Operation: Harsh Doorstop Server Port Forwarding
Open the four ports OHD needs for gameplay, Steam queries, and optional RCON — with examples for UFW and Windows Firewall.
Required Ports
| Port | Protocol | Direction | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Inbound | Game traffic — players connect here |
| 7778 | UDP | Outbound | Steam authentication and relay |
| 27005 | UDP | Inbound | Steam server query (browser listing) |
| 7779 | TCP | Inbound | RCON remote admin — optional but recommended |
7777 UDP must be open for anyone to connect to your server. 27005 UDP must be open for your server to appear in the in-game server browser. Without it, players can still direct-connect but will never find it through Browse Servers.
7778 UDP is outbound — most firewalls allow all outbound traffic by default, so this rarely needs explicit configuration. If players are getting Steam authentication errors, check that this port isn't blocked outbound.
7779 TCP is only needed if you're using RCON. See Operation: Harsh Doorstop Server Admin Management for RCON setup.
Router Port Forwarding
If your server is behind a home router (NAT), you need to forward these ports to the server's local IP address in your router's admin panel. The exact steps vary by router model, but the general process:
- Log into your router admin panel (typically
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1). - Find the Port Forwarding or NAT section.
- Add rules forwarding 7777 UDP, 27005 UDP, and optionally 7779 TCP to your server's internal IP.
- Save and apply.
Assign your server machine a static local IP (via DHCP reservation in the router) so the forwarded ports don't break if the server reboots.
Linux — UFW Examples
If you're running UFW on Linux:
# Game traffic
sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
# Steam queries (server browser)
sudo ufw allow 27005/udp
# RCON (optional)
sudo ufw allow 7779/tcp
# Reload UFW
sudo ufw reload
Check current rules with sudo ufw status verbose.
Linux — iptables Examples
If you're using iptables directly:
iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 7777 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27005 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 7779 -j ACCEPT
Persist the rules with iptables-save or your distro's preferred method.
Windows Firewall
Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
# Game traffic
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "OHD Game" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 7777 -Action Allow
# Steam queries
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "OHD Steam Query" -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 27005 -Action Allow
# RCON (optional)
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "OHD RCON" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 7779 -Action Allow
Or use the Windows Defender Firewall GUI: Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall > Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules > New Rule.
Verifying the Ports
After configuring your firewall, test from an external machine using a UDP port checker. Several free web-based tools can test UDP port reachability. If 7777 UDP shows as closed after forwarding, check whether your hosting provider has a separate firewall layer above the OS (common with VPS/cloud providers — those firewalls are configured in the provider's dashboard, not on the server).