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For a default Steam-backend Valheim dedicated server, forward UDP ports 2456 and 2457 from your router to the computer running the server, and allow the server through that computer’s firewall. Valheim uses the configured -port and the immediately following port, so a different port setting changes the pair. Servers started with -crossplay use a relay backend and do not need inbound router port forwarding for players connecting from outside your network.
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Which Valheim ports should you open?
The answer depends on the server backend and the value supplied to -port. Iron Gate’s official server guidance says, “The default Port Range that the Server uses is 2456-2457,” and clarifies that Valheim uses the specified port and specified port plus one.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Default Steam backend | UDP 2456 and UDP 2457 | UDP | Yes, for players outside the local network | Server list, or public address and configured port |
Steam backend with a custom -port |
The configured port and the next port | UDP | Yes, for outside players | Server list, or public address and configured port |
Crossplay backend with -crossplay |
No inbound pair on the home router for outside access | The server still has an internal configured port | No, because access uses a relay backend | Supported server-list or join-code flow |
These are forwarding rules to the private address of the server computer, not rules aimed at another player’s device. The operating-system firewall must also permit the Valheim server executable or equivalent inbound UDP traffic.
Why Valheim uses two ports
A Valheim server does not use an arbitrary block of ports by default. It uses the number supplied to -port and the next consecutive number. With the default setting, -port 2456 produces the pair 2456 and 2457. Iron Gate’s guide describes this as “the specified Port AND specified Port+1.”
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This relationship matters when you customize the command line. If you start the server with -port 30000, the forwarding destination is UDP 30000 and UDP 30001—not the default pair. A router rule for 2456-2457 will not match a server listening on 30000-30001.
The router’s external port and internal destination should normally use the same numbers. If your router presents separate fields for an external range and an internal range, enter the chosen port through the next port in both fields and select UDP. Point the rule at the server computer’s current private address.
Steam backend versus Crossplay relay
Steam backend
The default dedicated-server configuration uses the Steam backend. Players connecting from another network need a path through your router to the server machine, so you forward the two UDP ports and permit the server through the host firewall. The server can then appear in the appropriate server list, or players can use the public address and configured port when that connection method is supported by their client.
Crossplay backend
Adding -crossplay switches the server to a relay backend. Iron Gate states that, with this backend, “the server transmits data via a relay server and therefore does not require Port Forwarding to be accessible from outside of your local network.” In practical terms, you do not create inbound UDP 2456-2457 rules solely to let internet players reach a Crossplay server.
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Crossplay also changes who can participate: players on other supported platforms can join when Crossplay is enabled and the server is advertised through the supported server-list or join-code flow. The relay exception is about external routing. The server still runs with a configured port on the host computer, and the operating-system firewall still has to allow the server process to run. Local-network connectivity and any host-side firewall policy remain separate from the router-forwarding question.
What to decide before changing the router
- Backend: Choose the Steam backend if you intend to use conventional direct access; choose
-crossplayif the relay and cross-platform join flow meet your needs. - Port: Keep the default
2456unless you have a reason to change it. Record the exact value in the launch command. - Host machine: Identify the computer that will stay online while others play. Forwarding to a laptop or desktop whose address changes will eventually break the rule.
- Local address: Create a DHCP reservation in the router, or configure another stable private address, so the destination remains the same after reboots.
- Firewall: Be ready to approve the Valheim server executable on Windows or create equivalent inbound UDP rules on Linux.
- Internet path: Confirm that your internet connection accepts inbound connections. Carrier-grade NAT at the ISP can prevent a home router from receiving unsolicited IPv4 traffic even when local settings are correct.
How to forward the default Steam ports
Router interfaces differ by manufacturer and firmware. Iron Gate does not publish one click-by-click procedure for every model; its guidance directs operators to the router manual. The following sequence describes the network logic and the values to enter, while leaving menu names to your device.
- Start with the intended command. Launch the dedicated server using
-port 2456for the default pair. Decide whether-crossplayis present before creating NAT rules. If you change the command later, revisit the forwarding rule. - Find the host’s private address. On the router, inspect the connected-device or DHCP-client list and identify the computer running the server. Verify the address from the host as well if necessary. Reserve that address in DHCP so a reboot does not assign a different destination.
- Open the NAT or port-forwarding page. Routers may call this section Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, NAT Rules, or a similar name. Create a new rule for the server computer.
- Enter the first rule. Set the protocol to UDP, use external port 2456 and internal port 2456, and set the destination to the host’s private address.
- Enter the second rule. Set UDP 2457 to the same private address, using 2457 as both the external and internal port. Some routers accept a single range rule; if yours does, use 2456-2457 and UDP. If it requires individual entries, create two rules.
- Save and apply. Some firmware applies changes immediately; others require an Apply, Save, or router restart. Confirm that both rules remain enabled after the configuration page reloads.
- Allow the server through the host firewall. On Windows, accept the firewall prompt for the dedicated server when it appears, or add an inbound exception for the server executable and the relevant UDP traffic. On Linux, add equivalent inbound UDP rules for 2456 and 2457 in the firewall system you use.
- Keep the server running for the test. A forwarding rule cannot reach a process that is stopped. Start the server with the same command used when you created the rules and wait until it has finished starting.
- Test from outside the home network. Ask a friend on another connection to find the server, or test using a device that is not on your home Wi-Fi. A test from the host itself or from the same LAN does not prove that internet-side forwarding works.
Using a custom port
A custom port is valid as long as the command line and router agree. Suppose your launch command contains -port 28000. The required forwarding pair is UDP 28000 and UDP 28001, directed to the server computer. The firewall allowance must cover the same traffic, and players who use a direct address must use the configured port rather than assuming 2456.
| Command-line setting | Forward these UDP ports | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
-port 2456 |
2456 and 2457 | Forwarding only 2456 |
-port 28000 |
28000 and 28001 | Leaving old 2456-2457 rules in place while the server listens elsewhere |
-port 31010 |
31010 and 31011 | Using the next port from memory instead of calculating configured port plus one |
When troubleshooting, read the actual startup command or script rather than relying on the number you intended to use. A saved shortcut, service file, or host-panel setting may still contain an older value.
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Firewall rules are separate from port forwarding
Port forwarding changes the router’s destination; it does not override the firewall on the computer receiving the traffic. Both layers must permit the connection.
Windows
When Windows asks whether to allow the dedicated server through the firewall, approve the prompt for the networks on which you intend to host. If the prompt was dismissed, create an inbound rule for the Valheim server executable or for the configured UDP ports in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. Check that the rule is enabled and applies to the active network profile.
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Use the firewall framework configured on the host and allow inbound UDP traffic for the configured port and its successor. The exact commands differ among distributions and firewall managers, so use the distribution’s documented syntax. The important checks are that the rules are active, attached to the correct interface, and still present after reboot.
What not to infer
The documented forwarding requirement is for UDP 2456 and 2457 by default. Do not create broad all-port rules when two specific UDP entries are sufficient. Do not assume that opening a port in the host firewall automatically creates a router NAT rule, or that a router rule bypasses an operating-system block.
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How players connect after forwarding
Steam-backend players
Have players look for the server in the game’s server list, or use the public address and configured port when the direct-address method is available to them. The address they use from the internet is the home connection’s public address, not the private address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x that you entered as the forwarding destination.
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Crossplay players
For a server started with -crossplay, use the supported server-list or join-code workflow. The relay architecture is the reason an inbound home-router rule is not required for outside players; it is not a different way to enter the private host address.
Troubleshooting: a connection-failure checklist
Work from the server outward. Changing several settings at once makes it harder to identify the failed layer.
The server is not visible to anyone
- Confirm the dedicated-server process is running and completed startup.
- Read the launch command and verify the configured
-portvalue. - Check that the server is using the backend you intended. A Crossplay server follows the relay join flow rather than the ordinary direct-forwarding test.
- Verify the host firewall permits the executable or the matching UDP ports.
Local players can join, but internet players cannot
- Compare the router rule’s destination with the host’s current private address. If the address changed, restore the DHCP reservation or update the rule.
- Confirm that both ports are present: the configured port and the immediately following port.
- Check that the router rules specify UDP, not a different protocol selection.
- Make sure the server command and router values still match after any configuration edit.
- Test from a genuinely external network. A successful LAN connection only proves that the server process is reachable locally.
- Investigate ISP-level NAT. If the router’s internet-facing address is not directly reachable because the ISP places customers behind carrier-grade NAT, local forwarding cannot create an inbound path. Contact the ISP or use a managed hosting option.
Players connect briefly and then fail
Check for an unstable host machine, changing private address, or firewall rules that apply only to one network profile. Confirm the server remains running during the attempt and that the router has not reverted or disabled the NAT entries after a restart.
A custom-port server fails while the default setup worked
Calculate the pair from the actual command: if the value is N, forward UDP N and N+1. Remove ambiguity by recording the value in the launch script and matching it in the router and firewall. Players using a direct address must also use the configured port.
Home hosting, Crossplay, and managed hosting compared
| Consideration | Steam backend at home | Crossplay relay at home | Rented or managed Valheim server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router work | Forward the configured UDP port and the next port | No inbound forwarding for outside access | Usually handled through the provider’s control panel or support process |
| Host availability | Your computer and connection must remain online | Your computer and connection must remain online | Provider operates the server hardware and network |
| Platform reach | Steam-backend participation | Cross-platform participation when enabled appropriately | Depends on the backend and configuration you select |
| Addressing | Server list or public address and configured port | Supported server list or join code | Provider-supplied address or join method |
| Main limitation | Router, firewall, and ISP NAT can block access | Relay behavior and supported join flow determine access | Recurring cost and reliance on the provider |
Rented or managed hosting is a practical alternative when you cannot alter the home router, the ISP uses carrier-grade NAT, or you do not want to keep a personal computer powered on. It removes much of the home-network administration but introduces a service cost and a separate provider relationship. Check the host’s backend, platform support, port controls, backups, and access method before moving a world.
Quick Recap
Security and maintenance practices
- Forward only the required UDP pair instead of exposing unrelated services.
- Keep the destination on a stable private address so the rule does not silently point at another device.
- Document the exact
-portvalue and whether-crossplayis enabled. - Review the firewall rule after operating-system updates or network-profile changes.
- Remove obsolete forwarding entries when you retire a server or change its port.
- Do not publish your private LAN address to internet players; it is the router’s destination, not the public connection address.
- If your ISP changes the public address periodically, use the connection method supported by your server list or a suitable address-discovery arrangement rather than changing the private forwarding target.
Quick reference
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the default Valheim server ports? | UDP 2456 and UDP 2457 for the default Steam backend. |
What if I change -port? |
Forward the chosen port and the next consecutive port. |
| Do I need TCP? | The documented forwarding guidance specifies UDP for the server port pair. |
Does -crossplay need router forwarding? |
No inbound router forwarding is required for outside access through the relay backend. |
| Where should the rule point? | At the stable private address of the computer running the dedicated server. |
| What if forwarding is correct but nobody can connect? | Check the server process, command-line port, destination address, UDP protocol, host firewall, and ISP carrier-grade NAT. |
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