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For a self-hosted Palworld dedicated server, forward UDP port 8211 from your Internet-facing router to the server computer and allow the same UDP port through the computer’s firewall. Pocketpair lists UDP 8211 as the default, changeable network port and requires router port forwarding. If you set a different listen port with -port=xxxx, forward that replacement port instead.
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UDP 27015 is different: secondary networking guidance identifies it as a Steam query or server-browser port. Add it only when your deployment needs query visibility and uses that configuration. It is not a universal substitute for 8211. RCON and REST API ports are management interfaces, not basic gameplay ports; expose them only when enabled, secured and deliberately required.
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Palworld port requirements at a glance
| Purpose | Protocol | Default or condition | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server gameplay and client connections | UDP | 8211 by default | Forward the listen port to the server’s LAN address and allow it through the host firewall. |
| Custom gameplay listen port | UDP | The value supplied to -port=xxxx |
Use the same number in the router rule and firewall rule. |
| Steam query or server-browser visibility | UDP | 27015 in commonly documented deployments | Add only if query visibility is needed and the server is configured to use it. |
| Community-server advertised public endpoint | Not a separate listen socket | The value supplied to -publicport=xxxx |
Use it to advertise a public port; it does not replace the port the server listens on. |
| RCON or REST administration | Deployment-specific | No universal port applies to every setup | Read the enabled service’s configuration, then restrict and protect the interface. |
Do not automatically open every port in a list. A port is needed because a particular service listens on it. The smallest working rule for a default self-hosted server is UDP 8211 on both the router and the host firewall.
What UDP 8211 actually does
The default listen port
In Pocketpair’s Palworld Server Guide: Requirements (version 0.5.0), the network requirement is stated as: “Network | UDP Port 8211 (Default, Changeable) Be able to port forwarding by router configuration.” That is the game server’s default listening endpoint. A client connecting from outside your home network sends traffic toward your public address and UDP 8211; the router must translate and deliver it to the computer running the dedicated server.
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UDP is the important part of the rule. A UDP-only forwarding rule is normally sufficient for the default game endpoint. Opening TCP 8211 as well does not make UDP traffic work and increases the exposed surface without solving a forwarding mistake. Only add TCP when a separately enabled service explicitly requires it.
Changing the listen port
Pocketpair documents -port=8211 as the argument that changes the port number used to listen to the server. For example, if the startup configuration uses -port=9000, the server listens on UDP 9000 rather than UDP 8211. The router and firewall must both be changed to UDP 9000; forwarding 8211 alone will send packets to a port where nothing is listening.
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What -publicport means
Pocketpair also documents -publicport=xxxx for manually specifying the public port advertised by a community server. This argument does not change the server’s listening port. If the server still listens on UDP 8211, changing only -publicport does not turn 8211 into a different local socket. Treat the listen value and the advertised public value as separate settings, and verify that your router rule matches the listen value.
When UDP 27015 is needed
A current secondary networking guide identifies UDP 27015 as a Steam query or server-browser port. Query traffic is separate from the packets used for ordinary game connectivity, so a server may be reachable directly while still missing from a browser or query listing.
Use 27015 conditionally:
- Add a UDP 27015 forwarding rule only when your server deployment uses that query port.
- Allow UDP 27015 through the host firewall at the same time if the query service listens on the server computer.
- Do not present 27015 as a replacement for the default game port. UDP 8211 remains the Pocketpair-documented listen port unless you changed it with
-port. - If direct connections work but browser visibility does not, check the query-port configuration before changing the gameplay port.
Because the query-port statement comes from secondary guidance rather than Pocketpair’s universal requirements page, treat the number as configuration-dependent. A managed host may choose a different arrangement, and a server that does not provide query visibility has no reason to expose 27015.
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Port forwarding and firewall permission solve two different barriers. The router controls whether packets arriving from the Internet are translated to a device inside your LAN. The host firewall controls whether the operating system permits those packets to reach the server process after they arrive. Passing one layer does not automatically configure the other.
For the default setup, both of these must exist:
- Router rule: forward inbound UDP 8211 from the Internet-facing interface to the server computer’s stable LAN address.
- Host rule: allow inbound UDP 8211 on the computer running the dedicated server.
If you changed the launch argument to another listen port, substitute that number in both places. If the server computer receives a different LAN address after a reboot, a router rule tied to the old address will silently point at the wrong device. Assign the host a stable LAN address, using your router’s address-reservation feature or an equivalent method, before testing.
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How to open the required port
- Confirm the listen argument. Inspect the dedicated-server startup configuration. With defaults, it is
-port=8211. Record any custom value. Do not infer the listen port from-publicport. - Identify the server computer’s LAN address. Give that computer a stable address so a restart does not invalidate the forwarding destination. The address is usually visible in the router’s connected-device list or the operating system’s network settings.
- Create the router forwarding rule. In the gateway’s port-forwarding or virtual-server page, create an inbound rule for UDP and the confirmed listen-port number, targeting the server computer’s LAN address. If the interface asks for an external and internal port, use the same number unless your deployment intentionally maps different values.
- Allow the port in the host firewall. Add an inbound rule for UDP and the same listen-port number on the server computer. Apply it to the network profile used by that computer, and limit the rule to the dedicated-server process or trusted source ranges when your environment supports that control.
- Start the dedicated server and verify its configuration. Confirm that the process is running with the expected
-portvalue. A forwarding rule cannot help if the server failed to start or is listening on another number. - Add query visibility only if required. If your deployment uses the commonly documented Steam query port, create corresponding UDP 27015 rules on the router and host firewall. Skip this step for a server that needs only direct gameplay connections.
- Handle management interfaces separately. If RCON or a REST API is enabled, find its port in that service’s configuration. Do not assume it is 8211 or 27015, and do not expose it merely because the game server is public.
- Test from outside the LAN. Use a friend on another connection or a device on cellular data. A connection from the same home network can succeed through local routing even when Internet forwarding is broken.
Common setup choices
| Scenario | Gameplay rule | Optional rule | Key caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default self-hosted server | UDP 8211 to the server host | None required | Router and host firewall rules are both needed. |
| Self-hosted server with a custom listen value | UDP value from -port=xxxx |
UDP 27015 if query visibility is configured | Forward the custom value, not 8211. |
| Community server advertising a public port | The actual listen value | -publicport=xxxx as the advertised endpoint |
-publicport does not change the listen socket. |
| Server with browser/query requirements | UDP 8211 or the custom listen value | UDP 27015 when used by the deployment | Query visibility and gameplay reachability are separate. |
| Server with RCON or REST enabled | Normal gameplay rule | Configured management port | Expose management only with authentication and access restrictions. |
| Managed hosting | Use the host’s assigned endpoint and instructions | Provider-selected query or management settings | You may not control the upstream router; do not add home-router rules unless the server is actually at home. |
Why LAN connections work while Internet connections fail
The server is listening on a different port
LAN clients can sometimes use local discovery or a direct local address, masking a mismatch in the public instructions. Recheck the startup argument and make sure the router and firewall use that exact UDP value.
The forwarding destination changed
A router rule aimed at yesterday’s LAN address will not reach a host that received a new address from DHCP. Reserve the server address, then update the rule to point to it.
The host firewall blocks the packet
Port forwarding delivers traffic to the computer, but the operating system can still discard it. Confirm an inbound UDP rule exists for the listen port and that it applies to the active network profile.
Only the query port was opened
Opening UDP 27015 can improve browser visibility when configured, but it does not replace the gameplay listen port. Ensure UDP 8211, or the custom -port value, is forwarded as well.
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The test was performed inside the same network
Some routers handle local loopback differently from genuine Internet traffic. Validate with a connection that leaves the home network; a successful LAN test alone is not proof that forwarding works.
The server is behind another router
If an Internet provider gateway feeds a second personal router, the first device may also need a route to the second device, or the downstream router must be placed in an appropriate bridge or passthrough arrangement. The exact labels vary by equipment, but the principle remains: every routing layer between the public address and the server must deliver the UDP listen port.
Security rules for public servers
Forwarding a port makes a service reachable from untrusted networks. Keep the exposure limited to what the server needs:
- Open UDP 8211, or the custom listen value, rather than a broad range of ports.
- Add UDP 27015 only for configured query or browser visibility.
- Do not expose RCON or REST merely for convenience. These are administrative surfaces; use authentication, restrict source addresses where possible, and prefer private network access or a secure tunnel when practical.
- Review forwarding rules after changing server software or startup arguments. Remove obsolete rules so an old service is not left reachable.
- Keep the server and operating system maintained, and monitor who has administrative access.
A router that lacks configurable forwarding may require replacement or an upstream configuration change, but purchasing new networking hardware is not inherently part of a Palworld server setup. Many existing gateways already support the required rule.
Managed hosting versus self-hosting
With self-hosting, you control the public router, LAN address, host firewall and launch arguments, so the sequence above applies directly. A managed provider normally controls the Internet-facing network and supplies an address or port assignment. In that case, follow the provider’s endpoint instructions rather than forwarding UDP 8211 on your home router; your home computer is not the server.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe distinction also affects management ports. A managed provider may keep RCON, REST or query services on an internal network, while a self-hosted administrator must decide whether to expose them. Ask which endpoint is intended for player traffic and which, if any, is intended for administration before creating rules.
Quick Recap
A compact verification checklist
- The dedicated server is running and its
-portvalue is known. - The server computer has a stable LAN address.
- The router forwards inbound UDP for that listen value to the correct address.
- The host firewall allows inbound UDP for the same value.
- UDP 27015 is opened only when the deployment uses it for query visibility.
-publicportis understood as an advertised public value, not a replacement for the listen port.- RCON and REST ports remain closed unless enabled, authenticated and intentionally exposed.
- An external-network test succeeds; a LAN-only test is not sufficient.
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