Most Arma Reforger server failures come from four areas: mismatched game or mod versions, an invalid server configuration, blocked or incorrectly forwarded UDP traffic, and BattlEye or platform restrictions. Start by updating the client and server, verifying Steam files on PC, clearing the mod cache, and testing with no optional mods. Then work outward from the server console to the JSON configuration, firewall, router, backend registration, and player-specific settings.
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This guide follows that order so you can distinguish a server-wide fault from a problem affecting one player. It covers startup crashes, invisible servers, failed joins, BattlEye kicks, mod-download failures, port forwarding, container hosting, and the practical differences between hosting at home and using a third-party dedicated-server service.
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Do not change several settings at once. Record the exact symptom before making changes:
- The full message shown by the game, including any BattlEye or timeout text.
- The matching line from the dedicated-server console or log.
- Client and server game version, branch, platform, and recent update history.
- Whether every player fails or only one person fails.
- Whether a vanilla server, or a server with only the essential mods, works.
A failure affecting everyone usually points to the server process, configuration, ports, backend registration, BattlEye, or a shared mod. If one player cannot join while others can, inspect that player’s cache, firewall, antivirus, platform version, and available storage first. This split prevents you from rebuilding a healthy server to fix a single local installation.
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Use a clean baseline
- Update Arma Reforger and the dedicated-server tool to the same current branch.
- On a PC client installed through Steam, run Steam’s file-verification command for the game.
- Clear the local Arma Reforger mod cache.
- Launch or join once with optional mods disabled.
- If the clean test works, re-enable mods in small groups, starting with the least recently changed set.
Keep the successful baseline available. It gives you a known-good configuration for testing every later change.
When the server crashes at startup or will not stay running
Complete the official first-line repairs
Bohemia Interactive’s multiplayer support recommends a fully updated game, Steam file verification on PC, cache clearing, and a clean launch for startup crashes. Apply those steps to both the player installation and the dedicated-server installation where applicable. A server that starts only after a cache clear often has an incomplete or stale downloaded addon rather than a networking problem.
Check JSON as strict input
The server configuration is not forgiving. Bohemia Interactive’s Server Config documentation states that parameters inside the JSON file are case-sensitive. Spelling, capitalization, commas, quotation marks, and data types all matter. Values are strings unless the documentation for that parameter explicitly specifies another type. A visually similar key, a capital letter in the wrong place, or a trailing comma can stop the process from loading the file.
- Validate every opening and closing brace, bracket, and quotation mark.
- Compare each key with the current configuration documentation rather than an old community example.
- Keep numbers, strings, booleans, and arrays in the documented type.
- Check scenario identifiers character by character.
- Temporarily remove the newest configuration entry to identify a bad parameter.
Make one backup of the last known-good JSON before editing. If the process fails immediately after a change, restore that backup and add the change again in isolation.
Remove recently added or updated mods first
Mods are the fastest way to isolate a post-update crash. Disable the most recently added or updated item, then test. If the server remains stable, add mods back in small groups until the failing group is identified. An addon can be valid by itself yet fail when combined with a changed scenario, another addon, or a new game build.
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Fix a container’s temporary addon directory
Containerized servers must be able to write large downloaded mods to their temporary addon directory. Bohemia’s hosting documentation records curl error 23 when a Docker process cannot write those downloads. Give the process a writable location with the documented -addonTempDir option, then restart and allow the download to complete. Check the directory’s ownership, permissions, free space, and container volume mapping; changing only the host path does not help if the path is read-only inside the container.
When the server is invisible or unreachable
Confirm the process is listening on the intended interface
For normal hosting, leave bindAddress empty so the server uses its default all-interface behavior, commonly represented as 0.0.0.0. Binding to a private LAN address that later changes, or to a loopback address, can make the process appear healthy locally while preventing external clients from reaching it.
If the server sits behind a router, verify the public address used for backend registration. The address players need is the router’s current internet-facing address, not the host’s private address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x. A dynamic public address can change after a reconnect, so recheck it whenever a previously working server disappears.
Forward the actual game port
Forward the server’s public UDP game port to the machine running Arma Reforger. The normal port in Bohemia Interactive’s current Server Config documentation is UDP 2001. The forwarding rule must target the correct private IP; a DHCP change can silently point the rule at another device.
| Port | Protocol | Use | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | UDP | Arma Reforger game traffic | Normally required for internet hosting |
| 17777 | UDP | A2S server-query traffic | Optional; forward only when you need A2S querying |
| 19999 | UDP | RCON | Optional; use when RCON is enabled |
Do not forward only the optional query or RCON ports and expect players to connect. They do not replace UDP 2001. Arma Reforger does not support IPv6, so an IPv6-only internet path or an IPv6-only firewall rule cannot provide a working public server.
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Open both firewalls
Allow the dedicated-server executable and the selected UDP ports through the host operating system’s firewall. Then check the router’s firewall or security menu as well as its port-forwarding table. A rule can be syntactically correct but ineffective if the router blocks unsolicited inbound traffic separately.
Test from outside the local network: use a friend on another connection or a mobile hotspot. A client on the same LAN may connect through local routing even when the public forwarding path is broken. If an external test fails, confirm the host’s private IP, the router’s WAN address, the forwarding destination, and the server’s listening port in that order.
Account for filters and registration
A running process is not automatically a discoverable server. Browser filters can hide it by region, maximum ping, platform, scenario, or other search criteria. Clear filters and search by the exact server name. Visibility can also differ by platform restrictions, crossplay settings, and whether the client and server are on the same branch.
Experimental and main branches can expose different server lists. Confirm that every tester is using the branch intended by the server. For a mixed PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5 audience, check that crossplay is enabled and that platform restrictions are not excluding the players you are testing with.
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Compare versions and branches
Match the client and server build before investigating deeper. A server that appeared in a browser yesterday can become unjoinable after an update if the dedicated tool, client, or a required addon updated at a different time. Have one tester verify the clean, no-optional-mod configuration before restoring the full mod list.
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Separate shared problems from one-player problems
- Everyone times out: inspect UDP 2001, firewall rules, public-address registration, BattlEye configuration, backend status, and server health.
- Only one player times out: clear that player’s cache, verify local files, check antivirus and firewall exceptions, confirm platform branch, and check available storage for addon downloads.
- Players receive different server lists: clear browser filters and compare region, ping, platform, and crossplay settings.
- Joining fails after a scenario change: return to the last working scenario and test the changed mod or scripted content alone.
Check the mod download path
A mod can be missing, incomplete, outdated, blocked by storage limits, or incompatible with the current game build. Ask the affected player to remove the local mod cache, restart the game, and allow every required download to finish before joining again. On the server, confirm that the addon download completed and that the process can write to its addon and temporary directories.
Do not assume a download progress bar means the addon is usable. A stalled or repeatedly restarting download usually indicates a cache, permission, storage, or network problem. Test with no optional mods to prove whether the network path works independently of addon content.
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Preserve the exact kick reason and the corresponding server-log entry. BattlEye settings are functional dependencies, not cosmetic options. Bohemia Interactive’s hosting documentation identifies missing GameID or MasterPort settings as a cause of messages such as “Missing GameID/MasterPort server config settings.” It also warns that modifying those values prevents BattlEye from working.
Safe BattlEye checks
- Confirm the server uses the documented GameID and MasterPort entries for its build.
- Do not invent, randomize, or casually replace those values.
- Check that the client installation is not blocking BattlEye through its firewall or antivirus.
- Restart both client and server after repairing the dependency.
- Retest without optional mods so an addon is not mistaken for an anti-cheat failure.
If every player is kicked at the same stage, inspect the server’s BattlEye configuration and logs first. If a single player is rejected while others join, check that player’s BattlEye installation, local security software, and platform files.
Mod-related crashes, missing content, and endless downloads
Use a binary-search style rollback
- Stop the server and save the current mod list.
- Disable half of the optional mods and launch.
- If the failure remains, the cause is in the enabled half; if it disappears, it is in the disabled half.
- Repeat with the failing half until one addon or a small interaction is isolated.
- Check that addon against its current version and the scenario’s requirements.
This method is faster and more reliable than removing random items one at a time. Keep the last working list as a rollback profile.
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Watch for update timing
When a game update and a mod update land close together, test the game with the mod removed before declaring the server broken. Re-download the addon after clearing the cache, and make sure the server has enough storage for both the permanent addon and its temporary download. A container that cannot write its temporary directory may report a download error even when the internet connection is healthy.
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Performance and stability after the server starts
For a public dedicated server, Bohemia’s configuration guidance recommends keeping fastValidation enabled and limiting server frame rate with the -maxFPS launch option. Use the documented data type for fastValidation and apply the launch option in the startup method used by your service, container, or script.
When crashes or timeouts begin after a scenario or mod change, reduce the mod count and remove expensive scripted content temporarily. Add content back in controlled groups. There is no authoritative universal player-count, tick-rate, uptime, or crash-rate guarantee in the official material, so treat community performance figures as leads rather than promises.
What to monitor during a failure
- Server frame rate and CPU saturation during the exact moment players disconnect.
- Memory use and available disk space while addons download or a scenario loads.
- Repeated script or addon errors in the server log.
- Whether the failure occurs only at a particular scenario, location, or player count.
- Whether restarting clears the symptom temporarily, which can indicate a leak or a stuck download rather than a permanent configuration error.
Local hosting or a third-party dedicated server?
Bohemia Interactive confirms that dedicated-server tools are available and that hosting can be done locally or through third-party providers. The choice changes what you can control and how much maintenance you perform; it does not remove the need for version, mod, and BattlEye hygiene.
| Decision area | Local host | Third-party dedicated host |
|---|---|---|
| Public reachability | You control the router, firewall, public address, and port forwarding; carrier-grade NAT can limit inbound access. | The provider normally supplies a public endpoint and manages upstream networking, but you must verify which ports and protections are included. |
| CPU, RAM, and storage | Limited by your own machine and its workload; game use can compete with the server. | Capacity depends on the selected plan and host node; confirm headroom for the game, logs, and mod cache. |
| Restart and backup access | Full access if you administer the machine, but you must build your own restart and backup routine. | Control panels may simplify restarts and backups; retention, scheduling, and log access vary. |
| Geographic latency | Players connect to your home’s location and ISP route. | You can usually select a region closer to the player base, subject to available locations. |
| Mod updates | You manage downloads, permissions, cache cleanup, and disk space. | Automation may help, but you still need to verify addon compatibility and failed downloads. |
| BattlEye and configuration control | Direct access to configuration files, launch arguments, logs, and services. | Control depends on the provider’s panel and policies; confirm access before migrating. |
| Cost | Uses existing hardware and bandwidth, with electricity and maintenance as the practical costs. | A recurring service charge buys managed infrastructure; pricing and included resources vary by provider. |
Choose local hosting when you need direct control, already have reliable hardware and bandwidth, and can maintain forwarding and backups. A third-party service is more convenient when you need a stable public endpoint, a chosen geographic region, or simplified restarts and storage. In either case, retain a copy of the JSON, mod list, logs, and last known-good scenario.
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A complete recovery checklist
For a server that will not start
- Update the game and server tool.
- Verify Steam files on PC.
- Clear the mod cache.
- Launch with optional mods removed.
- Validate JSON spelling, capitalization, punctuation, types, and scenario identifiers.
- Restore the last known-good configuration, then reapply changes one at a time.
- If containerized, make the
-addonTempDirlocation writable and confirm free space.
For a server missing from the browser
- Clear browser filters and confirm the branch, region, ping, platform, and crossplay choices.
- Leave
bindAddressempty unless you have a deliberate interface requirement. - Verify the public address used for registration.
- Forward UDP 2001 to the correct host IP; add UDP 17777 only for A2S and UDP 19999 only for RCON.
- Allow the executable and ports through host and router firewalls.
- Test from outside the LAN and remember that IPv6 is unsupported.
For players being kicked or timing out
- Compare client and server versions and branches.
- Test a vanilla or minimal-mod server.
- Inspect the exact log and kick message.
- Repair BattlEye dependencies without changing documented GameID or MasterPort values.
- For one affected player, clear cache, verify files, check security software, platform settings, and storage.
- For everyone affected, return to ports, firewall, backend registration, BattlEye, and shared mods.
How to prevent the next outage
- Keep a dated backup of the JSON and startup command before every update.
- Record the server’s private IP or reserve it in DHCP so forwarding does not drift.
- Maintain a minimal-mod test profile and a production profile.
- Update the game, server tool, and mods in a planned window rather than independently during active play.
- Keep logs from the first failure; restarting can erase the context needed to identify it.
- Document which optional ports are actually in use, especially RCON.
- Test one external connection after router, firewall, branch, or public-address changes.
The reliable troubleshooting order is deliberate: establish the scope, create a clean version-and-mod baseline, validate strict JSON, verify binding and public registration, forward UDP 2001, open both firewall layers, then investigate filters, crossplay, BattlEye, and performance. That sequence fixes the common causes without confusing a local client fault with a public-server outage.
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