Garry's Mod Server Not Showing in Server Browser? How to Fix It

A Garry's Mod server that does not show in the server browser is usually missing a Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT), set to LAN only with sv_lan 1, listed under a different gamemode than you expect, or unreachable on its query port. Fix the token and sv_lan first, give Steam a few minutes to list it, then search by name inside the right gamemode. Players can always join right away with connect ip:port in the console while you sort out the listing.

Join by IP first, fix the listing second

Being missing from the browser does not mean the server is unreachable. Before changing anything, have someone try:

1. Open Garry's Mod and press ~ to open the developer console. If nothing opens, enable it under Options, Keyboard, Advanced, Enable developer console.
2. Type connect 203.0.113.10:27015 with your server's address and port, and press Enter.

If that works, the server is fine and only the listing is the issue. Work through the sections below. If it does not work either, skip to "Ports and the query port", because the browser cannot list a server that Steam cannot reach.

Cause 1: no GSLT, or a bad one

Garry's Mod servers should run with a Steam Game Server Login Token. Facepunch's own wiki page on Steam game server accounts says servers without a token suffer a severe penalty in server list ranking, which in practice means a new server can sit so far down that nobody finds it.

To check and fix it on a self hosted server:

1. Go to Steam's game server account management page and create a token. For Garry's Mod the App ID field must be 4000, the game itself, not the dedicated server tool.
2. Add it to your launch line: +sv_setsteamaccount YOURTOKEN.
3. Restart and read the console. A working token logs the server in to Steam with its own account. An error about the token means it was mistyped, deleted, or is already in use by another running server.

Rules that trip people up:

• One token per server. Two servers sharing a token knock each other off.
• Tokens can expire or be banned. If the Steam account that made them is limited or the token was revoked, make a new one.
• The account needs to be in good standing and have a phone number attached, or Steam will not issue tokens.

On GamezServers you can skip this whole section. The platform makes a Steam token for each Garry's Mod server automatically and passes it in at start, so there is nothing to create, paste or renew.

Cause 2: sv_lan is on

sv_lan 1 tells the server it is on a local network only, and it will not register with Steam's master server at all. Open garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg and make sure it says:

sv_lan 0

Then restart. While you are in the file, check hostname is what you expect players to search for. On our servers the server name you set in the panel is written into hostname for you.

Cause 3: you are looking in the wrong place

The Garry's Mod browser groups servers by gamemode in the left column. A TTT server is under Trouble in Terrorist Town, a DarkRP server under DarkRP, and a custom gamemode under its own name. If you set the gamemode to terrortown and search under Sandbox, you will not see it.

Also check:

Search for a short, distinctive word from your hostname rather than the full name. Colored names and symbols can make exact matches fail.

Cause 4: Steam simply has not listed it yet

A freshly started server can take a few minutes to appear on Steam's master list. A server that restarts often, for example every few minutes after a crash, can keep dropping off before it settles. Watch the console. If the server is crash looping because of a broken addon, fix that first and the listing usually sorts itself out. Our guide to adding Workshop addons covers collection problems that cause crashes on start.

Cause 5: ports and the query port

The browser finds servers by querying them over UDP. A Garry's Mod server uses port 27015 by default for both game traffic and queries. If you host at home:

1. Forward UDP 27015 (and TCP 27015 for RCON if you use it) to the PC running srcds. Our port forwarding guide has router specific steps.
2. Allow srcds.exe through Windows Firewall on public networks.
3. Start with -port 27015 and +ip 0.0.0.0 so the server binds to the right address and port.
4. If your ISP puts you behind carrier grade NAT, port forwarding cannot work at all. See how to host a game server without port forwarding.

On a hosted server the port is assigned and open already. If the panel shows a port other than 27015, that is the one to use everywhere.

Cause 6: the browser on the player's side

Sometimes the server is listed and only one player cannot see it. Their Steam client may be sending too many server queries for their router, which makes the list come back short or blank. In Steam, open Settings, In Game, and lower In-game server browser: Max pings / minute, then reopen the browser. Restarting Garry's Mod after changing it helps.

The Steam client's own View, Game Servers window is a useful second check. If your server appears there under Garry's Mod but not in the in-game list, it is a filter or category problem, not a server problem.

Quick checklist

1. connect ip:port works? Then it is only the listing.
2. Valid GSLT on the launch line with app ID 4000 (automatic on our servers).
3. sv_lan 0 in server.cfg, restart.
4. Search inside the right gamemode category.
5. Clear filters, search one word of the hostname.
6. Port 27015 UDP reachable, no CGNAT.
7. Server stable, not crash looping.

Let the host handle the plumbing

Most of this list is about tokens, ports and keeping a PC online. A Garry's Mod server from GamezServers makes the Steam token for you, comes with its own address and open ports, and has gamemode, map, max players, tickrate, Lua refresh and your Workshop collection ID as panel settings. server.cfg is in the file manager, with a live console for checking the startup log. It is live within about a minute of paying. For the full self hosted setup, see how to host a Garry's Mod server.

FAQ

Do Garry's Mod servers need a GSLT to show in the browser?

Facepunch says servers without one get a severe ranking penalty, so in practice yes. Create it with App ID 4000 and pass it with +sv_setsteamaccount.

How long does a new Garry's Mod server take to appear in the list?

Usually a few minutes after a clean start. If it is still missing after that, check sv_lan, the token and the gamemode category.

Why can my friends connect by IP but not find the server?

The server is running and reachable, so the problem is the listing: a missing token, sv_lan 1, or players searching in the wrong gamemode or with filters on.

Which gamemode category will my server show under?

The one set by +gamemode on the launch line, such as terrortown for TTT or darkrp for DarkRP. On our servers that is the Gamemode setting in the panel.

Do I need to make a Steam token on GamezServers?

No. The platform creates and applies one for every Garry's Mod server automatically.