How to Join an Abiotic Factor Server and Play With Friends

Before you join: get the right details from the server owner

Ask the owner for the details that match the route you plan to use. For a dedicated server, that usually means the server name, the IP address and game port, or the Lobby Code, plus the player password if one is set. For a hosted world from a friend’s own game, you usually need a Steam invite or the Lobby Code.

• Server name: for finding it in the in-game browser.
• IP address + game port: for Direct Connect in IP Address mode.
• Lobby Code: for Direct Connect in Lobby Code mode.
• Player password: only if the owner locked the world or server.
• You never need the admin password to join: it only unlocks the in-game admin menu.

Also remember that characters are stored per server. Your skills, stats and inventory from one world do not carry into another, so a fresh join to a new dedicated server is not a sign that anything broke.

Use this route map first, then pick the shortest path that matches the details you actually have.

Route A: find the server in the browser by name

1. Open Enter The Facility > Join A Server.
2. Make sure LAN is off for an internet server.
3. Type part of the server name into the search bar.
4. Press Apply or Refresh.
5. Let the list load fully before deciding it is missing.
6. Select the server, press Join, then enter the player password if asked.

This route is simplest when the server is already advertising properly. The browser can show up to 10,000 servers, so filters matter. If the server owner renamed the server or used an unusual spelling, search for a distinctive part of the name rather than the whole thing at once.

Why a server can be missing here

• Version mismatch: after a patch, older dedicated servers stop appearing in the browser at all. That is why “I can’t see it” often really means “the server has not been updated yet”.
• LAN is on: the browser then looks for local servers instead of internet ones, so public servers vanish from your list.
• Filters are too narrow: the server may be there but excluded by search or filter settings.
• The server is still starting: a restart, save load or mod load can delay advertising. Until startup finishes, the browser has nothing complete to show.
• Browser-side outage: if your server and many others disappear at once, the game’s browser service may be having issues.

A missing ping on a dedicated server in the in-game browser is normal. That is a known issue, so do not treat “no ping shown” as proof that the server is dead.

If the in-game browser looks wrong and you are trying to reach a dedicated server, there is a fallback: close the game and use the Steam client server browser. That fallback uses the query port, not the game port, which is the one case where a player needs to care about that second port.

Route B: Direct Connect by IP and port

Use this when the owner gives you an address directly, or when the browser is being awkward. It bypasses the public listing step and asks the game to contact the server itself, which removes browser filters and browser outages from the equation.

1. Open Enter The Facility > Join A Server.
2. Press Direct Connect at the bottom right.
3. Select IP Address.
4. Enter the server IP in the IP field.
5. Enter the game port in the Port field.
6. Join, then enter the player password if one is set.

What matters here is using the right port for the right job.

IP Address: 203.0.113.10   (example)
Port: 7777                 (the game port)

The game port is where the playable session lives. The query port is mainly for advertising and discovery. If you type the query port into the in-game Direct Connect screen, your game is knocking on the wrong door and the join fails instead of loading the world. The game will not tell you it was the wrong port.

This matters a lot on rented servers, because they often use a non-default game port such as 7781. Always copy the IP and port from the host panel instead of assuming 7777. If the owner says “use the server address from the panel”, they mean the exact pair shown there.

If the owner insists the IP is right but you still cannot join, ask one question before anything else: is that the game port or the query port? It is one of the most common reasons a direct join fails.

Route C: Direct Connect by Lobby Code

This is the cleanest manual join method when you do not want to type an IP address, and it is usually the most comfortable route for PS5 and Xbox players. Every hosted game gets a 5-digit Lobby Code, and rented dedicated servers commonly show the same join code in the host panel. Anyone already on the server can also share it.

1. Open Enter The Facility > Join A Server.
2. Press Direct Connect.
3. Select Lobby Code.
4. Enter the code and join.
5. Enter the player password if the server is locked.

A Lobby Code works well because it avoids typing mistakes on the address and avoids confusion about non-default ports. It does not bypass everything, though. The server still has to be online, updated to the current version, reachable over the network and set for the same crossplay rules as the players trying to join.

Playing with friends from your own game: Steam invites, Lobby Codes and when to move to dedicated

A world hosted from the game itself is a listen server. That means one PC is running the world simulation, the save writes and the host player’s own game at the same time, then sending traffic out to everyone else. It is convenient for a small group, but all the work sits on the host’s machine and upload connection.

If one person in your group always starts the save and everyone joins them, this route is fine. Use Steam invites if everyone is on Steam and you want the least fuss; use the Lobby Code if invites are not landing properly or some of the group are on console.

This quick comparison is useful when you are deciding between a hosted world and a full dedicated server.

What the host needs to know

• The world only runs while the host is in the game.
• If the host leaves, everyone loses the session because the server process is gone.
• Settings > Gameplay > NAT Type Compatibility matters mainly for these player-hosted games.
• If people hit Faraday or struggle to connect, try Force Server Relay on everyone in the group.
• Keep everyone on the same NAT Type Compatibility setting so they are trying the same connection method.

Force Direct Connection tries to connect players more directly. That can be fine on a simple home network, but it is the first thing to fail when strict NAT, awkward routing or ISP restrictions get in the way. Force Server Relay sends traffic through a relay path instead, which can help the join complete at the cost of a less direct route. The point is not raw speed; it is getting a stable path that actually forms.

Abiotic Factor is balanced for up to 6 players. A dedicated server can be set anywhere from 1 to 24, but going over 6 is not recommended and players get a warning popup before joining. If you want the world online all day, want a larger group, or do not want one person’s PC and internet carrying the whole session, a dedicated server is the cleaner option.

Crossplay with PS5 and Xbox: the settings that must match

Crossplay is optional, so mixed-platform groups only work if both the players and the server allow it. On the client side, check Settings > Gameplay > Crossplay and make sure it is enabled on every player who wants to join a crossplay session.

On the server side, a dedicated server can be limited with -PlatformLimited=PC, -PlatformLimited=Playstation or -PlatformLimited=Xbox. If one of those is set, that server is not open to the full crossplay pool. A lot of “it refuses my password” reports are really platform-limiting or crossplay-setting mismatches showing up as a misleading join error.

There is also a known quirk: if a player had crossplay disabled, then enables it and joins a crossplay server, they may get an incorrect password error even though no password prompt appeared. Treat that as a settings problem first. Recheck Crossplay at both ends and try the join again before asking the owner to change the password.

One more planning point: console saves from PS5, Xbox or Game Pass cannot be moved to dedicated servers. Steam single-player or hosted saves can, so if your group plans to start casually and later move to dedicated, that is easiest from the Steam side.

Joining a modded server

On a modded server, the join process includes a mod check before you fully enter the world. If the server is running mods, you should see its mod list and get a one-click prompt to download and install what is required. That is the clean path, because the client and server need the same modded data expectations before the world can load properly.

If the prompt does not complete or you get blocked before the download stage, open the main menu, go to Mods, accept the mod.io terms, then try again. That single missed step is a common reason a player can join normal servers but not modded ones.

After a game update, official mods are disabled until their creators update them. In practice, that means a modded server may fail to start cleanly, or it may start but refuse joins until the mod set catches up. If you run the server, the guide on how to install mods on an Abiotic Factor server covers the server-side part.

Local Only cosmetic mods are separate. They can be used on servers where AllowLocalOnlyMods is true, which is the default in the example file, because those cosmetics do not change the shared world state in the same way as required server mods.

Errors and failed joins: check them in this order

Do the simple checks first: is the server on the current version, is LAN off, do you have the correct route details, and is crossplay set correctly? After that, move to mod checks and then network checks. That order matters because it saves you from chasing port forwarding when the real problem is just a hidden filter or the wrong password type.

Use this flow first, then match the exact symptom below.

If you host it yourself: the short version that matters

For a self-hosted dedicated server, forward and allow the ports the game actually uses, then share the right address for the right audience.

-PORT=7777
-QueryPort=27015

• Forward 7777 UDP for the game itself.
• Forward 27015 UDP for server advertising; it is not fully required for play, but it is still recommended.
• Allow AbioticFactorServer-Win64-Shipping.exe through Windows Firewall.
• Players on the same LAN should use the server’s local IP; internet friends need the public IP.
• -UseLocalIPs can help local joins, but it can also break joins from the internet.

If your broadband or building network puts you behind CGNAT or gives you no public IP, normal port forwarding will not solve internet joins. That is exactly why a server can work inside your house but fail for friends outside it. If you need the full networking side, see our guide to self-hosting a game server.

A rented dedicated server removes most of that friction: you get a public IP, the ports are already open, the panel usually shows the Join Code, and updates are commonly handled on restart or through the panel instead of manual SteamCMD work such as app_update 2857200 validate. If that sounds more practical for your group, our Abiotic Factor server hosting comparison is the place to weigh up the options.

Abiotic Factor multiplayer FAQ

How do I join a friend’s Abiotic Factor server?

If your friend is running a dedicated server, join it through Enter The Facility > Join A Server, Direct Connect with the IP and game port, or Direct Connect with the Lobby Code. If your friend is hosting from their own game, Steam invites and the Lobby Code are the simplest routes. For internet joins, always use the player password if one is set, never the admin password.

Where do I find the join code for an Abiotic Factor server?

Every hosted game gets a 5-digit Lobby Code while it is running. On a rented dedicated server, that code is usually shown on the server’s home page in the host panel. Anyone already connected to the server can also share the code with the rest of the group.

Why can’t I see my Abiotic Factor server in the server browser?

The usual causes are an old server version after a patch, LAN being switched on by mistake, filters hiding the server, or the server still starting. Dedicated servers also do not show ping in the in-game browser, which is normal. If many servers vanish at once, the browser service itself may be having problems.

What does the Faraday error mean in Abiotic Factor?

Faraday means the join connection did not complete properly. The common reasons are the wrong IP or port, a closed game port, a host behind CGNAT or without a usable public IP, or a bad time and timezone setting. On player-hosted games, matching NAT Type Compatibility settings and trying Force Server Relay can also help.

Can PS5 and Xbox players join an Abiotic Factor dedicated server?

Yes, as long as crossplay is enabled on the client side in Settings > Gameplay > Crossplay and the server is not restricted with -PlatformLimited. Lobby Code joins are often the neatest route for mixed-platform groups. Keep in mind that console saves cannot be moved to dedicated servers later.

More Abiotic Factor server guides

Compare hosts, add mods to your server or set one up at home.