Modiverse Server Not Showing or Friends Can't Join? Fixes

When a Modiverse dedicated server runs but does not appear in the server list, the cause is almost always the Steam query port: it is blocked, not forwarded, or not the port the server was told to use with -queryport. The fastest workaround is to add the server in Steam under View, Game Servers, Favorites with ip:queryport and join from there. If friends can see the server but fail to join, check that the game port is open and that the server is on the same build as their game.

Modiverse is a small Early Access game that has not been updated in years, so there are few public servers and little official help. The fixes below cover what actually goes wrong.

Step 1: Work out which problem you have

There are two separate things here:

• Listing: the server appears in the browser. This uses the Steam query port.
• Joining: the game connects and loads you in. This uses the game port.

Try three things from a PC outside the server's network (a friend's PC, or your phone's hotspot):

1. Look for the server in the in-game list.
2. Look for it in Steam's own Game Servers window under Internet.
3. Add it as a favorite and try connecting from there.

If the favorite connects but the server is missing from both lists, you have a listing problem. If nothing works, it is a port or firewall problem. If it shows up but joining fails, look at version and game port.

Cause 1: the query port is closed

The server answers browser queries on the port given with -queryport in its launch line, UDP. If that port is not forwarded on your router or blocked by a firewall, Steam cannot see the server and nobody finds it in a list.

Check your launch line:

./KJMod/Binaries/Linux/KJModServer -port=7777 -queryport=27015 -SteamServerName="Friday TTT" -KJModBaseUGCFolder=ServerData -DoNotRestartOnEmpty -InitUGCs -maxplayers=24

Then confirm:

• UDP 27015 (or whatever you set) is forwarded to the server machine's local IP.
• The local firewall allows it: on Linux check ufw status or your iptables rules.
• No other program on the machine already uses that port, for example another Steam game server.

Cause 2: the game port is closed

If the server lists but joining times out, the game port is the issue. Forward the -port value as UDP, the same way. Two servers on one IP need their own pair of ports each, and mixing them up (server A's game port with server B's query port) is a classic mistake.

Cause 3: behind CGNAT or double NAT

If your router's WAN IP differs from the IP that a "what is my IP" site shows, your provider puts you behind carrier grade NAT and port forwarding cannot work, no matter what you set. The same happens with two routers stacked (an ISP modem router plus your own). Either put the modem in bridge mode, ask the provider for a public IP, or run the server somewhere that has one.

Cause 4: the browser does not refresh well

Steam's server browser is not reliable for small, rarely played games. Even a correctly configured server can take a while to appear or drop out of the list between refreshes. Favorites skip the master list and ask your server directly:

1. Open Steam.
2. View, Game Servers.
3. Favorites tab, Add a server.
4. Enter your.ip:27015 with the query port, not the game port.
5. Select it and Connect.

For a private friend group, this is the best way to join anyway. Everyone adds it once and it stays there.

Cause 5: the server name breaks the listing

Keep -SteamServerName short and quoted. Names longer than 32 characters, or with quotes and odd symbols inside, can be cut off or rejected. If the name has spaces and is not wrapped in quotes, only the first word reaches the server and the rest of the launch line can be misread. Test with a plain name like -SteamServerName="Test Server", and change it back once listing works.

Cause 6: version mismatch after an update

Players' clients update through Steam. If the server is older than the client, joins fail even though the server lists. Update the server with SteamCMD:

steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/modiverse +login anonymous +app_update 1549820 validate +quit

and restart. Because Modiverse is rarely patched this is uncommon, but it is the first thing to check if joining broke when nothing else changed. Validating also repairs damaged server files.

Cause 7: player side filters

Players with filters set in the server browser, such as hiding empty servers or setting a ping limit, will not see an empty server. Ask them to clear filters, or use the favorites method above.

Quick checklist

1. Launch line has -port and -queryport, and the name is quoted.
2. Both ports forwarded as UDP to the right local IP.
3. Firewall on the server allows both.
4. Not behind CGNAT.
5. Server updated with SteamCMD validate.
6. Friends add ip:queryport as a Steam favorite.

Skipping the network trouble

Nearly every cause above is about home networking: forwarding, firewalls, CGNAT. A Modiverse server with GamezServers has its own address with the game and query ports already open, and auto update keeps the server on the current build when it starts. The server name and max players are settings in the control panel, so a bad launch line is not something you can get wrong. If you are setting up from scratch, how to host a Modiverse server walks through the whole install.

FAQ

Why can my friends not see my Modiverse server?

The Steam query port is usually closed or not forwarded. Open the -queryport port as UDP, or have friends add ip:queryport as a Steam favorite.

Which port do I use when adding a Modiverse server to Steam favorites?

The query port, the one set with -queryport, not the game port.

Why does my Modiverse server show up but nobody can join?

The game port is blocked or the server is out of date. Forward the -port value as UDP and update the server with SteamCMD.

Is the Modiverse server list broken?

It works, but with very few servers and a small player base, refreshes can be slow. Favorites are the reliable way to find a specific server.