Palworld Dedicated Server Port Forwarding: Which Ports to Open (8211) and How

Palworld dedicated server port forwarding comes down to one port: UDP 8211. Forward UDP 8211 on your router to the PC running the server, allow it through the firewall, and players can join with your public IP, for example 203.0.113.25:8211. The REST API (TCP 8212) and RCON (TCP 25575) only need opening if you turn them on and want to manage the server from outside your network — and Pocketpair advises against exposing either one to the internet.

Palworld server ports

To use a different game port, start the server with -port=XXXX and forward that port instead. For community servers behind unusual network setups, -publicport= sets the port the server advertises without changing the one it listens on.

Step 1: Give the server PC a fixed local IP

Your router forwards to a local address like 192.168.1.50. If that address changes after a reboot, the forward silently stops working. Reserve the address for the server PC in your router’s DHCP settings (often called “DHCP reservation” or “static lease”).

Step 2: Forward UDP 8211 on your router

1. Open your router’s admin page (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).
2. Find Port Forwarding — sometimes under NAT, Virtual Servers or Advanced.
3. Create a rule: external port 8211, internal port 8211, protocol UDP, internal IP = the server PC.
4. Save and, if your router asks, restart it.

Step 3: Allow the port through Windows Firewall

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Palworld Server" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=8211

On Linux with ufw: sudo ufw allow 8211/udp.

Step 4: Test it

Have a friend outside your network join with your-public-ip:8211 from Join Multiplayer Game. Note that many online “port checkers” only test TCP, so they can report 8211 as closed even when a UDP forward works — a real join is the reliable test. You can’t always join your own public IP from inside your network; use the server’s local IP for yourself. That happens when the router doesn’t support hairpin NAT, and Pocketpair notes the same limit for community servers: from inside the same network, you may not be able to connect through the list at all.

Still can’t connect? Check for CGNAT

Compare the WAN/Internet IP shown on your router with the IP you see when you search “what is my IP”. If they differ, or the router’s address starts with 100.64–100.127, your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT and port forwarding cannot work from your side. Your options are to ask the ISP for a public IP (sometimes a paid extra), use a tunnelling service, or run the server somewhere that already has a public address, such as Palworld server hosting.

Other “connection timed out” causes

• The server is on an older version than the players — update it.
• A second firewall (antivirus suite, Linux iptables) is still blocking UDP 8211.
• Players are typing the address without the port, or with the wrong one after a -port= change.
• Your friend is on Xbox or PS5. Pocketpair’s docs say console players need a community server, so start the server with -publiclobby and check their platform is still allowed in CrossplayPlatforms.

Or skip port forwarding entirely

A hosted server already has a public address. On GameTeam’s Palworld server hosting there is nothing to forward: the panel shows your server’s address and port, you send it to your friends, and you’re playing. Setting up your own instead? The full walkthrough is in the Palworld dedicated server guide.