Rust Server Missing from the Server List: Check Ports and Tags

A Rust server uses a game port for player connections and a separate query port for server information and browser discovery.

Check the game and query ports

Facepunch’s server-creation documentation states that server.port and server.queryport must be open and accessible over UDP. They cannot use the same port number.

For example:

+server.port 28015
+server.queryport 28017

If server.queryport is not explicitly set, Rust defaults it to one more than whichever is greater: server.port or rcon.port.

When port forwarding is required, forward the query port correctly as well as the game port. Facepunch specifically identified correct query-port forwarding as necessary for affected hosts.

Test the game port separately

Rust documents the console command connect IP:Port for joining a server directly:

connect PUBLIC_IP:GAME_PORT

A successful direct connection tests the game port, while browser discovery depends on the separate query port. If direct connection works but the server is missing from the browser, check whether the configured query port is accessible over UDP and forwarded to the correct machine.

Review server tags

Rust configures browser tags through server.tags as a comma-separated list:

server.tags weekly,vanilla

The browser displays up to four tags. Do not configure multiple tags from the same documented group because those tags are mutually exclusive. Facepunch warns that such combinations can stop a server from appearing in specific tag searches.

Checklist

• Assign different values to server.port and server.queryport.
• Make both ports accessible over UDP.
• Forward the query port correctly when the network requires port forwarding.
• Test the game port with connect IP:Port.
• Use comma-separated, documented server.tags values.
• Do not combine tags from the same group.

For additional community-focused troubleshooting, follow sourced Rust coverage on TOP OF GAMES.