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World desk9 min

Squad Server Ports: Which Ports to Open and Forward

Open the right Squad server ports for gameplay, browser visibility and RCON. This guide explains the documented defaults, configurable values, router forwarding, host-firewall rules, ephemeral UDP requirements and troubleshooting.
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For a commonly documented Squad dedicated-server installation, forward UDP 7787 and 7788 for game traffic; TCP and UDP 15000 for the beacon; TCP and UDP 27165 and 27166 for Steam queries; and TCP and UDP 21114 when RCON is enabled. Some providers also require inbound UDP ports above 30000 for client connections after the initial join.

Those are defaults, not permanent requirements. Squad lets you change its listening values, so your router forwards, host-firewall rules and launch configuration must all agree with the values used by the running server.

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Squad server port map

Use this table as the starting point for a single server using the commonly documented settings. “External” ports on your router should normally be mapped to the same port numbers on the server’s private IP unless you have deliberately configured a different translation.

Function Common documented ports Protocol When it is needed
Game traffic 7787 and 7788 UDP Required for players to exchange gameplay traffic with the server.
Server beacon 15000 TCP and UDP Used by the server beacon; allow both protocols as documented.
Steam query 27165 and 27166 TCP and UDP Supports server-browser and query traffic. The second value is the query port plus one.
RCON 21114 TCP and UDP Open only when remote administration through RCON is enabled.
Ephemeral client traffic 30000 and higher UDP Some hosting providers or network layouts require additional high UDP ports after a client initially connects.

The figures above are the values documented by the Official Squad Wiki and related installation guidance accessed in 2026. They describe a common setup, not a guarantee that every package, container or hosting provider uses identical defaults.

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What each port does

Game ports: the player connection

The game service uses a paired UDP range beginning with the configured game port. In the common setup, that means the primary game value and its paired companion must both be reachable. Forwarding only one of the pair can produce partial connectivity: a server may start, yet clients can fail to complete a join or lose communication once loading finishes.

UDP is connectionless, so a port scanner or router status page may not show an obvious “session” in the same way it would for TCP. A successful test should therefore involve a real client outside the server’s local network, not just a check from the host itself.

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Beacon port: discovery and server signalling

The beacon has both TCP and UDP requirements in the documented installation. It is separate from the game traffic. A server can appear to be running locally while its beacon is blocked by the host firewall, router or provider filtering, preventing reliable discovery or signalling.

Steam query ports: browser visibility

Query traffic is what allows browser and status systems to ask the server for information such as its presence and current state. The documented configuration uses a query port and the immediately following port, with both TCP and UDP allowed. If the game ports are open but the query pair is not, players may be unable to find the server even though a direct connection test seems promising.

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RCON: remote administration

RCON is an administrative interface, not a player-traffic requirement. Leave its port closed when you do not use remote administration. If RCON is enabled, the documented setup uses the listed value on both protocols. Restrict access to trusted source addresses where your firewall or router supports that control, and use a strong RCON credential.

Ephemeral UDP ports above 30000

The installation guidance warns that some providers may require higher UDP ports after the initial connection. This is deployment-dependent: it can vary with the provider’s network, container design or filtering policy. Do not automatically expose every high port on a home network. First confirm the requirement with the provider or with connection logs, then allow the narrowest documented range that your environment needs.

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Check the values your server actually uses

Before changing a router, read the launch command, configuration file or container environment for the instance you are running. A documented example contains Port=7787 QueryPort=27165 beaconport=15000. In that example, Port is the game value, QueryPort is the Steam query value, and beaconport controls the beacon.

These settings are configurable. A startup script, hosting panel or container may override a file you edited manually, and a second instance may intentionally use another set. Record the effective values at startup rather than relying on a guide’s defaults. If RCON is enabled, record its configured value as well.

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Use the same protocol and number at every layer:

  • The Squad process must listen on the value.
  • The operating-system firewall must allow the required protocol.
  • The router must forward the external port to the server’s fixed private address.
  • Any provider, cloud firewall or panel in front of the machine must allow the same traffic.

Router forwarding and host-firewall rules solve different problems

A router’s port-forward rule controls traffic arriving at your public address and sends it to one private device. It does not override the firewall on that device. Conversely, an allow rule on the host cannot make an unsolicited Internet packet reach the host if the router has no matching forward.

Assign the server a fixed private address, either with a static address outside the router’s automatic pool or with a DHCP reservation. Then create one forward for each required port and protocol. If your router asks for separate entries, create separate TCP and UDP rules; if it offers an “both” option, verify that it really enables both protocols rather than only TCP.

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Keep the external and internal values identical unless you have a specific reason to translate them. A translated port is valid, but the value players, query services and documentation see must match the external side, while the server process must listen on the internal side. Confusing those two sides is a common cause of a server that works only on the host LAN.

Step-by-step: open and forward the ports

  1. Inventory the instance. Read the launch command, configuration and, if applicable, container environment. Write down the game, query, beacon and RCON values actually in use. Note whether your provider requires a high UDP range.
  2. Confirm listening sockets. Start the server and use the operating system’s network-status tools or the hosting panel’s socket view to verify that the process is listening on the recorded values. A forward cannot work if the application never opened the port.
  3. Allow traffic on the host. Add inbound firewall rules for each required protocol. Use UDP for the game pair, both protocols for the beacon and query pair, and both protocols for RCON only when it is enabled. Add any provider-approved ephemeral UDP range separately so it can be removed or narrowed later.
  4. Reserve the private address. In the router’s LAN or DHCP settings, reserve the server’s current private address. A changing address can silently send a correct forward to another device.
  5. Create router forwards. In the router’s port-forwarding or NAT section, map each external value to the server’s private address and corresponding internal value. Select the protocol explicitly and save the rules.
  6. Check upstream filtering. If the machine is in a cloud, datacenter, carrier-grade NAT network or managed game-server environment, inspect the provider firewall or allocation panel. A home-router rule cannot bypass an upstream block or a provider that has not assigned the requested ports.
  7. Restart and observe. Restart the server after changing configuration, then inspect its startup log for the effective values and any bind errors. A bind error usually means another process already owns the port or the configured address is invalid.
  8. Test from outside the LAN. Use a player on another Internet connection or a remote administration location. Testing from the same LAN can succeed through local routing even when the public forward is broken.

Why a server may not appear in the browser

The query path is blocked

Browser visibility depends on query traffic, not just gameplay traffic. Recheck both query values and both protocols, then verify that the server is advertising the same query value that the router forwards. A server that accepts a direct address but is absent from listings usually points to query, beacon or registration-path problems rather than a missing game packet.

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The router is forwarding to the wrong device

Compare the forward’s destination address with the server’s current private address. DHCP changes, cloned virtual machines and multiple network adapters can leave a stale rule aimed at an old address. Reserve the address and remove duplicate forwards that target different machines.

Testing from inside the same network gives a false result

Some routers do not support NAT loopback. In that case, a public-address test from the server’s own LAN can fail even though players on the Internet can connect, or the reverse can happen if local traffic is allowed without a public forward. Always include an outside-LAN test.

Provider filtering or high-port requirements intervene

If players connect initially but fail during loading or in-game, examine the provider’s filtering policy and the documented requirement for higher UDP ports. Some environments allow the initial handshake but discard later client traffic. Do not broaden the range blindly; confirm which ports are being requested and whether the provider must open them on its side.

The server is bound to a different configuration

Container variables, panel templates and startup arguments can override a file. Compare the log’s reported values with the values in the router and firewall. If they differ, change the layer that is supplying the override or update every layer to the same set.

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Running multiple Squad servers

Each instance needs a non-overlapping assignment for its game, query, beacon and RCON values. Two processes cannot reliably bind the same port on the same host, and forwarding one external port to two private destinations is ambiguous.

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For a second instance, choose another complete set and update its launch configuration, container variables and firewall rules together. Container documentation exposes variables such as PORT, QUERYPORT and RCONPORT, illustrating how separate instances can be assigned different values. Keep a written inventory so a restart or migration does not accidentally return one instance to the first server’s ports.

After creating the second set, test each server independently from outside the LAN. Confirm that the browser shows the intended name, map and player state for the correct instance; a query collision can make one listing display another server’s information.

Do not copy generic Steam 27015 advice into Squad

Steam’s general support material lists local TCP 27015 for SRCDS RCON and local UDP 27015 for gameplay on dedicated or listen servers. Those are generic Steam or Source defaults. They are not a replacement for the Port, QueryPort, beacon and RCON values in a Squad configuration.

If a tutorial tells you to open only 27015, treat it as advice for a different server family unless your own Squad launch configuration explicitly uses that value. The application’s effective settings always take precedence over a generic platform default.

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Security and maintenance checklist

  • Expose only the functions you use; keep RCON closed when disabled.
  • Allow the documented protocol, not every protocol “just in case.”
  • Limit RCON source addresses and use a unique, strong credential.
  • Keep the server’s private address reserved so forwards do not drift.
  • Document external and internal mappings, especially when they differ.
  • Review high UDP allowances with your provider and remove temporary broad rules.
  • After updates, recheck startup logs because packages and panels can change defaults.
  • Retest from an external network after router, firewall, provider or configuration changes.

When managed hosting is the practical option

If your Internet connection uses carrier-grade NAT, your router lacks configurable forwarding, or your provider blocks inbound traffic, local configuration may not be sufficient. Managed Squad hosting can supply a public allocation and handle upstream firewall rules, but support, locations, pricing, uptime commitments and the exact port set vary by provider. Confirm those details before moving an existing server, and verify that the host permits the query, beacon, RCON and any required high UDP traffic your deployment uses.

Final verification

A successful setup has four matching records: the values the Squad process reports at startup, the host-firewall rules, the router’s NAT forwards and any upstream provider rules. Verify the game path with an external player, verify browser visibility through the query path, and investigate high UDP filtering if a connection begins but does not remain playable. This layered check is more reliable than opening a single familiar Steam port and assuming the server is reachable.

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