Join a Project Zomboid serverConnect directly via IP & port

Published on August 4, 2026 · last updated on October 21, 2026

Finding IP and port

Every server at MainHoster.de has a fixed address made up of IP and port. You will find both in the web interface after ordering. The Project Zomboid default port is 16261; what counts is always the port shown in the panel. You need IP and port together to connect directly.

Connecting directly via IP

1. Click Join in the main menu.
2. Under Favorites, add a new server: enter IP and port (for example 12.34.56.78 and 16261) as well as your Steam name.
3. Save and click Join Server.

The first time you join a modded server, Steam downloads the required Workshop mods automatically.

Via the server browser

Alternatively, use the Internet browser under Join and search for your server by name (PublicName from servertest.ini). It only appears there if Public=true is set - otherwise you connect directly via IP using the favorites.

The connection does not work?

• Is the server running? Check the status in the panel.
• Do the mods match? If Workshop mods are missing or differ, you will not get in - Steam should download them automatically when you join.
• Same version? Server and client have to run on the same build (41 or 42) (see Build 42).
• IP & port exact? Always use the port from the panel.

The game's messages help narrow things down more than they seem to at first. "Server is not responding" almost always means a wrong port or a server that is currently restarting - wait two minutes before checking your entries. "Connection lost" in the middle of loading, on the other hand, points to mods: Steam has downloaded them, but one version does not match.

If the screen stays black after joining or hangs at "Initialising", take a look at the mod list. A single broken Workshop entry is enough, and the process aborts without a meaningful message. The server entries in WorkshopItems and Mods must not only be present but also correct in pairs - details in Install mods.

The first join: account and character

Project Zomboid creates an account on the server the first time you connect. You can choose the username freely, and it has nothing to do with your Steam name - the password you set at that point only applies to this one server. Remember it: without the password, you will not get back to the same character later.

After that, you create your character just as in single-player. The character stays tied to the server and is saved there, not locally on your computer. If you die, it is gone - that is part of the game in Project Zomboid and not a malfunction. The server keeps your account, and you simply create a new character.

As the server owner, you manage these accounts via the admin commands: assign roles, reset accounts, ban players. The matching overview is in Become admin & server commands.

Visible or private?

Whether your server shows up in the Internet browser is decided by Public=true in servertest.ini. Both options have their place, and the decision depends on whom you want to reach:

• Public is worth it if the server is meant to grow. Then a meaningful PublicName and a short description count - that is what people filter by in the list.
• Private is the normal case for a fixed group. The server can still be reached fully via IP and port, but does not appear in any list. Setting a Password in addition is the simplest protection.

Important to know: a private server is not invisible, just unlisted. Anyone who knows address and port can give it a try - which is why a closed group always needs a password, not just Public=false.

Frequently asked questions