NAT Checker
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    12 min readMay 05, 2026

    7 Days to Die Server Not Showing? NAT & Port Forwarding Guide

    If your 7 Days to Die server does not show up or friends cannot join, do not start with a random port list. First find out where the connection stops: the server itself, your home network, the firewall, or the server browser.

    The useful order is: prove the server works on LAN, then check whether outside players can reach your network, then configure the 7 Days to Die ports and firewall, and only after that troubleshoot server-list visibility.

    First decide where the failure is

    These symptoms look similar to players, but they point to different fixes. A server that does not run locally is not a router problem. A server that works on LAN but fails from outside is a reachability problem. A server that can be joined by direct address but does not appear in the browser is usually a visibility or query problem.

    • Nobody can join, even on the same LAN: fix the server startup, world loading, serverconfig.xml, or local firewall first.
    • LAN works, but friends outside your home cannot join: move to public IPv4, NAT, router forwarding, and firewall checks.
    • Direct IP joining works, but the server list does not show it: check visibility, query behavior, server name, and browser refresh.
    • Only one friend cannot join: check that friend network, firewall, DNS, VPN, or game version before changing your router again.

    If outside connections fail, check NAT and public reachability

    Run the test on the same device and network you use for 7 Days to Die. The result helps separate ISP/router reachability from game, firewall, and platform problems.

    ResultMeaning for hosting or co-opNext step
    Full Cone / OpenUsually suitable for inbound connections or direct sessions.Check firewall, ports, server config, and game version.
    Restricted / Port RestrictedMay work, but success can vary by game and peer.Try UPnP or manual forwarding, then retest.
    Symmetric NATOften unreliable for peer-to-peer or home-hosted sessions.Disable VPN/proxy tools, change networks, or use hosting/relay.
    CGNAT / no public IPv4The public internet usually cannot reach your home router.Ask for public IPv4, or use a VPS, hosted server, or relay.

    If outside players can reach the host, apply the game-specific fix

    Now the 7 Days to Die port numbers matter. Official and community documentation commonly center on the 26900 port group, but your actual serverconfig.xml and launch parameters are the final source of truth, especially if you changed ServerPort.

    Router forwarding and OS firewall rules must point to the same server machine. If one layer is correct and the other blocks traffic, outside players still cannot join.

    TCP

    26900

    Main server connection path; allow it in both router and OS firewall rules.

    UDP

    26900-26903

    Common game, query, and related traffic range for dedicated servers.

    • Give the server PC a static LAN IP, such as 192.168.1.50.
    • Forward ports to the server LAN IP, not to your public IP.
    • Allow the server executable or the exact TCP/UDP ports in Windows Defender Firewall.
    • Retest from an outside network. Testing your own public IP from the same router can fail if the router does not support NAT loopback.

    If direct joining works but the symptom remains, check the next layer

    Server visibility is a separate layer. Do not keep changing router rules if players can already join by direct address. At that point, focus on server settings and browser behavior.

    • Confirm the server has fully started and is not stuck in world loading or console errors.
    • Check ServerVisibility, ServerName, ServerPort, and related serverconfig.xml values.
    • Try direct IP:port joining before relying only on the in-game server list.
    • Give the browser time to refresh and confirm filters, password settings, and version compatibility.
    • If direct joining fails too, go back to public reachability, forwarding, and firewall instead of treating it as only a list problem.

    When router changes will not fix it

    This is the stop condition for the router path. If one of these is true, repeating the same port-forwarding rule will not change the result; you need to change the network path or the upstream firewall.

    • Your ISP uses CGNAT and your router WAN address is not public.
    • You are on a campus, office, hotel, or shared network where you cannot control the upstream router.
    • You have double NAT but only configured the inner router.
    • Traffic reaches the PC, but Windows Firewall blocks the server process.

    References

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