An Icarus dedicated server uses two ports: the game port players connect to, and a Steam query port that puts the server in the game's list of dedicated servers. On PlayNHost both are assigned and open for you. Players do not type a port at all: they find your server by its Server Name in Join Session.
Which ports does an Icarus server use?
| Port | Protocol | RocketWerkz's default | On your PlayNHost server | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game port: players connect here | RocketWerkz does not say; your port accepts TCP and UDP | 17777 | The Primary port | Server Address on Overview, and Ports & Network |
| Query port: the server list asks it about your server | UDP | 27015 | A port of its own | The second row under All ports |
RocketWerkz's server setup guide says to forward "the game port and query port", 17777 and 27015 by default, and that they can be changed with -PORT= and -QueryPort=. Their launch parameter list describes the query port as "the port to use for Steam server queries", and Valve documents Steam server queries as UDP.
Every time your server starts, the panel passes your game port with -PORT= and your query port with -QueryPort=, so Icarus always listens on the ports the panel shows. The query port is not shown in Game Settings and cannot be changed.
Does an Icarus server have an RCON port?
No. RocketWerkz calls the admin commands RCON commands, but players type them in the game chat, for example /AdminLogin followed by the Admin Password. RocketWerkz names no RCON port, and the panel starts Icarus with only the game port and the query port, so there is no RCON port to open or to find. See How to become admin on your Icarus server.
Why is my Icarus port usually not 17777?
Each PlayNHost server gets its own ports from the machine it runs on, so many servers can share one IP address. 17777 and 27015 are RocketWerkz's numbers for a server you run yourself. Your server's numbers are usually different. Players never need them, because they join from the server list, but use the numbers the panel shows whenever a tool or a ticket asks for a port.
Where do I find the address and ports in the panel?
- Open your server in the panel. On the Overview page, the Server Address row on the server card shows the IP and the game port, for example
203.0.113.10:25600. - For both ports, click Ports & Network in the left menu and look under All ports. The port with the Primary badge, described as The port players connect to, is the game port. The other row is the query port.
- To label the query row, open the ... menu at the end of it, choose Rename, type a Description such as
Query, and click Save Changes. The row now shows your description instead of No description.
Icarus servers have no Play with friends card. Keep the Server Address for support tickets.
How do players connect to an Icarus server on PlayNHost?
Players choose their character, click Join Session in the HAB menu, use the toggle at the top right to switch the browser to dedicated servers, then select your server by its Server Name and join. If you set a Join Password, they type it. They never type the game port or the query port. The full steps are in How to join your Icarus server.
Do I need to open ports on my router or firewall?
No. The machine your Icarus server runs on accepts connections from the internet on the ports the panel gives to servers, for both TCP and UDP, and both Icarus ports are among them. The panel says so under All ports: Every port accepts TCP and UDP. Your players' home routers let outgoing connections through, so they do not open anything either.
The port forwarding in RocketWerkz's setup guide is for a server you run at home behind your own router. With a hosted server it is not your job.
What does the firewall not allow?
Only the ports listed under All ports reach your server from outside. A tool or mod that listens on a port of its own cannot be reached unless it uses one of them. If your plan includes extra ports, All ports shows Add a port, and the machine picks the number. If the button is not there, your plan includes no extra ports: open a ticket and say what needs one.
Can I change which port is the primary, or remove one?
Keep the game port as Primary, and leave both ports in place. Make primary in a row's ... menu moves only the game port, while the query port stays where it is, so the game would then be started on the same number as the query port.
The menu can also offer Remove port on the query row. Do not use it: Icarus would still be started with that number as its query port, and a removed port goes back to the machine, where another server can get it.
Common Icarus port problems and fixes
My Icarus server is not in the server list
The query port is already set up, so there is nothing to open. In Join Session, switch the browser to dedicated servers, wait until the badge says Online, and search for the Server Name from Game Settings. A new name shows only after a restart. More checks are in Your Icarus server does not show in the server list.
A friend sees the server but cannot join
This is rarely a port problem: both ports are open together, and the list found your server through its query port. Check the Join Password, free slots, the game build and the server's mods, in that order: Players cannot join your Icarus server. School, work and public networks can also block game ports, so ask the player to try another network.
The Active players card says No answer from the server
The panel counts players by asking the query port. When that gets no answer, the Active players card shows No answer from the server and says It is not responding on its query port. That is normal while it is starting or stopped. Wait until the Console shows Game Engine Initialized and the badge says Online, then give it a minute. If players can join, only the count is missing: The Icarus players card says No answer from the server.
Good to know
- The Console shows the game's log and takes no commands: How to use the Console on your Icarus server.
- Every setting is listed in Icarus server settings: every option explained, and other errors are in Icarus server problems and fixes.
- The Ports & Network page itself is explained in How to find your server's ports and IP address.
