How to Join Your The Forest Server

The Forest has no direct connection via IP address inside the game menu. You either find your server through the in-game server browser or add it to your Steam favorites. For the Steam entry you need the Query Port – not the Game Port.

Find connection details

Important

You can find the IP address and the ports of your server in the dashboard. For the entry in your Steam favorites always use the Query Port, not the Game Port. This is the most common reason why joining fails.

Via the in-game server browser

1. Start The Forest
   Launch the game and wait for the main menu to load.

2. Open Multiplayer
   Select Multiplayer in the main menu and then Join Game.

3. Change the source
   Set the source on the left to Dedicated (Internet). Your server is not listed under the other sources.

4. Search for your server
   Enter the name of your server in the search bar.

5. Join the server
   Select your server from the list:

   • Join starts with a new character.
   • Continue loads the character you already saved on this server.

Via Steam favorites

If you want to join via the IP address specifically, add the server in Steam. This replaces the missing direct connection in the game.

Note

This step can only be done in Steam, not inside the game itself.

1. Open Steam
   Open the Steam client.

2. Open the server browser
   Click on View in the top left and select Servers or Game Servers.

3. Add the server
   Switch to the Favorites tab and click on Add a Server.

4. Enter the server address
   Enter the IP address and the Query Port of your server:

   Example

   123.45.67.89:27016

5. Refresh the list
   Click on Refresh so Steam queries the server.

6. Join the server
   Start The Forest, open Multiplayer → Join Game and set the source to Favorites. Your server appears there.

Password protected server

If a password is set for your server, a lock icon is shown in the server list. You are asked for the password every time you join.

Tip

The same window also contains a field for the admin password. If you enter the admin password of your server there, you join as an admin – see Add Admin.

Which ports does The Forest use?

Note

A The Forest server uses three ports:

Configuration value	Default	Purpose
serverSteamPort	8766	Communication with Steam
serverGamePort	27015	Game port used for the game traffic
serverQueryPort	27016	Query port – Steam and the server browser query the server through it, and players connect through it

You can see the values that apply to your server in the dashboard.

Server not found

If your server does not show up in the server browser, add it to your Steam favorites using the query port. Through the favorites you find it regardless of whether it appears in the public list.