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Server SetupPort Forwarding & Network Setup

Port Forwarding & Network Setup

To allow players to connect to your Hytale server, you need to properly configure your network.

Required Port

Port 5520 is the default port used by Hytale servers.

  • Protocol: TCP
  • Default Port: 5520
  • Must be open: For both inbound and outbound traffic

Port Forwarding Steps

1. Find Your Local IP Address

Windows:

ipconfig

Look for “IPv4 Address” under your active network connection.

macOS/Linux:

ifconfig
# or
ip addr show

2. Access Your Router

  1. Open a web browser
  2. Navigate to your router’s IP (commonly):
    • 192.168.1.1
    • 192.168.0.1
    • 10.0.0.1
  3. Log in with admin credentials

3. Configure Port Forwarding

In your router’s settings:

  1. Find “Port Forwarding” or “Virtual Server” section
  2. Create new rule:
    • Service Name: Hytale Server
    • External Port: 5520
    • Internal Port: 5520
    • Internal IP: Your computer’s local IP
    • Protocol: TCP (or TCP/UDP)
  3. Save and apply changes

4. Test Your Connection

Use a port checker tool:

Common Issues & Solutions

Port Appears Closed

Solution 1: Firewall

# Windows - Allow through firewall
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Hytale Server" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=5520
 
# Linux - UFW
sudo ufw allow 5520/tcp
 
# macOS - System Preferences
# Security & Privacy > Firewall > Firewall Options > Add Application

Solution 2: Verify Server is Running The port will only show as open when the server is actively running.

Solution 3: Check Router Configuration

  • Ensure you used your correct local IP
  • Verify the rule is enabled
  • Try rebooting your router

Players Can’t Connect

From Discord troubleshooting:

  1. “Failed to connect / timeout”

    • Verify port 5520 is forwarded correctly
    • Check firewall rules on both router and OS
    • Ensure server is running
    • Test with port checker tool

  2. “Server requires development mode”

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play)

Some routers support automatic port forwarding via UPnP.

Enable UPnP on Router

  1. Access router settings
  2. Find UPnP option (often under Advanced or NAT settings)
  3. Enable it

Important Note from Community

“Don’t rely on UPnP - manually configure port forwarding for reliability.” - Discord consensus

UPnP can be unreliable and may not persist after router reboots.

SRV Records

Current Status

  • A Records: Supported
  • SRV Records: NOT supported initially

From Discord discussions:

“SRV records NOT supported initially (A records only)” - Community info

You’ll need to use direct IP:Port connections or A records pointing to your server.

Hosting Provider Considerations

If you’re using a VPS or dedicated server:

Firewall Configuration

Most providers require explicit firewall rules:

# Example: UFW (Ubuntu)
sudo ufw allow 5520/tcp
sudo ufw reload
 
# Example: iptables
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5520 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables-save

Cloud Providers

AWS EC2: Configure Security Groups to allow port 5520

Google Cloud: Add firewall rule in VPC network settings

Azure: Configure Network Security Group (NSG)

Oracle Cloud: Configure security lists/groups

DDoS Protection

For public servers, consider DDoS protection:

  • TCPShield: Popular in Minecraft, may work for Hytale
  • GSL: Confirmed working solution
  • GCore: Alternative protection service
  • Datapacket: Another option mentioned

CloudFlare Note

CloudFlare’s proxy does NOT support game server ports - use Spectrum (paid) or other solutions.

Transfer Packets

Hytale has built-in transfer packet support:

  • Allows servers to transfer players without proxies
  • 4KB payload size for data transfer
  • Signature verification recommended
  • Still need proxies for load balancing backend servers

From Discord:

“Transfer packets available (no proxy like Velocity/BungeeCord needed for basic setups)” - Technical discussion

Dynamic DNS

If your home IP changes frequently:

Free DDNS Services

  • No-IP
  • DuckDNS
  • Dynu

These allow you to use a hostname instead of remembering your IP.

Testing Checklist

  • Port 5520 is forwarded in router
  • OS firewall allows port 5520
  • Server is running
  • Port checker shows port as open
  • Local connections work (localhost:5520)
  • External connections work (public IP:5520)

Community Tips

“Port forwarding issues? Test with a different port first to verify your router config is correct.” - Troubleshooting advice

“If you’re behind CGNAT (carrier-grade NAT), port forwarding won’t work - you’ll need a VPS or tunneling service like Playit.gg” - Networking discussion

CGNAT / ISP-Blocked Ports Workarounds

If you cannot open ports at home:

  • VPN overlay: Use WireGuard/Tailscale-style networks with UDP enabled so players can reach your private IP.
  • UDP reverse proxy: Use a VPS to accept UDP traffic and forward it to your server (iptables or a QUIC-aware L4 proxy).
  • Managed hosting: Skip home hosting with a provider that gives you a public IP.

Next Steps

Last updated on
Networking & Transfer Packets