If your Palworld server is not showing up in the in-game community list, it is almost always the flaky server browser rather than a broken server, and connecting directly by IP gets you and your players in every time.
First, prove the server is fine
Before you change any settings, connect by IP. In Palworld, choose Join Multiplayer Game (Dedicated Server), open the Community Servers tab, and use the Connect with IP field to enter your address from the top of the GuavaHost panel, for example 123.45.67.89:8211. If you get in this way, your server is healthy and the only issue is the public list.
Why the community list misses servers
Palworld's server browser is well known for being unreliable. It only displays a slice of the thousands of servers online, it can take several minutes to register a newly started server, and it filters and paginates in ways that hide plenty of working servers. A missing listing rarely means anything is wrong on your end.
To find your own server in the list:
- Search by your exact ServerName rather than scrolling.
- Refresh the list a few times, and wait a few minutes after starting the server.
- Remember the browser may simply not show it, which is exactly why IP connect exists.
Settings worth checking
Open PalWorldSettings.ini on the Files tab and confirm these inside the OptionSettings line:
- ServerName: give it a clear, unique name so it is easy to search for.
- PublicPort: this must match your actual game port, normally 8211, shown on the Network tab. A wrong value here is a common cause of listing and join problems.
- PublicIP: you can usually leave this empty and let the server detect it. Only set it if you have a specific reason to.
Restart the server after any edit so the changes load.
When it is actually the server
Sometimes the server really is the problem, not the browser. Check the Console tab:
- It is stopped or crashing. Start it, and watch for errors in the log.
- Version mismatch. After a Palworld patch, an outdated server will refuse joins with an incompatible version message. Restart the server so it updates to the latest build.
- The world is still generating. On a first boot the server needs a moment before it accepts connections. Wait until the Console stops scrolling.
The reliable way to play
Share the IP:8211 address with your group and have everyone use Connect with IP. It works the instant your server is online, it does not depend on the public list, and it saves everyone the hassle of hunting through the browser. Treat the community list as a bonus, not the main way in.
Still stuck? Jump into our Discord at discord.gg/GuavaHost and the team will help you out.