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First determine which failure you have: PalServer.exe or PalServer.sh closes, or the server stays running but nobody can connect. The first is normally an installation, runtime, DLL, configuration, or process-conflict problem. The second is normally a firewall, port-forwarding, NAT, public-list, or platform-mode problem.
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Work through the matching branch below. Do not begin by changing router settings if the server executable is missing, and do not reinstall the server if it runs locally but is unreachable from the internet.
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Identify the failure before changing anything
| What you see | Most likely branch | First action |
|---|---|---|
PalServer.exe opens and closes, or PalServer.sh exits |
Installation, Windows runtime, Steam DLL, configuration, security software, or a local process conflict | Launch from the actual server folder in a console and read the last error |
| The process remains visible, but nobody on the same network can join | Local firewall, wrong port, bad configuration, or a second process using the port | Test the host’s local IP and game port |
| Local players can join, but internet players time out | Router forwarding, public-IP behavior, CGNAT, or ISP restrictions | Check UDP forwarding and whether the host has a reachable public address |
| Steam players can connect directly, but Xbox or PS5 players cannot find or join it | Incorrect server type or platform mode | Use the community-server path required for those consoles |
Keep the server console and log output open while testing. A visible error is more useful than repeatedly double-clicking the executable, because a console window that disappears can hide the reason for the exit.
When PalServer.exe or PalServer.sh will not stay running
1. Confirm that the installation is complete
Open the directory where the dedicated server was installed and run the documented file from there. Windows uses PalServer.exe; Linux uses PalServer.sh. If PalServer.exe is not present, changing ports or editing an INI file cannot fix the problem: the installation is incomplete.
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Repair or rerun SteamCMD and point it at the same server directory. If the executable never appears after a clean attempt, retry the SteamCMD installation or reinstall that SteamCMD folder before doing network troubleshooting. A missing executable is an installation failure, not a firewall failure.
2. Start from a console so the crash message remains visible
On Windows, open Command Prompt or PowerShell, change to the Palworld server directory, and run PalServer.exe. On Linux, run the documented PalServer.sh script from the installation directory. Leave the window open and copy the final lines if the process exits.
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Look for a missing-file message, a runtime error, a bind or port error, or a configuration parse error. Those categories lead to different fixes. Do not treat every immediate exit as a port problem: an absent runtime DLL can stop the program before it ever opens a network socket.
3. Repair the Windows prerequisites
The Windows server troubleshooting guidance lists the DirectX Runtime and the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable as prerequisites. Install or repair both, restart Windows if an installer requests it, and launch the server again from the console.
If the process still exits, temporarily check whether endpoint-security software or Windows security controls are blocking the executable or one of its dependencies. Use an allow rule for the server only when you trust the files and understand the security consequence; do not disable protection permanently just to make a test pass.
4. Check the Steam DLL condition described for immediate crashes
One documented crash condition involves required Steam libraries not being available beside the server files. The troubleshooting guidance specifically names tier0_s64.dll, tier0_s.dll, vstdlib_s.dll, vstdlib_s64.dll, steamclient.dll, and steamclient64.dll.
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5. Generate the configuration file in the supported order
Palworld’s official dedicated-server instructions have you start the server once, stop it cleanly, and then edit the generated PalWorldSettings.ini. The file is created in the platform-specific saved-configuration directory. If you create an INI in the wrong directory, the server may ignore it; if you damage its syntax, the executable may fail while reading settings.
- Run the unmodified server once.
- Wait for it to finish initialization, then stop it cleanly.
- Locate the newly generated
PalWorldSettings.iniin the saved-config directory for your platform. - Change one setting at a time and preserve the existing syntax, quotation marks, commas, and brackets.
- Start the server again and check the console before making another change.
When a change causes an exit, revert that single change first. This isolates a malformed value from an executable or runtime problem.
6. Check for duplicate processes and local resource pressure
A second Palworld server process can already be holding the configured game or query port. Use the operating system’s process list and network/port view to confirm that only the intended instance is running. Stop abandoned instances before launching a new one.
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7. Distinguish an update problem from a settings problem
If the server stopped working immediately after an update, rerun SteamCMD so the dedicated-server files are current, then repeat the one-time start-and-stop configuration process. Keep a copy of your known-good settings before replacing files, but test with the smallest configuration change possible. A failed update and a malformed INI can produce similar symptoms; the console output and the presence of the expected executable help separate them.
When the process runs but players cannot join
1. Test from the host or the same LAN
Start with a local connection using the host machine’s local IP address and game port 8211, the port used in the server-manager troubleshooting procedure for same-network joins. Test from the host itself or another device on the same network.
- Local connection fails: return to the server console, configuration, Windows Firewall, and port-conflict checks. Internet forwarding cannot repair a server that cannot accept a local connection.
- Local connection works: the Palworld process is listening. Concentrate on the router, public IP, CGNAT, ISP restrictions, and the connection method used by the player.
Use the actual local address assigned to the machine running PalServer. A forwarding rule aimed at an old DHCP address can look correct in the router while sending traffic to the wrong computer.
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2. Allow the executable through the host firewall
When Windows asks whether to allow PalServer.exe, allow it on the network profile that matches your trusted home or server network. If the prompt was dismissed, create or repair an inbound rule for the executable and the required UDP ports. Check both the rule’s direction and its network scope; an allow rule limited to the private profile will not help if Windows has classified the active connection as public.
After changing a firewall rule, retest locally before testing from the internet. This avoids confusing a firewall change with a router change.
3. Forward the correct UDP ports
| Port | Protocol | Purpose | Exposure guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
8211 |
UDP | Palworld game traffic and direct player connections | Forward to the fixed local IP of the PalServer host |
27015 |
UDP | Query/server-list traffic used for discovery | Forward when you need list visibility or query responses |
25575 |
UDP | RCON remote administration | Keep private unless remote administration is intentional and secured |
Set the router’s destination to the machine actually running PalServer, use UDP rather than assuming a TCP rule is equivalent, and preserve the same port values in the server configuration. If your router has separate “external” and “internal” fields, map each public port to the matching internal port unless you have deliberately configured a different arrangement.
4. Give the host a stable local address
Port forwarding depends on the server retaining the same private IP. Create a DHCP reservation in the router or otherwise assign a fixed local address, then point the forwarding rules at that address. Recheck the host’s current address after a reboot; a changed address is one of the most common reasons a previously working rule stops working.
5. Test the internet path from outside the LAN
Do not test an internet address from inside the same network and assume the result is conclusive. Use a player on another connection, such as a different household or a mobile hotspot, and test the configured public address and port. This separates a real inbound failure from a router that does not support NAT loopback.
6. Check for CGNAT or an ISP restriction
If local play works, the firewall and forwarding rules are correct, and outside players still time out, determine whether the ISP places the connection behind carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). Under CGNAT, the router may not receive a uniquely reachable public IPv4 address, so an inbound rule on your own router cannot accept unsolicited traffic from the internet.
Use a reputable CGNAT detector and compare the router’s reported WAN address with the address visible to an external service. If they do not match in the way the detector describes, ask the ISP whether a public or static address is available. The practical alternatives are a static public IP, a VPN or tunnel service designed for inbound game traffic, or managed hosting that supplies a reachable endpoint. Buying a different cable or randomly replacing the router is not a guaranteed CGNAT fix.
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Why the server is missing from the community list
A direct-IP server and a listed community server are different connection paths. Direct-IP play sends the player to the host address and game port. A community server is a dedicated server registered for discovery in the in-game community list and also depends on query traffic being reachable.
For list visibility, confirm that the server is configured for the community-server mode required by the current Palworld documentation, that the query port 27015 is forwarded over UDP, and that the server can reach the internet. A server may be healthy for direct connections while absent from the list if query traffic is blocked or the wrong server mode is selected.
Use direct IP as a diagnostic even when your final goal is list discovery. If direct IP works but the list does not show the server, the game process and game port are functioning; concentrate on community registration, query forwarding, and platform mode rather than reinstalling the executable.
Xbox, PC Game Pass, and PS5 connection differences
Dedicated server versus community server
Official Palworld documentation distinguishes a dedicated server, which players join by IP address and port, from a community server, which is a dedicated server registered in the in-game list. Xbox and PS5 players require the community-server approach. A setup that works for Steam players using a direct address can therefore remain invisible or unusable for console players.
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Set the connection platform correctly
The Xbox setup requires changing the server’s connection platform from the Steam default. Check that setting before troubleshooting Xbox clients. Leaving the platform at its Steam default can make a reachable server appear broken even though Steam users connect normally.
Do not assume every PC client follows the Steam path
PC Game Pass is not the Steam client. The supplied official guidance establishes the community-server requirement for Xbox and PS5, but it does not establish one universal rule for every PC Game Pass release or version. Treat PC Game Pass as a separate client: use the platform options exposed by your current Palworld documentation and test with the connection method that client supports, rather than assuming a Steam direct-IP workflow will behave identically.
A practical cross-play test
- Confirm that a Steam player can connect by direct IP, proving the game port works.
- Switch to the community-server configuration and ensure query traffic on UDP
27015is available. - Set the connection platform required by the non-Steam client, including the Xbox-specific change from the Steam default.
- Have the Xbox or PS5 player search the community list, not only the Steam direct-IP field.
- If the list remains empty, test from outside the host LAN and revisit query forwarding and CGNAT.
Self-hosting or managed hosting: which recovery path fits?
| Consideration | Self-hosted PalServer | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Direct access to files, logs, settings, mods, ports, and restart procedures | Provider abstracts much of the operating-system and network maintenance |
| Reachability | Depends on your router, public address, ISP policy, and CGNAT status | Usually supplies a reachable endpoint, subject to the host’s network and terms |
| Cross-play mode | You must configure community registration and platform settings yourself | May provide setup tools, but you still need to select the correct Palworld mode |
| Maintenance | You perform SteamCMD updates, file repairs, firewall changes, backups, and restarts | Some updates, backups, monitoring, and restarts may be automated; verify exactly what is included |
| Cost and trust | Uses your existing hardware and connection, but consumes your electricity and administration time | Requires a recurring fee and trust in the provider; check region, current pricing, backups, support, and cancellation terms |
Choose managed hosting when CGNAT, router restrictions, or a need for reliable 24/7 availability prevents a practical self-hosted setup. Choose self-hosting when you need complete file and network control and can maintain SteamCMD, firewall rules, updates, and backups. Neither option removes the need to select the right server type for Xbox or PS5.
Quick Recap
A clean troubleshooting order
- Decide whether the process exits or stays running.
- If it exits, confirm the executable or script exists, launch it from a console, repair the listed Windows prerequisites, and inspect any documented Steam-DLL error.
- Start once, stop cleanly, and validate
PalWorldSettings.inibefore changing multiple settings. - Check for duplicate processes, port conflicts, security-software blocks, and operating-system resource pressure.
- If it runs, test a local connection on the host’s local IP and UDP
8211. - For internet play, allow the executable, forward UDP
8211and, when needed for discovery, UDP27015to a fixed local IP. - If outside connections still fail, investigate CGNAT or ISP restrictions instead of repeatedly editing the game configuration.
- For Xbox and PS5, configure a community server and the required non-Steam platform mode before judging the server unreachable.
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