, using the -crossplay option. A server that is merely reachable by IP but was started without Crossplay will not provide the cross-platform path required by Xbox or Microsoft Store players.
Option 1: Use the public IP and port
- Ask the owner for the server’s public address and configured game port.
- Open Join Game, then select Add server or Join IP.
- Enter the public address and port in the displayed
IP:portformat. - Supply the password if Valheim requests it.
Crossplay uses a relay for outside access, so the server owner normally does not need to configure router port forwarding for an Internet player. The public address is still the server detail to request; a private LAN or loopback address is not accepted for a Crossplay join.
Option 2: Use a numeric join code
When the owner supplies a numeric join code, open Join Game, choose Add server, and paste or type the code in the join-code field. The official Crossplay FAQ explains that a join code is available after starting a server through the game or by hosting a dedicated server and then opening the pause menu. Treat the code as an alternative to entering an IP address, not as a port number.
Option 3: Select the server from the list
If the Crossplay server is visible in Valheim’s server browser, select its listing and connect there. The owner still needs Crossplay enabled and the server must be running, but the player may not need to manually enter an address or code.
Can Xbox and Microsoft Store players join?
Yes, but the participating setup must use Crossplay. Xbox and Microsoft Store players cannot join a Steam-backend-only dedicated server through an ordinary IP entry. The owner should start the server with -crossplay, then provide a public IP and port, a numeric join code, or a server-list listing.
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If a Steam player can join while an Xbox player cannot, check the backend first rather than changing random ports. Crossplay is the requirement that changes the platform reach; the Steam announcement from September 14, 2022, specifically ties non-Steam access to enabling Crossplay on the dedicated server.
What ports does Valheim use?
For the official default Steam-backend configuration, Valheim uses the range 2456–2457. The first value is the selected game port and the second is the next port used by the server. If the owner sets a custom -port, use that value and its next port instead of blindly forwarding the defaults.
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The player should enter the configured game port supplied by the owner. The second port is part of the host’s forwarding and firewall setup; it is not normally entered as a second colon-separated value in the join field. If the owner has configured a custom range, ask for the exact connection port shown by the server or hosting panel.
Why an otherwise correct IP still fails
Most failed joins come from a mismatch between the address the player entered and the path the server is actually using. Check the following branches in order.
The address is private or local
If the player is outside the host’s network, replace the private LAN address with the public/external address. For Crossplay, do not use a local or loopback address even during an Internet test; those addresses are explicitly unsupported by the Crossplay path. A LAN player may use a local address only for a compatible non-Crossplay/LAN setup.
The port is wrong
Ask the owner to verify the server’s -port setting and the port shown in the hosting control panel, then compare that value with the one entered in Join IP. For a default Steam setup, confirm that the forwarding rule covers 2456–2457. A rule for an old custom port will not follow a later configuration change automatically.
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The router forwards to the wrong computer
On Steam backend hosting, the router must send the configured range to the machine running the dedicated-server process. If the server moved to another computer, the forwarding destination must be updated. The owner should also check that the server application is allowed through the host operating system’s firewall.
The server is not fully running
Ask the owner to read the dedicated-server console. The official readiness indicator is “Game server connected.” If that message has not appeared, retrying the same address from several clients will not solve the startup issue. Start the server successfully first, then test the join details.
Crossplay was not enabled
If an Xbox or Microsoft Store player is involved, confirm that the server was started with -crossplay. A Steam-only server can appear to work for Steam users while still rejecting a cross-platform participant. Switching to a join code does not fix a server that was started on the wrong backend.
Client and server patches differ
Update every participating client and the dedicated server to the same game patch. Valheim’s official announcement warns that a different patch can prevent a connection. Check the server version as well as the local game client; updating only the player’s copy may leave the mismatch in place.
The password is being rejected
Once the address and network path work, enter the password exactly as provided by the owner. Request a fresh password if the owner changed it. Do not treat a password rejection as evidence that the IP or port is wrong; it indicates that the server has progressed far enough to ask for authentication.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Steam backend versus Crossplay: choosing the right path
Use the Steam backend when every participant is using Steam and the owner is prepared to handle router forwarding and firewall access. Use Crossplay when Xbox or Microsoft Store players need to join, or when the owner prefers the relay-based outside connection that normally avoids router port forwarding.
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Crossplay does not make a private address valid, and it does not remove the need for a running server, a matching patch, or the correct password. It changes the transport and platform reach; the player still needs one of the supported connection methods: public IP and port, join code, or server-list entry.
Joining from the same home network
A player on the same LAN may be able to connect to a non-Crossplay server using the host computer’s local address. That is a local-network exception, not a general answer to “what IP do I enter?” For an Internet friend, provide the public address. For a Crossplay server, avoid local and loopback addresses altogether because the official Crossplay guidance disallows them.
When testing locally, make sure the test matches the intended audience. A successful LAN connection proves that the server is running, but it does not prove that a Steam-backend Internet forwarding rule is correct. Conversely, a Crossplay relay test should use the supported public-address, join-code, or server-list method rather than a private address.
Managed hosting as an alternative to home hosting
If the owner does not want to configure a router and operating-system firewall, a managed Valheim host can provide a ready-made server endpoint. The host’s control panel normally displays the connection address and port. In Valheim, select Join Game, choose Join IP or Add server, and enter the address exactly as shown by that panel.
Managed hosting removes much of the home-router and firewall work, but it does not remove the need to use the correct address, port, password, backend, and game patch. If the provider offers Crossplay, confirm that the server was created or started with Crossplay enabled before inviting Xbox or Microsoft Store players.
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Iron Gate’s 2024 documentation lists a default save interval of 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes. That setting concerns server administration rather than the IP join procedure. It is useful context when scheduling maintenance or explaining why a recent change may not yet be reflected in a save, but it does not change the address or port a player enters.
A practical handoff checklist
The owner can give a joining player a complete handoff with five details:
- The backend: Steam or Crossplay.
- The public server address, unless the player is intentionally joining a compatible LAN setup.
- The configured game port, including any custom
-portvalue. - The server password.
- For Crossplay, either confirmation that
-crossplayis enabled or a numeric join code.
The owner should independently verify that the server console says “Game server connected.” For Steam backend hosting, verify the forwarding range and firewall rule. For Crossplay hosting, verify that the relay-enabled backend is active and that no one is attempting to use a local or loopback address. Finally, update the server and every client to the same patch before diagnosing more complicated failures.
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