If you can join your Palworld dedicated server by IP address but cannot find it in the Community list, the server is usually running correctly. The missing piece is often public-list registration: a private dedicated server and a listed community server use different connection paths. Add the -publiclobby startup option, restart the server, expose the query and game ports, then search for the exact server name. If direct IP joining also fails, troubleshoot the server process, firewall, port forwarding, and your internet connection before investigating the browser.
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First identify which connection path is failing
Palworld has two separate ways to reach a dedicated server. A player can enter the server’s address and port in the direct-connect field, or select a server from the Community browser. Those paths overlap at the gameplay connection, but list registration adds another service: the server must advertise itself so the browser can discover it.
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| What you observe | Most likely fault layer | What to check first |
|---|---|---|
| Direct IP works, but the server is absent from Community | Public-list registration, query-port exposure, name search, or browser delay | -publiclobby, UDP 27015, exact-name search, and restart time |
| Direct IP and Community both fail | Server process or basic network reachability | Running process, game port, firewall, forwarding, and CGNAT |
| Players outside the home network can join, but a player in the same home cannot | Router loopback behavior | Hairpin NAT support or a local-address test |
| Steam players can join but an Xbox or PS5 player cannot find it | Platform and deployment compatibility | Community-server deployment and the platform’s cross-play status |
This classification prevents a common mistake: changing firewall rules when the server is simply running as a private server, or repeatedly refreshing the browser when the game port itself is unreachable.
Step 1: Test direct connection before changing the listing
- Find the host machine’s public IP address and the port configured for the Palworld server.
- On a player machine, open Palworld’s direct-connect field and enter the address and port in the format the game requests.
- Test from a device that is not on the host’s home network, such as a friend on another connection or a phone hotspot.
Pocketpair documents direct-IP joining as a separate route from Community-server browsing. A successful external direct connection proves that the server process is running and that the gameplay path is reachable. It does not prove that the server has registered with the public list, because list advertisement uses a separate query path.
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If direct IP works, leave the gameplay configuration alone while you repair discovery. If direct IP fails, continue with the basic connectivity checks below; a missing list entry is then only one symptom of a broader problem.
Step 2: Turn the server into a listed community server
A server that starts without the public-lobby option remains private. Players are expected to connect with its IP address and port, not discover it by browsing the Community list.
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Using a launcher
- Open the server launcher used to start Palworld.
- Select the setting labelled Community Server or Public Server, depending on the launcher.
- Save the configuration.
- Stop the running server completely and start it again. The listing option is a startup setting, so changing it while the old process is running is not enough.
Using a Windows startup script
Add the option to the executable command. Pocketpair’s official example is:
PalServer.exe -publiclobbyUsing a Linux startup script
Pocketpair’s Linux example is:
./PalServer.sh -publiclobbyUse the option on every normal launch. If a scheduled task, service file, or wrapper script starts the server, edit that actual startup command; adding the option to a shortcut that is no longer used will not change the running instance.
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After the restart, wait for the process to finish starting before searching. The public browser can take time to reflect a newly registered server, and restarting the game client immediately can leave you looking at an older result set.
Step 3: Forward both UDP paths to the host
The server list and the game session do not use the same network check. The PalworldServerLauncher FAQ identifies these UDP ports:
| Port | Purpose | Where it must point |
|---|---|---|
| UDP 27015 | Steam query and list advertisement | The host computer’s current local LAN address |
| UDP 8211 | Gameplay traffic | The host computer’s current local LAN address |
Forward each port in the router to the same computer running PalServer. A forwarding rule aimed at an old local address will silently stop working after the router gives the host a different DHCP address, so verify the destination whenever the server machine’s network configuration changes.
Why opening only one port gives confusing results
- With UDP 8211 reachable but UDP 27015 unavailable, players may be able to join by IP while the Community list has no entry.
- With UDP 27015 advertised but UDP 8211 blocked, the server can appear in searches yet fail when a player tries to enter it.
- Testing from the host itself can succeed even when neither port is reachable from the public internet.
Check the router’s active forwarding table, not just the rule you intended to create. Confirm that the protocol is UDP, the external and internal port numbers match the server configuration, and the target address is the host’s current LAN address.
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Step 4: Allow PalServer through the host firewall
The launcher FAQ recommends allowing the PalServer executable through Windows Firewall. Create or verify an inbound rule for the server program and permit the UDP traffic required by the configured ports. If Windows displayed a network-access prompt when the server first launched, denying it can produce the same symptom as a missing router rule.
- Check the firewall profile used by the host’s active network.
- Confirm that the rule applies to the PalServer executable actually being launched, especially if you have more than one server installation.
- After changing the rule, restart the server and repeat an external direct-IP test.
Do not treat a successful connection from the host PC as proof that the firewall is correct. Local traffic can take a different route and may never pass through the same inbound filtering path used by an outside player.
Step 5: Rule out CGNAT and restricted internet service
Correct port forwarding cannot create an inbound path when the internet provider places the home router behind carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). In that arrangement, the address shown by the router is not a directly reachable public address, so unsolicited traffic from players cannot reliably reach your Palworld host.
CGNAT is a likely explanation when:
- Both UDP forwarding rules and the host firewall have been checked, but an external direct-IP test still fails.
- The router’s internet-facing address differs from the public address reported by an outside service.
- Your provider does not offer an inbound-capable public address or a way to disable CGNAT.
If CGNAT is confirmed, the practical choices are to host on a connection with a real public address or use a managed server service that supplies the external network path. A managed service also reduces the need to maintain home-router forwarding, but you still need to verify that it supports the player platforms and server features you require.
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Step 6: Search the browser by exact name
The Community browser can be slow or unreliable, and many servers retain default or common names. Scrolling through the list is therefore a poor test. Give the server a distinctive name, restart after enabling -publiclobby, wait for registration, and search the exact text.
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Make the name useful for diagnosis
- Use a unique phrase rather than the default server name.
- Keep a written copy of the spelling, spaces, and punctuation.
- Search the complete name first; try a shorter distinctive fragment only if the full search returns nothing.
If the exact-name search eventually finds the server after a delay, the problem was registration timing or browser filtering rather than gameplay reachability. If it never appears but external direct IP works, return to UDP 27015, the public-lobby startup option, and the server restart.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Step 7: Account for Hairpin NAT on the same network
A player inside the host’s home network may be unable to join a community server through its public address when the router lacks Hairpin NAT (also called NAT loopback). Pocketpair states that a router without Hairpin NAT cannot connect to community servers hosted within the same network.
This can look like a listing failure even though outside players can connect. Test from an external network to separate the two cases. For same-LAN play, use the host’s local address when the game and server support that route, or enable Hairpin NAT if the router provides such a setting. Do not use a failed same-house test as evidence that public players cannot reach the server.
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Step 8: Check platform and cross-play requirements
Platform compatibility changes what “working” means. Pocketpair’s version 0.5.0 documentation lists Steam, Xbox/Windows Store, and macOS as cross-play-enabled platforms. It also states that PS5 cross-play is currently unavailable.
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Pocketpair says Xbox and PS5 players need a community-server deployment to join from those versions. A private server that works for a Steam player through direct IP may therefore be unsuitable for console friends even when the network is configured correctly. Enable the public-lobby setting, expose the query and gameplay paths, and verify that the platform combination is supported before spending time on browser refreshes.
PS5 cross-play limitation
If a PS5 player is trying to join from a platform that does not have cross-play available under the documented version, a missing server entry is not a port-forwarding problem. The limitation is platform-level, and changing the server name or firewall rule will not remove it.
Use the symptom to choose the next fix
Direct IP works, no list result
- Confirm the server starts with
-publiclobby. - Stop and restart the server after saving the option.
- Forward UDP 27015 to the current host address.
- Allow PalServer through the host firewall.
- Search the exact unique name after allowing time for registration.
- If the host and player share a network, test from outside or check Hairpin NAT.
The server appears, but joining fails
- Verify UDP 8211 is forwarded to the same host.
- Check the PalServer firewall rule and the configured game port.
- Run an external direct-IP test rather than testing only on the host.
- Investigate CGNAT if outside traffic cannot reach either path.
No direct-IP connection and no list result
- Confirm the PalServer process is running and has finished starting.
- Check the configured game port and the address being entered by the player.
- Allow the executable through Windows Firewall.
- Verify UDP 8211 forwarding to the host’s current LAN address.
- Check UDP 27015 as a separate list-advertisement rule.
- Test from another internet connection and investigate CGNAT.
Only players in the same house fail
Test with an outside player. If outside access works, the router’s Hairpin NAT behavior is the distinguishing factor. Use a local-address route for same-LAN testing or configure Hairpin NAT where supported.
Why restarting and waiting both matter
The public-lobby flag is read at startup, and the browser is not an instantaneous directory. Changing a launcher checkbox without restarting leaves the old private process active. Restarting the process but searching immediately can leave the client ahead of the registration update. A reliable test is therefore: change the startup setting, perform a full stop and start, wait for normal initialization, then search the exact unique name.
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If your provider uses CGNAT, your router cannot forward ports, or you need console discoverability without maintaining a home server, moving the server to a managed hosting environment can address the network-control problem. Choose only a service that documents support for your intended platforms, community listing, UDP 27015 and UDP 8211 behavior, and the Palworld server version you use. Hosting elsewhere does not bypass platform restrictions such as the documented PS5 cross-play limitation.
Final verification checklist
- The server starts with the public-list option:
-publiclobby. - The process was fully restarted after the option was added.
- UDP 27015 reaches the host for Steam query and list advertisement.
- UDP 8211 reaches the host for gameplay.
- Both forwarding rules target the host’s current LAN address.
- PalServer is allowed through the host firewall.
- An external direct-IP test has been performed.
- The server has a unique name and that exact name was searched.
- Same-network tests account for Hairpin NAT.
- Xbox and PS5 players are using a community deployment, and the platform combination is supported.
- CGNAT has been ruled out when outside connections fail despite correct local settings.
The key distinction is simple: direct-IP connectivity proves the gameplay route, while Community-list visibility requires public registration and a working query route. Fix the layer that matches the symptom instead of treating every missing listing as a server crash.
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