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How to Connect to an Arma 3 Server

Join an Arma 3 server by Direct Connect, browser search or Steam Favorites. This guide explains IP and port entry, UDP 2302–2306, passwords, mods and troubleshooting.
Length7 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team

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The most dependable way to join an Arma 3 server is Multiplayer > Server Browser > Direct Connect. Enter the server’s IP address and UDP port, then select Join. The default game port is 2302/UDP; related Steam, voice and BattlEye traffic normally uses UDP ports 2303–2306. If the server requires one, enter its case-sensitive password, and make sure your installed mods match the server.

You can also find a server by name in the browser or save its address in Steam Favorites. Direct Connect is the best fallback when a server does not appear in the public list.

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What you need before joining

Have the connection details ready before opening Arma 3. Ask the host or administrator for the following:

  • The server’s public IP address or hostname.
  • The game port, usually UDP 2302 unless the administrator changed the base port.
  • The exact server name, if you plan to search in the browser.
  • The password, including capitalization, if the server is protected.
  • A list of required mods and any instructions for installing or enabling them.
  • The server’s supported game build, if the administrator publishes one.

Server-side status matters. The host should show the instance as Online in its control panel before you troubleshoot your own client. A server that is stopped, still starting, or bound to a private address cannot accept a normal Internet connection.

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Arma 3 server compatibility can depend on the game build and enabled content. The available connection guidance does not establish compatibility for every current build, so use the version information supplied by the server operator rather than assuming that every installation can join every server.

Three ways to join

Method What you need When to use it Main limitation
Direct Connect IP address and port The server is unlisted, or the host gave you a precise address You must enter the address correctly
Server Browser search Server name or search terms The server is publicly listed Listings can be incomplete or delayed
Steam Favorites A saved server address You revisit the same server regularly You must save the entry first; Steam labels can vary by client version

Method 1: Direct Connect with an IP and port

Direct Connect bypasses the public server-list search. It is the preferred fallback when a known server is missing from the browser.

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  1. Launch Arma 3.
  2. Open Multiplayer.
  3. Open Server Browser.
  4. Select the Direct Connect tab.
  5. Enter the server’s IP address and port in the corresponding fields. Unless the host specified another value, use port 2302.
  6. If the server asks for credentials, enter the password exactly as supplied. Passwords are case-sensitive.
  7. Click Join.

Check each character before submitting. A correct IP paired with the wrong port reaches a different service, while a correct port paired with a mistyped IP reaches no server at all. Do not add spaces or substitute a private LAN address for the public address unless the host specifically told you that you are on the same local network.

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When Direct Connect is the right choice

  • The administrator supplied an IP and port directly.
  • The server is running but absent from the browser.
  • You want to test reachability without waiting for a listing to refresh.
  • You are joining a private community server that is intentionally not advertised publicly.

Method 2: Find the server by name

The browser method is convenient when you know the server’s published name but do not have its address.

  1. Open Arma 3 and choose Multiplayer.
  2. Open Server Browser.
  3. Search for the server by its name.
  4. Select the matching result and click Join.
  5. Enter the case-sensitive password if prompted.

Use the full or distinctive part of the name supplied by the administrator. Communities often use similar names, so verify the displayed server details before joining. If the expected result does not appear, do not assume the server is offline: use Direct Connect with the host’s IP and port and then check the server’s online status.

Method 3: Save the server in Steam Favorites

Steam can keep a server address in a Favorites list so that you do not have to re-enter it each time. The exact wording of Steam’s menus can differ between client versions, but the documented route is:

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  1. Open Steam’s View menu.
  2. Choose Game Servers.
  3. Open the Favorites tab.
  4. Click the + button to add a server.
  5. Enter the server address and port supplied by the administrator, then save the entry.
  6. Return to the Favorites list and use the saved entry to connect.

If your Steam client uses slightly different labels, look for the Game Servers window and its Favorites tab rather than relying on an identical menu layout. Saving an entry does not fix an incorrect address, a stopped server, a blocked port or a missing mod; it only preserves the connection details.

Arma 3 ports and what they do

Arma 3’s default game port is UDP 2302. The related ports commonly associated with a standard instance are shown below. The role labels follow Bohemia Interactive’s community-wiki listing; other hosting guides label some of these ports differently, so the administrator’s own configuration remains the final authority.

Port Offset from base port Documented role Important qualification
2302/UDP Base Game traffic Default game port
2303/UDP +1 Steam query Used for server-query information
2304/UDP +2 Steam Some third-party guides assign this port a different label
2305/UDP +3 VON Allocated in the listing but not currently used
2306/UDP +4 BattlEye traffic Needed where BattlEye traffic is enabled

For a normal default-port installation, the practical firewall range is UDP 2302–2306. Several server guides recommend allowing the whole range rather than opening only 2302, because discovery, Steam-related traffic and BattlEye may use the adjacent ports.

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What happens if the host changes the base port?

The administrator can change the base game port with the -port= launch parameter. The related Steam and other service ports follow the same offsets. For example, changing the base port changes the corresponding +1 through +4 ports as a group; players must be given the new game port instead of assuming 2302.

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Multiple instances on one machine

When several Arma 3 server instances share one machine, separate their base ports by at least 100. A documented example is base ports 2302 and 2402. Each instance then receives its own related ports at the same offsets, preventing collisions between services.

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Firewall and router requirements for the host

If clients cannot reach a running server, the host should check networking before changing client settings.

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  1. Confirm the server process is running and marked Online in the hosting control panel.
  2. Forward or allow the appropriate UDP ports on the Internet router. For the default configuration, allow UDP 2302–2306.
  3. Allow the same ports through the operating system’s firewall on the server machine.
  4. Verify that the forwarded destination is the machine actually running Arma 3.
  5. If the base port was changed with -port=, apply the corresponding offset range rather than opening only 2302–2306.

A client cannot repair a missing router rule. If every player times out while the server appears online, the administrator should re-check the public address, port forwarding and host firewall first.

Troubleshooting by symptom

The server does not appear in the browser

  1. Confirm the host’s control panel reports Online.
  2. Search using the exact server name provided by the administrator.
  3. Ask whether the server is intentionally private or unlisted.
  4. Use Multiplayer > Server Browser > Direct Connect with the supplied IP and port.
  5. If Direct Connect also fails, verify the port and ask the host to check UDP 2302–2306 and the server’s actual base-port configuration.

Direct Connect times out

  • Recheck every digit of the IP address.
  • Confirm that you entered the game port, not one of the adjacent query or service ports.
  • Ask whether the host changed the base port with -port=.
  • Have the administrator verify router forwarding and firewall rules for the complete applicable UDP range.
  • Confirm that the server is still Online rather than restarting or stopped.

The password is rejected

Re-enter the password exactly, preserving uppercase and lowercase letters. Ask the administrator for a newly confirmed password rather than trying variations; passwords are case-sensitive.

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You are refused because of mods

Install and enable the same mods required by the server. A player with a different mod set may reach the server but still be unable to complete the join process. Ask the administrator for the authoritative mod list and any server-specific activation instructions.

The server appears reachable but you still cannot complete a join

Check the server’s stated game-build requirement and compare it with your installed build. Current compatibility for a particular server cannot be inferred from the port alone. If the build and mods match, send the administrator the exact IP, port, error text and time of the failed attempt so they can correlate it with the server log.

A quick joining checklist

  • Server status: the host reports Online.
  • Address: the IP or hostname is copied exactly.
  • Port: the supplied game port is correct; default is UDP 2302.
  • Password: entered with exact capitalization.
  • Mods: your installed set matches the server’s requirements.
  • Browser fallback: Direct Connect is used when name search does not list the server.
  • Host networking: default UDP 2302–2306 is allowed through the router and firewall.
  • Custom setup: if the host changed the base port, use that port and its corresponding offsets.

For most players, the shortest path is to obtain the administrator’s IP, port, password and mod list, then use Direct Connect. The browser and Steam Favorites are conveniences; they do not replace accurate connection details or a correctly configured server.

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