A Factorio server can be running normally yet absent from the list you are checking. The usual causes are a visibility mode that does not match your goal, missing public authentication, blocked UDP traffic, forwarding the wrong port or private address, or a firewall on either the host or the player’s computer. Diagnose those layers in order: identify the missing list, verify visibility and credentials, confirm the UDP port, check both firewalls and the router, then test a direct address connection.
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This process also tells you whether you have a discovery problem (the server works but is not listed) or a reachability problem (players cannot connect at all).
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First identify which list is missing the server
Factorio has separate discovery paths. A server can be intentionally absent from one list while available through another, so start with the exact symptom rather than changing random network settings.
| Where you expected to see it | What absence usually means | First checks |
|---|---|---|
| Browse public games | The server is not configured as public, lacks Factorio credentials or an authentication token, cannot reach Factorio’s matching service, or its UDP port is not reachable from the internet. | Public visibility, credentials/token, outbound matching-service access, UDP port and router forwarding. |
| Play On LAN | The server is not using LAN visibility, the players are not actually on the same local network, or the client firewall is blocking discovery. | LAN visibility, same-network status, and the player’s firewall. |
| Both lists | The process, configured port, local firewall, router/NAT path, or server address may be wrong. | Confirm the process and settings file, then use a direct address test. |
Do not treat a missing browser entry as proof that the server is stopped. The direct-connection test later in this guide separates listing failures from network failures.
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Set the visibility mode that matches your players
The server settings provide three visibility choices: public, lan, and hidden. Each has a deliberately different discovery behavior.
Public visibility
Choose public when players should find the server in Browse public games. Public listing is not enabled by the visibility value alone: the settings file must also contain Factorio account credentials or an authentication token. The dedicated process must be able to contact Factorio’s matching service, and the selected UDP port must be reachable from outside your home network.
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Choose lan for players on the same local network. A LAN server is intentionally excluded from the public browser and is exposed through Play On LAN instead. If a home server is set to LAN and you are searching under public games, nothing is necessarily broken; you are looking in the wrong discovery scope.
Hidden visibility
Choose hidden when the server should not be listed. Hidden servers require players to know the reachable address and connect manually. This is useful when you want address-based access rather than browser discovery, but it means an empty public or LAN list is expected.
“LAN: The server will not appear in the public server list, but will be available through the Play On LAN button.” — Factorio Wiki, Multiplayer page.
Apply and verify the settings file
- Stop the dedicated server cleanly so it does not overwrite settings while you edit them.
- Open the server settings file used by the headless launch, not a similarly named file from another installation.
- Set visibility to the intended value:
public,lan, orhidden. - Save the file and restart the server with that same settings file.
- Check the matching browser for that mode before changing network rules.
If the setting appears correct but the behavior does not change, confirm the launch actually references the file you edited. A valid edit in an unused file has no effect.
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Public servers need credentials or a token
A public server must authenticate with Factorio. Put the required Factorio credentials or an authentication token in the server settings file. Without them, the server can run locally but fail to register in the public list.
Check authentication separately from visibility
For a server intended to be public, verify all three conditions:
- Visibility is set to
public. - Credentials or an authentication token are present in the settings file used at startup.
- The host can reach Factorio’s matching service.
Look in the server log after startup for authentication failures or an inability to contact the matching service. Those messages point to registration rather than a router or client-browser issue.
Protect the token
Treat an authentication token like a password. Do not paste it into public screenshots, chat, issue reports, or launch scripts that other users can read. If you believe it has been exposed, replace it through the account or server-management process provided by Factorio and update the settings file before restarting.
Confirm the port and transport before touching the router
Factorio servers use UDP only. The default network port is 34197. The number is useful only when it is the number your process is actually listening on.
Keep one port value consistent
A custom launch option can change the port with --port. When that happens, the same value must appear in every place involved in the connection:
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- the headless server’s launch command or configuration;
- the operating system’s inbound firewall rule;
- the router’s UDP forwarding rule; and
- the port players enter for a direct connection.
Using 34197 in the router while the process listens on a different value produces the same symptom as a stopped server: no listing and no connection. Conversely, opening several speculative ports can make troubleshooting harder and unnecessarily increases exposure.
Do not create a TCP-only rule
A TCP forwarding rule does not substitute for the required UDP rule. Configure the selected port as UDP. If your router offers a combined TCP/UDP preset, verify that UDP is included; otherwise create an explicit UDP entry.
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Internet players reach a home server through the router’s public address. The router must forward the Factorio UDP port to the private IP address of the computer running the server.
- Find the server computer’s current private IP address on the local network.
- In the router’s port-forwarding or NAT section, create a rule for UDP 34197, unless
--portconfigured another value. - Set the destination to the server computer’s current private IP address.
- Save or apply the rule, then restart the Factorio process if your router or operating system requires it.
- Test from a network outside the home LAN; testing only from inside can be affected by the router’s handling of loopback connections.
A forwarding rule can silently become wrong when the server computer receives a different private IP address later. Recheck the destination whenever the machine’s network configuration changes. The router must also have a usable path to the internet; a rule pointing at the right computer cannot compensate for an upstream NAT or an unavailable public address.
Allow Factorio through both firewalls
There are two independent firewall checkpoints: the operating system on the server and the operating system on the player’s computer. Passing one does not imply that the other is open.
Server-side firewall
Allow the Factorio server executable to accept inbound traffic, and allow inbound UDP on the selected port. If you changed from 34197, update the rule to the new number. Apply the rule to the network profile used by the server computer, then restart or reload the firewall if required by that operating system.
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Client-side firewall
A client firewall can prevent the LAN browser from displaying a working server. In a documented Factorio forum case, manual connection worked but the LAN list remained empty until Factorio was allowed through Windows Firewall on the client. Use that as a practical diagnostic: if another player can connect manually while the browser is empty, inspect the client’s Factorio permission before rebuilding the server.
What to allow
- Allow the Factorio application when the firewall asks for network access.
- Ensure the rule permits the network category you are actually using.
- If you created a port-specific rule, use UDP and the configured port.
- After changing a rule, close and reopen the game’s multiplayer screen so discovery is retried.
Use “Connect to address” to separate discovery from reachability
The most informative test is a direct connection. In Factorio, choose Connect to address and enter the server’s reachable IP address or hostname together with the configured port.
- For a LAN test, use the server computer’s private address and the Factorio port.
- For an internet test, use the home network’s reachable public address or hostname and the forwarded port.
- Attempt the connection while the server process is running and the intended save is loaded.
- Record whether the connection succeeds, times out, or is refused.
If direct connection succeeds
The game process and network path work. The remaining problem is discovery: visibility may be set to the wrong mode, public authentication may be missing, the matching service may not have registered the server yet, or a client firewall may be suppressing browser discovery. Fix the applicable listing layer rather than changing the port again.
If direct connection fails
Return to the port, firewall, router/NAT, and address checks. A failed direct test means the client cannot complete the network path, so changing the browser view alone will not solve it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Verify the headless process and the files it actually uses
A server can appear to start while using an unintended save, settings file, or port. Confirm the running process rather than relying on an old shortcut or service definition.
- Check that the dedicated Factorio process is running and remains running after startup.
- Confirm that it loaded the intended save.
- Confirm that it loaded the server settings file containing the visibility and authentication values you edited.
- Confirm the configured port, including any
--portargument. - Review the log for bind errors, authentication failures, matching-service errors, or a port different from the one forwarded.
A bind error usually means another process already occupies the selected port or the server cannot attach to the requested interface. Resolve that local conflict before testing from another computer. An authentication or matching-service error belongs to public registration; a bind or port message belongs to local startup and network configuration.
Choose the right branch for your situation
Home LAN server missing from Play On LAN
- Set visibility to
lan. - Confirm every player is connected to the same local network, rather than a guest or isolated wireless network.
- Allow Factorio through the player’s firewall.
- Use the server’s private address with Connect to address to prove local reachability.
If the direct LAN connection works but the list stays empty, the client discovery path is the remaining suspect.
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Internet server missing from Browse public games
- Set visibility to
public. - Add valid Factorio credentials or an authentication token to the active settings file.
- Confirm the process can reach Factorio’s matching service.
- Forward the configured UDP port to the server’s current private IP.
- Allow the executable and UDP port through the server firewall.
- Test from outside the home network with a direct address connection.
This branch has two independent requirements: registration with the public browser and an open network path. A server may satisfy one and fail the other.
Server intentionally not listed
With hidden visibility, an empty browser is expected. Give players the correct reachable address and port, and keep the address and authentication details private to the people you intend to admit.
Common mistakes that look like Factorio bugs
- Searching the wrong browser: a LAN server will not appear in public games, and a hidden server will not appear in either list.
- Forwarding the default after changing the port: the router, firewall, and client must use the value selected by
--port. - Forwarding TCP instead of UDP: Factorio’s server traffic uses UDP.
- Forwarding to an old private address: the router may still target a computer that no longer owns that address.
- Editing an unused settings file: the running headless command may reference another file.
- Testing only from the host: local success does not prove that an internet player can reach the forwarded port.
- Exposing a token: credentials copied into logs or screenshots should be treated as compromised and replaced.
A compact troubleshooting checklist
Work through this list without skipping ahead:
- Identify whether the missing location is Browse public games, Play On LAN, or both.
- Set visibility to the matching mode:
public,lan, orhidden. - For public mode, verify credentials or an authentication token and matching-service access.
- Confirm the process is running the intended save and active settings file.
- Confirm the actual UDP port; use 34197 only if no custom port was configured.
- Allow the Factorio executable and UDP port through the server firewall.
- For LAN play, allow Factorio through each client’s firewall.
- For internet play, forward the UDP port to the server computer’s current private IP.
- Use Connect to address with the correct address and port.
- Read the server log and classify any error as authentication, matching-service, bind, or port-related.
The result of the direct test determines your next move: success means the remaining work is discovery and registration; failure means continue with the network path and process checks.
Security considerations when making a server public
Public visibility and UDP forwarding make the server reachable beyond your home network. Expose only the port the server uses, keep the operating system and Factorio installation maintained, and protect the authentication token. If you no longer need public access, switch visibility to lan or hidden and remove the internet-facing forwarding rule.
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