# Troubleshoot an Unturned server missing from the list or rejecting players

Unturned being absent from the Internet list is not the same as its process being offline. A service can accept a Server Code connection while remaining anonymous, and a listed server can still reject a particular client. Test the intended access method before changing network settings or deleting files.

## 1. Check whether the level finishes loading

1. Save the first relevant error from a fresh startup and the time it occurred.
2. Identify whether startup is still loading a level or downloading content, whether it exits, or whether it becomes ready but a client cannot enter.
3. Note the last configuration or Workshop change. Compare with the preserved working settings before making another change.

Do not force-stop a server merely because a large content download is quiet for a short period. If output stops progressing, provide the last lines and elapsed time to support. A working web console does not establish that the game has completed its own startup.

## 2. Separate listing identity from connectivity

A server without a configured Game Server Login Token is anonymous and hidden from the Internet list. Check the token configuration privately; a valid token is not a password to distribute to players. Review any authentication failure in startup output and consult the SDG server-standing information if a listing warning appears.

Do not rotate tokens repeatedly or reuse a working server's token as a quick experiment. A change to server identity can confuse players who already have a saved connection method. Preserve the original non-secret settings and have the token owner correct the relevant account configuration.

## 3. Re-test the correct connection method

For a Server Code, obtain the current code from the running instance rather than an old message. Codes can change after restart. For Fake IP, use the currently advertised Fake IP and port; SDG notes that this endpoint changes between restarts and differs from the VPS's real address.

For direct IP joining, confirm the service's public address and configured consecutive UDP allocations with support. Query replies and gameplay traffic use different ports in the pair. Do not disable the firewall, forward your home router, or claim an unassigned neighbouring port to investigate a hosted service.

## 4. If the client fails while loading content

Review the instance's `WorkshopDownloadConfig.json` against the intended collection. SDG uses its `File_IDs` list for Workshop downloads, with required content handled during startup and client joining. A Workshop item ID is not the same thing as the map name selected by the server.

Read the named item or dependency error before changing the list. Preserve the file and matching save checkpoint. Avoid removing all Workshop content, switching maps or clearing player data as a broad test: stored items and world content may depend on the removed package. If needed, reproduce with a separate test instance and a separate save.

## Confirm recovery and escalate

Repeat the original join using the same method and a normal player, then confirm the expected world and inventory. Send support the service ID, startup stage, connection method, UTC attempt time and redacted error. If only one client fails, include its build and content differences; never include the GSLT or private account credentials.

## Related CloudExa guides

- [Investigate a stopped or failed game process](https://help.cloudexa-hosting.com/books/game-hosting/page/game-server-will-not-start-choose-the-next-safe-check)
- [Troubleshoot the panel console separately](https://help.cloudexa-hosting.com/books/game-hosting/page/fix-a-game-console-that-will-not-connect-or-shows-a-504-error)

## Official references

- [SDG: loading and Workshop configuration](https://docs.smartlydressedgames.com/en/stable/servers/server-hosting.html)
- [SDG: anonymous servers and login tokens](https://docs.smartlydressedgames.com/en/stable/servers/game-server-login-tokens.html)
- [SDG: Fake IP endpoints](https://docs.smartlydressedgames.com/en/stable/servers/fake-ip.html)
- [SDG: Server Code lifecycle](https://docs.smartlydressedgames.com/en/stable/servers/server-codes.html)
- [SDG support: missing server listings](https://support.smartlydressedgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/16050989363732-Why-isn-t-my-server-visible-on-the-server-list)