Open Unturned, choose Play, then select the method that matches the server information you have. Use Play > Servers for a public listing, Play > Connect for an IP address or hostname, and Connect Directly for a host-provided Server Code. An IP connection also needs the server’s configured port and, when enabled, its password.
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Choose the right way to join
Your first decision depends on whether the server is publicly listed, privately shared, on your home network, or reachable through a host-managed connection service. The game does not use one universal address or one mandatory port for every server.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Public community server | Play > Servers | Server name or search terms | Finding an open server without contacting an owner |
| Host gives an IP address or domain | Play > Connect | Address, configured port, and password if required | Direct internet or private connections |
| Host gives a Server Code | Connect Directly | Exact Server Code | Modern private or dedicated servers using the code system |
| Server is on the same computer | Play > Connect | A local address such as localhost, plus the local port if requested |
Testing or playing on the host machine |
| Server is on the same home network | Play > Connect | The host computer’s local network address and configured port | LAN play without exposing the server to the internet |
Before opening a menu, ask the host which connection method is active. A Server Code is not interchangeable with an IP address, and an IP address without its port may leave you unable to reach a server that is not using the default shown in a guide.
What to get from the server host first
- Connection method: server browser, Server Code, IP or hostname, localhost, or a LAN address.
- Exact address or code: copy it character for character, including periods, colons, hyphens, and capitalization where applicable.
- Port: use the value the host configured. Do not assume that an example port from a tutorial applies to this server.
- Password: some servers are public but still protected, while others are completely private.
- Expected map and mode: useful for confirming that you selected the intended listing.
- Version and workshop content: ask which game version and add-ons the server expects if the connection fails after loading.
For a private game, also confirm whether the host is currently running the server. A correct code or address cannot work while the server process is stopped or unreachable.
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Join a public server through the browser
Open and search the server list
- Launch Unturned and select Play from the main menu.
- Open Servers.
- Search for the exact community or server name, or sort the list until you find it.
- Check the displayed map, game mode, player count, ping, and password indicator.
- Select the intended server and choose the join command shown by the game.
Sorting by player count can help you find an active server, while ping gives an early indication of network distance. A high player count is not automatically better: a full server may reject you until a slot opens, and a low-ping server may still require a password or specific workshop content.
Verify the listing before connecting
Compare the map and mode with the information published by the community. Server names can be similar, and a familiar name does not prove that the entry is operated by the group you intended to join. If the listing shows a password icon, request the password from the host rather than trying random values.
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When a favorite appears to be missing
Favorites can take time to update after the host changes its address or port. Refresh the list, search by the exact server name, and allow the browser to repopulate before concluding that the server has closed. If the host recently moved the server, remove an obsolete favorite and add the current listing again after you locate it.
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Join with an IP address or hostname
Enter the address in Connect
- From the main menu, choose Play.
- Select Connect.
- Replace the default value in the IP or address field with the address supplied by the host. This can be an IPv4 address or a hostname.
- Enter the host’s configured port in the port field.
- Enter a password only if the host requires one.
- Start the connection and wait for the server response.
The joining guide uses 25444 as an example default port. That number is not a universal requirement. Official command documentation describes a configured port and a second consecutive port, so the server owner’s actual settings control what you must enter.
Understand the address formats
- IPv4 address: a numeric address such as the one supplied by the host. Copy every number and separator exactly.
- Hostname or domain: a readable name that resolves to the server. Use it in the address field exactly as provided.
- Local address: an address that works only inside the host’s computer or home network.
- Internet address: an address reachable from outside the host’s network, provided the host has configured an appropriate access method.
If the host sends an address and port together, preserve the separation required by the Connect screen instead of pasting the entire string into one field. When uncertain, ask the host how they expect the address and port to be entered.
Join with a Server Code
Use Connect Directly
- Open Unturned and choose Play.
- Open the connection screen and select Connect Directly.
- Paste or type the Server Code supplied by the host.
- Submit the code and wait for Unturned to resolve the server.
Official hosting documentation states that players, including the server owner, can join by entering the server’s Server Code in the Connect Directly menu. This makes the code a convenient option for many modern private or dedicated servers because the host can share one value instead of asking every player to configure a router address.
When a code does not work
Check for an extra space, missing character, or copied punctuation. Confirm that the code belongs to the currently running server; a host who recreated or replaced a server may have issued a different code. If the code is correct but the server is offline, you will still receive a failed connection. Ask the host to verify the server status and send the current code again.
Join a friend’s server
Ask your friend these questions in order:
- Is the server listed publicly in Play > Servers?
- If not, does the server provide a Server Code?
- If there is no code, what exact IP address or hostname and port should be entered under Play > Connect?
- Is a password enabled?
- Are both players using the required game version and workshop content?
If your friend is hosting on the same computer, use a local connection. If both of you are connected to the same home router, the host can provide the computer’s local network address. A friend connecting from another house needs an internet-reachable method such as a Server Code, Fake IP, or correctly configured port forwarding.
Localhost and LAN connections
Same computer: localhost
When the server is running on the same PC as the game client, the host can use a local address such as localhost. Enter it through the Connect screen with the server’s configured port. This route does not make the server reachable to people outside that computer.
Same home network
For a second PC on the same home network, use the host computer’s local network address and configured port. Both devices must remain connected to the same network, and the host computer’s firewall must allow the server traffic. A local address is not a substitute for an internet address; someone outside the home network generally cannot use it.
Testing a local setup
- Start the server before attempting to join.
- Confirm that the client is entering the host’s local address, not an old public address.
- Check that both machines are on the same network rather than one using a guest network or mobile hotspot.
- Use the host’s configured port instead of copying the example value from a general guide.
How ports and port forwarding affect internet joining
Unturned uses two consecutive ports
Official port-forwarding documentation states: “Each Unturned server uses two consecutive ports while running.” This matters when a server is hosted behind a home router and players are connecting from the internet. The host may need to expose the configured port range to the computer running the server, not just a single arbitrary port.
The exact starting port depends on the server configuration. The joining guide’s example of 25444 illustrates a possible value, while the official command documentation describes a configured port and the next consecutive port. Only the host can confirm which pair is active on a particular server.
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What the host must provide
- An internet-reachable address, hostname, Server Code, or Fake IP.
- The configured port when using direct IP or hostname joining.
- A router and firewall configuration that permits the server traffic when port forwarding is the chosen method.
- A running server process on the machine receiving the forwarded traffic.
Players do not normally repair the host’s router from inside Unturned. If a direct connection times out from outside the home network, tell the host to verify the forwarding rule, firewall allowance, public address, and server status. Server Code and Fake IP are alternatives documented for hosts who do not want to manage manual port forwarding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Passwords, maps, modes, and workshop content
Password-protected servers
Enter a password only when the host has enabled one. A wrong password can look similar to other connection failures from the player’s point of view, so confirm the exact spelling and whether the host recently changed it.
Map and mode mismatches
The browser shows the map and mode before you join. Use those fields to distinguish similarly named servers and to catch an accidental selection. A server can be online and reachable while still being the wrong destination for your group.
Version and workshop requirements
The client and server must be compatible. If you connect to the address but fail during loading, ask the host which game version and workshop content the server expects. There is no single universal version-mismatch message published for every configuration, so use the host’s required version and add-on list as the reference. Update or install the required content before trying again.
Why you cannot connect: a diagnostic sequence
1. The server is not visible in the browser
- Refresh the list and search using the exact server name.
- Check whether the host changed the address or port; favorites may lag after such a change.
- Ask whether the server is currently running and whether it is intentionally hidden or private.
2. Direct Connect immediately rejects the entry
- Confirm that you used Play > Connect, not the Server Code field.
- Re-copy the address and enter the port separately as the host supplied it.
- Remove accidental spaces and check every digit.
- Ask whether a password is required and enter the current one.
3. The connection times out
- Confirm that the server is running.
- Determine whether you are outside the host’s home network. If so, the host needs Server Code, Fake IP, or working port forwarding.
- Ask the host to verify the two consecutive ports, router rule, firewall, and public address.
- Retry after the host confirms that the server has finished starting.
4. The code is rejected
- Open Connect Directly rather than the IP address fields.
- Paste the current code without added spaces or punctuation.
- Ask the host to confirm that the code belongs to the running server and has not changed.
5. You connect but cannot finish loading
- Ask for the server’s required game version.
- Check the workshop or other content requirements.
- Confirm that you selected the intended map and mode.
- Have the host check whether the server is full, restarting, or rejecting incompatible clients.
6. A friend on the same LAN cannot join
- Verify both devices are on the same home network.
- Use the host’s local address rather than
localhost;localhostpoints to the device where it is entered. - Confirm the local firewall permits the server and that the configured port is correct.
A practical decision path
- See the server in the public list? Join from Play > Servers.
- Have a Server Code? Enter it under Connect Directly.
- Have an IP or hostname? Use Play > Connect with the host’s port and password.
- On the same PC? Try
localhostwith the configured port. - On the same home network? Use the host’s local address.
- Outside the home network and direct connection fails? The host must provide an internet-access method and configure it correctly.
This order prevents the most common mistake: trying to solve a host-side networking problem by changing fields on the client. The joining screen can only use the address, code, port, and password that the server owner has actually configured.
Quick Recap
What to remember
- The public browser is the simplest route for listed servers.
- Direct Connect requires the host’s real address, configured port, and optional password.
- Server Code is the convenient modern route for many private and dedicated servers.
localhostand LAN addresses work only within the appropriate local environment.- Internet players need Server Code, Fake IP, or correctly configured port forwarding.
- Unturned servers use two consecutive ports when port-based hosting is configured.
- The example port
25444is not a rule for every server; always use the host’s settings.
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