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Squad server port reference
The following set is the commonly documented arrangement for a Squad dedicated-server installation. A router rule and a host-firewall rule are separate controls; players need both when the machine is behind NAT.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Function | Port(s) | Protocol | When it is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | 7787 and 7788 | UDP | Required for normal client gameplay; forward the paired ports together. |
| Server beacon | 15000 | TCP and UDP | Used by the server beacon and relevant to discovery and connection handling. |
| Steam query | 27165 and 27166 | TCP and UDP | Supports browser and query traffic. The second value is the query-port-plus-one companion. |
| RCON | 21114 | TCP and UDP | Open only when remote console administration is enabled. |
| Ephemeral client traffic | UDP ports above 30000 | UDP | Some providers or deployments require an additional high-port range after the initial connection. |
These values come from the Official Squad Wiki installation guidance accessed in 2026. The guidance describes them as common documented values, so treat them as a starting point and not as a guarantee that every package, container, or hosting provider uses the same numbers.
What each port does
Game ports: UDP 7787 and 7788
Squad’s gameplay packets use UDP. The documented setup uses 7787 as the game port and 7788 as its paired port. Forwarding only 7787 can leave a server apparently online while clients fail during loading or cannot remain connected. Create rules for both values, with UDP selected, and make sure the external and internal port numbers are the same unless you deliberately configure a different NAT mapping.
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Beacon: TCP and UDP 15000
The beacon listens on 15000 over both TCP and UDP in the documented arrangement. Discovery and connection workflows can therefore fail if a firewall rule allows only one protocol. If you change the beacon value in the launch parameters, change both protocol rules and the router forward to the new value.
Steam query ports: TCP and UDP 27165 and 27166
Server-browser information is query traffic, not the same thing as gameplay traffic. The documented query port is 27165, with 27166 used as the next companion port; both are listed for TCP and UDP. A server can accept a direct connection yet remain absent from the public browser when these query rules are missing, blocked, or pointed at the wrong private address.
RCON: TCP and UDP 21114
RCON is the remote administration interface. Open 21114 only if you have enabled RCON and configured the server to use that value. Leaving an unused administration port exposed increases attack surface without helping players. Restrict the source addresses to your administration network when your firewall or router supports that option, and use a strong RCON credential.
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Ephemeral UDP ports above 30000
The installation guidance notes that some providers require inbound UDP ports above 30000 for ephemeral client connections after the initial handshake. This is deployment-dependent rather than a universal fixed port. If players connect to the server but are dropped when a match starts, ask the provider whether it filters high UDP ports and which range it expects. Do not open an unlimited range by habit; obtain the provider’s required range and limit the rule to it.
Check the values your server is really using
Port-forwarding guides often fail because they assume defaults while the running process uses custom values. Read the launch command, service definition, or container environment before creating any rule. The documented configuration example is:
Port=7787 QueryPort=27165 beaconport=15000Here, Port is the gameplay port, QueryPort is the Steam query port, and beaconport sets the beacon value. RCON is enabled and assigned separately when you turn on remote administration. Container deployments commonly expose variables named PORT, QUERYPORT, and RCONPORT; the variable names are not a promise that the defaults are unchanged, so inspect the values supplied to your particular instance.
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- Record the actual game port and its paired port.
- Record the beacon value and whether it listens on both protocols.
- Record the query port and its companion value.
- Record the RCON value only if RCON is enabled.
- Note any provider-specified high UDP range.
On the host, verify that the server process is listening on those values. On Windows, use the listening-sockets view in Resource Monitor or an elevated command prompt with netstat -ano, then match the process ID. On Linux, ss -luntp shows listening TCP and UDP sockets. A missing socket means forwarding cannot fix the problem; correct the server configuration or startup failure first.
Prepare the server and network
Give the host a stable private address
Port forwarding targets a private LAN address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x. Reserve the server’s address in the router’s DHCP settings or configure a static address outside the DHCP pool. If the address changes after a reboot, the router may continue forwarding to the old machine and the server will disappear even though every rule looks correct.
Know whether you have a routable public address
Forwarding works only when inbound traffic can reach your router. If your internet service places you behind carrier-grade NAT, the router may show a WAN address that is not directly reachable from the internet. In that situation you need a public address, a provider-level port mapping, or a managed server outside that NAT. Double NAT—an ISP gateway in front of your own router—can require forwarding on both devices or placing one device in bridge mode.
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Allow the ports on the host firewall
Create inbound allow rules on the operating system for the exact ports and protocols from your configuration. Use a dedicated rule group named for the Squad server so it can be audited or removed later. Do not select “all ports” or “all protocols” merely because the server is easier to test that way. If you temporarily broaden a rule for diagnosis, narrow it immediately after the test.
How to create the router forwards
- Sign in to the router’s administration interface and open the section labelled Port Forwarding, NAT, or Virtual Server.
- Create a rule for UDP 7787 and another for UDP 7788, sending each to the server’s fixed private IP.
- Create TCP and UDP rules for 15000. Some interfaces offer an “TCP/UDP” choice; otherwise create one rule per protocol.
- Create TCP and UDP rules for 27165 and 27166.
- If RCON is enabled, create TCP and UDP rules for 21114. If your provider specifies a high UDP range, add only that range.
- Leave the external and internal port fields identical unless your server configuration and clients are designed for a translated external port.
- Save or apply the configuration, then restart the router rule service if the interface requires it.
Some routers call a single contiguous range “start” and “end.” Do not combine unrelated ports into one broad range when individual rules are available. A broad range makes auditing harder and can expose services that have nothing to do with Squad.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Test visibility in the right order
- Start the dedicated server and confirm that its log reports the configured game, query, beacon, and (if applicable) RCON values.
- From the same host, confirm listening sockets. A local failure points to the service, not the router.
- From another device on the LAN, check that the host firewall permits the traffic. This test does not prove that internet NAT works, but it can reveal a local firewall or binding problem.
- Use the public server browser from a network outside the host’s LAN, such as a mobile connection. Testing from inside the same LAN can fail because some routers do not support NAT loopback.
- Try a direct connection using the server’s public address and configured game port. If direct connection works but the listing does not appear, concentrate on the query and beacon rules.
- If the listing appears and the initial connection succeeds but players are removed when entering a match, investigate high UDP ports above 30000 and any filtering by the provider.
When troubleshooting, change one layer at a time: process configuration, host firewall, router NAT, then provider filtering. Record the external port, internal port, protocol, and destination IP for every rule so a mismatch is visible instead of guessed.
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Why opening only the game port is not enough
The game port carries gameplay, while query and beacon traffic make the server discoverable and help clients establish the expected session. These functions can fail independently. A server that accepts a manually initiated connection but is missing from the browser usually has a query, beacon, protocol, or NAT-target problem rather than a bad game port. Conversely, a listing with failed joins can indicate that the game pair, host firewall, or high UDP path is blocked.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Do not copy generic Steam 27015 advice
Steam’s general support material lists TCP local 27015 for SRCDS RCON and UDP local 27015 for gameplay on dedicated or listen servers. Those are generic Steam/Source defaults. They are not a replacement for the Port and QueryPort values in a Squad configuration. Using 27015 simply because it appears in a generic Steam article can leave the actual Squad sockets unreachable. Follow the values reported by your Squad process instead.
Running more than one Squad server
Every instance needs a non-overlapping set of game, query, beacon, and RCON ports. Two processes cannot reliably bind the same port on the same host, and forwarding one port to two private destinations is ambiguous. Assign each instance its own values, update each launch command or container environment, and create matching firewall and NAT rules for every set. The container documentation illustrates this with separate PORT, QUERYPORT, and RCONPORT variables for additional instances; the exact second-instance numbers are not fixed by the documentation.
Keep an inventory containing the instance name, private IP, game pair, query pair, beacon, RCON status, and any high-UDP requirement. This prevents an update or replacement server from silently inheriting another instance’s forwards.
Security and maintenance checks
- Expose RCON only when it is required, and restrict its source addresses whenever possible.
- Use a fixed private IP and document who can change router rules.
- Review listening sockets after server updates; a changed launch parameter requires changed firewall and NAT rules.
- Remove old forwards when an instance is retired or moved.
- Prefer narrow provider-specified UDP ranges over an unrestricted high-port rule.
- Check router and host-firewall logs for blocked packets during a controlled connection test.
When managed hosting is the practical option
If your connection uses carrier-grade NAT, you cannot access the router, or the provider filters inbound UDP, a managed Squad host can remove the networking work. Choose a service that explicitly documents Squad support and the required game, beacon, query, RCON, and high-UDP behavior. Confirm its current game version support, available locations, public-address policy, backup and restart controls, and whether RCON access is included. Hosting does not eliminate the need to understand the ports: you still need them when checking the provider’s firewall or diagnosing a server that is not listed.
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Final checklist
- Actual launch or container values recorded, rather than assumed defaults.
- UDP game ports 7787 and 7788 allowed when those values are in use.
- TCP and UDP beacon port 15000 allowed when that value is in use.
- TCP and UDP query ports 27165 and 27166 allowed when those values are in use.
- TCP and UDP 21114 opened only when RCON is enabled on that value.
- Any provider-required UDP ports above 30000 identified and allowed narrowly.
- Host firewall rules and router forwards point to the same fixed private IP.
- Tests performed from outside the server’s LAN.
- Separate, non-overlapping assignments used for every server instance.
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