Project Zomboid: Can't connect to server
Fix a Project Zomboid dedicated-server connection. Match the build and Workshop mods, add the IPv4 and port under Join → Favorites, check UDP 16261 and 16262, then verify the server password and account login.
If Project Zomboid cannot connect, work through these checks in order while keeping the save intact. A version mismatch or an outdated Workshop item causes many refusals.
Stop as soon as one fix works. If you are helping somebody else, test with one player before asking the whole group to retry.
1. Match the client and server versions
The client and dedicated server must run the same Project Zomboid build.
Update the player's game
Close Project Zomboid, let Steam finish the update, and stay off a beta branch the server is not on. Unstable and IWBUMS are different from the live branch.
Update the dedicated server
Stop the server. On berrybyte, Auto Update pulls the current dedicated build on the next start. Restart once after the patch is live.
Compare versions
The version on the main menu must match the version in the server log.
If you do not want to babysit The Indie Stone patches, rent a Project Zomboid server that updates on start.
2. Install the same Workshop mods
The dedicated server lists Workshop IDs. A missing ID refuses the join.
Read the refusal list
The client dialog names the mods that do not match.
Subscribe to those IDs
Subscribe to the required items and let Steam finish each download. For a vanilla test, remove the item from the server's Workshop and mod settings.
Restart both sides
A newly added Workshop ID is read at boot.
3. Add the server under Join → Favorites
The dedicated-server profile keeps its address and account details under Join → Favorites.
Read the address from Overview
On berrybyte, note the public IPv4 and entry port shown in Server address.
Fill the address fields separately
Launch Project Zomboid and open Join → Favorites. Put the IPv4 in IP and the number after the colon in Port.
Create the player account
Choose the username and account password this player will use on the server, then save the favorite. These credentials are created on first join.
The current PZwiki dedicated-server guide shows the same Favorites fields.
4. Open the two UDP ports
Each current dedicated-server instance uses exactly two UDP
ports. The defaults are 16261 and 16262. The Indie Stone's
41.77 networking
announcement
defines 16261 as the game port that handles Steam queries. The
client enters through this port during the initial handshake.
16262 carries the preferred direct connection over RakNet.
Use the ports the server bound
On berrybyte, Overview supplies the public entry port. The paired direct port is allocated and opened for the same instance.
Forward both ports when self-hosting
Allow the configured Steam/query port and direct port as UDP through the host firewall and router.
The direct route avoids relaying game traffic through Steam. The 41.77 developer notes describe Steam as the fallback when that direct connection fails. Another server process on the same machine requires another clear pair.
berrybyte opens both allocated ports. Self-hosters dealing with NAT can rent a Project Zomboid server with reachable ports.
5. Check both kinds of password
Project Zomboid keeps the shared server password separate from each player's account username and password.
Read the shared server password
On berrybyte, open Settings → Game Settings.
Check the saved account login
The username and password in Favorites belong to that player's server account, created during the first join. Reuse those credentials on later joins.
Retype the exact shared string
Check capitalisation and characters that chat apps rewrite. For a public test, clear the server password and restart.
6. Match Steam mode
A Steam server expects the normal Steam client. A server started
with -nosteam expects every player to launch Project Zomboid
with -nosteam; this mode also supports GOG clients. The
dedicated-server
guide
covers both launch modes.
7. Confirm the dedicated world loaded
A dedicated server that failed to open the save is not joinable. Co-op hosted from a client is a different save path.
Read Console
Wait until the log finishes loading the world.
Point the server at the world you uploaded
If you migrated a save, the configured world name must match the folder you copied.
If the connection still fails
Confirm Console reached a loaded world. Then check the leftover causes:
- A full player cap.
- A Steam ID on the ban list.
- Check steamstat.us.
- Check berrybytestatus.com.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I connect to a Project Zomboid server?
Match the game build and required Workshop mods first. Add the server under Join → Favorites with its IPv4 and entry port in separate fields. The server needs UDP 16261 and 16262, and the login may require both a shared server password and the player's saved account credentials.
How do I join a Project Zomboid dedicated server by IP?
Open Join → Favorites. Enter the public IPv4 in the IP field and the server's entry port in the Port field, then choose an account username and password. Enter the shared server password in its own field when the server uses one.
What ports does a Project Zomboid dedicated server use?
A current server instance uses two UDP ports. By default, 16261 handles the Steam query and initial server entry while 16262 carries the direct RakNet connection. Each extra server instance needs its own two-port pair.
Why do mods block a Project Zomboid join?
Required Workshop IDs and load order must match on every client. The game lists missing mods at connect. Install those IDs, or remove them from the dedicated server for a vanilla test.
Why is my Project Zomboid server missing from the browser?
A new listing can take a few minutes to appear. Use Join → Favorites with the public IPv4 and entry port from Overview while you check the server name, Steam mode, and both UDP ports.