Set up X-Plane 12 multiplayer on a LAN or online, fix IP and firewall problems, and learn when to use direct networking or VATSIM.
X-Plane 12 multiplayer works in two main ways: use its built-in network connection for a private, direct-IP session, or install a network client for a service such as VATSIM. For the built-in option, every player adds the others’ IP addresses under Settings > Network, then starts at the same airport.
Built-in multiplayer is peer-to-peer: there is no public lobby, central host, matchmaking or integrated voice chat. It exchanges aircraft position data, but it does not synchronise cockpit controls, flight plans, weather or time.
Which X-Plane 12 multiplayer mode should I choose?
Use direct networking for a private flight with people you know; use VATSIM when you want public traffic, model matching and human air traffic control.
| Option | Best for | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in multiplayer | Private formation flying or small sessions on a LAN | Each player’s reachable IP address and port; internet sessions may need router configuration |
| VATSIM | Public online flying with human ATC | An account, pilot client, X-Plane plugin, model matching, audio and push-to-talk |
How do I set up built-in multiplayer in X-Plane 12?
For two players, each computer must send data to the other; in a larger group, every computer needs an entry for every other participant.
- Use compatible simulator versions. All participants should run compatible X-Plane 12 builds. Test first with default aircraft if third-party aircraft or plugins are involved.
- Choose separate parking positions. Load the same airport, but select different ramp starts so the aircraft do not spawn on top of one another.
- Open the network settings. Go to
Settings > Network, find the multiplayer section and choose the option to add a multiplayer machine. - Enter the other player’s address. On a LAN, use that computer’s private IPv4 address, commonly beginning with
192.168.or10.. For an internet connection, use its public address rather than its private LAN address. - Check the receiving port. Use the port displayed in the receiving player’s X-Plane network settings. Keep the displayed default unless someone has deliberately changed it.
- Configure both directions. Player A adds Player B, and Player B adds Player A. A one-sided entry often produces one-way visibility or no useful connection at all.
- Allow network traffic. Permit X-Plane through each operating system’s firewall. A LAN session normally needs no router port forwarding.
- Match the conditions manually. Set the same time, weather and scenery configuration if you want both pilots to experience comparable conditions.
Can I play X-Plane 12 multiplayer over the internet?
Yes, but direct internet multiplayer usually requires each participant to make X-Plane’s UDP receiving port reachable through their router.
Forward the receiving port shown in X-Plane to the correct computer’s local IPv4 address, permit the same traffic through the firewall, and give the other players your public IP address and port. Reserve the computer’s local address in the router if possible; otherwise, a changed local address can silently break the forwarding rule.
Carrier-grade NAT, double NAT and some mobile or managed connections block unsolicited inbound traffic. If port forwarding is configured correctly but the router has no genuine public IPv4 address, ask the internet provider about a reachable address or use a trusted private virtual-network tool that makes the computers behave as if they share a LAN.
Share public addresses only with the people joining the session, and remove temporary forwarding rules when they are no longer required.
Why can’t I see the other aircraft?
Most X-Plane 12 multiplayer failures come from an incorrect address, a blocked UDP port or configuration being completed on only one computer.
| Symptom | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| No aircraft appears | Confirm that both players added each other, entered the receiver’s correct port and did not use 127.0.0.1 or their own address. |
| It works on the LAN but not online | A private address was shared, port forwarding targets the wrong computer, or the connection uses carrier-grade or double NAT. |
| One player can see the other | The return entry, firewall permission or forwarding rule is missing on the side that receives nothing. |
| The aircraft jumps or disappears | Packet loss or unstable latency is interrupting position updates. Test with wired Ethernet and pause large downloads. |
| A third-party aircraft behaves oddly | Repeat the test with default aircraft and temporarily remove aircraft-specific plugins from the equation. |
| Players see different weather or daylight | These conditions are local rather than a shared authoritative session; match the settings manually. |
Does X-Plane 12 multiplayer support shared cockpit?
No. Native multiplayer represents each pilot in a separate aircraft and does not synchronise switches, controls, avionics or failures inside one cockpit.
Shared-cockpit flying requires a compatible aircraft-specific system or plugin. Both pilots generally need matching aircraft and plugin versions, and complex avionics may have limitations even when basic controls synchronise correctly.
How do I use VATSIM instead?
Use VATSIM rather than direct-IP multiplayer when you want to join a public network with human controllers and other pilots.
Start with our VATSIM client, plugin and model-matching setup. Once the software and push-to-talk controls work, follow the connection, flight-plan and radio workflow for an online flight.
Do not add VATSIM traffic as native multiplayer machines. The pilot client injects network aircraft itself, and mixing both systems can cause duplicate or conflicting traffic.