Do you need to port forward for Don't Starve Together?
The short answer: not with ServerSync. Don't Starve Together servers listen on port 10999/UDP, and normally you would have to open that on your router. ServerSync gives the server a public address instead.
- default port
- 10999
- protocol
- UDP
- One public address for everyone
- No router rules to create
- Works behind CGNAT
- Same address every session
A dedicated Don't Starve Together server listens on port 10999 over UDP. For friends outside your network to reach it, that port has to be reachable from the internet, which normally means finding your router’s admin page, creating a forwarding rule, and hoping your ISP is not using CGNAT, in which case it cannot work at all.
ServerSync routes Don't Starve Together through a public address instead. You start the server, ServerSync gives you an address, and that is what your friends connect to. Nothing on your router changes, and the address stays the same between sessions.
If the server is already running and people still cannot join, it is almost never the port. Check that the server is listed as running in ServerSync and that everyone is using the public address rather than your local IP.
Common questions
- Do I need to port forward for Don't Starve Together?
- No. ServerSync gives your Don't Starve Together server a public address, so nothing on your router has to change.
- What port does a Don't Starve Together server use?
- Don't Starve Together listens on port 10999 over UDP. ServerSync opens and routes it for you.
- Why can my friends not join my Don't Starve Together server?
- Almost always the address, not the port. Check the server shows as running in ServerSync and that everyone is using the public address rather than your local IP.
- Does port forwarding work behind CGNAT?
- No. If your ISP uses carrier grade NAT, no router rule can help, which is why ServerSync relays through a public endpoint instead.
Run it yourself with ServerSync
Self host a dedicated server in minutes with no port forwarding or technical setup.
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