🎮 Game Error Codes What it means & how to fix it

Don't Starve Together Won't Connect? Here's the Fix

When Don't Starve Together can't connect — the server list is blank, you can't join a friend, or you get "lost connection to server" — it's usually a Klei/Steam authentication hiccup, a strict NAT/port issue, or a version mismatch. Fastest fix: both players update the game, log out and back into Steam, and have the host use "Friends Only" so the invite goes through the overlay.

Don't Starve Together dedicated server — exact ports, cluster & token

Master shard port (UDP)
10999
Caves shard port (UDP)
11000
Cluster folder
Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\<Cluster>
Required token file
cluster_token.txt (in the cluster folder)
Common cause of 'cannot connect'
Missing cluster_token.txt, or only Master forwarded while the Caves shard on 11000 stays unreachable

Last verified: September 2026

Error codes

Can't join friend / server not in list The client can't see or reach the host's session

Cause: Steam friends/overlay issue or the host set the world to Online (public) but it hasn't propagated.

Fix:
  1. Both players must be Steam friends — add each other and restart Steam.
  2. Host: set the game mode to Friends Only, load the world, then invite via the Steam overlay.
  3. Joiner: use Browse Games > Steam Friends tab instead of the public list.
  4. Have both log out of Steam and back in to refresh the session ticket.
Lost connection to server The handshake succeeds but the session drops

Cause: Strict/Moderate NAT, firewall, or an unstable upload on the host side.

Fix:
  1. Allow Don't Starve Together through Windows Firewall on Private and Public.
  2. Host: set router NAT to Open or enable UPnP; forward UDP 10999 for dedicated servers.
  3. Use a wired connection and restart the router to refresh NAT.
  4. Lower the max players / shard count if the host's upload is limited.
Version mismatch / can't connect Client and host are on different DST builds

Cause: One player updated, is on a beta branch, or has out-of-date mods.

Fix:
  1. Update Don't Starve Together on both machines so builds match.
  2. Both opt out of beta branches in Steam > Properties > Betas.
  3. Disable or update mods so both sides load the same mod versions.
  4. Verify integrity of game files in Steam, then restart.
Failed to log in / can't reach Klei servers The game can't authenticate you against Klei's login servers, so no server will accept the join

Cause: Klei auth is temporarily down, or the client is blocked from lobby.kleientertainment.com by firewall/VPN.

Fix:
  1. Check Klei's status/Twitter — if login is down server-wide, wait it out.
  2. Disable any VPN/proxy and allow Don't Starve Together through the firewall.
  3. Restart Steam so it re-issues your session ticket, then relaunch DST.
  4. For a dedicated server, confirm cluster_token.txt is present and valid in the cluster folder.
Your game version is out of date The server rejects the join because the client build is older than the server build

Cause: An update shipped but Steam hasn't applied it, or the server auto-updated ahead of clients.

Fix:
  1. Fully close DST, let Steam finish updating, and verify integrity of game files.
  2. Both host and joiner opt out of any beta/experimental branch in Steam > Betas.
  3. For dedicated servers, update the server (steamcmd app 343050) so it matches clients.
  4. Restart both games after updating so builds match.
"Server is not compatible" / mod version mismatch Join fails or the server is greyed out because the host and joiner have different versions of one or more mods.

Cause: A Steam Workshop mod auto-updated on one side but not the other, or the host runs a mod the joiner does not have.

Fix:
  1. Joiner: subscribe to the EXACT same Workshop mods the host uses, then restart the game so they download.
  2. Both: let Steam finish updating all DST Workshop items (Steam > Downloads) before launching.
  3. Host of a dedicated server: set force_enable_mod_downloading and keep dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua in sync with the client mods.
  4. If it persists, both unsubscribe from the mod, restart, re-subscribe to force a clean re-download.
Caves not connecting / stuck "Waiting for server" on the cave shard The Overworld (Master) loads but descending into caves hangs or the caves shard never comes online.

Cause: Master and Caves shards use a mismatched cluster_token/cluster_key, or the Caves shard is not set to bind to 127.0.0.1 on the same cluster.

Fix:
  1. Use the SAME cluster_token.txt in both the Master and Caves shard folders.
  2. In cluster.ini set [SHARD] cluster_key to the SAME value for Master and Caves.
  3. Caves server.ini: is_master=false and bind_ip=127.0.0.1; Master: is_master=true.
  4. Start the Master shard first, wait until it is fully up, then start the Caves shard.
"Your Klei account is currently in use" / logged in elsewhere Login is rejected because Klei thinks the account is already active on another session.

Cause: A stale session token from a crash or a second device still holding the Klei login.

Fix:
  1. Fully close DST on every device, wait 2-3 minutes, then relaunch only one.
  2. Log out of Steam and back in to refresh the auth ticket Klei uses.
  3. If you host a dedicated server, delete the old cluster_token.txt and generate a fresh token from the in-game Account page.
  4. Restart the router if a previous session is stuck behind the same IP.
Cannot join a dedicated / direct-host server (NAT / port forwarding) Friends on other networks cannot reach a server you host directly, even though LAN players can.

Cause: The hosting PC/router is not forwarding the UDP ports DST uses, so outside clients never reach it.

Fix:
  1. Forward UDP port 10999 to the host PC for the Overworld (Master) shard.
  2. If you run caves, also forward UDP 11000 (or whatever server_port the Caves shard uses).
  3. Set a static local IP on the host PC so the forward does not break on reboot.
  4. Joiners: use Browse Games > Add a Server by Direct IP with the host public IP and port.

Fixes that work for most Don't Starve Together errors

  1. Update DST on both machines and match mod versions.
  2. Both players Steam friends; host uses Friends Only and invites via overlay.
  3. Allow the game through Windows Firewall (Private + Public).
  4. Set NAT to Open / enable UPnP; forward UDP 10999 for dedicated servers.
  5. Log out and back into Steam to refresh auth if the server list is blank.
  6. Use a wired connection and restart the router.

FAQ

Why can't I join my friend in Don't Starve Together?

Usually a Steam friends/overlay issue or a version/mod mismatch. Add each other on Steam, update the game and mods on both sides, have the host set the world to Friends Only, then join through the Steam Friends tab or the overlay invite.

How do I fix "lost connection to server" in DST?

It's typically NAT/firewall. Allow the game through Windows Firewall, set your router NAT to Open or enable UPnP (forward UDP 10999 for a dedicated server), and use a wired connection. Restart the router to refresh NAT.

Does Don't Starve Together need port forwarding?

Only for a self-hosted dedicated server — forward UDP 10999 (and the shard ports if you run multiple shards). Peer-to-peer "host a game" sessions rely on Steam and usually just need UPnP/Open NAT.

Why does Don't Starve Together say I can't log in or reach Klei servers?

That's a Klei authentication failure, not your server. Check Klei's status, turn off any VPN, allow DST through the firewall, and restart Steam so it re-issues your session ticket. On a dedicated server, make sure cluster_token.txt exists and is valid.

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