Getting disconnected before you reach the beach? Start with the exact error, then change one thing at a time. Use the address on your chosen Rust server page so you are testing the right server.
Start with a clean launch
- Close the game. Let any pending Steam download finish, then launch it from your Steam Library.
- If the message is EAC Authentication Timeout, close the game and wait up to ten minutes before trying again. Facepunch recommends a Library launch so Easy Anti-Cheat starts correctly. Read the official EAC checklist.
- Try the manual connection steps in our joining guide. This separates a browser launch-link problem from a game connection problem.
Check the installed files
In Steam, right-click the game and choose Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files. Let verification finish before launching again. Steam explains the verification process.
If the same EAC error returns, follow the repair section of Facepunch’s official instructions for that error. Keep anti-cheat enabled; a repair is different from bypassing it.
Help the crew narrow it down
Check Discord announcements for maintenance. If friends can connect while you cannot, mention that; if the whole group fails at the same time, mention that too. These observations help locate the problem but do not prove its cause.
Still stuck? open a private support ticket with the server name, exact error, approximate time and time zone, and the checks you tried. A screenshot of the error is more useful than repeatedly reinstalling the game.
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