Command Squad

Command Squad Field Manual

Finding & Connecting to Command Squad Servers

Every way to join a Command Squad server — one-click Steam links, in-game browser search, direct connect, and fixes for the most common connection problems.

All levels5 min readUpdated Reviewed

Three ways in, from easiest to most manual — plus the troubleshooting checklist for when the server browser is being the server browser.

Go to play.commandsquad.net and click the join button for your server. Your browser will ask permission to open Steam; Squad launches (if it isn’t running) and connects directly. This bypasses the in-game browser entirely — no filters, no searching, no stale listings.

Both servers are listed with live player counts, so you can see at a glance where the action is. Server 1 is the recommended starting point.

Option 2: In-game server browser

  1. From the main menu, open the server browser.
  2. Search for Command Squad — our servers are named [★CMD] Command Squad | New Player Friendly | Coordinated Play.
  3. Double-click to join, or select and connect.

If nothing shows up, it’s nearly always filters:

  • “Hide full” hides a popping server at 98/98 — with a queue you’d happily join.
  • “Hide empty” hides the server during early seeding — often the best time to join.
  • A ping cap filter set low can drop us from your list entirely.

Clear the filters, search again, and consider favoriting the servers so they’re one click away next session.

Option 3: Direct connect

Squad accepts direct connections by IP and query port (yes, the query port — not the game port). Current addresses are listed on the Servers page, and the Steam links on the Play site use exactly these values.

Troubleshooting checklist

Work down this list; it resolves the overwhelming majority of connection problems:

  1. Restart Squad (and Steam, if the browser looks universally empty). Stale sessions cause most ghost issues.
  2. Check the join method. If the browser fails, try the one-click link; if that fails too, the problem is likely local.
  3. Verify game files in Steam (Properties → Installed Files). Squad updates occasionally leave broken installs.
  4. Check your queue position patience. Joining a full server puts you in queue — the game is working, it’s just honest about the wait.
  5. Firewall/VPN. VPNs and aggressive firewalls can break server discovery while leaving direct connect working (or vice versa). Test with the other method.
  6. After a fresh Squad update, servers update on their own schedule within license rules — a version mismatch right after patch day usually resolves within hours.

Still stuck?

Ask in the Discord — include what you tried from the list above and any error text. If you suspect something wrong on the server side, the player support pathway is the fastest way to reach staff who can check.