Soulmask Server Not Showing or Can't Connect: How to Fix It

A Soulmask dedicated server that does not show in the list is usually still starting (it takes a few minutes to load the world and register with Steam), has its query port UDP 27015 blocked, or is on a different version from the players. While you wait or troubleshoot, join with Connect to the server directly at the bottom of the Online Game screen using the IP and game port (8777 by default). If direct connect also fails, the game port is blocked or the versions do not match. Mod lists that differ between server and player stop joins too.

Step zero: has the server finished starting?

Soulmask is one of the heavier survival servers. After you start it, the server loads the map, the database and every tribesman before it opens to players, and that takes minutes, not seconds. It only registers with the Steam server list once that is done, and the list can lag behind further.

Watch the console or log. When the server stops printing load messages and settles, it is ready. If it restarts in a loop, read the last lines before it stops: a crash during startup means nobody will ever see it in the list, and the cause is in the log, not in the network.

On a self hosted machine, a common startup failure is the Steam API not initializing. If the log shows an error like Steam Dedicated Server API failed to initialize, the server cannot talk to Steam and will not list. Run the SteamCMD update with validate to repair the install. Some Windows self hosters report also needing the Steam client installed on the server machine before the API would start.

Fix 1: Use direct connect while the list catches up

1. Launch Soulmask and open Online Game.
2. Click Connect to the server directly at the bottom of the screen.
3. Enter the server's IP and game port, for example 203.0.113.10:8777.
4. Enter the server password if there is one.

If this works, the server is healthy and only the list is slow or filtered. Keep using direct connect, and check the list again later. If it fails, read on.

Fix 2: Open the right ports

If the query port is blocked, the server runs and nobody sees it in the list. If the game port is blocked, the server may show but players time out or get "connection to the host has been lost" right after joining.

For a home server:

1. Forward UDP 8777 and UDP 27015 to the server PC. Our port forwarding guide walks through it.
2. Allow WSServer through the operating system firewall. On Windows that is WSServer-Win64-Shipping.exe. See the Windows Firewall rules guide.
3. Check nothing else holds the ports. On Linux, ss -ulpn | grep -E "8777|27015" shows what is listening. On Windows, netstat -ano | findstr 27015.
4. Start the server with -MULTIHOME=0.0.0.0 so it listens on every network interface, unless you have a reason to bind one address.

Running two Soulmask servers on one machine needs a different -Port, -QueryPort and -EchoPort for each.

Fix 3: "Incompatible version" after an update

When CampFire Studio patches the game, players get it through Steam straight away. A server that has not updated shows up as incompatible or not at all, with a message along the lines of "The match you are trying to join is running an incompatible version of the game. Please try upgrading your game version."

Update the server (SteamCMD app 3017300 for the Linux server, 3017310 for the Windows one) and restart:

steamcmd +force_install_dir /srv/soulmask +login anonymous +app_update 3017300 validate +quit

If a single player still gets the error, have them verify their game files in Steam (Properties, Installed Files, Verify integrity of game files) and make sure they are not on a beta branch. The general checklist is in our game server version mismatch guide.

Fix 4: Mods must match

When the server runs Steam Workshop mods (listed in the -mod="ID1,ID2" launch option), every player needs the same mods. The game asks players to subscribe when they join. If a mod updated on the Workshop and the server has the old version, or a player refused the subscription, the join fails.

• Restart the server after a mod update so it pulls the new version.
• Have players unsubscribe and resubscribe to a mod that keeps failing.
• To test whether a mod is the cause, remove the -mod= option, restart, and try joining without it.

Fix 5: Passwords and the server filter

If the server has a password (-PSW=), players get a prompt on join. The password is case sensitive. When the list has filters for passworded or full servers, check they are not hiding yours, and search by the exact -SteamServerName you set. Names with unusual characters can be hard to type into the search, so stick to letters, numbers and spaces.

A server that is full (at its -MaxPlayers value, up to 70) can also look like it is refusing connections.

Fix 6: Connection to the host lost

This message appears in two situations:

• Immediately after joining: game port blocked, version or mod mismatch. See Fixes 2 to 4.
• After playing for a while, everyone at once: the server stalled or crashed. Soulmask's memory use climbs the longer it runs, and a server that runs out of RAM drops everyone. Look at memory in the console or task manager. A scheduled restart every day or two keeps it in check, and more RAM is the real fix for a busy world.

If only one player keeps getting dropped while everyone else stays on, the problem is on their side. Wi-Fi is a frequent cause; a cable or a test on a phone hotspot will tell you quickly.

Quick reference

Letting someone else run it

A Soulmask server from GamezServers has its own address with the game and query ports open, Auto Update pulls each patch when you restart, and the server name, passwords, max players and save and backup intervals are panel fields. The Extra Arguments field takes -pve or -pvp, and the panel shows the address to use with direct connect. Plans are sized for Soulmask's real memory use, starting at 12 GB for a small group, and you can change plan any time if the world grows. For rates and tribesman rules once you are in, see Soulmask dedicated server settings explained, and to bring a local world across, how to move a Soulmask save to a dedicated server.

FAQ

Why is my Soulmask server not showing up?

It is still starting, the query port UDP 27015 is blocked, or its version differs from the game. Use Connect to the server directly with the IP and game port while you check.

How do I connect to a Soulmask server by IP?

Open Online Game, click Connect to the server directly at the bottom, and enter the IP and game port (8777 by default).

What ports does a Soulmask server need?

UDP 8777 for the game and UDP 27015 for the Steam query. The maintenance port 18888 does not need to be open to the internet.

How long does a Soulmask server take to start?

Several minutes, longer on a big world. It only appears in the list once loading is complete.

Why do I get connection to the host lost?

Right after joining, it points to blocked ports or a version or mod mismatch. Mid game for everyone at once, the server likely ran out of memory or crashed.