HogWarp Updated April 27, 2026

How Players Connect to Your HogWarp Server

Players connect to HogWarp servers through the in-game overlay — there is no direct IP connect option.

HogWarpConnectOverlayServer ListDiscord

How Players Connect to Your HogWarp Server

HogWarp uses a different connection model than most dedicated game servers. Players do not connect by entering an IP address — instead, they use an in-game overlay to browse the public server list and select your server. Understanding this flow helps you set up and communicate your server correctly to players.

The Connection Flow

  1. A player launches Hogwarts Legacy normally through their game launcher
  2. Once in-game, they press Right Ctrl to open the HogWarp overlay
  3. In the overlay, they log in with Discord (one-time setup on first use)
  4. They browse the Server Browser tab, which shows all active HogWarp servers
  5. They click your server and click Join

That is the entire process. There is no IP address, no port to type, and no separate launcher required beyond the mod itself.

Requirements for Players

Before connecting, each player needs:

  • Hogwarts Legacy installed (PC, via Steam or Epic Games Store)
  • The HogWarp mod/client installed — available from hogwarp.com
  • A Discord account for overlay authentication
  • A stable internet connection

How Your Server Appears in the List

Your server is listed automatically by presence.hogwarp.com as long as:

  • The server is running with a valid API_KEY
  • Port 11778 (TCP + UDP) is open and reachable from the internet

The server list entry will show:

  • Your server name (SERV_NAME)
  • Your server description (SERV_DESC)
  • Your server icon (SERV_ICON)
  • Current player count vs. max players
  • Server region (based on server IP geolocation)

There Is No Direct IP Connect

Unlike CS2, Minecraft, or other games, HogWarp does not support connecting by IP address or port. All connections go through the overlay and presence service. This means:

  • You cannot share an IP:port for players to paste into a connect dialog
  • Your server must be visible on the public list for players to join
  • Private servers are limited to using the server name and description as a "soft password" (e.g. tell friends to look for a specific server name)

Making Your Server Private or Friends-Only

Since there is no password system built into HogWarp (as of the current version), the common approaches for limiting who joins are:

  • Set MAX_PLAYERS to a low number (e.g. 4) to limit capacity
  • Use a unique, hard-to-guess SERV_NAME and only share it with your group
  • Monitor your server console and kick unwanted players if admin commands are available

Plugins Are Not Supported on Linux

The HogWarp plugin system (which could add features like whitelisting) is Windows-only and does not function under Wine. DustBowl.Games servers run on Linux via Wine, so server-side plugins are not available.

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