Does Prepar3D support multiplayer, and how do I set it up?

Yes. Prepar3D v6 includes native multiplayer for LAN and internet flights. It is a private, peer-hosted system: one pilot creates a session and others join by LAN discovery or address; it is not a public worldwide matchmaking service. The v6 menu paths, port settings and troubleshooting below apply specifically to Prepar3D v6.

What type of online multiplayer does Prepar3D v6 provide?

Prepar3D v6 is designed for private host-and-join sessions rather than an always-on global service with public matchmaking.

LAN multiplayer is the best place to start because it removes internet routing and port forwarding from the test. Once a session works locally, any remaining remote-access problem is usually at the router or internet-provider level.

How do I set up multiplayer in Prepar3D v6?

Both hosting and joining begin from the Multiplayer area on the Prepar3D v6 Home screen.

1. Match the simulator versions. Every participant should run Prepar3D v6 with the same point release and update level. Do not mix v6 with an earlier major generation.
2. Open the multiplayer screen. From the Prepar3D v6 Home screen, select Multiplayer.
3. Create a session. Select Host Session. Enter a unique Player Name, a recognisable Session Name, an optional Password and the Port. The default v6 multiplayer port is 6112.
4. Configure the flight. Choose the starting location, vehicle and other scenario options. For the first test, use a default aircraft at a simple default airport rather than a complex add-on.
5. Join on the LAN. On the other computer, open Multiplayer and select Join Session. Select the discovered LAN session, or use Direct Connect and enter the host’s local IPv4 address in the IP Address field. Enter the same Port and session password.
6. Verify the basic session. Confirm that each player can connect, see the other aircraft and remain connected before adding third-party aircraft, scenery, weather software or a VPN.

LAN-first checklist

A successful LAN test requires only a few correctly matched settings.

• Use the same Prepar3D v6 build on every computer.
• Give every pilot a different Player Name.
• Connect both computers to the same normal home network, not an isolated guest Wi-Fi network.
• Allow Prepar3D through Windows Firewall on the active network profile.
• Use the host’s local IPv4 address, usually beginning with 192.168., 10. or 172.16. through 172.31..
• Leave both the host and join Port fields on 6112 for the first test.

Reserve the host computer’s local address so it does not change after a restart. Our practical guide to networking two flight-simulator PCs covers DHCP reservations, wired connections and local firewall checks in more detail.

Which port does Prepar3D v6 multiplayer use?

Prepar3D v6 native multiplayer uses UDP port 6112 by default.

The Port value is user-configurable in the multiplayer host and join controls. If the host changes it to another unused UDP port, every joining pilot must enter that same value. Only one session behind a public IPv4 address can use a particular forwarded external port at a time.

For an internet host, the selected UDP port must be configured in three places:

1. Prepar3D: Set the chosen value in the host’s Port field.
2. Windows Firewall: Allow Prepar3D, or create an inbound UDP rule for that selected port, on the host’s active network profile.
3. Router: Forward the same UDP port to the host computer’s reserved local IPv4 address.

Do not forward a broad port range or place the host in the router’s unrestricted DMZ. Joining computers normally need firewall permission for Prepar3D but do not require router port forwarding.

How do I fly online in Prepar3D v6?

Remote players join a Prepar3D v6 Direct Connect session using the host’s public IPv4 address, the selected UDP port and the session password.

1. Prove that LAN multiplayer works. If another computer in the host’s home can join using the local IPv4 address, the Prepar3D session and basic firewall configuration are working.
2. Reserve the host’s LAN address. Create a DHCP reservation in the router, or otherwise ensure that the computer retains the local address receiving the forwarded port.
3. Forward the selected port. Forward UDP 6112, or the replacement shown in the host’s Port field, to that reserved address.
4. Protect the session. Enter a Password when hosting and give it only to the intended pilots. A password controls session entry; it does not repair blocked routing or a mismatched port.
5. Give remote pilots the public address. They choose Join Session, select Direct Connect, enter the host’s public IPv4 address in IP Address, and supply the matching port and password.

A computer inside the host’s home should continue using the host’s local IPv4 address. Some routers lack NAT loopback, so an internal player may fail when trying the public address even though remote players can connect normally.

What if the host has double NAT or carrier-grade NAT?

Port forwarding on one router cannot make the session reachable when another NAT device remains upstream.

With double NAT, the internet connection passes through two routers. Put the upstream device into bridge mode where appropriate, or forward the same UDP port through both devices to the Prepar3D host. The final forwarding rule must still point to the host’s reserved LAN address.

With carrier-grade NAT, the provider does not assign the household a directly reachable public IPv4 address. A warning sign is a router WAN address in a private range or the shared 100.64.0.0/10 range, especially when it differs from the public address seen by internet services. Ordinary home-router forwarding cannot bypass carrier-grade NAT.

Ask the provider for a reachable public IPv4 address when available. Otherwise, use a private VPN virtual LAN when all participants are willing to install the same networking client. Pilots then connect through the VPN and enter the host’s virtual IPv4 address; Prepar3D and the chosen UDP port must also be allowed on the VPN adapter’s Windows Firewall profile.

Is SimConnect the same as Prepar3D multiplayer?

SimConnect is an application interface, not a replacement for Prepar3D’s native pilot-to-pilot multiplayer.

Instructor stations, moving maps, hardware interfaces and some third-party network clients communicate with Prepar3D through SimConnect. They create a shared flight only if their own documentation explicitly says that they provide multiplayer aircraft and position synchronisation. Installing or opening SimConnect alone does not create a session that another pilot can join.

When an external application specifically requests SimConnect, use our Prepar3D SimConnect network setup instructions. Diagnose that connection separately from the native Host Session and Join Session system.

Why can’t players connect to the Prepar3D v6 host?

A timeout usually means the wrong address, a blocked UDP port or an unreachable internet connection.

Why are multiplayer aircraft missing or displayed incorrectly?

A successful multiplayer connection does not transfer aircraft models, textures, liveries, scenery or add-on systems to another computer.

Prepar3D displays each remote aircraft through a locally installed aircraft or vehicle SimObject. Every participant should install the same base aircraft, revision and livery. With many aircraft, the title= value in the relevant configuration entry is used for matching; a changed title or different package revision can produce a substitute model, the wrong paint scheme or no useful model.

This visual matching is separate from connection compatibility. Pilots may connect successfully with different local scenery, yet see another aircraft floating, underground or beside a displaced runway because their airport elevations and layouts differ. Check stated v6 compatibility when choosing Prepar3D aircraft and add-ons from our library.

Does shared cockpit work with every aircraft?

Shared-cockpit flying works only when the session and aircraft provide the required systems synchronisation.

Both pilots need the same aircraft revision and livery, but that alone is not enough for complex add-ons. Custom avionics, gauges, electrical systems and switch logic may remain local or drift out of sync unless the aircraft developer explicitly supports shared cockpit in Prepar3D v6. Ordinary multiplayer position updates do not guarantee that both cockpits will show the same switch, display or autopilot state.