> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wasabihosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Join Your Rust Server

> Connect to your Rust server hosting instance using the F1 console, the in-game server browser, or Steam favorites — plus fixes for common connection issues.

There are several ways to connect to your Rust server: the F1 console (fastest and most reliable), the in-game server browser, and favorites. This guide covers all of them, plus what to do when a connection fails.

## Find Your Server Address

Before you can connect, you need your server's IP address and port.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Game Panel">
    Log in to the [Wasabi Hosting Game Panel](https://panel.wasabihosting.com) and select your Rust server.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the address">
    Your server's address is shown at the top of the **Console** page in the format `IP:PORT` (for example `203.0.113.10:28015`). The default Rust game port is `28015`, but your assigned port may differ.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Connect via the F1 Console (Recommended)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch Rust and open the console">
    From the main menu (or in-game), press `F1` to open the console.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the connect command">
    Type the following, replacing the address with your own:

    ```
    client.connect 203.0.113.10:28015
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the load">
    Rust will download the map from the server and load you in. First joins after a wipe take longer because the map has to be downloaded fresh.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  The F1 console method always works, even if your server hasn't appeared in the server browser yet. Freshly started servers can take several minutes to show up in browser listings.
</Tip>

## Connect via the Server Browser

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the server browser">
    From the Rust main menu, click **Play Game**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick the right tab">
    Vanilla servers appear under **Community**. Servers running Oxide/uMod or Carbon appear under **Modded**. If you can't find your server, you may be looking in the wrong tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search for your hostname">
    Type your server name (the `server.hostname` value from your [server configuration](/games/rust/server-configuration)) into the search box and connect.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Favorites

* **In-game:** after connecting once, your server appears under the **History** tab. Click the heart icon on the server entry to add it to **Favourited** for quick access.
* **Steam client:** open **View → Game Servers → Favorites → Add a Server** and enter your server's `IP:PORT`. This works for most servers using the default query setup; if the server doesn't respond there, use the in-game favorites instead.

## Is There a Server Password?

<Warning>
  Vanilla Rust has **no server password option**. There is no convar to password-protect a Rust server.
</Warning>

If you want a private server, install Oxide and use a **whitelist plugin** (such as the Whitelist plugin from [uMod](https://umod.org)) so only approved SteamIDs can join. See [installing plugins](/games/rust/install-plugins). You can also restrict access at the network level with the [Firewall Manager](/firewall-manager).

## Troubleshooting Connection Issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Server doesn't appear in the browser">
    New and recently restarted servers can take 5–15 minutes to be listed. Use `client.connect IP:PORT` in the F1 console instead — it connects directly and bypasses the browser entirely. Also double-check you're on the correct tab (Community vs. Modded).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="'Incompatible version' or protocol mismatch">
    Your client and server are on different Rust versions. This is common right after a Facepunch update (especially forced wipe Thursdays). Update your Rust client through Steam, and make sure your server has been updated/restarted from the Game Panel.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Connection attempt times out">
    Check the panel Console to confirm the server has finished booting — map generation after a wipe can take several minutes, during which the server won't accept players. If you've configured rules in the [Firewall Manager](/firewall-manager), verify the game port isn't blocked.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Disconnected: Steam Auth failed">
    Restart Steam and Rust, and make sure Steam is online. This error is almost always client-side and resolves after a Steam restart.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Stuck on 'Loading assets' or long map download">
    Normal after a fresh wipe — the client downloads and processes the new map. Larger `server.worldsize` values mean longer first loads. Let it finish; subsequent joins are much faster.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  Share your server with friends as a one-liner they can paste into the F1 console: `client.connect IP:PORT`. It's the fastest way to get a group onto a fresh server before it's even listed in the browser.
</Tip>

Still stuck? Open a [support ticket](https://billing.wasabihosting.com/submitticket.php) or ask in our [Discord](https://discord.wasabihosting.com) — we're around 24/7.

<Card title="Need a Rust server?" icon="rocket" href="https://wasabihosting.com/game-servers/rust">
  Get your own Rust server from €9.99/month — deployed in about 2 minutes with DDoS protection included.
</Card>