If you can join your Palworld dedicated server by IP address but cannot find it in the Community list, the server is usually running correctly but is not advertising its query endpoint. Enable community listing with -publiclobby, restart the server, forward UDP 27015 for list advertisement and UDP 8211 for gameplay, then search the exact server name. If direct-IP joining also fails, troubleshoot the server process, firewall, port forwarding and possible CGNAT before worrying about browser registration.
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First, identify which connection is failing
Palworld has two different connection routes. A player can enter an address and port in the direct-connect field, or browse the Community server list. A private dedicated server can accept direct connections without appearing in that browser. Conversely, a server can be visible in the list while its gameplay port is unreachable.
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| What you observe | What it indicates | Where to focus |
|---|---|---|
| Direct IP connection works; the server is absent from Community | The game process and gameplay path are probably healthy, but registration or query traffic is missing. | Community mode, UDP 27015, exact-name search and registration delay. |
| Direct IP connection fails and the server is absent from Community | The gameplay path itself is not reaching the host. | Server process, configured game port, firewall, router forwarding and CGNAT. |
| Steam/PC player can connect, but an Xbox or PS5 player cannot find it | The deployment or platform path may not meet console requirements. | Community-server deployment and current cross-play limits. |
| Players outside the home network connect, but players in the same home cannot | The router may not support Hairpin NAT. | Test from another network or use a local address for same-LAN play. |
Private dedicated server and community server are different modes
A dedicated server started without the public-listing option is effectively private from the browser’s point of view. Players are expected to use the host’s address and port directly. Turning on community listing does not replace the gameplay connection; it adds an advertisement and a way for clients to discover the server.
Pocketpair’s official community-server guide (page version 1.0.4) states that adding -publiclobby at startup completes the community-server setup. The option must be present when the process starts, so changing a shortcut or script while the server is already running has no effect until you stop and restart it.
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This explains the common situation in which direct IP works but a name search returns nothing: the gameplay listener is available, while the server has never registered its public listing.
Step 1: test direct connection before changing the listing
Use the game’s direct-connect field with the server’s public IP address and the configured game port. From outside the host’s home network, enter the address and port exactly as configured on the server. A test from the hosting PC alone is not sufficient because local routing can succeed even when inbound traffic from the internet is blocked.
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 errors- Start the dedicated-server process and wait until it has finished loading.
- On a player device, open Palworld’s direct-connect screen.
- Enter the public address and game port, then attempt to join.
- Repeat from a different internet connection, such as a phone hotspot, when possible.
If this succeeds, leave the server process and gameplay settings alone for now. The remaining work is registration and discovery. If it fails, confirm that the server is actually running, that the player is using the configured port, that the executable is allowed through the host firewall, and that the router forwards traffic to the host’s current local IP address.
Step 2: enable Community listing with -publiclobby
Use the launch method appropriate to the host operating system. Pocketpair’s documented examples are:
- Windows:
PalServer.exe -publiclobby - Linux:
./PalServer.sh -publiclobby
In a graphical launcher, select the option labeled Community Server or Public Server, save the setting and restart the server. In a custom startup script, append -publiclobby to the existing command rather than replacing other required arguments.
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- Stop the running Palworld server cleanly.
- Edit the shortcut, launcher profile or startup script.
- Add
-publiclobbyafter the executable name. - Save the change and start the server again.
- Keep the server running while clients search; registration occurs after startup, not while the process is stopped.
If the server is intentionally private, do not enable this option. Continue using direct IP and port instead. A private server is not “broken” merely because it is absent from the Community browser.
Step 3: keep the advertisement and gameplay network paths separate
The launcher FAQ maintained with PalworldServer identifies two UDP paths that must be considered independently:
| Purpose | Protocol and port | Forward to | What failure looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam query advertisement and list registration | UDP 27015 | The host machine’s current LAN address | The server may accept direct connections but never appear in the list. |
| Gameplay traffic | UDP 8211 | The host machine’s current LAN address | The server may be listed, but joining times out or disconnects. |
The documented ports are recommendations for the standard setup. If you deliberately changed the game’s configured port, use that configured value for gameplay and make the router and firewall rules match it. Do not assume that opening only one port proves the entire setup works.
Forward both ports to the correct local address
- Find the host PC’s current private IPv4 address on the home network.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, create a UDP rule for port 27015 to that address.
- Create a second UDP rule for port 8211 to the same address, unless your configuration explicitly uses a different gameplay port.
- Save or apply the router changes.
- Confirm that the host has not received a new local address from DHCP; if it has, update the forwarding destination or reserve the address in the router.
Forwarding to an old address is a frequent reason a setup appears to work briefly and then stops after a reboot. The forwarding destination must be the machine actually running PalServer.
Allow PalServer through the host firewall
The launcher FAQ specifically recommends allowing the PalServer executable through Windows Firewall. Approve the application on the network profiles you use, and ensure the UDP rules are not restricted to the wrong profile. If Windows displays a firewall prompt when the server first starts, allowing the executable is part of the setup, not an optional browser fix.
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After changing firewall or router rules, restart the server and retest from an external network. Testing only on the host can bypass the very inbound path you are trying to verify.
Step 4: rule out CGNAT before changing more settings
Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) places the home router behind another address-sharing layer controlled by the internet provider. In that situation, a correct local port-forwarding rule may still receive no unsolicited inbound traffic. The launcher FAQ lists CGNAT as a reason that direct access and server listing can fail despite apparently correct router and firewall settings.
Compare the WAN address shown by the router with the public address reported by an independent internet connection. If they do not match, or if the router shows a private or shared-provider address, the connection may be behind CGNAT. The exact diagnostic depends on the provider, so treat this as an indication rather than proof.
When CGNAT prevents inbound hosting, the practical choices are to obtain a real public address from the provider, host on a network that supplies one, or use a managed game-server service that handles the public endpoint. No amount of changing the in-game server name will make an unreachable inbound path advertise correctly.
Step 5: search for the listing correctly
Once -publiclobby is active and the server has restarted, do not rely on scrolling through a long, changing list. The launcher FAQ warns that the browser can be slow or unreliable and that many servers retain the same default names.
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- Give the server a distinctive name that is unlikely to be duplicated.
- Copy the spelling, spaces and punctuation exactly.
- Open the Community server browser after the restart.
- Search the complete unique name instead of browsing pages of results.
- Wait for the list to refresh, then repeat the exact-name search if the first request returns no result.
Registration is not instantaneous. A delay after the first restart does not prove that the option failed. If the name still does not appear after allowing time for a refresh, return to UDP 27015, firewall and CGNAT checks rather than repeatedly renaming the server.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Same-network players may need a different test
Community browsing normally follows the public-network route. Some home routers cannot send that public route back into the same LAN, a limitation known as missing Hairpin NAT (also called NAT loopback). Pocketpair states: “If your router does not support Hairpin NAT, you will not be able to connect to community servers hosted within the same network.”
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Platform compatibility determines whether the list is optional
Platform support changes the importance of community deployment. Pocketpair’s “About server” documentation (page version 0.5.0) says community-server deployment is needed for Xbox and PS5 players to access a server from those versions. A Steam or PC player may be able to use direct IP, but that does not create a console-compatible route.
The same version 0.5.0 documentation lists Steam, Xbox/Windows Store and macOS as cross-play-enabled platforms, while stating that PS5 cross-play is currently unavailable. Therefore:
- Steam/PC direct-IP test: useful for separating gameplay reachability from listing problems.
- Xbox or Windows Store access: plan on a correctly deployed community server rather than a private, direct-IP-only setup.
- PS5: current cross-play unavailability can prevent the desired connection even when ports and listing settings are correct.
- Mixed groups: verify the exact game platform and version for every player before assuming a network fault.
If a console player cannot see the server, first verify that it is running as a community server and that the platform combination is supported. A successful Steam connection does not override a platform restriction.
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“I can join by IP, but the browser is empty”
- Confirm the process was restarted with
-publiclobby. - Forward UDP 27015 to the host’s current LAN address.
- Allow PalServer through the host firewall.
- Search an exact, unique server name after waiting for registration.
- Test from outside the host’s LAN if the player is at home.
“The server is listed, but joining fails”
- Forward UDP 8211, or the explicitly configured gameplay port, to the same host.
- Check the firewall rule for the PalServer executable and UDP traffic.
- Confirm the router still points to the host’s current local IP.
- Test from an external network and investigate CGNAT if inbound traffic never arrives.
“Nobody can join, including by IP”
- Verify the dedicated-server process is running and fully started.
- Confirm the address and port entered by the player match the server configuration.
- Check the host firewall and both router-forwarding destinations.
- Determine whether the internet provider uses CGNAT.
“Only people in my house cannot join”
- Assume a Hairpin NAT limitation until an external test proves otherwise.
- Use an external network to verify public listing and gameplay.
- For same-LAN play, use the local address where supported instead of the public-list route.
Self-hosting versus a managed server
Self-hosting gives you control over the launch command, world files, firewall and router, but it also requires a public inbound path and a stable host address. It is a good fit when you control the router, can forward UDP ports and can diagnose firewall behavior.
A managed server is worth considering when CGNAT blocks inbound traffic, the router is controlled by a landlord or institution, the host PC cannot remain online, or console players need a consistently reachable community deployment. Confirm the service’s supported platforms, public-list behavior and required ports before moving a world. A managed endpoint cannot remove a platform restriction such as the documented PS5 cross-play limitation.
Final verification checklist
- The server is intentionally configured as private or community; the choice matches how players should connect.
- If it should be listed, the startup command includes
-publiclobbyand the process was restarted afterward. - UDP 27015 reaches the host for query advertisement.
- UDP 8211, or the configured gameplay port, reaches the host.
- PalServer is allowed through the host firewall.
- Forwarding targets the host’s current LAN address.
- An external-network test has been performed.
- CGNAT has been ruled out or an alternative public host has been chosen.
- The player searched the exact unique server name and allowed time for registration.
- Same-LAN failures have been checked for missing Hairpin NAT.
- Every player’s platform is compatible with the current Palworld cross-play rules.
The key distinction is simple: listing is discovery, while gameplay is connectivity. Fix the layer that is failing instead of changing both at once. A server that works by direct IP needs registration and query-path work; a server that cannot accept direct IP needs network-path and host troubleshooting first.
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