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What Starbound port forwarding does
A router normally accepts connections initiated from inside your home network and rejects unsolicited traffic from the internet. Port forwarding creates one deliberate exception: traffic arriving at a selected WAN port is sent to one device’s private LAN address. Your Starbound server must be running on that destination device, and both the router and the computer’s firewall must permit the same port and protocol.
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Forwarding does not make the server public by itself. The server process has to be listening, the destination address must remain unchanged, and your internet connection must allow inbound connections. A successful connection from another computer in the same house proves only that the local server works; it does not prove that WAN forwarding is correct.
Port and protocol at a glance
| Item | Default or required value | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Game/query port | 21025 | Use this unless the server configuration or log shows a different listening port. |
| Protocol | TCP in the commonly used dedicated-server instructions | Some Linux instructions report TCP and UDP. Forward only the protocol(s) your installation actually uses. |
| Router destination | The server computer’s private IPv4 address | Reserve that address with DHCP or assign a stable address before testing. |
| Remote player address | Your public/WAN IP or hostname plus the external port | Do not give internet players the 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x or 172.16–31.x.x address used inside your home. |
The default port is identified as TCP 21025 in Starbound multiplayer and dedicated-server guides. A Linux server tutorial describes Starbound as using TCP and UDP on that port by default. Because those instructions differ by platform and setup, the server’s own configuration and startup output are the authority for your machine.
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What you need before changing the router
- Administrative access to the router that is directly connected to the internet.
- A dedicated server installation that starts without errors.
- The host computer’s private IPv4 address.
- A DHCP reservation or another method that keeps that address from changing.
- Permission to create an inbound rule in the host operating system’s firewall.
- A test device or friend on a different network, such as a phone using cellular data.
If your home uses a separate modem and router, identify which box performs routing. Creating a rule on an access point that is not the internet gateway will not expose the server. When two devices both perform NAT, you may need a forwarding rule on each, or you may need to put the second device in bridge/access-point mode.
Step 1: Confirm the server’s listening port and protocol
Start the dedicated server once
Launch the server and leave it running while you inspect its configuration and console output. Record the port that it reports as listening. If no custom value has been set, the usual value is 21025. Do not assume that a launcher, mod pack or platform-specific wrapper kept the default.
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Check the configuration file and log
Open the Starbound server configuration file (commonly named starbound_server.config) and look for the listening-port setting. Then check the startup log for a line showing the bound address, port or protocol. If the configuration and log disagree, use the value the running process actually reports and correct the configuration before forwarding anything.
Determine whether the process accepts TCP, UDP or both. The Windows dedicated-server guidance generally calls for TCP, while a Linux guide documents both protocols. Selecting “both” in a router is appropriate only when your server build requires both; opening an unused protocol increases exposure without helping players connect.
Step 2: Give the host a stable private address
A forwarding rule points to an internal address, not to a computer name. If the router later gives the server a different address, the rule still exists but sends traffic to the wrong device.
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Find the current private IPv4 address
- Windows: Open Command Prompt, run
ipconfig, and note the IPv4 Address on the adapter connected to your LAN. - Linux: Run
ip addrand identify the IPv4 address on the active Ethernet or Wi-Fi interface.
Use the address assigned by your router, usually in a private range such as 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x or 172.16–31.x.x. Do not use the router’s gateway address or an address belonging to a virtual adapter.
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Create a DHCP reservation
In the router’s LAN, DHCP or connected-devices section, select the server computer and reserve its current address against its network adapter. Save the reservation and restart the server computer or renew its lease if the router requests it. A reservation is usually safer than typing a manual address into the operating system because it keeps the router’s address-management table consistent.
Steam’s support guidance summarizes the requirement as: “Your server should use a static IP address.” A DHCP reservation satisfies the practical purpose of that advice while allowing the router to manage the address.
Step 3: Create the router forwarding rule
Enter the rule fields
Router interfaces use different labels, but the information is the same. Look for Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, NAT Forwarding or a similar menu.
| Router field | Value to enter | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Name or service | A recognizable label such as Starbound Server | The label is for your administration; it does not affect the game. |
| External/WAN port | The port remote players will use | Use the configured listening port, or choose a different external port and document it for players. |
| Internal/LAN port | The port shown by the running server | If external and internal values differ, players must use the external value. |
| Destination IP | The reserved private IPv4 address of the server computer | Do not select “all devices” or leave the destination blank. |
| Protocol | TCP, UDP or both, according to the server log | Match the protocol exactly; a TCP rule does not accept UDP traffic. |
| Enabled | On | Save or apply the configuration after editing. |
Keep the mapping understandable
Using the same external and internal port is simplest. A different external port can be useful when another service already occupies the default, but it creates an extra value that every remote player must enter. Never forward a range when one port is sufficient.
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After saving, revisit the rule and verify that the router did not silently change the protocol, destination address or port range. Some firmware separates IPv4 and IPv6 forwarding; the rule described here is the conventional IPv4 NAT rule.
Step 4: Allow the server through the host firewall
A router rule can deliver the packet to the computer, but the operating-system firewall can still discard it. Permit the executable or the exact inbound port using the same protocol selected on the router.
Windows
- Open Windows Security and select Firewall & network protection.
- Choose Advanced settings, then Inbound Rules.
- Select New Rule.
- Choose Program and browse to
starbound_server.exe, or choose Port and enter the listening port. - Select the required protocol, allow the connection on the profiles you actually use, and give the rule a clear name.
- Save the rule and ensure it is enabled.
The dedicated-server instructions specifically call for allowing starbound_server.exe through active firewalls. If you create a port rule instead, restrict it to the server’s port rather than opening all inbound traffic.
Linux
Use the firewall manager enabled on your distribution. For a system using UFW, a TCP rule would be expressed as sudo ufw allow 21025/tcp; substitute your configured port and add a UDP rule only when the server requires UDP. With another firewall, create the equivalent inbound rule and reload it according to that firewall’s documentation.
Step 5: Test from outside your home network
- Start the dedicated server and leave it listening.
- Confirm that the reserved private address in the router still matches the host computer.
- From a different network, enter your public IP or hostname and the external port. A friend can test from their home, or you can use a phone on cellular data rather than your Wi-Fi.
- Watch the server console or log while the attempt is made. An incoming connection entry proves that traffic reached the process; a timeout with no log entry points to the router, NAT or ISP path.
A test from another device on the same Wi-Fi may fail even when internet access works because some routers lack NAT loopback (also called hairpin NAT). For that local test, players should use the host’s private address. Do not treat a successful LAN connection as proof of WAN reachability, and do not treat a failed LAN loopback attempt as proof that forwarding is broken.
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Which address should each player use?
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Give remote players the public IPv4 address shown by the internet gateway, or a hostname that resolves to it, followed by the external port. The public address belongs to the router’s internet connection; it is not the same as the server’s private LAN address.
Players on the same LAN
Give them the server computer’s private IPv4 address and the listening port. If the router supports NAT loopback, the public address may also work from inside, but relying on that behavior makes troubleshooting harder.
When your public address changes
Many residential connections use a dynamic public address. A modem or router restart can assign a different address, making an old invitation unusable. Check the current WAN address before sharing it again. A separately configured dynamic-DNS service can provide a hostname that follows address changes, but it must be evaluated and maintained independently of Starbound.
Changing Starbound’s port later
If you edit the listening-port value in starbound_server.config or another server configuration, treat the change as a coordinated update:
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Change the listening-port setting.
- Start the server and confirm the new value in its log.
- Edit the router rule’s external and internal values as needed.
- Update the Windows or Linux firewall exception.
- Tell players the new external port and test from a different network.
A forwarding rule for the old port cannot reach a process that is listening elsewhere. The Steam Community dedicated-server instructions explicitly warn that forwarding must be changed when the server port changes.
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Troubleshooting: find the failing layer
The server does not start or shows no listening port
- Resolve configuration, permission or mod errors first; port forwarding cannot repair a server that is not running.
- Check that another application is not already using the selected port.
- Read the startup log for the actual bind address and port instead of relying on a remembered default.
The router rule points to the wrong computer
- Compare the rule’s destination with the host’s current IPv4 address.
- Confirm that the DHCP reservation is tied to the active network adapter, especially after replacing a Wi-Fi card or moving from Wi-Fi to Ethernet.
- Do not forward to the router’s own gateway address.
The protocol does not match
A TCP-only rule will not carry UDP, and a UDP-only rule will not carry TCP. Recheck the server log and the platform-specific instructions, then create the smallest matching rule. If the setup documents both protocols and the log confirms both listeners, configure both separately or use the router’s TCP/UDP option.
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Temporarily inspect the firewall’s blocked-connection log rather than disabling the firewall as a permanent fix. Verify that the allow rule targets starbound_server.exe or the selected port, uses the correct protocol and applies to the active network profile.
LAN works but WAN does not
- Test from cellular data or another household; a same-LAN test may only exercise local routing.
- Check that the router rule is enabled and that the server was running during the test.
- Verify the public address currently shown by the internet gateway.
- Check whether a second router, mesh unit or modem is performing NAT. Forward through both layers or place the downstream unit in bridge/access-point mode.
The router has no usable public address
Some providers place customers behind carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT). In that arrangement, the address shown on your router is shared or belongs to an upstream carrier device, so an inbound rule on your home router cannot receive unsolicited internet traffic. Compare the router’s WAN address with the public address reported by an external service; a mismatch is a warning sign. Ask the provider whether a public IPv4 address is available, or use a hosting arrangement that does not depend on inbound connections to your home. IPv6 may be an option only if the game, router and players’ networks all support a correctly secured IPv6 setup.
The address worked yesterday but not today
Check for a changed public IP after a reboot or lease renewal. Then verify that the private address reservation still points to the server. Update the address shared with friends or the hostname used for connection.
Direct home hosting versus a hosted server
| Decision axis | Home hosting | Hosted server |
|---|---|---|
| Mods and configuration | Full control over files, launch options and maintenance. | Control depends on the host’s software access and policies. |
| Recurring cost | Uses your existing connection and hardware, though electricity and upgrades remain your responsibility. | Normally involves a recurring hosting charge. |
| Setup complexity | Requires router forwarding, firewall rules and network troubleshooting. | The provider generally supplies a public endpoint, but you still configure the game. |
| Public-IP and NAT dependence | Requires an inbound-reachable connection and a stable way to share the address. | Usually avoids your home router’s NAT and dynamic-IP problems. |
| Uptime | Depends on your computer, power, connection and household maintenance. | Depends on the provider’s infrastructure and plan. |
| Security administration | You manage exposed ports, operating-system updates, access and logs. | The provider manages the network perimeter; you remain responsible for the server software and account security. |
Home hosting is practical when you control the gateway and want direct access to files and mods. A hosted machine is more suitable when CGNAT, double NAT, household uptime or network administration makes inbound access unreliable.
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You do not need a particular router brand. Before replacing equipment, check whether the firmware provides:
- DHCP reservations tied to individual devices.
- Separate custom rules for TCP and UDP, including non-default external ports.
- Clear IPv4 NAT and IPv6 firewall controls.
- A way to identify the actual WAN address and whether the device is behind another NAT layer.
- Documentation that explains where forwarding, firewall and DHCP settings are located.
Consumer “gaming” labels do not substitute for these capabilities. A basic router with accurate documentation and working reservations is enough for a single Starbound server.
Security and maintenance after the server is reachable
- Forward only the required port and protocol; remove experimental rules when they are no longer needed.
- Keep the server, operating system and mods updated from trustworthy sources.
- Use a separate administrative account and protect any remote-management interface; never expose the router’s administration page through the game rule.
- Review server logs for unexpected connection attempts and stop the server when nobody needs it online.
- Document the reserved private address, external port and protocol so a future router replacement can be configured consistently.
Port forwarding changes the router’s internet-facing behavior, so treat it as a small network service rather than a one-time checkbox. When a connection fails, check the layers in order: running server, listening port, stable private address, router rule, protocol, host firewall, additional NAT and ISP restrictions.
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