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If your Vintage Story server is missing from the public list, check reachability before changing the client. For version 1.20 and later, forward port 42420 on both TCP and UDP, enable "AdvertiseServer": true, allow the current server executable through the host firewall, and rule out carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). A direct connection to the server’s public IP separates a networking failure from a master-list advertising failure.
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First determine which failure you have
There are two separate paths between a dedicated server and a player. The first is the network path: traffic must leave the internet, reach your router, pass its forwarding rule, and be accepted by the computer running Vintage Story. The second is registration: the running server must advertise itself to the game’s master server so it can be displayed in the public browser.
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A server can therefore be reachable by address while absent from the browser, or visible in the browser but impossible to join because the forwarding or firewall rule is wrong. Use this symptom table to choose the next check instead of changing several settings at once.
| Symptom | Most likely layer | Best next check |
|---|---|---|
| Not listed and direct IP connection fails | Forwarding, firewall, wrong bind address, or CGNAT | Verify TCP and UDP forwarding for 42420, then inspect host firewall and ISP addressing |
| Not listed but direct IP connection succeeds | Advertising or master-list registration | Check AdvertiseServer and read the server log |
| Listed, but joining fails immediately | Build mismatch or a path that is only partly open | Match client and server builds and retest the port path |
| Log says the port is not open | The master server cannot reach the advertised endpoint | Check both protocol rules and the firewall rule for the actual executable |
Use the correct port for your server version
Forward the default port
The dedicated-server guide for Vintage Story identifies 42420 as the default port. A router rule should send external traffic on port 42420 to the local IP address of the computer running the server, using 42420 as the internal port as well.
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Open both protocols on version 1.20 and later
For version 1.20 onward, forwarding only TCP is the most common setup error described by current hosting guides. Create two rules, one for each protocol:
| Rule | Protocol | External port | Internal port | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vintage Story TCP | TCP | 42420 | 42420 | The server computer’s fixed LAN address |
| Vintage Story UDP | UDP | 42420 | 42420 | The same server computer and LAN address |
Do not create a single TCP-only rule and assume it covers UDP. Routers normally treat the protocols independently. If your router offers a combined “TCP/UDP” option, confirm that it really creates access for both; otherwise use separate entries.
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Port forwarding points to a local address such as 192.168.1.50. If DHCP later gives the server computer a different address, the rule still exists but points at the wrong machine. Reserve that address in the router or configure a reliable local address before testing. Restarting the server does not correct a stale destination.
Do not confuse the game port with the router’s administration port
Enter 42420 in the forwarding rule’s external and internal port fields. The router’s own web-management port is unrelated; changing it does not open the Vintage Story service.
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Confirm the server advertises itself
Enable public advertising
The public browser only receives an entry when advertising is enabled. In serverconfig.json, the relevant setting is:
"AdvertiseServer": trueKeep the capitalization and Boolean value exactly as shown. If the value is false, missing, or invalid JSON prevents the configuration from loading, the server will not intentionally publish itself. Edit the existing file rather than replacing unrelated settings, then stop and start the dedicated server so it rereads the configuration.
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Use explicit forwarding instead of relying on UPnP
A current troubleshooting guide recommends setting:
"Upnp": false,
"Ip": nullThis combination is a practical baseline when you have manually forwarded the port. Disabling UPnP avoids a router-created mapping that conflicts with your deliberate rules. Leaving Ip as null lets the server listen normally; specify a bind address only when the machine has multiple network interfaces and you know which one should receive game traffic. These keys must be placed in the existing JSON object and separated with valid commas.
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Check the log after every configuration change
Start the server and look for its listening and registration messages. A message such as “Could not register to master server, port not opened” means the master server could not reach the advertised endpoint. It is evidence of a reachability problem, not proof that the browser itself is broken. If the log reports successful registration but the browser remains empty while direct connection works, return to the advertising setting and server identity details rather than rebuilding the router rule.
Allow the current server executable through the host firewall
Windows
Windows can block an application even when the router is configured correctly. Open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall → Change settings. Add the standalone Vintage Story server executable if it is absent, and permit it on the network profile used by the host. If you use a custom inbound-rule policy, create rules for TCP 42420 and UDP 42420 instead of relying solely on the application entry.
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Check the executable name after updates or manual renaming. A forum troubleshooting case found that the old allow rule referred to a previous filename; adding the current “Vintage Story Standalone Server” application fixed the apparent port failure. Windows firewall rules can be tied to the program path, so an updated or renamed executable may no longer match.
Linux with firewalld
Open both protocols in the active zone. The TCP rule is:
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sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=42420/tcpAdd the matching UDP rule:
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=42420/udpReload firewalld after adding permanent rules, then verify that both entries appear in the zone’s allowed ports. If your distribution uses ufw or another firewall manager, create equivalent allow rules for TCP 42420 and UDP 42420 and ensure that the active interface is covered.
Check every firewall in the path
Some hosts have more than one filter: the operating-system firewall, a security suite, a hypervisor, or a managed network appliance. Temporarily disabling protection is a poor long-term fix; instead, identify which layer is dropping the traffic and add a narrow rule for the server executable or the two required ports.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Rule out carrier-grade NAT
Carrier-grade NAT places many subscribers behind an ISP-controlled public address. Your router can show a correct forwarding rule while unsolicited internet traffic stops at the ISP’s NAT device, before it ever reaches your home network. No change to the local port number or firewall can bypass that boundary.
How to recognize it
Compare the WAN address shown in your router with the public address reported by an external IP-check service. If they differ, or the router’s WAN address is in a private or shared-address range, CGNAT is a strong possibility. Confirm the diagnosis with your ISP because some providers use additional routing arrangements.
Available alternatives
- Request a real public address from the ISP, if the service offers one.
- Use a VPN or tunneling service that accepts inbound connections and forwards the game port.
- Run the dedicated server with a hosting provider that supplies an internet-reachable address.
Choose an option that supports the required TCP and UDP traffic. A tunnel that carries only one protocol will reproduce the same partial-connectivity problem as a TCP-only router rule.
Match the client and dedicated-server builds
After networking is corrected, make sure the player’s game build is identical to the dedicated server’s build. A mismatch such as client 1.20.4 connecting to server 1.20.5 can prevent a session even when the port is open. Update both sides to the same release, restart the server, and test again. Version labels and executable names can change in later releases, so apply the same check after every update.
Test with a direct public-IP connection
Run the test from outside the host network
In the client’s direct-connect field, enter the server’s public IP address followed by :42420. Test from a different internet connection, such as a phone hotspot or a friend’s network. Many home routers do not support reliable “hairpin” access from inside the same LAN, so a successful local test does not prove that outside players can connect.
Interpret the result
- Direct connection succeeds: the route, forwarding, and host firewall are working well enough for a player. Focus on
AdvertiseServer, the server’s registration messages, and any listing-specific configuration. - Direct connection times out: recheck the destination LAN address, both protocol rules, the active firewall profile, and CGNAT.
- Direct connection reaches the server but rejects the session: verify that client and server builds match and inspect the server log for an application-level error.
This test is more useful than repeatedly refreshing the public list because it isolates advertisement from packet delivery.
Read the master-list error literally
If the log says the server could not register because the port is not open, the master server’s probe did not receive the expected response. A forum case showed that both router protocols were open while the application rule in Windows still blocked the server. That pattern is why the executable rule deserves the same attention as the router.
Work through the path in order:
- Confirm the dedicated server is running and listening on its intended interface.
- Confirm
AdvertiseServeristrueand the JSON file loaded without errors. - Confirm external 42420 forwards to the current LAN address.
- Confirm separate TCP and UDP access for version 1.20 and later.
- Confirm the firewall rule names the current executable or explicitly allows both ports.
- Confirm the ISP is not using CGNAT.
- Retest from an outside network and then restart the server to trigger a fresh registration attempt.
Choose the right fix for your network
| Approach | Best when | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home-router forwarding | You control the router and have a public address | Direct path, no intermediary, full control of TCP and UDP | Requires stable LAN addressing, firewall work, and router access |
| VPN or tunnel | Forwarding is blocked or the ISP uses CGNAT | Can provide an inbound path without changing the ISP connection | Depends on a third party and must support both required protocols |
| Hosted dedicated server | You cannot administer the network or need a reachable public endpoint | Provider handles internet addressing and perimeter access | Ongoing service cost and less control over the underlying machine |
Fixing advertisement is worthwhile only after the network path is known to work. Conversely, changing hosting arrangements will not help if the client and server builds are different.
End-to-end recovery checklist
- Identify the dedicated server’s current LAN address and keep it stable.
- Forward external port 42420 to internal port 42420 on that address for TCP.
- Create the matching UDP 42420 rule; this is required for version 1.20 and later.
- Open the same two protocol/port combinations in the operating-system firewall.
- On Windows, verify the allow rule points to the current server executable, not an old filename.
- In
serverconfig.json, set"AdvertiseServer": true. If using explicit forwarding, use"Upnp": falseand leave"Ip": nullunless a deliberate bind address is necessary. - Restart the dedicated server and read the registration message.
- Test a direct connection using the public IP and
:42420from outside the host’s network. - If the test still fails, compare the router WAN address with the public address to investigate CGNAT.
- Once routing works, update the client and server to exactly the same build and test the public browser again.
What is not known
There is no published statistic establishing how often Vintage Story server-browser failures are caused by each category, so treat the checklist as a diagnostic sequence rather than a probability ranking. Port requirements and executable names can change in later game releases; recheck the current dedicated-server documentation when upgrading beyond the versions covered here.
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