How to Connect to Your DayZ Server
Join your DayZ dedicated server via Steam Favorites, the in-game server browser, DZSA Launcher, or direct connect.
Your DayZ server may not appear immediately in the in-game Community server list — this is normal and can take time. The fastest way to connect is to add the server to your Steam Favorites first, which makes it appear in the in-game Favorites tab instantly.
Adding your server to Steam Favorites is the most reliable way to find and join it, especially if it doesn't show up in the Community tab yet.
Add to Steam Favorites
In Steam, go to View → Game Servers → Favorites. Click the + button at the bottom and enter your server's IP and Steam query port.
Find your query port in the Startup tab on the panel — look for the [HOST] STEAM QUERY PORT field:
Enter your IP and query port:
your-ip:your-query-portYour server appears in the list showing the server name, map, player count, and latency.
Launch DayZ and open Favorites
Launch DayZ. In the server browser, click the Favorites tab at the top. Your server now appears here because Steam syncs favorites to the in-game browser.
For modded servers, DZSA Launcher is recommended — it auto-downloads required mods.
Find your server
Search by server name or add by IP.
Join
Click Join. DZSA Launcher downloads any required mods automatically before connecting.
In the DayZ in-game browser, click Direct Connect at the bottom-right and enter:
your-ip:2302Use the game port (2302), not the query port.
Why Your Server Isn't in the Community Tab
The Community tab in the DayZ launcher lists community servers, but your server may not appear there right away. This can take time to propagate.
If your server isn't showing in the Community tab:
- Add it to Steam Favorites first (see above) — this is the immediate fix while you wait
- Check
shardIdinserverDZ.cfg— ifshardIdis set to any value, the server is marked as Private and won't appear in the Community tab. Remove or leaveshardIdempty to make it public - Make sure port 2305 UDP (Steam query) is open — this is what makes the server visible in browsers
- Verify
steamQueryPortis set correctly in your server config - Wait 24–48 hours — the DayZ community browser is slow to index new servers. This is normal
Make Your Server Public
If your server shows as Private type in the browser, the shardId setting in serverDZ.cfg is the cause. To make it appear publicly in the Community tab:
- Stop the server
- Open
serverDZ.cfgin Files - Find
shardIdand either remove the line entirely or set it to empty:shardId = ""; - Save and restart
With shardId removed, the server will appear in the Community tab once the browser indexes it (can take 24–48 hours).
Required Ports
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 2302 | UDP | Game traffic |
| 2304 | UDP | Steam networking |
| 2305 | UDP | Steam query (browser listing) |
| 2306 | TCP | RCON (if enabled) |
All ports must be open for the server to be reachable and visible in browsers.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Server not in any browser | Verify port 2305 UDP is open. Check that BattlEye is enabled (BattlEye = 1 in config) |
| Version mismatch | Server and client must be on the same DayZ version. See Update Guide |
| Mod mismatch | Use DZSA Launcher to auto-download matching mods |
| "Signature verification failed" | Missing .bikey files for mods — see Mod Setup |
| High latency / timeout | Server may be in a different region. Try connecting via Direct Connect instead of the browser |
Related Guides
How is this guide?
How to Set Up Admin and RCON on Your DayZ Server
Set an admin password, use in-game admin commands, and configure BattlEye RCON on your DayZ dedicated server.
How to Make Your DayZ Server Appear in the Community Browser
Fix your DayZ server not showing in the Community server list — remove shardId to switch from Private to Public, and verify ports.