How to Join a VEIN Server and Play With Friends
The quickest way in is Direct Connect with the IP and game port. Here is how to join by address, name search or Steam favourites, and what to check when a friend’s server does not appear.
The reliable route. You need the IP and the game port from the owner or the host panel, plus the password if one is set.
Use Join Multiplayer, type the server name, then join. This only works if the server is public and the list actually includes it.
There is no separate invite screen to rely on. The practical invite is the IP, game port and password, or a Steam favourite the group can reuse.
That is common. The in-game list has a display limit, private servers stay hidden, and a blocked query port stops the server advertising itself.
Before you join: get the right details
Ask the server owner for the details that match the route you plan to use. A rented server shows these on the host panel. A self-hosted server uses the IP of that machine and the game port in the launch line.
- Server name: for the in-game search box.
- IP address and game port: for Direct Connect and for Steam favourites. The default game port is UDP 7777.
- Password: only if the owner locked the server. You never need the admin or RCON password just to play.
Copy the address exactly as the panel shows it. If the owner changed the game port, the query port moves with it: the official dedicated-server notes say the query port is always two above the game port, so a game port of 7777 uses query port 7778, and a second instance on the same machine might use 7780 and 7781. Direct Connect and Steam favourites want the game port. The query port is what helps the server appear in lists.
| Route | What you need | Right choice when | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Connect | IP address, game port, password if set | You have the address, the server is private, or it does not show in the list | Fails if you type the query port instead of the game port, or if the server is offline |
| In-game search by name | Server name, password if set | The server is public and you expect it to be listed | The in-game list only shows a limited number of servers, and a private server will not appear |
| Steam favourites | IP:PORT using the game port | The list is unreliable and you want a reusable invite for the group | You still need the correct game port, and the server still has to be running |
Use this route map first, then pick the shortest path that matches the details you actually have.
Route A: Direct Connect by IP and port
This is the method to start with, especially when a friend says “I cannot see your server”. Direct Connect asks your game to contact the server itself, so it does not depend on the public list having room for that name.
- Launch VEIN.
- Choose Join Multiplayer.
- Select Direct Connect.
- Enter the server IP address and the game port, then confirm.
- Enter the server password if the owner set one.
On a rented server, the panel’s connection details are the ones to paste. Do not guess 7777 if the panel shows a different game port. On a self-hosted server, use the public IP and the -port value from the launch line.
203.0.113.10:7777
That example uses the default game port. The .10 address is a documentation stand-in, not a real server. What matters is the shape: IP:gameport, not the query port sitting two above it.
If the join fails immediately, check three things before you blame your connection. The server must be running, the port must be the game port, and the password must match exactly. A query-only address can make a server look “alive” in a list while Direct Connect still fails, because listing and playing use different ports.
| Port | Direct Connect | Steam favourites | Appearing in the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game port (UDP 7777) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Query port (UDP 7778) | No | No | Yes |
Route B: find the server by name in Join Multiplayer
The in-game list is convenient when it works. It is also the route that creates most “my friend’s server does not appear” reports, because appearing in the list and being joinable are not the same job.
- Launch VEIN and choose Join Multiplayer.
- Type the server name into the search field.
- Select the server and join it.
- Enter the password if you are asked for one.
Search for a distinctive part of the name if the full title is long or easy to mistype. Give the list a moment after the server starts; a server that is still booting has nothing complete to advertise yet.
Why a public server can still be missing
The official dedicated-server notes are blunt about this: the in-game list has a limit on how many servers it will show at one time, and there is no guarantee your server will appear in the unofficial lists all the time. That is a display and advertising limit, not proof that the server is down.
The server also has to be reachable on its query port to announce itself. The default pair is UDP 7777 for the game and UDP 7778 for Steam’s server browser. If only the game port is open, friends may still join by Direct Connect while the name never shows up. If the server is set to private, it will not appear in the public list at all, which is expected rather than a fault.
Route C: share an invite with Steam favourites
VEIN does not give you a separate “invite friends” button that replaces the address. The clean way to invite someone is to send them the IP, the game port and the password if you set one. For a group that will come back to the same server, turn that invite into a Steam favourite so nobody has to retype it.
The official dedicated-server notes recommend this as the reliable fallback: add the server’s IP:PORT to your Steam favourites, then join using the Favourites tab in game.
- In Steam, open View > Servers (or the equivalent Servers window in your Steam client).
- Open the Favourites tab and choose Add a Server.
- Enter the IP and game port, for example
203.0.113.10:7777. - In VEIN, open Join Multiplayer and join from the Favourites tab.
That is the best “send this to the group” method, because it survives the in-game list’s display limit. Each friend adds the same address once. If you later change the game port, send a fresh invite; an old favourite pointing at the previous port will fail in the same way as a mistyped Direct Connect address.
Which port does each join method use?
Mixing up the two UDP ports is one of the easiest ways to turn a running server into “nobody can find us”. The official defaults are:
- UDP 7777: the game client port. This is what Direct Connect and Steam favourites should use.
- UDP 7778: the query port for Steam’s server browser. It is always two above the game port.
- TCP 7777: optional RCON for remote admin. Players do not need this to join.
-log -port=7777 -QueryPort=7778
If you host more than one VEIN server on the same machine, give each instance its own pair. The documented example for a second server is game port 7780 with query port 7781. The query port also cannot sit between 27020 and 27050 if you run the server locally, because Steam uses that range on the same machine.
When you rent a server, the host already opens the ports it assigned. You do not port-forward anything at home to join a rented server. You only need the public IP and game port the panel shows.
The server does not appear, or a friend cannot join
Work down the questions below and stop at the first “no”. Most missing-server reports are solved by Direct Connect or Steam favourites, not by guessing a new name in the public list.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Friend cannot see the server in Join Multiplayer | The in-game list’s display limit, a private server, a name mismatch, or the query port is not reachable | Search the exact name, then skip the list and use Direct Connect with the IP and game port |
| Server never appears, even after waiting | The server is still starting, or it is set to private | Confirm the server is running, then join by IP. Private servers are hidden from the public list on purpose |
| Direct Connect fails straight away | Wrong IP, the query port typed instead of the game port, or the server is offline | Copy the address from the panel and use the game port (7777 by default, or the panel’s game port if it differs) |
| Password rejected | Wrong password, or the admin/RCON password sent by mistake | Use the player join password from the panel. Passwords are case-sensitive |
| Joins fail after a game update | The client updated and the dedicated server did not | Update the server with SteamCMD (app_update 2131400) or from the host panel, then restart it |
| You can join at home, but internet friends cannot | They were given a local address, or the game and query ports are not forwarded | Share the public IP. On a self-hosted server, allow and forward UDP 7777 and UDP 7778 (or your custom pair) |
| The server is listed, but nobody can connect | The query port is open enough to advertise, but the game port is blocked | Open UDP 7777 (or your chosen game port) as well as the query port |
| A self-hosted server will not start, so nobody can join | The machine does not meet the dedicated server’s memory need, or Windows runtimes are missing | The official notes say the server needs at least 8 GB of RAM to start. Install the listed Visual C++ and DirectX runtimes on Windows if it fails to launch |
If you host it yourself: the short version that matters for joins
Friends cannot join a home-hosted server until the machine is reachable from the internet. That means the server process is running, the Windows or Linux firewall allows the ports in, and the router forwards those same UDP ports to the server machine.
- Forward and allow UDP 7777 for the game, or whichever game port you set with
-port. - Forward and allow the matching query port, UDP 7778 by default, so the server can appear in lists.
- Give internet friends the public IP, not the machine’s local address.
- Keep the dedicated server updated with SteamCMD app ID 2131400 so clients and server stay on the same version.
If your internet connection sits behind carrier-grade NAT, normal port forwarding will not create a public address friends can reach. In that case Direct Connect from outside your house will fail even when you can join on the LAN. A rented server already has a public IP and open ports, which removes that whole class of problems. Our self-hosting guide covers the home-network side in more detail, and how game server hardware requirements work explains why an undersized machine can look like a connection fault when the server never finished starting. The official dedicated-server notes put the starting point at 8 GB of RAM before anyone has even connected.
| What you want | Self-host and share the IP | Rent a VEIN server |
|---|---|---|
| Friends joining by Direct Connect without touching your router | No: you still need a public IP and forwarded UDP ports | Yes: the panel already shows a public address |
| A private group that should stay off the public list | Yes, if you set the server private and share the IP | Yes, with the same Direct Connect or Steam-favourites invite |
| The world reachable when your home PC is off | No | Yes |
| Avoiding version-mismatch joins after a patch | You update it yourself with SteamCMD | Update or restart from the host panel |
If the group just wants a server that friends can join without fighting the home router, compare plans on our VEIN server hosting comparison.
A rented VEIN server gives you a public IP and an open game port to share. Direct Connect and Steam favourites then use the address from the panel, instead of your home network.
Compare the best VEIN server hostsVEIN server FAQ
How do I join a friend’s VEIN server?
Open Join Multiplayer and use Direct Connect with the IP and game port they send you, then enter the password if one is set. You can also search the server name in the same menu if it is public, or add the IP and game port to Steam favourites and join from the Favourites tab in game.
Why can’t I see my friend’s VEIN server in the list?
The in-game list only shows a limited number of servers at once, and there is no guarantee a server will appear every time. A private server will not appear at all. Search the exact name first, then use Direct Connect or Steam favourites with the IP and game port. Those routes do not depend on the public list.
What IP and port do I use to join a VEIN server?
Use the public IP and the game port. The official default game port is UDP 7777, and the query port sits two above it at UDP 7778. Direct Connect and Steam favourites need the game port. If a host panel shows a different game port, use that pair instead of assuming 7777.
How do I add a VEIN server to Steam favourites?
In Steam, open the Servers window, go to Favourites, and add the server as IP:PORT using the game port. Then join from the Favourites tab inside VEIN. The official dedicated-server notes recommend this when the in-game list is unreliable.
Do I need to port forward to join a rented VEIN server?
No. Port forwarding is only needed when the server itself is running on a home network. A rented server already has a public IP and open ports. You just copy the IP and game port from the panel into Direct Connect or Steam favourites.
More VEIN server help
Compare VEIN hosts if you want a public IP to share, or read the self-hosting notes if you run it at home.
VEIN updates and host panels change over time. Ports and list behaviour here follow the current dedicated-server notes; if your host’s panel shows a different game port or menu name, follow the panel.
