Hey survivor! So you’re trying to join a Project Zomboid multiplayer game, but you’re frozen at the “Getting Server Info” screen. Frustrating, right? Don’t worry – you’re not alone, and there are plenty of fixes. Grab a seat (preferably on a safe rooftop away from zombies), and let’s troubleshoot this together in plain gamer-to-gamer terms.

We’ll cover all the usual suspects – from wonky network settings and router tantrums, to mod mismatches, version differences, and even those weird post-update bugs that pop up like unexpected undead. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to get past that dreaded screen and into the game. Let’s dive in!

What Does “Getting Server Info” Even Mean?

When you join a server in Project Zomboid, your game is basically knocking on the server’s door and saying, “Hey, what mods and settings do I need? Are we compatible? Can I come in?” This handshake stage is labeled “Getting Server Info.” Think of it like a bouncer at a nightclub checking your ID and dress code before letting you through. If everything checks out, you load into the world. But if something’s off – maybe your ID (game version) doesn’t match, or the club requires a fancy outfit (mods) you don’t have – you can get stuck in that doorway.

Sometimes the hang-up isn’t even your fault – it could be the network acting like a broken intercom (Steam issues, router blocking the door), or the server not responding properly. Let’s break down the possible reasons and how to fix each one.

Common Causes for Being Stuck (and How to Fix Each)

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here. “Getting Server Info” stalling can happen for a bunch of reasons. We’re going to hit all the major ones:

1. Network and Connection Issues – Ports, routers, NAT, firewalls, and Steam’s networking shenanigans. If the game can’t establish a connection, you’ll be left hanging.
2. Game Version Mismatch – If your game version doesn’t match the server’s version, the server might keep you waiting forever.
3. Mod Conflicts & Workshop Woes – Mods are great, until they aren’t. Missing or mismatched mods can prevent you from joining modded servers.
4. Server-Side Problems – Sometimes the server itself (or the way it’s hosted) is the culprit: improper setup, ports not open, or the server hung during startup.
5. Steam Integration Glitches – Issues with Steam authentication, the Steam relay system, or Steam being down can all cause infinite “server info” loading.
6. Recent Updates or Bugs – Occasionally a new patch introduces a bug (we’ll recall a couple of 2024 examples) that leaves players stuck.
7. Other Gremlins – Things like firewalls, antivirus, or even your PC’s time settings can have unexpected effects.

We’ll go through each of these, with real examples and analogies to keep it fun. Ready? Let’s start with the most common troublemaker: your network.

1. Network and Connection Issues

Networking issues are a top cause for being stuck on “Getting Server Info.” If your game can’t talk to the server properly, it’s like trying to call someone with a bad signal – you just get silence. Here’s what to check:

✅ Port Forwarding and NAT – If you (or whoever is hosting) are running a server on a home connection, you need to ensure the correct ports are open for Project Zomboid. By default, Project Zomboid uses UDP port 16261 for the server and UDP 16262 for the first player slot (and subsequent UDP ports for additional players). In the past, people also opened Steam ports like 8766/8767, but those aren’t needed anymore for PZ.

• If you’re hosting on your PC via the in-game “Host” or a dedicated server, log into your router and forward UDP 16261 and 16262 to your computer’s local IP. This is like telling the router’s bouncer “hey, let Project Zomboid traffic in through these doors.” If those ports aren’t open, direct connections will fail and you might get stuck.
• If you see a “port 16262 closed” warning in-game (a red message), that means the second port isn’t open and direct connect might not work. The game will usually fall back to Steam Relay if a direct port is blocked, but that can introduce other issues or latency.
• Double NAT: Are you behind two routers (like a router+modem combo)? This can complicate port forwarding (one bouncer behind another… ugh). You may need to forward on both devices or put one in bridge mode. If you suspect this and can’t easily fix it, using Steam’s relay (or a VPN like Hamachi/ZeroTier to create a virtual LAN) can help bypass double NAT problems.

✅ Firewall Settings (PC and Router) – Your PC’s firewall or antivirus might also be blocking the game server. The first time you host or join, Windows usually asks to allow Java or Project Zomboid through the firewall. If you hit “Cancel” by accident, you could be blocking the connection. Make sure ProjectZomboid64.exe or the server’s Java process is allowed through Windows Firewall (especially on Private networks, and ideally Public as well if you’re comfortable). One user on Reddit fixed their issue by simply turning off the firewall, reinstalling, etc. – extreme, but it shows firewall can matter. You don’t have to disable it entirely; just ensure the needed ports/programs are allowed.

Also, if you’re on Windows, check your Network Profile: is it set to Public? Public networks in Windows are more restrictive (as they should be, for coffee-shop WiFi safety). If you’re at home, set it to Private/Home so that your firewall rules aren’t too strict. One community workaround explicitly noted “make sure your network in Windows is set to home and not public” when people were having connection trouble.

✅ Steam’s Datagram Relay vs Direct Connection – Project Zomboid uses Steam’s networking by default, which can punch through NAT (great if you can’t port forward). On the Join Server screen, there’s a little checkbox about using the Steam relay.

• Direct Connection means your game tries to connect straight to the server’s IP (using those ports we mentioned). It’s usually faster/less laggy if it works, but it requires those ports open on the host side. If direct fails, the game will automatically try the Steam relay.
• Steam Relay means your traffic goes via Steam’s servers (a bit like a VPN). It can help if direct connection is failing (for example, if you can’t port forward or the server is behind strict NAT). The downside is a bit more latency, since it’s not a direct route.
• By default, if you join via the server browser or Steam invite, the game will try direct first then fall back to relay if something’s blocking direct. You can also force relay by checking that box “Use Steam Relay” before connecting.
• 💡 Tip: If you can connect directly (open ports, etc.), do it – it’s usually more stable. If not, Steam relay is your friend. As one guide put it: “Unchecking Steam relay will force your computer to use a faster connection method to the server. Steam relay should only be checked if you are unable to join otherwise.”. In other words, leave it unchecked for direct (faster), check it if you need the relay.

If you suspect the relay vs direct is the issue, try both methods: go to Join screen, toggle the Use Steam Relay option, and attempt to connect each way. Some players found one method would hang but the other would work.

✅ Internet Connection & ISP Issues – If everything looks fine on your PC/router but you still hang, consider your wider network:

• ISP-side blocks: Some internet providers (or campus networks, etc.) might block incoming connections altogether. In one case, a player struggled with hosting a server until they realized the ISP was likely blocking ports and they might need to call them. If you can’t get a connection even with proper port forwarding, reach out to your ISP to see if they’re filtering ports. (Note: Project Zomboid uses UDP, and many port-checking websites only check TCP, so they might falsely show closed. Don’t be fooled – ask the ISP if they block UDP ports.)
• Test another network: A trick suggested by the developers is to try a different network to isolate the issue. For example, if you have a laptop/desktop that can use Wi-Fi, try tethering it to your phone’s hotspot (careful with data usage though!). Or use a VPN service temporarily to see if the issue disappears when your traffic is routed differently. One support rep (Beard) was testing if a player’s ISP was the culprit by having them try a VPN or hotspot. If a different network lets you in, that points to something with your ISP/router setup.
• VPN on/off: On the flip side, if you are using a VPN normally and getting stuck, try without it. VPNs add another layer and sometimes specific VPN servers might have poor routes to the game server. We’ve seen reports that simply disabling VPNs resolved the hang for some players. So toggle that as a test.

✅ Steam Download Region Trick – Here’s a weird but golden workaround that has saved a lot of players: change your Steam Download Region. This has nothing to do with Project Zomboid itself, but everything to do with Steam’s backend network. It turns out that sometimes the Steam datagram relay system can have issues in certain regions (it’s like some Steam “servers” out there are not forwarding the info properly).

• In late 2024, many players (especially in the US and Europe) started seeing infinite “Getting Server Info.” The quick fix discovered was to go into Steam’s settings and switch your download region to someplace else – anywhere, just a different region than your default. For example, players in the US often picked a European region (e.g. “UK - London”), and some in Europe picked Asia (e.g. “South Korea”) to resolve the issue.
• One community server host wrote: “Steam servers crashed earlier today, since then some players [are stuck connecting]. We figured out you can change the Download Region in Steam settings > Downloads to somewhere else and it will fix the issue… South Korea worked for some of my players. (I’m hosting in Sweden, Europe.)”. This was after a Steam network outage, but it’s worked even outside of outages.
• Only the client needs to do this, not the server. And remember to change your region back later for normal downloads/pings.
• Indie Stone’s support acknowledged this: players from the US were having this issue and changing region “basically always fixed it”. It might take a bit of experimentation – if one region doesn’t help, try another.
• Why does this work? Because it forces your Steam to connect through a different data center, potentially bypassing whatever glitch was happening. Analogy time: if the highway on your route is closed, you take a different highway. It might be longer, but at least you’ll get there.
• Real example: A player named Mantha was stuck joining any server. They tried everything (reinstall, no mods, etc.) and finally support said “try changing your Steam region.” They switched to UK-Manchester (since the server was UK-hosted) and it still didn’t work. Beard (support) then noted “the US recently had this issue” and suggested trying more regions, especially in the EU. Mantha was in the US. Presumably, after trying a few, one would work. (So if the first new region doesn’t solve it, don’t lose hope – try another continent.)
• Important: If Steam itself is having issues (like a partial outage), this trick is a band-aid. Eventually Valve fixes it. In August 2024, there was a Steam networking hiccup that hit PZ players. The region swap was a workaround, and one experienced host said “I’ve never seen anything like it in 10 years of hosting Zomboid… It’s a Steam issue, not Indie Stone’s fault.”. In other words, sometimes the problem really is on Steam’s end, and you just have to wait it out or use tricks like this.

✅ When All Else Fails – Patience and Persistence – Sometimes, the networking issue is temporary or random. We’ve heard of downright bizarre anecdotes like a player being unable to join for an entire evening, then the next day it magically worked with the same setup. Another pair of players literally spam-sent Steam invites 20+ times until one invite finally connected through. It’s not exactly a solution, but it shows that if you’re stubborn, you might brute-force your way in eventually. (Not the most elegant method, but hey, when you’re desperate to play, you’ll try anything!)

Summary for Network fixes: Make sure the server’s ports are open (or you use Steam relay), check firewalls (and network set to Private), consider the Steam region switch if things recently went bad, and test on different networks or with/without VPN. This addresses the most common connectivity problems that leave you hanging at “Getting Server Info.” If your issue persists after all that, let’s look at other causes.

2. Game Version Mismatch (Client vs Server)

Imagine trying to join a game of soccer, but the server is set up for rugby – the rules (game version) don’t match, so you’ll never properly get in. In Project Zomboid terms, if the server is running a different game version (or build) than you are, the connection won’t complete.

How to know if this is the issue: Usually, the game will outright tell you “server version differs” if there’s a big mismatch. But in some cases, if it’s a minor discrepancy or a beta vs stable confusion, you might just hang on connection.

Things to check:

• Are you on the same build as the server? PZ’s current stable branch as of early 2025 is Build 41 (41.78.x). There is also a Build 42 Unstable (beta) that some players opt into. If you or the server owner accidentally updated to the unstable build, you won’t be able to play with those on stable – it’s effectively a different game version (Build 42 even has multiplayer disabled initially). Make sure both of you are on the same branch (both on “None” beta for stable, or both on the same beta if that’s intended).
• If you run a dedicated server via SteamCMD or the Steam “dedicated server” tool, ensure it’s updated to the latest version as well. Sometimes the client auto-updates but the server might lag behind. We saw one case where the server was on 41.78.1 while the client was on 41.78.3, and that tiny difference prevented the client from joining. The host realized they needed to update/reinstall the server to match the client. Once versions matched exactly, the handshake could proceed.
• Coop vs Dedicated branch differences: In late 2022, the Indie Stone team had an Unstable branch on Steam to fix connection issues introduced in 41.77. Players were advised to use that branch for both client and server if they had issues. If one of you is using a beta branch and the other isn’t, that’s a mismatch. Always coordinate versions with your friends.
• Check the version number on your main menu (bottom right usually) and ask the server host what theirs is. Or if it’s a public server, often the server name or description includes the version (e.g. “Build 41.78”). They must match. If not, time to update or roll back accordingly.
• If you run into a version mismatch and for some reason can’t get on the same version (maybe the server is older and can’t update, etc.), unfortunately you’ll have to wait or find a server that matches your version. There’s no way for a 41.78 client to join a 41.73 server, for example.

TL;DR: Double-check that you and the server are on the same Project Zomboid version. This is like making sure you and the server speak the exact same language. If not, no meaningful communication = stuck on that screen forever.

3. Mod Conflicts and Workshop Woes

Mods, mods, mods! We love ’em – they spice up Zomboid with new items, maps, and mechanics. But mods can also be divas; if the server and your client don’t have the exact same mod setup, the server might refuse entry or hang at the info screen. Here’s how mods can cause trouble and what to do about it:

🚩 Different Mod Versions or Missing Mods: When you join a modded server, the game will attempt to download all required mods from the Steam Workshop (you’ll usually see a progress bar for each mod). If a mod fails to download or is an outdated version on your side, it can cause a hang. Ideally, PZ should show an error like “Workshop item mismatch” or “File doesn’t match the server” – but if you’re stuck on “Getting Server Info,” you might not even get that error UI.

• Ensure you have the mods enabled that the server uses, and none extra. The server usually transmits a list of mod IDs it’s running. If your client then finds those in your Workshop, great. If not, it tries to fetch them. If Steam Workshop is slow or down, it might hang while doing so.
• Sometimes a mod on the server is updated on the Workshop, but the server hasn’t restarted to get the new version, causing a version mismatch between clients (who auto-updated the mod) and the server (still on old code). This can lead to join issues. The error often is “client has mod version X, server has Y.” If it hangs, check logs for such clues.
• Solution: The easy fix for mod mismatches is often to delete and redownload the mods on the client. Unsubscribe from all Project Zomboid mods and then join the server fresh so it pulls everything anew. A community wiki suggests: unsubscribe all, then delete the 108600 workshop folder (Steam’s cached mods for PZ) and the appworkshop_108600.acf file (which tracks PZ mod subscriptions). This forces Steam to treat it like a clean slate and download mods over. It’s a bit heavy-handed but very effective when mod files are out of whack. After doing that, join the server and let it grab the mods automatically.
• Real example: A player was getting “File doesn’t match the one on the server” errors due to mod conflicts. The recommended fix was exactly the above – unsubscribe all mods, delete the mod folders, then rejoin to redownload. It sorted out the mismatches.

🚩 A Buggy Mod is Hanging the Server: Sometimes the problem isn’t your PC at all – it’s the server choking on a mod during startup. In such cases, everyone trying to join that server will be stuck at “Getting Server Info,” because the server itself never fully came up (maybe a mod is causing errors in a loop). If you’re hosting and you suspect this (especially if you have a lot of mods):

• Remove or disable mods one by one and test the server. A developer on the Indie Stone forum noted, “Likely one of the mods is preventing the server from loading, did you try disabling some of them to see if it loads?”. This was in a case where a host had 40+ mods and was stuck for 40 minutes on “Getting Server Info.” Sure enough, one of the mods was broken.
• How to find the bad mod? The trial-and-error method: disable half the mods and try launching – if it works, the bad mod is in the other half; if not, it’s in the half you kept. Divide and conquer (or enable one-by-one) until you pinpoint it. Yes, it’s tedious, but it works.
• Check the server console or logs: often a misbehaving mod will throw red errors in the server’s log. If you see errors referring to a specific mod or item, that mod might be the culprit. Remove it and try again.
• Case study: A player “Fatalyst” found that if they ran with no mods, their server hosted fine. As soon as they enabled their mod list, it would hang at “Getting Server Info” again. They suspected a mod, but weirdly, duplicating the server config and running the same mods worked on a second try. This implied some cached data issue rather than a specific mod. In their case, it turned out something with the player’s saved data caused the hang once a character had been created (more on that in the bugs section). But generally, mods are prime suspects for causing hangs.

🚩 Too Many Mods (Memory or Timeout): If a server has a giant list of mods, sometimes the sheer amount of data to sync can cause delays or timeouts. The server sends the list, your client has to check each mod, possibly download many of them… if any step lags, it might appear stuck. If you know a server is mod-heavy, give it extra time on the “Getting Server Info” screen (several minutes) especially on first join while mods download. But if it’s still stuck after, say, 5–10 minutes and you’ve already downloaded the mods, then something else is wrong.

🚩 Corrupted Mod Data on Client: There have been odd cases where a previous mod download or cache caused persistent issues. For instance, one player recounted that after a crash while downloading a server’s mod list, he could thereafter only ever join that one server and no others. Once that server went offline, he was stuck at “Getting Server Info” on everything. He had already tried reinstalling the game, removing mods, etc., with no luck. This is a rare scenario, but it hints that maybe some config or cache (even outside the normal Zomboid folder) was messed up by that crash. If you find yourself in such an extreme situation, consider a full reset: unsubscribe all mods, delete the Zomboid folder (back up your saves!), and even purge any leftover config in Steam\steamapps\common\ProjectZomboid after uninstalling. Then reinstall fresh. It’s a last resort, but it can solve mysterious client-side problems.

🚩 Client has mods the server doesn’t: Generally, having extra mods enabled on your client that the server isn’t running shouldn’t stop you from connecting – the server will just ignore them. However, to eliminate variables, disable any mods on your client that the server isn’t using. Especially “client-side” mods or UI mods – they should be okay, but if one of them errors out when connecting, it could cause a problem. A clean, vanilla client connecting to a server is the ideal test.

In short: If you’re stuck on a modded server, suspect the mods! Make sure you’ve got exactly what the server is running. Sync them by letting the game download or by subscribing to a Steam Workshop collection if the server has one. If issues persist, clear out your mod cache and redownload. And if you’re the server host, double-check none of your mods are throwing errors or hanging the loading process – disable them until you find the offender.

4. Server Hosting Problems (Port Forwarding, Hosting Method, etc.)

If you are the host (or your friend is, in a co-op game), the issue might lie in how the server is set up. Here are some server-side hiccups that can lead to infinite “Getting Server Info” for anyone trying to connect:

🔧 Hosting via In-Game “Host” vs Dedicated Server: Project Zomboid offers two ways to host multiplayer: the in-game “Host” option (which quickly spins up a server while your game client is running), or a dedicated server (running separately, e.g. via SteamCMD or the “Project Zomboid Dedicated Server” tool). The in-game host is super convenient for co-op, but it has had some known issues in past builds. For example, after an update (Build 41.77), many people found the Host would hang on “Getting Server Info” and refuse connections.

• In those cases, the developers actually recommended switching to a dedicated server until they fixed the bug. Running a dedicated server might sound daunting, but it’s not too bad – you basically launch a separate server app and then join it as a client (or your friends do). It tends to be more stable for long-term play and more configurable.
• If your group consistently can’t join your hosted game (and you’ve tried all the network stuff above), consider running a dedicated server. On Steam, go to Tools and install Project Zomboid Dedicated Server, or use SteamCMD. There are guides on how to set it up. The benefit is you might bypass weird host-specific bugs, and you can run the server even when you (the host) aren’t playing.
• Example: The player Fatalyst we mentioned did exactly this when their coop host kept failing – they attempted to set up a dedicated server on their PC. They hit some port issues (more on that in a second), but it’s a logical step.

🔧 Port Forwarding Redux (for Hosts): We talked about ports from the client side, but let’s reiterate for the server side. If you’re hosting and not relying on Steam relay, you must forward UDP 16261 (and 16262, 16263, etc. depending on max players). Many guides, including the PZ wiki, emphasize these required ports. If you don’t, players will see your server in the list (maybe with ping = 1ms if they’re LAN or Steam friends, which is a tease) but they can’t actually join, often resulting in a hang at “Getting Server Info”. This is akin to having a closed door: the clients are knocking (they see the server), but the door isn’t really open to let them in.

• One player on the Indie Stone forum was trying to host on Linux and everything looked good (server running, etc.) but clients got stuck. Turned out they needed to open a specific outbound port for Steam (more below) – but also note, they had cleared UDP 16261 and 16262 and saw that clients could see the server info like player count, but couldn’t fully join. This indicated the query was working (server info travels on those ports) but the actual connection was failing.
• If players can see your server info (like in the server browser or on their screen it shows your server name, ping, etc.) but get stuck connecting, it strongly suggests a port issue. The info (server details, ping) comes through, but the final connection handshake is blocked. Double-check your forwarding and firewall for UDP 16262 in particular, since that’s a common one to miss (it’s needed for the first player slot).

🔧 Steam Port Requirements (for Dedicated Servers): This is an advanced one. We learned from a dedicated server case that beyond the game ports, Steam’s networking may require certain outbound ports to be open on the server. In an AWS EC2 hosted server, everything was set up with game ports open, but clients still timed out. The solution was to open UDP port 4379 outbound on the server’s firewall. Why 4379? Steam uses UDP 3478, 4379, 4380, etc., for its P2P connections (as per Steam’s documentation). In this case, AWS was initially blocking all outbound UDP except on specific ports. Once UDP 4379 was allowed out, the server could use Steam’s relay/handshake properly and it worked.

- Beard (the support dev) pointed the host to Steam’s official ports list and noted “8766 is a Steam port as well, but it should not be in use anymore”:contentReference[oaicite:60]{index=60} (confirming the older port isn’t needed). The important takeaway: if you run a **dedicated server in a cloud or firewalled environment**, make sure you allow **outgoing UDP traffic on high ports** (or at least those Steam ports). Another player using an OVH VPS had to fiddle with firewall and ultimately also succeeded after opening Steam’s ports:contentReference[oaicite:61]{index=61} (they weren’t sure which port did it, but opening multiple plus clearing game data fixed it).
- For most home users, this isn’t an issue – your router will allow your computer to send outbound traffic on any port. It’s mainly on cloud hosts or if you manually configure something like UFW on Linux to be very restrictive.

🔧 The “Server Not Fully Started” Issue: Occasionally, the server might not have fully initialized when you try to join, especially on older versions. For example, there was a bug where the host’s game could get stuck “Initializing” and never actually start the world if certain files were present. One workaround a user found was loading a solo game first, then starting the host. If you’re hosting and notice your own game is stuck or your console is spitting errors, the issue might be server-side. No matter what the client does, if the server isn’t ready, clients will hang at connection.

- If you launch a dedicated server, watch the console. You should see **“Server is listening on port 16261”** and then **“Steam started”** messages, and finally something like **“Entering cooperative multiplayer mode”**. If it stops or errors out before reaching “Server is open for business” (not the exact text, but you get it), then the server never got to the point of accepting connections.
- A common mistake is launching the server via the wrong method. On Windows, use the **StartServer64.bat** (64-bit) instead of launching via the Steam client’s play button for the server:contentReference[oaicite:63]{index=63}. The Indie Stone forum advisors have noted to **“make sure you are launching the server through the StartServer64.bat file and not through the Steam client”**:contentReference[oaicite:64]{index=64}. The Steam client might launch a 32-bit or otherwise problematic instance.

🔧 Character/World Data Glitches: This one’s weird, but worth mentioning. There was a bug around Build 41.77–41.78 where if you hosted a co-op game, something in the world or player save data could cause subsequent host attempts to fail. In fact, Fatalyst’s situation was exactly this: “Deleting the character data seems to fix the problem, but after I’ve made a character and played, the next time I host it fails again.”. Essentially, every session they had to wipe their player data to get the server to start. Yikes.

• The devs called this a “mystery that affects random people” – not everyone, but some unlucky hosts.
• A workaround in that scenario (besides using a dedicated server) was to delete the Zomboid\Multiplayer\<servername> folder or the specific players.db so that when you host, it treats it like a fresh server. Of course, that means your character/in-game progress is reset, which isn’t ideal. But if you’re absolutely stuck and nothing else works, try starting a “New” server (different name) or deleting old session data.
• Good news: these kinds of bugs tend to get fixed in patches. If you were running into this in 2022/2023, check if there’s a newer version of the game – by 41.78 or later, many such issues were improved (though as of late 2024, a few folks still reported host issues, possibly related to Steam network as we discussed).

🔧 Cloud Server Specifics: If you rent a server or use a host provider, some of this is out of your hands (the provider should handle ports and updates). But one thing you can check is server logs via the host’s control panel. If the log shows repeating errors or never shows a “client connected” message when you try, that can give clues. You might have to raise a ticket with the host if it looks like an environment issue.

Recap for hosts: If players can’t get in and hang on “Getting Server Info,” double-check your server setup. Forward those UDP ports (16261 and 16262+), ensure any firewall (cloud or local) allows them (and Steam’s related ports). Consider using the Steam relay if port forwarding just isn’t possible – in the server’s servertest.ini config, there is an option DisableSteamRelay (make sure it’s false if you need Steam networking). Conversely, if you want to force direct connections, you can disable relay – but then ports must be open or no one will join.

Finally, if you suspect the server itself crashed or froze, a simple server restart might do wonders. It’s cliché, but “turn it off and on again” applies to servers too. Plenty of times a server might hiccup and a restart clears whatever was gumming up the works.

5. Steam Integration Issues (Authentication & Relay Glitches)

We touched on Steam’s role in networking earlier (the Steam relay and region stuff), but there are a couple more Steam-related issues to be aware of:

🟢 Steam Authentication Failure: Project Zomboid uses Steam to authenticate players (essentially verifying your Steam ID with the server to make sure you’re legit). If something goes wrong with that process, you might hang or get kicked. In rare instances, players have seen errors like “Connection attempt failed because SteamID is invalid.” This message was noted by a developer who had “never seen that before” – it’s not common. It could happen if Steam is acting up or if you’re somehow not properly logged in.

• Fix: The simplest fix for any Steam auth weirdness is to restart Steam (and ensure you’re in Online mode, not offline). Logging out and back in might refresh your Steam ticket. If Steam’s backend had a hiccup, just waiting a bit could resolve it as well.
• If you were using Steam Family Sharing to play PZ (for example, playing a friend’s copy), note that multiplayer might be restricted or behave oddly – just a thought, if that applies.

🟢 Steam Workshop Sync: Not strictly authentication, but Steam’s involvement in downloading mods (Workshop) can be an issue. We covered mods in detail above. Just remember that Steam Workshop downloads for PZ happen when you join a server. If Steam’s download servers are slow or having issues, it could prolong the “Getting Server Info” stage. One clue is if you check Steam’s download manager while stuck – you might see PZ workshop items still downloading. If so, be patient and let them finish. If they appear stuck at 0 bytes, you might need to cancel and retry or do the mod troubleshooting we talked about.

🟢 “Steam Networking Failed”: If you ever see an error like “Failed to establish P2P connection with server” or anything mentioning “P2P” or “Steam” in the error, that indicates Steam’s relay couldn’t connect you. This ties back into the port/relay discussion. But specifically, if you see OnP2PSessionConnectFail: Timeout in a log, it means the Steam networking attempt timed out – likely due to firewall or Steam network issues. (We saw that in the AWS example logs.)

🟢 Steam Friends Invite Issues: Many players join friends by right-clicking them in Steam and hitting “Join Game” or accepting an invite. This should put you into the server if everything is working. However, some reported that invites stopped working suddenly, which led to being stuck on server info. If that’s your scenario, try joining via the server browser or direct IP instead of invites. Conversely, if direct join isn’t working, try having your friend invite you through Steam. Occasionally one method works when the other doesn’t – no clear reason, just a quirk of networking.

🟢 Steam Server Down: Last but not least, consider that Steam itself might be down or having issues. If Steam’s servers go down (Tuesday maintenance, for example), PZ multiplayer can be affected. During such times, you might not get past “Connecting…” at all. If you suspect this, check other Steam games or the Steam status page. In August 2024, as we noted, a Steam outage caused tons of PZ players to get stuck connecting. The fix was the region trick until Valve sorted it out. So, sometimes you just have to wait for Steam to fix their stuff.

6. Problems After Recent Updates (2024/2025) and Known Bugs

Every game update can introduce new bugs – it’s the circle of (digital) life. Let’s quickly touch on some known issues in late 2024/2025 that specifically relate to our topic, so you know you’re not going crazy if you encounter them:

• Steam Relay Region Bug (2024): We’ve talked about this at length – starting around mid-2024, players in certain regions (notably US and parts of Europe) frequently got stuck on “Getting Server Info” due to some Steam networking quirks. Changing Steam download region became a go-to workaround. Indie Stone acknowledged it but it was on Valve’s side. By now, Valve may have addressed it (there were hints that by late 2024 it was recovering), but keep this trick in your back pocket if it resurfaces.

• Co-Op Hosting Bug (2022–2023): After Build 41.77, a number of people could not host via the in-game “Host” at all – they’d click host, and it would just sit there not letting anyone join (and sometimes not even starting properly for the host). Devs released Build 41.78 unstable to try to fix this. By build 41.78.16 (the stable release), most co-op host issues were resolved, though edge cases remained. If you’re on the latest version and still can’t host, you might be hitting a similar edge case. The recommended solution remains: try running a dedicated server or check the character data trick mentioned earlier.

• Build 42 Unstable – No Multiplayer: In December 2024, Build 42 (unstable) went public for testing, without multiplayer enabled (the devs turn off MP in early unstable builds). Obviously, if you or your server accidentally switched to Build 42, you won’t be able to play together – the client will hang or error out because MP isn’t functional there yet. The fix is to downgrade back to Build 41 stable for now. Once Build 42 becomes stable (and MP is re-enabled), ensure both server and client update.

• Save/Map Bugs: Occasionally, an update might introduce a bug with map streaming or player saves. For instance, some players in early 2023 reported that they could connect but then got black chunks of map or desync issues. While not exactly “stuck on server info,” it’s a post-join issue possibly related to “Trying direct connection” vs relay. These were often isolated or fixed in subsequent patches. Just ensure your game is updated to the latest patch – hotfixes roll out on Steam automatically usually.

• Log Spam “AsyncTCPSocket”: After a certain update, server consoles started spamming STEAMPS3 - AsyncTCPSocket destroyed. This correlated with the Steam network issues of 2024. The devs said it could be ignored. If you see it now, and you’re having connection issues, try the known fixes (region change, etc.) – it’s likely the same Steam issue. If it’s long after Valve fixed things, it might be a new unrelated issue, so search the Indie Stone forums for that message to see if any new fix is recommended.

• Never-Ending “Loading world”: Different from “Getting Server Info,” but just to clarify – if you pass the server info stage and then get stuck on “Loading world” or “Initializing”, that can be a mod or map issue. Check that your mods (especially map mods) are in the correct order and that the server’s save hasn’t been corrupted. That’s a whole other topic, but I mention it so you don’t confuse the two stages.

In general, after any update, if things are broken where they weren’t before, give it a day or two and check forums/reddit. Chances are others have the issue too and either a workaround is found or a hotfix is in the works. The Project Zomboid community is pretty vocal – if a patch nukes multiplayer, you’ll see posts about it immediately (and devs usually listen and patch it).

7. Other Things to Check (the Miscellaneous Fixes)

We’ve covered the big hitters, but here are a few extra tips and oddball solutions that have helped some players:

• Restart Everything: It’s almost a trope in IT support, but seriously – restart the game, restart Steam, restart your PC, and even reboot your router. Sometimes there’s a stuck process or a routing issue that a fresh start clears. One user mentioned power cycling their network (router/modem) in a different game’s context and it fixed connection issues. It can’t hurt.

• Close Background Apps: Ensure nothing else is hogging your network or interfering. Programs like Discord overlays, screen recorders, or torrent applications could interfere. In one support thread, the dev asked if the player had Discord, browsers, antivirus, or anything else running, and to try turning them off. The player tried with everything closed and it didn’t fix that case – but your mileage may vary. It’s worth a shot to close heavy apps when troubleshooting.

• Check System Time: If your PC’s clock is drastically wrong, it can cause weird issues with secure connections. Some online games refuse connections if the time desync is huge (for security reasons). Zomboid might not be that sensitive, but it’s easy to check – make sure your OS time is correct (or just enable internet time sync).

• Verify Game Files: You probably already did this, but right-click Project Zomboid in Steam -> Properties -> Local Files -> Verify integrity. This can’t fix network issues, but if a game file is corrupted, who knows – maybe it’s hanging the load. At least we can eliminate that possibility (and many players had already done this step when seeking help).

• Logs, Logs, Logs: When in doubt, check the logs. On your PC, the logs are under C:\Users\<YourUser>\Zomboid\Logs\` (for Windows). Thecoop-console.txtorclient-console.txtmight show where it’s getting stuck. Look for lines like “Connecting to server…” and see what comes after. If you see repetitive messages or errors, that’s a clue. You can open these with a text editor. Likewise, if you have access to the server console orserver-console.txton the host side, check that. For example, if you see a loop ofOnP2PSessionRequestfollowed byOnP2PSessionConnectFail: Timeout` repeating, it’s network handshake failing. If you see mod names or file names failing, that’s a mod issue.

• Try Another Server: As a test, try joining a completely different server (maybe an official public server or any random one from the list that doesn’t require a password). Does it let you in, or are you stuck there too? If every server (even vanilla ones) leave you stuck, the problem is likely on your end (client or network). If only one specific server does it, it’s probably that server’s issue.

• Hosting on Another Machine: If you’re hosting and it’s not working, try hosting the game from a different computer (if available) or have another friend host. In one story, a group had to have someone else host because one guy’s PC/ISP just refused connections while his friend’s worked fine. The “stuck on server info” issue seemed to only affect that one person hosting – a weird, unexplained quirk. But swapping host moved the problem away. Not ideal, but a practical workaround.

• Reinstall the Game: As much as we hate downloading 5+ GB again, a full reinstall (plus deleting the Zomboid folder in your user directory) can clear out any corrupted files or config. Remember to back up Zomboid\Saves if you have singleplayer saves you care about, and maybe Zomboid\Server if you host and want to keep your world. Most players who got to the point of asking for help had already tried reinstalling with no success – which makes sense, because the issue is usually external. But it’s worth mentioning as a nuclear option.

Now that we’ve covered everything from ports to mods to Steam bugs, let’s summarize the key steps and wrap this up.

Quick Summary of Fixes

If you skipped the novel above (I won’t hold it against you), here’s a bullet-point recap of what to try when you’re stuck on “Getting Server Info”:

1. Check your network: Forward UDP 16261 (and 16262) on the host’s router if possible. Ensure firewalls aren’t blocking the game. If joining via direct IP fails, try using Steam’s relay (check the box on join screen). If you see a “port closed” message, that means direct connect is blocked, so stick with relay or open that port.
2. Toggle Steam Relay option: If it’s enabled and you can’t connect, try disabling it (and vice versa). This switches between direct connection and Steam-mediated connection.
3. Use the Steam region trick: Change your Steam Download Region to another country and try again. This can route your connection differently and bypass buggy Steam servers. Don’t forget to change back later.
4. Verify game versions: Make sure your game build matches the server’s build exactly. If you’re on a beta branch or outdated version, that could be the issue. Both client and server should update to the latest stable (unless you both intentionally use the same beta).
5. Sync the mods: If it’s a modded server, ensure you have all the mods the server requires, with the correct versions. Let the game download them, or subscribe manually to the server’s mod list. If you still can’t get in, unsub from all PZ mods and delete the Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\108600 folder, then reconnect to redownload mods fresh.
6. Suspect a bad mod: If you host the server, try disabling mods one by one until the server loads properly. If you’re a client and the server is public, you can’t do much about their mods – but you can ask the admin if others are also having trouble (maybe the mod list needs an update).
7. Hosting? Consider dedicated server: If the in-game host isn’t working, try using the dedicated server tool. It’s more stable in many cases. Follow a guide to set it up and test if your friends can join that instead.
8. Open Steam’s ports (dedicated server): For self-hosters on VPS or strict firewalls: allow UDP outbound on ports 3478, 4379, 4380 (Steam P2P ports). This is usually only an issue in cloud hosting environments.
9. Restart everything: Sometimes the oldest trick works – restart the game, Steam, your PC, and power cycle the router. It’s surprising how often this clears out a transient network glitch.
10. Ask for help (with logs): If none of the above works, gather your logs.zip from `C:\Users<Name>\Zomboid` (it’s generated when a connection fails) and consider posting on the official Project Zomboid forums or subreddit. The logs will have timestamps and errors that the community or devs (like Beard) can interpret. For example, they might spot an error that says exactly what’s wrong.
11. Last resorts: Try a different PC on your network if you can (does the problem persist?). Try a different network (friend’s house or mobile hotspot). These can isolate whether it’s your PC or your internet that’s the problem.

Keep in mind, 99% of “Stuck on Getting Server Info” cases boil down to network issues (ports/Steam) or mod mismatches. So focus your efforts there. The good news is once you fix the root cause, you should be able to join servers normally without that painful wait.

Before we sign off, remember that patience and systematic testing are your friends. It might feel like you’ve tried “everything,” but go through the list step by step. Often it’s the one thing you overlooked – like a Windows network set to Public, or a single port you forgot to forward – that can be the culprit.