A BeamMP server uses one port number for everything, over both TCP and UDP. BeamMP's default is 30814, but a PlayNHost server has a port of its own, which the panel gives to BeamMP at every start. Players find the server by name in the launcher or use Direct connect with the address, and nobody needs to open a port on a router or firewall.
Which port does a BeamMP server use?
| Port | What it does | Protocol | BeamMP's default | On your PlayNHost server | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game port | TCP: joining, chat and the mod downloads players get when they join. UDP: car positions and other vehicle data | TCP and UDP, same number | 30814 | The Primary port, a number assigned by PlayNHost | Ports & Network, the Address row of Play with friends, and Direct connect address on the BeamMP server list card |
BeamMP-Server opens its TCP listener and its UDP socket on the same port, as its source code shows for release v3.9.3. BeamMP's own server guide asks home hosts to let the server through the firewall for "both TCP and UDP". On PlayNHost both already reach your port.
There is no query port and no RCON port. The server also talks to BeamMP's own servers to check its key, appear in the list and check players' accounts. Those are outgoing connections, and they work from PlayNHost servers.
Why is my port not 30814?
Many servers share one machine, so each server gets its own port number. The panel hands it to BeamMP-Server at every start, so BeamMP listens on it and tells BeamMP's list about it. You never set it.
The Console shows the port once the server is up, in BeamMP's own ready line:
[03/11/26 15:00:00] [INFO] Vehicle data network online on port 25571 with a Max of 8 ClientsThe time and numbers in this example are made up. Your own line shows your Primary port and your player slots.
What about Port in ServerConfig.toml?
The Port = 30814 line in ServerConfig.toml does nothing on PlayNHost. BeamMP-Server reads the port the panel gives it first, and only falls back to the file when none is given. Leave the line as it is: changing it does not move the server, and Direct connect keeps working on the port shown in the panel.
How do I see my server's port in the panel?
- Open your server in the panel and click Ports & Network in the left menu.
- Copy the address under Give this to your players. It is the address and the port, written as
address:port, for example203.0.113.10:25571. - Check All ports. The port marked Primary, described as The port players connect to, is the one BeamMP uses. Under the All ports heading the page says Every port accepts TCP and UDP.
The same address is on your Overview page: on the Address row of the Play with friends card and as Direct connect address on the BeamMP server list card.
More about the page itself: How to find your server's ports and IP address.
How do players connect?
There are two ways, both from the BeamMP launcher:
- The server list. Players open Servers and search the server's name. A new server can take a few minutes to show up. A private server is never in the list.
- Direct connect. Players type the IP and the port from your address. Direct connect goes straight to your port and does not use BeamMP's list, so it works for a private server and while BeamMP's list is not answering.
The full steps are in How to connect to your BeamMP server.
Do I need to open ports on my router or firewall?
No. The firewall in front of PlayNHost game servers lets traffic through to the ports the panel gives servers, TCP and UDP, and drops the rest. Your BeamMP port is reachable from the internet as soon as the server runs.
Players connect outwards to your server, which every normal home router allows. The port forwarding and Windows firewall steps in BeamMP's guide are for people who host a server on their own PC at home.
Common port problems and their fixes
The server is not in the launcher's list
Open the BeamMP server list card on Overview. It looks for your address, with your port, in BeamMP's public list and says why the server is or is not there: Starting, Private, No key, Key refused, BeamMP not answering or Not listed. Players can use Direct connect in the meantime. The fixes for each badge are in Your BeamMP server does not show in the server list.
The Console says the server's port is in use
BeamMP stops at start with bind: Address already in use in the Console. Another program holds the port, most often a copy of this server that had not finished shutting down. Wait a minute and press Start again. If it keeps happening, send the line to support in a ticket. More causes are in BeamMP server will not start or players cannot join.
Direct connect fails
- The player typed BeamMP's default 30814, or left the port out. Copy the whole address from the Address row of Play with friends.
- The server is still starting. Wait for the
Vehicle data network online on portline in the Console. - A school, work or public network can block unusual ports. Try another network to test.
The Console says BeamMP's servers did not answer
BeamMP prints Backend failed to respond to a heartbeat. Your server may temporarily disappear from the server list. This is not an error, and will likely resolve itself soon. Direct connect will still work. It is about BeamMP's own servers, not your port. Players join with Direct connect until it clears.
For anything else, start with BeamMP server problems and fixes.
