My players cannot connect to my Hytale server

Troubleshooting guide for when players cannot connect to your Hytale server.

If your friends or other players are having trouble connecting to your Hytale server, follow this troubleshooting guide to identify and fix the issue.

Early Access Note

Hytale is in early access, so connection methods and troubleshooting steps may change as the game develops. This guide covers the current state of the game.

Quick checklist

Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, verify these basics:

• ✅ Your server is running (green status in the panel)
• ✅ You're sharing the correct IP address and port
• ✅ The password is correct (if you set one)
• ✅ Your server hasn't reached the player limit for your plan
• ✅ The game version matches between server and client

Common issues and solutions

1. Server is offline or starting

Symptom: Players see "Server not found" or "Connection timed out"

Solution:

1. Check your server status in the game panel.
2. If it shows stopped (red), click Start.
3. If it shows starting (yellow), wait 1-2 minutes for it to fully start.
4. Look at the Console tab to ensure there are no error messages during startup.

2. Wrong IP address or port

Symptom: "Unable to connect" or "Server not responding"

Solution:

1. Go to your server in the game panel.
2. Copy the exact IP address and port shown in the Console or Settings tab.
3. Share both with your players in the correct format.
4. Make sure players are entering the connection details correctly in Hytale.

Use a subdomain

Make it easier for players to remember! You can set up a subdomain like play.yourdomain.com instead of a numeric IP address.

3. Incorrect password

Symptom: "Invalid password" or connection is rejected

Solution:

1. In the game panel, go to the Startup or Settings tab.
2. Check if a Server Password is set.
3. If yes, share the exact password with your players (passwords are case-sensitive!).
4. If you've forgotten it, you can change it in the server settings and restart the server.

4. Server is full (player limit reached)

Symptom: "Server is full" or "Cannot join"

Solution:

• Hytale server player limits depend on your server plan:
  • 4GB plan: 5-10 players recommended
  • 6GB plan: 10-20 players recommended
  • 8GB plan: 15-30 players recommended
  • 10GB plan: 20-40 players recommended
• Check the Console tab to see how many players are currently connected.
• Wait for a player to disconnect, or consider upgrading your server plan for more players.

Need more players?

For larger servers (30+ players) or heavy modding, consider upgrading to our VPS hosting or Dedicated Servers.

5. Game version mismatch

Symptom: "Version mismatch" or "Incompatible version"

Solution:

1. Check your server's game version in the panel (Startup or Settings tab).
2. Ask your players to verify their Hytale game is up to date.
3. Since Hytale is in early access, updates are frequent:
   • Stop your server
   • Go to Settings → Reinstall Server or update through the panel to get the latest version
   • Restart your server
4. Make sure all players update their game clients to match the server version.

Early Access Updates

Hytale is in early access, so updates are frequent. Make sure both your server and players' game clients are updated to the latest version.

6. Firewall or network issues (player-side)

Symptom: Only certain players cannot connect

Solution for players:

1. Disable antivirus/firewall temporarily to test if it's blocking Hytale.
2. Add Hytale to firewall exceptions.
3. Check if their router has port forwarding or firewall rules blocking game connections.
4. Try using a VPN to test if ISP is blocking connections.

7. Server configuration errors

Symptom: Server crashes immediately when players try to join

Solution:

1. Check the Console or Logs tab for error messages.
2. If you recently edited configuration files via SFTP:
   • Restore from a backup
   • Or reset to default configuration
3. If you recently installed mods, try disabling them temporarily to test.
4. Restart the server after fixing configuration issues.

8. Mod compatibility issues

Symptom: Players with different mods or no mods cannot connect

Solution:

1. Check if you have mods installed that require clients to have the same mods.
2. Review mod compatibility and requirements.
3. Consider creating separate servers for modded and vanilla gameplay.
4. Make sure all players have the same mods installed (if required).

Still not working?

If you've tried all these solutions and players still cannot connect:

Check server performance

• Go to the Console tab and check resource usage
• High CPU or memory usage might cause connection issues
• Check if you've reached the limits of your server plan
• Consider upgrading if you frequently hit resource limits

Contact support

We're here to help!

• For quick questions: Join our Discord
• For detailed issues: Create a Support Ticket

Include this information when contacting support:

• Server name or ID
• Error message players see
• Screenshots of the Console tab
• When the issue started
• What troubleshooting steps you've already tried
• Your server plan (4GB, 6GB, 8GB, or 10GB)

Server logs are helpful

Before contacting support, check the Logs tab in your panel. The logs often contain specific error messages that can help identify the problem quickly.

Preventing future connection issues

• Keep your server updated to the latest Hytale version
• Create regular backups before making changes
• Test connections yourself before inviting many players
• Monitor the Console regularly for warnings or errors
• Avoid making configuration changes while players are online
• Monitor your server resources to ensure you have enough RAM/CPU for your player count
• Test mods in a test environment before installing on your main server

Server Specifications

Our Hytale servers run on AMD Ryzen/EPYC processors with NVMe SSD storage, hosted in the Netherlands for low latency in Europe. All servers include instant delivery and the Pterodactyl panel for easy management.