Rust Query Port Not Working: Fix Server Browser Visibility

A Rust server can accept player connections while remaining absent from the in-game server browser. Rust uses server.port for player connections and.

A Rust server can accept player connections while remaining absent from the in-game server browser. Rust uses server.port for player connections and server.queryport for server-information queries and browser listings.

Required port configuration

| Setting | Documented role | Protocol | |---|---|---| | server.port | Player connections | UDP | | server.queryport | Server-information queries and browser listing | UDP | | rcon.port | Remote administration | TCP |

Both server.port and server.queryport must be open and accessible, and they cannot use the same port number.

If server.queryport is not set explicitly, Rust chooses one more than the greater of server.port and rcon.port:

server.queryport = max(server.port, rcon.port) + 1

Facepunch announced the retirement of query-port sharing in February 2023 and instructed server owners to configure a query port separate from the game port.

Configuration checklist

1. Check the configured values of server.port, server.queryport, and rcon.port.
2. If server.queryport is omitted, calculate its default using the formula above.
3. Ensure the game and query ports use different numbers.
4. Open or forward the game and query ports as UDP.
5. Handle the RCON port separately as TCP.
6. Start the server and look for Server startup complete before testing connectivity.
7. Test direct connections and browser visibility separately because they use different ports.

After completing these checks, browse live game servers on LiveGameServerList as an additional visibility check.

Check server.cfg

The documented location is:

rust/server/<server.identity>/cfg/server.cfg

Rust reads this file at startup, and its settings take priority over command-line settings. Entries omit the command-line + or - prefix. For example:

server.port 28015
server.queryport 28017

Compare the active identity's server.cfg with the startup command when checking for conflicting port values.

Why direct connections can work while browser discovery fails

The game port is sufficient to connect and play, but the query port is required for the server to appear in the browser. A successful direct connection therefore does not demonstrate that the query port is open or configured correctly.

References

• Rust Wiki: Creating a server
• Rust: Industrial Update
• Rust: Prototype 17

Sources and verification

• Creating a serverDocuments the roles and protocols of the game, query, and RCON ports; the query-port default and uniqueness requirements; browser-listing dependency; server.cfg location and precedence; and the startup-complete message.
• Industrial UpdateAnnounces the February 2023 retirement of query-port sharing and instructs server owners to use a query port separate from the game port.
• Prototype 17Documents the separate-query-port requirement, the default query-port selection rule, and the need for shared-server hosts to forward the query port correctly.