Join a DayZ serverThrough the community browser or directly via IP and port

Published on August 4, 2026 · last updated on November 8, 2026

Find the IP and port

Every server at MainHoster.de has a fixed server address made of IP and port. After ordering, you find both in the web interface on the server overview. The default DayZ game port is 2302; what counts is always the port shown in the panel. Note down the IP and port - you need both to connect directly.

Through the in-game server browser

The standard route, and the one we recommend - it needs no extra program. Start DayZ and open the server browser. In the Community tab, you search for your server by name; in the Favorites tab, you add it directly via IP:port.

The favorite entry is always worth it: that way, you find the server again right away in the future, no matter how crowded the community list is at the moment.

Why the server does not show up in the list

The Community tab lists hundreds of servers at the same time, and the filters are the most common reason a particular one is missing. Check in this order:

• Reset the filters. An active filter on ping, player count or password protection hides servers without anyone noticing - a freshly started, still empty server often slips right through.
• Search for part of the name instead of the full name. Special characters and tags in the hostname make an exact search unreliable.
• Refresh the list. After a restart, it takes a moment until the server appears in the overview again.
• Fall back on favorites. The entry via IP:port goes straight to the server and does not depend on the list - which is why it is the more reliable route.

As the operator, it pays to keep the hostname in serverDZ.cfg short and distinctive. A name full of brackets and symbols stands out in the list, but it is harder to hit with the search.

Modded servers: subscribe to mods through Steam

On a modded server, you need the same mods as the server. You handle that entirely through Steam:

1. Get the server's mod list - most conveniently as a Steam collection from the operator.
2. Subscribe to the mods in the Steam Workshop, and Steam downloads them automatically.
3. Start DayZ through the Steam launcher and activate the mods there.
4. Connect through the community browser or the favorite entry.

Which mods your server uses and how to set them up as the operator is covered in install mods. The complete process, including where common community tools fit in, is covered in join a modded server.

The connection does not work?

Check in this order:

• Is the server running? Check the status in the panel - a stopped server does not accept connections.
• Do the mods match? On modded servers, client and server mods have to be identical - check in the Steam launcher that all of them are really activated.
• BattlEye kick? A signature mismatch points to missing .bikey files on the server (see the mods guide).
• Are the IP and port exact? Always use the port from the panel. How the address is put together is explained in game server ports & firewall.

Telling the error patterns apart

In DayZ, "it does not work" has several completely different causes, and each shows up differently. If you identify the pattern correctly, you save yourself half the troubleshooting:

The last case occurs after every major DayZ update and affects all players at once: if forceSameBuild = 1; is in the configuration, the server only lets in clients with the same build. As a player, the only thing that helps is letting Steam download the update. As the operator, you update the server and then update the mods - the process is described in server will not start.

Preparing for players to join as the operator

How easily players get onto your server is largely up to you. Three things make the difference:

1. Create a Steam collection that contains exactly your mod list. Your players subscribe to it with one click instead of going through individual Workshop pages.
2. Display the fixed server address made of IP and port clearly - in the server description, on Discord, wherever interested players look first. The favorite entry still works when the community list is loading slowly.
3. Announce mod changes. If you add or remove a mod, nobody gets in until they have caught up - and very few will look for the error in their subscriptions.

If you have not ordered yet and are wondering whether vanilla or a modded setup is the right start, you will find the trade-offs in the buying guide. If you already know which map should run, change the map will help.

Frequently asked questions