# How to Connect to Your Icarus Server (/docs/icarus/join-server)



















import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';

Players connect to Icarus dedicated servers through the **in-game server browser** or via **Steam Favorites**. Icarus servers start in a **lobby state** — the server must have an active prospect (world) before it appears in the in-game browser and accepts players.

Connect via Server Browser [#connect-via-server-browser]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Launch Icarus [#launch-icarus]

    Open Icarus from Steam. You'll land on the main menu.

        <img alt="Icarus main menu" src={__img0} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Select a character [#select-a-character]

    Click **PLAY** and either resume an existing character or create a new one.

        <img alt="Icarus character select screen" src={__img1} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open the Dedicated Servers tab [#open-the-dedicated-servers-tab]

    In the multiplayer screen, click the **DEDICATED SERVERS \[BETA]** tab in the top-right.

        <img alt="Icarus dedicated servers tab" src={__img2} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Find your server [#find-your-server]

    Search by name in the **SEARCH SERVERS BY NAME** field. Your server must have a name set via the `-SteamServerName` startup parameter to appear.

        <img alt="Server appearing in dedicated servers list" src={__img3} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Join [#join]

    Select the server and click join. If the server has no prospect loaded, you'll see a confirmation prompt:

        <img alt="Lobby Selection mode confirmation" src={__img4} placeholder="blur" />

    Click **YES** to enter the lobby, where you can create or load a prospect.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Direct Connect (In-Game) [#direct-connect-in-game]

The fastest way to join is the in-game **DIRECT CONNECT** button — no Steam Favorites needed.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    In the dedicated servers list, click the **DIRECT CONNECT** button in the top-right.

        <img alt="Direct Connect button" src={__img5} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Enter your server's IP and port in the format `IP:Port`:

        <img alt="Direct Connect IP dialog" src={__img6} placeholder="blur" />

    Use the **game port** (`SERVER_PORT`), not the query port. Find both in the **Startup** tab of the panel.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Click **CONFIRM**. If the server has a prospect loaded, you'll go straight in. If it's in lobby mode, you'll see the loading screen:

        <img alt="Loading prospect screen" src={__img7} placeholder="blur" />
  </Step>
</Steps>

Auto-Load a Prospect on Startup [#auto-load-a-prospect-on-startup]

To skip the lobby entirely and always have a world ready, set the **Create Prospect** field in the panel's **Startup** tab to:

```
OW_Plains 1 false MyWorld
```

This auto-creates an Open World on the Plains map, normal difficulty, with the save name "MyWorld". After the first creation, set `ResumeProspect=true` in `ServerSettings.ini` so the server resumes the existing world instead of creating a new one each time.

See [Server Configuration](/docs/icarus/server-config) for all prospect types and difficulty levels.

Server Not Appearing? [#server-not-appearing]

| Issue                                    | Fix                                                                                                                                                                            |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Server online but not in in-game browser | **No prospect loaded.** The server is in lobby state. Use **DIRECT CONNECT** to enter the lobby and create a prospect, or set `CreateProspect` in **Startup** to auto-load one |
| Server not in the list                   | Wait 2–5 minutes after starting — it takes time to register with Steam. Verify your game and query ports (in **Startup**) are reachable                                        |
| Server name is blank                     | `SessionName` in ServerSettings.ini is currently broken. Set the name via the `-SteamServerName` startup parameter in **Startup** instead                                      |
| Wrong version                            | All players must be on the same Icarus version as the server. See [Update Guide](/docs/icarus/update-guide)                                                                    |
| Password prompt                          | The server has `JoinPassword` set. Enter the password or ask the server admin                                                                                                  |

Required Ports [#required-ports]

XGamingServer assigns the game and query ports automatically — they appear in the **Startup** tab. Both are UDP and both must be reachable for the server to register and accept connections.

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Server Configuration](/docs/icarus/server-config)
* [Set a Password](/docs/icarus/server-password)
* [Update Guide](/docs/icarus/update-guide)