OpenArena Updated May 11, 2026

OpenArena Dedicated Server Troubleshooting

Diagnose common OpenArena dedicated server problems — server not listed, connection failures, port conflicts, sv_pure mismatches, and bots not spawning.

OpenArenatroubleshootingdedicated 2sv_pureport conflictbotsserver listUDP 27960

OpenArena Server Troubleshooting

Most OpenArena server issues fall into a few predictable categories. Check the server console output first — OpenArena logs port binding, config execution, and connection errors there.

Server Not Appearing on the Master Server List

Most likely cause: wrong dedicated value

Your server must be launched with +set dedicated 2 to register with the master server and appear in the in-game browser. dedicated 1 is LAN only and is never sent to the master server.

Check your launch command:

# Correct for internet server
./oa_ded.x86_64 +set dedicated 2 +set net_port 27960 +exec server.cfg

# Wrong — LAN only, will not appear in server list
./oa_ded.x86_64 +set dedicated 1 +set net_port 27960 +exec server.cfg

Secondary cause: UDP 27960 not forwarded

The master server must be able to reach your server's public IP on UDP 27960. Verify that your router and OS firewall both have UDP 27960 open inbound. See the port forwarding guide.

It can take 1–2 minutes after startup for the server to appear in the browser after successful registration.

Cannot Connect to the Server

Port conflict — server bound to a different port

If UDP 27960 is already in use, OpenArena automatically increments to 27961, 27962, and so on. Check the server console for the actual bound port:

Opening IP socket: 0.0.0.0:27961

If the server bound to 27961 instead of 27960, forward 27961 on your router and firewall, and have players connect to YOUR_IP:27961.

To force a specific port and fail clearly if it is unavailable, use +set net_port 27960 in the launch command — the server will exit with an error rather than silently shifting ports.

Config not loaded

If +exec server.cfg is missing from the launch command, the server runs with defaults. Ensure the full launch command includes +exec server.cfg and that the file exists at the correct path:

  • Linux/Mac: $HOME/.openarena/baseoa/server.cfg
  • Windows: baseoa\server.cfg in the game directory

sv_pure Mismatch — Clients Kicked on Connect

When sv_pure 1 is set, the server checksums .pk3 files against the client's files. A mismatch results in immediate disconnection with a message like:

Unpure client detected. Invalid .pk3 files referenced!

Common causes:

  • The client has extra or modified .pk3 files in their baseoa/ directory
  • A custom map .pk3 is on the server but not on the client
  • The client has an older or modified base game

For testing custom maps, temporarily set sv_pure 0 so clients are not kicked for missing the new map file:

\rcon sv_pure 0
\rcon map custom_map_name

For a public server with only official content, sv_pure 1 is correct and provides integrity assurance.

Bots Not Appearing

Bots require two conditions to be met simultaneously:

  1. bot_enable must be set to 1
  2. bot_minplayers must be greater than 0

If either is 0 or missing, no bots will spawn. Check your server.cfg:

bot_enable 1
bot_minplayers 4

Apply changes without restarting:

\rcon bot_enable 1
\rcon bot_minplayers 4

Config Not Loading at Startup

If your server hostname, fraglimit, or other settings are not applying, the config file is not being executed. Verify:

  1. The launch command includes +exec server.cfg — not just server.cfg without the +exec prefix
  2. The file exists at the correct path for your OS
  3. There are no syntax errors in server.cfg — a bad line can stop execution partway through

Test by running \rcon exec server.cfg from a connected client and watching the server console for errors.

Log File Location

The server log is written to:

  • Linux/Mac: $HOME/.openarena/baseoa/games.log
  • Windows: baseoa\games.log in the game directory

Review this file after a crash or unexpected behavior for error messages.

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