# Connecting to Your s&box Server (/docs/sbox/connect-to-your-server)



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

Once your server is running with valid `+port` and `+net_query_port` values, it will appear in the in-game server browser and answer Steam queries.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Get Your Server's IP and Port [#get-your-servers-ip-and-port]

    From the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com), copy your server's IP and port. If you're self-hosting, this is the public IP of the host machine and whatever you set in `+port`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Launch s&box [#launch-sbox]

    Open s\&box from your Steam library.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Find or Direct-Connect [#find-or-direct-connect]

    Open the in-game server browser and either find your server by hostname (the value you set with `+hostname`) or connect directly using the IP and port.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Join [#join]

    Select the server and click **Join**. The client will download the game package referenced by `+game` if it doesn't already have it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

* **Server doesn't show up in the browser** — confirm the `+net_query_port` is reachable from the public internet (UDP). The query port answers the server-list ping, separately from the game traffic.
* **"Failed to connect"** — check that `+port` is open in your firewall and forwarded if you're behind NAT.
* **Hostname is wrong** — see [Change Server Name](/docs/sbox/change-server-name).

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Launch Parameters](/docs/sbox/launch-parameters)
* [Change Server Name](/docs/sbox/change-server-name)
* [Change Game & Map](/docs/sbox/change-game-and-map)