The popular video game series S.T.A.L.K.E.R is due to release a new installment in 2020 with the possibility of an expansion pack being released before then called “Heart of Chernobyl”. The first-person shooter survival horror title will be available for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S as well with future possibilities from there on out depending on how it performs at launch!
The long-awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl has finally been revealed by Ukrainian developer GSC Game World – set for a potential 2020 release date (with possible expansions down the line).
Getting Started with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl Port Forwarding
Routers feature a basic firewall that protects your network from malicious traffic and hacker attempts by blocking incoming requests from the internet. Therefore, games such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl will play better if you open some ports on your router. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl port forwarding stabilizes your connection and improves your network speed, enabling you to host the game, make a video call, and chat with other players online for an amazing experience. Despite being a useful gaming trick, very few players know how to port forward, which is why we will give you the steps to follow in this guide.
Related: What is Port Forwarding
Things You’ll Need Beforehand
To port forward S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, you will need the following details beforehand:
- The IP address of your Xbox One, PlayStation, or PC. This address can be static or dynamic. A dynamic IP address will change in case of a power outage, the other device disconnects, or your device reboots. On the other hand, a static IP address will remain the same in case of the above occurrences, making it suitable for port forwarding. Therefore, for successful port forwarding, you will need a static IP address of your gaming device.
- The IP address of your router.
- The UDP and TCP ports of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl to forward.
Finding Your Router’s IP Address
Finding your router’s IP address should be the first step for a successful S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl port forwarding. To find out your router’s IP address, follow the steps below:
- Click the Windows icon on your PC and type Command Prompt on the Windows Search bar.
- On the open Command Prompt, type ipconfig/all
- You will see your router’s I.P. address next to the Default Gateway title.
How to Port Forward S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Port forwarding S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl comprises the steps below:
- Log in to your router. Routers feature a web interface implying that you will need a web browser such as Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox to log in and access its set up page. On your chosen browser, log in with the steps below:
- Find the Address bar and enter your router’s IP, then press Enter. This action will open a window prompting you to log in with your credentials.
- Enter your router’s default credentials or updated credentials if you had changed them before, then press Enter to open your router’s homepage. If you cannot remember your credentials, you will need to hard reset your router, but this should be the last resort as it restores it to factory settings.
- Find the Port Forwarding section. Once on your router’s home page, navigate to the Port Forwarding or Port Triggering section and click the tab to open the page. Depending on your router model, you can find this section under Apps and Gaming or Virtual Server.
- On the Port Forwarding page, click the Service tab and enter a name to remind you why you created this port forward entry.
- Enter the IP address of your P.C. or gaming console in the appropriate boxes
- Select the protocol in the Protocol dropdown. If your router supports the Both protocol, you are lucky as you will only create one entry. Otherwise, create two if it supports the TCP/UDP protocols.
- Enter the TCP and U.D.P. ports for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl port in the respective boxes. Different routers will label these boxes differently, and you should enter the numbers while paying attention to the single ports and those occurring in a range.
- Reboot your router to effect the changes. If you wish, you can also test your ports to check whether they opened successfully.
Ports to Forward for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
The following comprises the list of ports that you will forward for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, depending on your console.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl – Xbox Series X
TCP: | 3074 |
UDP: | 88, 3074, 500, 4500, 3544 |
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl – Steam
TCP: | 27036-27037, 27015-27030 |
UDP: | 27000-27031, 4380, 27036 |