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If a friend cannot join your Vintage Story world, fix the connection in this order: confirm whether the player is on your home network, open the world correctly, allow the game through both firewalls, use the host’s current private IP address, match game versions and mods, and only then troubleshoot router forwarding. For internet-only friends, Open to LAN is not enough: forward TCP and UDP port 42420 or use a VPN. If the world must remain available while you are offline, run the dedicated server instead of hosting from a single-player client.
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Start by identifying which connection you are trying to make
Most wasted troubleshooting time comes from treating a local-network problem like an internet-hosting problem. Decide which case applies before changing router settings.
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| Player location | Correct approach | What must remain running |
|---|---|---|
| Same home Wi-Fi or Ethernet | Open the single-player world to LAN and connect with the host’s private LAN address. | The host’s game world must stay open. |
| Outside the home network | Forward TCP and UDP port 42420 to the host, or connect both players through a VPN. | The host game or dedicated server must stay available. |
| Persistent world without the host playing | Run the dedicated server program or use a hosted server. | The dedicated server computer or hosting service must stay online. |
For a same-house connection, do not begin with port forwarding. The official troubleshooting guidance recommends proving that a second device on the same LAN can connect first. That test separates a game, firewall, or address problem from an internet-routing problem.
1. Open the single-player world to LAN correctly
Open the world you want to share, press Escape, and choose Open to LAN. This is temporary, ad-hoc hosting: it turns the active single-player session into a server for other players on the reachable local network.
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- Start Vintage Story and load the intended single-player world.
- Press Escape to open the in-game menu.
- Select Open to LAN and confirm the hosting prompt or settings.
- Leave that world open while your friends play. Closing the world, returning to the main menu, or exiting the game ends this host.
If the host is still in the menus or has closed the world, a joining player can receive an unavailable-server or connection-refused message even when every network setting is correct. Have the host remain inside the world during the test.
2. Check the host process and firewall permissions
A firewall can block a perfectly valid LAN server. Allow the game components through the firewall on the host and, where the client firewall prompts for it, on the joining computer as well.
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VintagestoryServer.exe. - On the joining computer, allow
Vintagestory.exe. - Permit the connection on the private or home-network profile, not only a public profile.
- If you use a third-party security suite, check its application-control rules as well as the operating system firewall.
For dedicated hosting, verify that VintagestoryServer.exe is actually running. For Open to LAN, verify that the original game client still has the shared world open. A firewall exception for a program that is not running cannot make the server reachable.
After changing a rule, test immediately from another device on the same LAN. If the local test works, the firewall and local address are probably correct; move on to remote-access configuration only if the outside player still cannot connect.
3. Use the host’s current private LAN address
A player on the same network must connect to the host’s private LAN address, not the public internet address. The address commonly changes when the host reconnects to Wi-Fi or restarts the router, so an address that worked yesterday may no longer point to the host today.
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- On the host, identify the IPv4 address assigned by the home router.
- Give the joining player that current private address and the server’s configured port.
- Have the player add the server manually rather than relying only on discovery.
- Recheck the address after the host reconnects to Wi-Fi, changes network adapters, or restarts networking equipment.
If the player is using an old address, the connection can fail silently or reach another device. A private address is valid only from the same reachable LAN unless a router rule or VPN makes it accessible elsewhere.
4. Confirm both computers are on the same reachable network
Two computers can show Wi-Fi icons and still be unable to communicate. Guest Wi-Fi, wireless client isolation, separate VLANs, or an active VPN interface can prevent one device from reaching another. These are network-membership problems, not Vintage Story server settings.
- Connect both devices to the same home network name, preferably using the same router rather than one device on a guest network.
- Temporarily disconnect a VPN while performing the LAN test, or ensure it is not forcing game traffic onto another interface.
- Do not mix a guest SSID and the main household SSID for this test.
- Try a second computer or console on the same LAN. If no other device can reach the host, investigate network isolation before changing mods or reinstalling the game.
The goal of this stage is simple: prove that another local device can reach the host. Only after that succeeds should you diagnose a friend connecting from outside the home.
5. Match Vintage Story versions and mods
The client and server need compatible game versions. A version mismatch can look like a network failure because the connection reaches the server but cannot complete the session handshake.
Compare the game version
Check the exact version shown by the host and the joining player. Update or roll back so both use the same release before testing again. Do not assume that two installations described as the same major version are interchangeable if their full version numbers differ.
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Compare mod lists and versions
Every modded connection requires a compatible set on both sides. Compare names and versions, including server-side additions that the joining player may not see in the normal world screen. A missing, extra, or incompatible mod can prevent a join after the network connection itself succeeds.
Run a vanilla diagnostic
Temporarily remove non-vanilla mods from both the client and server and test with only the standard Survival, Creative, and Essential mods. If vanilla multiplayer works, restore mods in small groups until the incompatible package is identified. This is faster and more reliable than changing several firewall and router settings while a mod is still causing the refusal.
6. Interpret whitelist, password, and refusal errors
Reachability does not guarantee permission. A server can be visible and listening yet reject a player because the account is not allowed or the supplied password is wrong.
| Symptom | Most useful check | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Server appears, but the player is denied | Check the server whitelist. | Add or authorize the player, then have them reconnect. |
| Password prompt or password failure | Confirm whether a password is configured and verify the exact value. | Give the joining player the correct password or change it on the host. |
| Connection refused | Check that the host process is running, the firewall rule is active, and the expected port is listening. | Start the world or server, correct the firewall exception, and retry with the current address and port. |
| Timeout from a remote player | Check port forwarding, public-address changes, and VPN membership. | Forward both protocols or use a VPN; confirm the host remains online. |
Do not treat every refusal as a port-forwarding problem. A same-LAN player who reaches the server but fails authentication needs a whitelist, password, version, or mod correction instead.
7. Let friends outside your home network connect
Open to LAN is designed for players on the local network. Someone in another house needs a path through your router, or both players need to share a virtual private network.
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Manual port forwarding
The official setup guidance specifies forwarding TCP 42420 and UDP 42420 from the router to the host computer’s private LAN address. Create rules for both protocols; forwarding only one is incomplete.
- Give the host computer a stable local address, or create a router address reservation so the forwarding rule does not point to a different device later.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, create a rule for external port 42420 to the host’s internal address and port 42420.
- Create or select both TCP and UDP entries, according to the router’s interface.
- Allow the same traffic through the host firewall and ensure the Vintage Story server is running.
- Give the remote player the current public address and configured port, not the host’s private LAN address.
Router interfaces use different labels, so the exact menu name may be Port Forwarding, Virtual Server, or NAT Rules. The important values are the destination host and both protocols on port 42420.
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UPnP may not succeed
Vintage Story can attempt automatic router mapping through UPnP, but the official guide warns that this can fail. Routers may disable UPnP, reject the mapping, or expose the wrong network interface. If automatic setup does not produce a connection, use a manual TCP and UDP rule or a VPN instead of repeatedly restarting the game.
VPN as an alternative
A VPN can place remote friends on a shared virtual network, avoiding inbound router forwarding. Both players must join the same VPN network, and the joining player must use the host address assigned inside that virtual network. Keep the host firewall enabled and allow the game on the VPN’s private profile when prompted.
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Open to LAN is convenient for a short session, but it is tied to the host’s game client. The host computer and world must remain active, and the host must be present in the world. That is unsuitable for a persistent community world or for friends who want to play while the original host is away.
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| Hosting type | Best for | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open to LAN | Temporary play with people in the same building | Fast setup; no dedicated-server installation. | World closes when the host leaves; intended for local access unless additional routing is configured. |
| Self-hosted dedicated server | Persistent play controlled by the owner | Runs independently of the host’s game client and can remain online while the owner is not playing. | Requires a separate server process, firewall configuration, an always-on computer, and remote networking for outside players. |
| Hosted server | Players who want a persistent world without maintaining home hardware | The hosting service keeps the server online and handles much of the infrastructure. | Availability and pricing vary by provider; you still need compatible versions, mods, passwords, and access rules. |
For a dedicated setup, run VintagestoryServer.exe and keep its data path separate from the ordinary client world data as directed by the server setup. Permit the server executable through the firewall. Internet players still need the required TCP and UDP access or a VPN.
A complete diagnostic sequence
Use this order so each test answers one question and does not introduce several new variables at once.
- Classify the player as local-LAN or remote-internet.
- For a local test, load the world and use Escape > Open to LAN.
- Keep the host inside the world and confirm the process is active.
- Allow
VintagestoryServer.exeon the host andVintagestory.exeon the client through their firewalls. - Connect from a second device on the same LAN using the host’s current private address and port.
- If that fails, check guest-network isolation, VPN interfaces, router client isolation, and the address itself.
- Match full game versions, then test with only the standard Survival, Creative, and Essential mods.
- Resolve whitelist and password restrictions before interpreting an authentication refusal as a network failure.
- For a remote friend, forward TCP and UDP 42420 to the host or place both players on the same VPN.
- If the world must run without the host’s client, move to the dedicated server program or a hosted service.
Common mistakes that look like LAN failures
- Using the public address for a same-house player: start with the host’s private LAN address.
- Forwarding only TCP: the documented setup requires both TCP and UDP on port 42420.
- Closing the host world: Open to LAN is not an always-on server.
- Testing only from the internet: first prove a second device on the same LAN can connect.
- Assuming discovery proves reachability: add the server manually with the current address and port.
- Changing router settings before checking versions: a mod or version mismatch can reject a connection that already reached the server.
- Relying blindly on UPnP: automatic mapping can fail; manual forwarding or a VPN is the fallback.
- Forgetting address changes: reconnecting to Wi-Fi can give the host a different private IP.
When the evidence points outside Vintage Story
If a vanilla server works for another computer on the same LAN, the game installation and local host process are functioning. A remote-only failure then points to router forwarding, public-address changes, VPN configuration, or an ISP network that does not permit the required inbound path. Conversely, if no second LAN device can connect, keep working on firewall rules, network isolation, the private address, and version or mod parity before touching internet settings.
There is no published dated failure-rate study establishing one universal cause for LAN problems. Treat each successful test as a boundary: local success clears the basic server and LAN path; remote success confirms the router or VPN path; vanilla success isolates mods as the remaining variable.
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