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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The quickest way to play Starbound with a friend is through Steam: open your friends list, right-click the friend who is playing, and choose Join Game. For a separately hosted world, open Multiplayer > Join Server and enter the host’s reachable IP address, normally with port 21025. A dedicated server process can stay online independently of the game client for persistent play.
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Choose the connection method that fits your session
Starbound supports three practical ways to connect. Steam joining is designed for quick sessions with a friend who is already playing. A self-hosted dedicated process gives the host control over the server and can remain online while the host’s game client is closed. Renting a dedicated server is an optional service route for groups that want an always-available world without running the process on a home computer.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Join Game or Invite | Lowest | Usually yes for a friend-hosted session | Usually minimal | Session-based | Quick play with friends |
| Self-hosted direct IP | Moderate | No, if the server process remains running | May require IP discovery and port forwarding | Persistent while the server process runs | Control and local ownership |
| Rented dedicated server | Moderate to high initially | No | Provider-specific | Persistent according to the hosting plan | Always-on private or public groups |
All players should have Starbound through Steam for the Steam-based route, and Steam networking needs to be available where applicable. Direct-IP play does not replace the server: the host must have a server process running and must give joining players an address that is reachable from their network.
Join a friend through Steam
Steam is the simplest option when one friend is already running a Starbound session. It avoids asking the joining player to discover an address or configure a router.
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Before you start
- Both players need access to Starbound through Steam.
- Add the host to your Steam friends list and make sure the host is visibly playing Starbound.
- Use Steam networking where the game and Steam client require it; a blocked or offline Steam session can prevent the join option from working.
- The host must have a character session available if they are going to send an in-game invitation.
Use Steam’s Join Game command
- Open the Steam friends list.
- Find the friend who is playing Starbound.
- Right-click that friend’s name.
- Select Join Game.
- When Starbound asks which character to use, select the character you want to bring into the session.
This method is normally the fastest because Steam supplies the route to the friend’s active session. You do not type an IP address or port in the game’s server form.
Accept an invitation from the host
The host can also invite you after loading a character. While the host is in the character session, they use Steam’s Invite to game option. Accept the invitation through Steam, then choose your Starbound character when prompted. The invitation is tied to that active session, so it will not work if the host has exited the session or stopped the relevant server process.
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When Steam joining is the right choice
- You want to start playing immediately without configuring a router.
- The host will remain available for the duration of the session.
- The group is small and does not need a world that stays online between play sessions.
If the host closes the game and no separate server process is running, the friend-hosted session ends. For a world that should remain available, use a dedicated process instead.
Join a self-hosted server by IP address
A direct-IP connection uses Starbound’s in-game server browser form rather than Steam’s friend-session shortcut. The host starts the dedicated server process, and each player enters the host’s reachable address.
What the host must do
- Start Starbound’s dedicated server from Steam, or run the server executable in the Starbound installation.
- Leave that server process running for as long as players need access.
- Identify the address players should use. The correct address depends on whether they are on the same local network, connected through a virtual network, or joining over the public internet.
- Confirm the listening port. The commonly documented default is 21025; use a different port only if the server configuration was changed.
- For internet play, configure the home router to forward the server port to the computer running Starbound’s server process when the network requires it.
- Give players the host address and port information, plus any build or mod requirements for the server.
What the joining player must do
- Launch Starbound.
- Open Multiplayer from the main menu.
- Select Join Server.
- Enter the host’s IP address, not your own address.
- Enter port 21025 unless the host has supplied a different configured port.
- Connect and select a character if Starbound asks you to do so.
The key detail is that the address must be reachable from the joining player’s network path. A private home-network address can work for another device on that same LAN but normally cannot be used by someone across the internet. Conversely, a public address is the one an internet player generally needs, while a player inside the same home may need the local address or a router setup that supports hairpin connections.
LAN, virtual-network, and public addresses
Do not assume one address works everywhere. A host may have several addresses at once:
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- Virtual-network address: Used when players are connected through a virtual networking layer; the address must be reachable through that layer.
- Public internet address: Used by players outside the host’s local network, subject to router forwarding and firewall rules.
Ask the host which network path the group is using before troubleshooting the game client. Entering the host’s local address from outside the home network is a common reason for an apparently correct connection attempt to fail.
Use the default port correctly
Starbound’s commonly documented default server port is 21025. In a normal default setup, the joining player enters that port with the host’s IP address. A changed server configuration overrides the default, so the host must tell everyone the replacement port.
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Port-forwarding checklist for internet play
- The dedicated server process is running on the intended host computer.
- The router forwards port 21025, or the configured replacement port, to that computer’s local address.
- The computer’s firewall allows the Starbound server process to accept connections on that port.
- The joining player uses the host’s public address rather than a local-only address.
- The host’s internet connection permits inbound connections; some managed or carrier-grade networks do not provide a directly reachable public address.
Port forwarding is a network requirement, not a Starbound menu option. The exact router screens differ by manufacturer, so use the router’s own terminology for a port-forward or virtual-server rule. Forward only the port the server uses, and send it to the machine actually running the server process.
Run a persistent dedicated server
A dedicated server is a separate process from the normal Starbound game client. Because it can continue running after the host closes the client, it is suitable for a group that wants to return to the same world at different times.
Self-hosted persistence
On a self-hosted setup, persistence lasts only while the dedicated server process and its host computer remain available. A player can close the game client without necessarily stopping the server, but shutting down the computer, ending the process, or losing the network connection makes the world unavailable until the host restores it.
Give regular players a stable way to reach the host. If the public address changes, the old address no longer directs them to the server. Players should also know the configured port rather than relying on 21025 if the host changed it.
Rented dedicated hosting
A rented Starbound server is an optional service provided by a game-server host. The provider runs the dedicated process on its infrastructure, so the group does not need to keep a personal computer online. Before renting, verify the provider’s current Starbound availability, supported game version, mod policy, server geography, uptime terms, pricing, and the controls supplied for starting or stopping the server.
Rented hosting changes who manages the machine, but the joining path remains familiar: players receive the server address and port, open Multiplayer > Join Server, and enter those details. The provider’s control panel may expose a non-default port, so do not assume every rented instance uses 21025.
When a dedicated server is worth the extra setup
- The group plays at different times and needs the world available between sessions.
- The host does not want the playable session tied to a client window.
- You need a clearly defined server address for several players.
- You are comfortable maintaining the server process, network access, and any required version or mod alignment.
Troubleshoot a failed connection
Work from the server outward. A failed join can come from the process, the address, the port, the network route, or a mismatch between installations.
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- Confirm the friend is currently playing Starbound rather than merely running Steam.
- Check that both accounts have Starbound available through Steam.
- Make sure Steam is online and networking is functioning.
- Ask the host to load a character session, then use Invite to game if a direct friend-list join is not appearing.
The direct-IP attempt fails immediately
- Ask the host to confirm that the dedicated server process is still running.
- Check the address character by character; the joining player must enter the host’s address, not their own.
- Confirm the port. Use 21025 only when the host has not changed the configuration.
- Determine whether the players are on the same LAN, on a virtual network, or on the public internet, then use the address appropriate to that path.
Local players can connect, but internet players cannot
This pattern usually points to the boundary between the home network and the internet. Recheck the router’s forwarding rule, the destination computer’s local address, the server process’s listening port, and the host computer’s firewall. The remote player should use the public address supplied by the host, not the private LAN address that worked inside the house.
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The server was reachable before but is not now
- Verify that the host computer has not been shut down or disconnected.
- Confirm the dedicated process did not close or crash.
- Check whether the host’s public address changed.
- Reconfirm the port if the server configuration was edited.
The connection reaches the server but play is still blocked
Check that every participant is using a compatible Starbound build and the same required mods. Mod or build mismatches can cause connection problems, but there is no single current compatibility matrix covering every mod combination. Treat the server’s stated build and mod list as the authority for that particular world, and test with the required set rather than mixing different installations.
Prepare players before sharing the address
A short connection note prevents most avoidable mistakes. The host should send:
- The connection method: Steam invitation, LAN, virtual network, or public internet.
- The exact address players should enter.
- The port, explicitly stating whether it is the default 21025 or a changed value.
- Whether the host must remain in a game session or whether a dedicated process is running separately.
- The Starbound build and any required mods.
Do not publish a private address to players who are outside the local network and do not give an outdated public address after the host’s network changes. If the group switches from a friend-hosted session to a dedicated process, send the new connection details instead of assuming Steam’s previous join route still applies.
Which method should you use?
Choose Steam Join Game for a quick evening session
Use Steam when one friend is already playing and everyone wants the least setup. The host’s active session is the central requirement, and the joining player can avoid IP and router configuration.
Choose self-hosted direct IP when you want control
Use a self-hosted dedicated process when the group wants to control the machine and server configuration. It takes more networking work, especially for internet play, but the game client does not have to remain open while the server process runs.
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Use a rented dedicated server when the group wants an independently managed machine that can stay online without someone’s personal computer acting as the host. Compare the provider’s current version support, mod rules, location, uptime, and price before committing.
Quick connection checklist
- Decide whether this is a Steam session or a dedicated server.
- For Steam, right-click the playing friend and select Join Game, or accept the host’s Invite to game.
- For direct IP, start the dedicated server and obtain the host’s reachable address.
- Open Multiplayer > Join Server.
- Enter the host’s address and port 21025 unless the host changed it.
- Confirm router forwarding and firewall access for internet play.
- Use matching Starbound builds and the server’s required mods.
- Select your character when prompted.
For most first-time players, Steam is the correct starting point. Move to a self-hosted or rented dedicated server when the group needs a world that remains available beyond the host’s active game session.
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