For a persistent RimWorld Together world, install the project’s dedicated server from its current release or run the official container image. The release identified for October 2026 is 26.10.4.1, published on October 4, 2026. The documented default endpoint is TCP 25555. Every player also needs the matching RimWorld Together client mod.
This guide covers Windows, Linux and container deployments, internet and private-network access, version and mod checks, backups, upgrades and the failure points that most often keep players from connecting. The project’s reviewed documentation does not establish a specific RimWorld base-game version for release 26.10.4.1, so check the release notes before you create or migrate a world.
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What you are hosting
RimWorld Together is a multiplayer project with a dedicated server distribution. The server keeps the world available while players connect with the client-side mod enabled. Its Workshop description presents a shared planet in which players can run separate colonies and control their own pace, rather than treating the game as one ordinary single-player colony with a second local controller.
Do not mix these files with the separate mod named Multiplayer. That project has a different setup and play model, and its official release page describes its standalone server archive as intended for testing. The instructions below apply only to RimWorld Together.
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Current release and requirements
The current release identified for this guide is 26.10.4.1, dated October 4, 2026. The release list contains Linux and Windows server archives. The project also publishes an official container image. Before installing, confirm three versions as one compatibility set:
- The RimWorld base-game version installed by every player.
- The RimWorld Together client mod version.
- The dedicated-server or container release.
The retrieved release material does not state which base-game version 26.10.4.1 supports. Treat the release notes as authoritative when deciding whether to update RimWorld, the client mod or an existing server. A server that starts successfully can still reject clients when these versions do not belong together.
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The dedicated-server creation guide supports Windows and Linux. macOS is not supported as a dedicated-server operating system in that guide. A Mac user can still participate as a client if the game and mod support the required version, but the server process itself should run on a supported Windows or Linux host.
Choose a place to run the server
| Option | Best for | What you must provide | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Windows or Linux computer | A small private group and an owner who can leave the machine running | A writable installation folder, stable network access, firewall permission and usually router forwarding | The world is unavailable when the computer or home connection is offline |
| VPS or rented Linux host | Groups that want persistent uptime without exposing a home connection | A supported operating system, persistent storage, an allowed TCP port, backups and access to the server files | It adds a recurring hosting cost and requires system administration |
| Docker or Podman host | Operators already using containers or wanting an isolated process | The official image, a persistent host directory and a correct port mapping | A container restart is safe only when the data directory is mounted outside the container |
A home host does not require a separate game-server subscription, but it does require reliable uptime and network configuration. A rented host is optional, not a RimWorld Together requirement. Before paying for one, check that it permits a long-running process, persistent storage, inbound TCP access and backups. No particular provider is required by the project.
Prepare the host safely
Create a writable data location
Choose a folder owned by the account that will run the server. Avoid protected operating-system locations such as system directories or application folders that your account cannot modify. The project warns that privileged locations can prevent the server from creating files or cause security software to interfere.
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Give the folder a name that makes backups obvious, such as rimworld-together-server. Keep the world data, configuration and logs together unless the release documentation tells you otherwise. Do not place the only copy on a temporary directory or an automatically cleaned cache.
Allow the executable through security software
On first launch, Windows Defender or another security tool may ask whether the server may communicate on a network. Allow the executable only on the network profile you actually use. On Linux, inspect the file permissions and run the server as a normal service account rather than as root. If an antivirus product quarantines a file, verify that you downloaded the archive from the project’s official release page before creating an exception.
Install the Windows server
- Open the official RimWorld Together releases page and select the Windows server archive for the release you intend to run. For a new installation in this guide, that is 26.10.4.1 unless a newer compatible release has replaced it.
- Extract the archive into the writable folder you prepared. Do not run the executable directly from inside a compressed archive.
- Launch the extracted server executable. On its first run, allow it to create its configuration and data files.
- Read the console output for the listening port and any version or dependency warning. The documented default is TCP port 25555.
- Keep the console window or service process running while players connect. Closing it stops the world.
- Before inviting anyone, stop the process once and confirm that the expected data files remain in the folder. This verifies that the account has write permission.
If Windows reports that the program is blocked, check the file’s security properties and your antivirus quarantine before downloading a different build. Re-extracting into a user-owned folder often fixes a permission failure; installing into another protected directory does not.
Install the Linux server
- Download the Linux server archive for the matching RimWorld Together release.
- Extract it into a directory owned by the account that will run the server.
- Open a terminal in that directory and inspect the included executable name and documentation.
- If the executable is not runnable, grant execute permission to the relevant file, for example
chmod +x ./server-executable, replacing the example name with the file supplied by the release. - Start the server from that directory and watch the log for its configured port, data path and any compatibility warning.
- Keep the process attached to a terminal multiplexer or configure a service only after you have tested a normal launch and shutdown.
The exact executable name and service-file format can change between releases, so do not copy a service definition from an older build without checking the current archive. The important Linux requirements are a supported distribution, a writable data directory, the required runtime supplied by the release documentation and inbound TCP access to the configured port.
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Run the official container image
The project documents the image ghcr.io/rimworld-together/rimworld-together:latest and uses /Data inside the container for persistent server data. Install Docker or Podman first, then create a host directory that will survive container replacement.
- Create and enter a directory for the deployment, then make a data folder such as
rimworld-data. - Start the image with a host-to-container volume and the documented port mapping:
docker run -d --name rimworld-together -p 25555:25555/tcp -v ${PWD}/rimworld-data:/Data ghcr.io/rimworld-together/rimworld-together:latest- Check startup output with
docker logs -f rimworld-togetherand wait for the server to report that it is ready. - Confirm that files appear in the host’s
rimworld-datadirectory. If they do not, stop and correct the volume path before creating a world. - When you need to stop the world cleanly, use
docker stop rimworld-together. Restart it withdocker start rimworld-together.
The example uses the latest tag because that is the tag documented by the project. If you require controlled upgrades, replace it with a release tag that the current release page explicitly publishes; do not guess a tag name. Keep the host directory mounted at /Data so a recreated container does not erase the world.
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Configure the network
Use the documented protocol and port
The project README identifies TCP 25555 as the default and says the port can be changed. The reviewed documentation does not support substituting UDP. If you change the server’s port, use the same number in the server configuration, operating-system firewall, container mapping and router rule.
Connect players over the public internet
- Find the server’s configured TCP port rather than assuming it remained 25555.
- Permit that TCP port in the host firewall.
- If the server is behind a home router, forward the same TCP port to the host computer’s local address.
- Give players the public address and port, while keeping the local address private.
- Test from a network outside the home LAN, such as a phone hotspot. A connection test from inside the same network can succeed even when router forwarding is wrong.
Make the host’s local address stable, either with a router reservation or an equivalent network configuration. Otherwise a reboot can send the forwarding rule to the wrong machine. On a VPS, use the provider’s firewall as well as the operating-system firewall; both layers must permit the port.
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Use a private VPN network when forwarding is impossible
The project README mentions VPN software as a workaround for groups that cannot configure router forwarding. Every player must join the same trusted virtual network, and the host must listen on an address reachable through it. Use the VPN-assigned address and the configured TCP port when connecting. No specific VPN product is required or recommended by the project, so evaluate its access controls and privacy terms yourself.
Install the client mod and assemble the player setup
Every player, including the host when playing from the same machine, should launch RimWorld with the RimWorld Together client mod enabled. The dedicated server has separate server files and mod configuration; copying a client installation wholesale into the server folder is not a substitute for the server archive.
Keep the mod list deliberate
Do not assume that every RimWorld mod works in multiplayer. Start with the required RimWorld Together client mod and the base game. Add other mods only after checking the project’s current compatibility guidance. Keep a written list of the enabled mods and their versions so each player can compare it with the host.
Release 26.10.4.1 mentions improved mod-configuration synchronization and an initial rollout of automatic mod downloads. The notes describe that rollout as ongoing, not universal. Players should therefore be prepared to install or update required mods manually. A successful connection does not prove that every optional mod is synchronized correctly.
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Handle DLC deliberately
Check the current project documentation for DLC requirements and server configuration. Do not infer that a player-owned DLC is automatically available to everyone, or that a DLC absent from the host can be used safely by clients. Use one agreed DLC and mod set for the first launch, then add content in small batches and test the world after each change.
Start the first world and invite players
- Start the server and wait until its log shows that initialization has completed.
- Confirm the configured TCP port and the server’s local or public address.
- Launch RimWorld on each player computer with the compatible RimWorld Together client mod enabled.
- Use the client’s multiplayer connection screen and enter the host address and port supplied by the operator.
- Have one player connect first. Confirm that the world loads and that the player can perform ordinary actions.
- Invite the remaining players only after the first connection succeeds. This separates a basic network failure from a later mod or synchronization problem.
- Record the working server release, RimWorld version, mod list, DLC selection and port in a shared note.
RimWorld Together’s mode allows separate colonies and individual pacing on the same planet. Agree in advance on pause behavior, world ownership, permitted mods and who may change server settings. These social rules prevent a technical setup from becoming a save-management dispute.
Back up and update without losing the world
Make a usable backup
Stop the server cleanly before copying its data directory. A live copy can capture a partially written save or configuration file. Copy the entire server data directory to storage that is not the same disk, then label it with the server release and date. For a container deployment, back up the host directory mounted at /Data, not only the container metadata.
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Plan a release upgrade
- Read the new release notes and verify its RimWorld base-game compatibility.
- Tell players to stop launching the old client combination.
- Stop the server and create a dated backup.
- Install the new server in a separate directory, or replace the container image only after preserving the mounted data directory.
- Start the new build with the backed-up data and inspect the logs for migration warnings.
- Connect with one test client before inviting the whole group.
- If the world fails to load or clients cannot connect, stop the new build and restore the previous server and data copy.
Do not overwrite the only working installation during an experiment. Keeping the old executable or image reference available makes rollback much faster than trying to reconstruct a previous release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting by symptom
The server does not start
- Verify that you downloaded a RimWorld Together server archive, not files from the separate Multiplayer project.
- Move the installation to a writable directory and run it with the intended user account.
- On Linux, check execute permission and the runtime requirements documented for the current archive.
- Read the first error in the log rather than the final shutdown line; the first error usually identifies the missing file, permission or incompatible version.
The server starts but nobody can connect
- Confirm that the process is still running and listening on the configured TCP port.
- Check the host firewall, router forwarding or VPS firewall for that exact port.
- Ensure the client is using the public address for internet play, or the VPN address for a private VPN network.
- For containers, compare the published port with the server’s internal port. The documented example is
25555:25555/tcp. - Test from outside the host’s local network to rule out a false-positive local connection.
One player connects while another fails
- Compare the failing player’s RimWorld base-game version and RimWorld Together client version with the server.
- Compare enabled mods, load order where applicable and DLC selection.
- Have the player update the client mod from the same release family as the server.
- Do not assume the staged automatic-download feature installed every required mod.
The world disappears after a container restart
- Check that a host directory is mounted to
/Data. - Inspect that directory for the server’s files before deleting or recreating the container.
- If the directory is empty, stop and restore the most recent verified backup before attempting another launch.
An update breaks an existing world
- Stop the new server and preserve its logs.
- Restore the pre-update data backup and the previous compatible server build.
- Review the release notes for migration-specific cautions before trying again.
- Test the update against a copy of the world first, never the only live save.
A practical hosting checklist
- Use the RimWorld Together server release, not the separate Multiplayer project.
- Confirm the release, RimWorld base-game version and client mod are compatible.
- Run the server from a writable Windows or Linux location, or use the official container image.
- Keep server data persistent, especially when using containers.
- Open the configured TCP port; the default is 25555.
- Align firewall, router, VPN or provider rules with the server and container settings.
- Give every player the compatible client mod and an agreed mod/DLC list.
- Back up before changing versions or mods.
- Test with one client before inviting the entire group.
- Keep a rollback copy of the previous server and world.
Which setup should you choose?
Choose a home computer when the group is small, the owner can keep it online and router configuration is available. Choose a VPS when persistent uptime matters more than avoiding a monthly bill and you are comfortable maintaining Linux, storage and firewall rules. Choose the container image when Docker or Podman already fits your workflow or you want the server process separated from the host installation. All three routes use the same RimWorld Together client requirement and the same compatibility discipline.
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The safest first deployment is deliberately conservative: use the current compatible release, the default TCP port, the minimum mod set, a single test player and a verified backup. Add custom ports, extra mods, DLC and automation only after that baseline works.
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Can I host a RimWorld Together server on macOS?
The dedicated-server creation guide supports Windows and Linux and does not support macOS as a server operating system. A Mac may still be used as a client if its RimWorld and mod versions are compatible.
Does the server use UDP port 25555?
The documented default is TCP port 25555. Configure the host firewall, router, provider firewall and container mapping for TCP unless current project documentation specifies a change.
Do players need the RimWorld Together mod if the server has server files?
Yes. Each player should launch RimWorld with the compatible RimWorld Together client mod enabled; the dedicated server files do not replace that client installation.
Will automatic mod downloads install everything for every player?
Not necessarily. Release 26.10.4.1 describes an initial, ongoing rollout of automatic mod downloads, so players should be ready to install required mods manually and compare their setups.
Where are container saves stored?
The official image uses /Data for persistent server data. Mount a host directory to that path and back up the host directory, rather than relying on the container itself.
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