Port Forwarding and Firewall Guide
Understanding ports, firewalls, and why your friends might not be able to connect to your game server.
Ports and Firewalls
When hosting with DustBowl.Games, you don't need to set up port forwarding — we handle all network configuration on our end. This guide is for understanding how it works and troubleshooting connection issues.
How Server Ports Work
Every game server listens on specific network ports:
| Game | Default Port | Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft | 25565 | TCP |
| CS2 | 27015 | UDP |
| DayZ | 2302 | UDP |
| Rust | 28015 | UDP |
| ARK | 7777 | UDP |
| Garry's Mod | 27015 | UDP |
| Insurgency Sandstorm | 27102 | UDP |
| TeamSpeak 3 | 9987 | UDP |
Your server's actual port may differ from the default — always check your panel dashboard for the assigned IP and port.
Connecting to Your Server
- Find your server's IP address and port in your panel dashboard
- In-game, use the direct connect option
- Enter:
ip:port(e.g.,192.168.1.1:27015)
Why Can't My Friends Connect?
If players can't connect to your server:
Check these first:
- ✅ Is the server actually running? (Check your panel)
- ✅ Are you using the correct IP and port from the panel?
- ✅ Is the server full? (Check max players setting)
- ✅ Is there a password set that they don't have?
- ✅ Do they have the required mods installed?
If the server is running but unreachable:
- The server may still be starting up — some games take a few minutes
- Check the console for errors
- Contact us on Discord — there may be a network issue on our end
DDoS Protection
All DustBowl.Games servers include basic DDoS protection. If you're experiencing an attack:
- Contact us immediately on Discord
- We can apply additional mitigation
- Consider upgrading to dedicated hosting for enhanced protection
Note for Home Hosting
If you're trying to connect to a DustBowl.Games server from the same network as your home (this is rare), you may experience hairpin NAT issues. Try connecting via the server's hostname instead of IP, or use a VPN.