How to Connect to Your Sons of the Forest Server

Join your Sons of the Forest dedicated server using the in-game server browser or direct connect.

Find Your Server Address

Click Network in the sidebar. Your game address uses port 8766 (UDP) by default.

Launch Sons of the Forest and click Multiplayer > Join.

Change the Source dropdown to Dedicated (not "Friends" or "LAN").

Use the filter/search to find your server by name. The name is set via ServerName in dedicatedserver.cfg.

Select your server and click Join. Enter the password if prompted.

The server browser can take a few minutes to populate after startup. If your server doesn't appear, wait 2–3 minutes and refresh.

If available in your game version, use the direct connect option:

Enter your server IP and game port:

123.45.67.89:8766

Direct connect support has been inconsistent across game versions. If it doesn't work, use the Server Browser method.

All three ports must be accessible:

Port	Protocol	Purpose
8766	UDP	Game traffic
27016	UDP	Steam query (server browser)
9700	UDP	BlobSync (game state sync on connect)

Problem	Fix
Server not in browser	Wait 2–3 minutes after startup. Check that `LanOnly` is `false` in config
"Version mismatch"	Update the server — see Update Guide
Password prompt	The server has `Password` set in `dedicatedserver.cfg`. Ask the owner or check Files
Stuck on loading / timeout	Server may still be starting. SotF servers can take 1–2 minutes to fully boot
"Server full"	The hard cap is 8 players. Wait for a slot to open