How to connect to your Windrose server

You join your Windrose server through Direct IP in the game, with the address and port from the address card on Overview. Your server doesn’t use an invite code, because it runs in direct connection mode.

Before you start

• Find the address and port. The address card on Overview shows both, like galleon.play.wilderack.com:31777. The port is the number after the colon. It’s picked for your server, so it isn’t Windrose’s usual 7777.
• Check the server is running. The status on Overview should say Running. A sleeping server is fine too: joining wakes it.
• Update the game. Your game and the server must be on the same Windrose version. If Steam or Epic has an update waiting, install it first.

Join with Direct IP

1. Start Windrose.
2. Choose Play, then Connect to Server.
3. Switch to Direct IP.
4. In the address box, type the address only, like galleon.play.wilderack.com. Leave out the colon and the port.
5. In the port box, type the port from the address card, like 31777.
6. If the server has a password, type it in the password box. Passwords are case-sensitive.
7. Connect.

The first time someone joins after a nap, the server needs a moment to wake. If the game gives up, try again a few seconds later.

Platforms

Windrose is a PC game, on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Every player uses the same Direct IP steps above. There are no console or phone versions, so there’s nothing extra to set up for crossplay.

The developers haven’t said clearly whether Steam and Epic players can share one server. If a friend on Epic can’t join, first check that their game is on the same version as the server.

No server browser

Windrose has no public list of servers. Nobody finds your server unless you share the address and port. That’s another reason to use a password if you post the address anywhere public.

Server password

Set or change the password in Settings, then restart the server. Players type it in the password box on the Direct IP screen.

If you edit the file by hand, the password lives in ServerDescription.json in two settings that must agree:

• Password: the password itself.
• IsPasswordProtected: true when there’s a password, false when Password is empty.

The config reference shows the whole file.

Invite codes

If a friend asks for “the invite code”, tell them there isn’t one. Invite codes only work when direct connection is off, and your server keeps it on so our attack protection covers it. Invite codes and direct connect explains why.

Waking a sleeping server

Joining by address and port wakes your server, usually in a couple of seconds. Your friends don’t need to do anything else.

If a friend wants to wake it before launching the game, share the wake link from the address card: play.wilderack.com/w/galleon. The How to join card on Overview shows the same steps as this page.

Can’t connect?

Work through these in order:

1. Check the port. It must be the port from the address card, not 7777.
2. Check the version. Update Windrose, then restart your game.
3. Check the password. With Direct IP, a wrong password sends you back to the main menu without a message.
4. Wait for the server. If it was asleep or just restarted, give it a minute and join again.
5. Restart your game and Steam. The developers suggest this, plus restarting your router, for most connection problems.

Still stuck? Fix common Windrose server errors covers each problem in more detail.