Get started

Free trial Try a game free for 3 days. No card needed. Start a free trial Start a free trial

Game servers

All games
Compare all games Try a game free for 3 days

Guides / Arma 3 / Basics

How to join your Arma 3 server

Get the address from the Joining band, open the Arma 3 Launcher, use Servers and Direct Connect, and type the join password. Same branch and mods needed.

Updated , checked on Arma 3 2.22.154089

To join, open the Arma 3 Launcher, go to Servers, choose Direct Connect, and type the server’s address. You can also find the server by its name. If the server has a join password, type it when asked.

What you need first

  • Arma 3 on Steam. Anyone who joins must own the game.
  • The same version of the game as the server (the stable game or a test version). If the server runs the stable game, you run the stable game. Owners read the version as Game version on the Crashes tab.
  • The same mods. The server owner can give you a preset file (a small file that lists mods) that loads exactly the server’s mods.
  • Any expansion or Creator DLC the mission’s world needs.
  • The address, and the join password if there is one.

Join step by step

  1. Ask the server owner for the address, or find it yourself: owners see it on the Players page, in the Joining band (1). See find your server address.
  2. If the owner sent a preset file, drag it onto the Arma 3 Launcher. It loads the server’s mods.
  3. In the Arma 3 Launcher, go to Servers, then Direct Connect, and type the address. The address is the IP and the game port, for example 203.0.113.24:2700.
  4. Or search the server list for the server’s name and join from there.
  5. Type the join password when the game asks.
The Joining band on the Players page with the address, a Copy button and the panel's line about the join password
  1. Copy the address
  2. How to join and the join password

The panel’s own line on that band tells players what to do: “In the Arma 3 Launcher: Servers, then Direct Connect with this address, or find the server by its name.” If there is a join password it adds: “It has a join password, changed under Passwords on Config.” (the Config Editor tab).

Direct Connect works even when the server is not in the list. The server list needs the Steam query port. A server can be missing from the list and you can still join it with Direct Connect.

If it does not work

  • The password is refused. Ask the owner for the current one. Owners change it under Passwords in the Config Editor, and it applies at the next start of the server.
  • You are kicked for a wrong signature. Signatures are the checks that your mod files match the server’s. Your mods differ from the server’s. Update them in the Launcher, or load the owner’s preset.
  • You are kicked with “Client not responding”. This is a connection problem between you and the server. Tell the owner: the packet size is set in basic.cfg, and the panel advises 1300 or less. It was not measured with players.
  • The server is not in the list. Use Direct Connect.
  • Nothing connects. The server may be stopped or still starting. Owners can read this on the Players page, which says “The server is stopped.” or “The server is starting.”. The server is ready at the line Host identity created. in the Console tab. Many BattlEye Server: RCon admin #0 (...) logged in lines there are normal.

More about the game on Loafhosts: Arma 3 servers.

Sources: Bohemia wiki: Dedicated Server

Arma 3 serversAll Arma 3 guides