You spun up an Enshrouded dedicated server, your friends are waiting, and the server simply will not appear in the in-game list, or it shows up but throws a connection error. This is one of the most common headaches for self-hosters, and almost every case comes down to a handful of fixable causes: the wrong ports, a port conflict with another game server, a version mismatch, or a stale DNS/browser cache. This guide walks through each one in the order worth checking, with the exact port numbers Enshrouded actually uses.
First, confirm the ports Enshrouded actually uses
By default, an Enshrouded dedicated server uses gamePort 15636 and queryPort 15637. Both should be opened for UDP, and adding matching TCP rules tends to make the connection more stable on some routers and firewalls. These two values live in the enshrouded_server.json configuration file, so you can change them if you run more than one server on a box.
The single most important detail: the queryPort (15637) is what the Steam server browser uses to find your server. If only the gamePort is open, players may be able to direct-connect but the server will never show up in any list. If your server is invisible, open the query port first.
| Port | Default | Protocol | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| gamePort | 15636 | UDP (TCP optional) | Actual gameplay traffic / connection |
| queryPort | 15637 | UDP (TCP optional) | Server discovery and status in the browser |
| Steam port (legacy) | 27015 | UDP | Steam-side queries; common conflict source |
The 27015 conflict (ARK, Palworld, and friends)
Enshrouded touches the Steam port 27015, which is the same port ARK, Palworld, and many other Steam-based dedicated servers reach for. If you run more than one of those on the same machine, only the first server to grab 27015 wins, and the others go dark in the browser. If you host multiple games on one box, give each server its own non-overlapping ports.
- Make sure no other game server on the machine is already bound to 27015.
- If you must run several, change
gamePortandqueryPortinenshrouded_server.jsonto a free range and forward those instead. - Create separate firewall rules per port rather than one combined rule, and don’t merge 15636 and 15637 into a single entry.
If you would rather not juggle port maps at all, managed Enshrouded dedicated hosting handles port allocation and firewalling automatically, so the server appears in the browser without manual forwarding. For a full breakdown of every key in the config file, see our enshrouded_server.json settings guide.
Port forwarding and firewall checklist
- Forward 15636 and 15637 (UDP) from your router to the machine’s local IP.
- On Windows, open Windows Defender Firewall, go to Advanced Settings > Inbound Rules > New Rule, and add a rule for each port. Add a UDP rule and, if connections are flaky, a matching TCP rule.
- If self-hosting on Windows, launch
enshrouded_server.exedirectly as administrator rather than through the Steam client, which can dodge permission issues that keep the server from binding its ports. - After running SteamCMD, copy all files from the
EnshroudedServerinstall folder to your server location; SteamCMD occasionally fails to place every file, leaving the server unable to start cleanly.
Version mismatch: the silent killer
A huge share of “server not showing up” reports are simply a patch mismatch. When Enshrouded ships an update, the client updates automatically through Steam, but a self-hosted server does not unless you re-run SteamCMD. A client on a newer build will not see or connect to a server on an older one. Whenever players suddenly can’t see a server they used yesterday, update the server first and restart it. Managed hosts usually apply updates for you, which removes this failure mode entirely. If you’re standing the server up from scratch, our dedicated server setup guide covers the SteamCMD install and update steps.
Can’t connect? Use direct connect and clear caches
If the server is up but won’t appear in the in-game browser, bypass the browser entirely:
- Steam Favorites / direct connect: In Steam, open View > Game Servers > Favorites and add the server by its IP and query port. Once it’s favorited, it’s far more reliable than relying on the public list.
- Flush DNS cache: If you connect by a domain name and the address recently changed, your machine may be caching an old IP. On Windows, run
ipconfig /flushdnsin an elevated Command Prompt, then try again. Connecting by raw IP rules the DNS layer out completely. - Restart everything: Reboot the server process and your own client. Browser listings can lag for a few minutes after a server starts, so give it time to register.
If you administer the server, double-check that your account and roles are configured correctly so you can actually manage it once connected — see our guides on admin commands and server roles and the official Enshrouded hosting docs for panel-specific steps.
Frequently asked questions
Which port does Enshrouded use for the server browser?
The query port — default 15637 — is what the Steam/in-game browser uses to discover your server and read its status. The gamePort (15636) carries actual gameplay. If your server is invisible but you can direct-connect, the query port is almost certainly closed.
Why does my Enshrouded server conflict with my ARK or Palworld server?
All three use the Steam port 27015. Only one process can bind it per machine, so the others stop appearing in their browsers. Run them on separate machines, or change the ports for each server so nothing overlaps.
My server vanished after an update — what happened?
Almost always a version mismatch. Your Steam client auto-updated but the self-hosted server didn’t. Re-run SteamCMD to update the server files, restart it, and it should reappear for clients on the matching build.
Ready to play?
Run your own Enshrouded server with XGamingServer
Spin up an always-on Enshrouded server your friends can join in minutes — no port-forwarding, no tech headaches.
