The best way to host a Vintage Story server in 2026 depends on where your players are and how much administration you want to do. Use Open To Lan for people on the same home network, run the dedicated server on your own Windows or Linux computer for internet play without a hosting bill, or choose paid hosting when you want an always-on server with less network work.
For self-hosting over the internet, install the server that matches your game version, allocate realistic memory and CPU headroom, allow the server through the computer firewall, forward port 42420 (TCP and, for Vintage Story 1.20 and later, UDP), then configure access, world settings and backups. The official documentation describes these as estimates and version-sensitive procedures, not guaranteed capacity figures, so verify the instructions for the exact release you install.
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Choose the hosting method first
Hosting is a decision about availability, networking and control before it is a software installation task. The official multiplayer guidance describes three broad choices.
Local network hosting
Open To Lan is the quickest option when everyone is connected to the same router or wireless network. Start the world, open it to the local network and give your friends the connection details shown by the game. It costs nothing and avoids internet port forwarding, but the world is reachable only while the host is on the same network and the host computer remains available. If the player who created the world quits, the session ends.
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Use the dedicated server instead when you want a world to continue while the original player is not in the game. That still requires a computer on the local network to stay powered on and connected.
Self-hosting over the internet
Internet self-hosting gives you control over the files, configuration and mods without paying a provider. The trade-off is administration: your computer, operating system, router and internet connection all become part of the service. A home connection with changing public addresses, carrier-grade NAT or restrictive inbound filtering can prevent friends from connecting even when the server itself is configured correctly.
The official hosting page describes Open To Internet/UPnP as an attempt to create the router mapping automatically. If that fails, manually forward the server port in your router, or use a VPN-style virtual network that places players on a shared private network. Both alternatives still depend on the host machine and network remaining available.
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A paid game host keeps the server online in a data center and generally removes most router and operating-system work. The official page characterizes the benefits as simplified setup and the ability for everyone to join at any time; the cost is a recurring service charge. Providers differ in locations, backups, mod installation, storage, support and acceptable-use rules. Confirm those details for the provider and plan you are considering rather than assuming that every host offers the same mod support or performance.
If you want an always-on world without router work, Godlike.Host offers Vintage Story server hosting with up to three free backups a day with restore, SFTP access, a Pterodactyl-based game panel and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket; see the current plans for details.
| Option | Cost | Who keeps it online | Network effort | Control and mods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open To Lan | Free | The player hosting the world | Low, same network only | World is controlled by the host; normal game limitations apply |
| Self-hosted dedicated server | No hosting fee, but you supply the computer and connection | You or an automated service on your computer | Medium to high: firewall, router and possibly dynamic-address work | Highest control over files, settings and mod installation |
| Paid host | Recurring fee; exact prices are provider-specific | The provider’s infrastructure | Usually low after provisioning | Depends on the provider’s current plans, panel and mod policy |
Hardware and software requirements
Use the published figures as planning estimates
Vintage Story’s dedicated-server guidance gives a rough, conservative estimate for a normal survival world in which players may spread out:
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- Memory: 1 GB base plus 300 MB per player.
- Processor: four CPU threads recommended.
- CPU frequency: 1 GHz base plus 150 MHz per player in the hosting guidance.
These are recommendations, not a tested minimum, capacity guarantee or benchmark. The wiki presents a different CPU-frequency estimate of 1 GHz base plus 100 MHz per player, so treat the per-player frequency formula as approximate rather than settled. Real demand changes with simultaneous players, explored territory, entity activity, mods and configuration. Leave operating-system headroom instead of assigning every available megabyte to the server.
A computer that already meets these guidelines may be sufficient; you do not automatically need a new mini PC. If you buy hardware, check its physical CPU thread count, memory, operating system support and expected player/mod workload before assuming it will host your world comfortably.
Match the game release to its runtime
Windows and Linux are both documented. The Linux instructions tie the required .NET runtime to the Vintage Story release: use .NET 10 for version 1.22.0 and later, .NET 8 for 1.21.0, and .NET 7 for earlier releases. Those requirements can change as the game changes. Identify the exact server version you intend to run, then read the current instructions for that release before installing .NET or copying server files.
The Windows walkthrough was reported as verified on Windows 11 Home 23H2, 64-bit. That is the guide’s verification context, not a statement that other Windows editions are unsupported.
Windows: install and launch the dedicated server
Find the server executable
The Windows game installation includes VintagestoryServer.exe. You can launch that executable directly, but keeping server data separate from the game installation makes updates and backups safer. Create a dedicated server-data directory and use a shortcut or launch configuration with a separate data path, following the current Windows guide’s syntax for your installed version.
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- Install or update Vintage Story on the Windows computer that will remain online.
- Confirm the game version and read the matching dedicated-server instructions.
- Locate
VintagestoryServer.exein the installation directory. - Choose a separate location for world saves, configuration, logs and player data.
- Start the executable and allow Windows Firewall access on the network profiles you actually use.
A successful launch should produce the console message Dedicated Server now running on Port 42420 and all ips! when the default port is in use. That message indicates that the process is listening; it does not prove that your router or an outside firewall permits internet traffic.
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Keep the console available for administration
The server console accepts configuration and operator commands. Keep the window accessible while testing, and record any changed port or data-path arguments so that later backups and updates use the same locations. If you close the console without arranging a service or scheduled start, the server stops.
Linux: install, secure and run the server
Install the release-specific runtime
Download the dedicated-server archive for the same Vintage Story version used by your players. Install the .NET runtime required for that release—.NET 10 for 1.22.0 and later, .NET 8 for 1.21.0, or .NET 7 for older releases according to the documented mapping. Do not substitute a runtime merely because it is newer; verify compatibility in the instructions for the release you are deploying.
Create a service account and directory
Run the server under a separate Linux service account rather than your everyday login. Place the extracted files and the server data directory where that account can read and write them. The Linux guide recommends disabling interactive login for the service account after setup, reducing the chance that the account can be used as a normal shell login.
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The documented setup uses server.sh. From the server directory, use:
server.sh startThis starts the server in the background in the guide’s arrangement. Confirm that it remains running, inspect the server log for startup errors and test a local connection before exposing it to the internet. If you later create a system service, make the service point to the same data directory and preserve its permissions.
Allow the port through the Linux firewall
The default server port is 42420. The guide’s Linux firewall examples allow both protocols:
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sudo ufw allow 42420/tcp
sudo ufw allow 42420/udpApply equivalent rules if you use a different firewall. If you change the server port, replace 42420 in the host firewall, router rule and connection instructions. Opening a port on Linux alone is not enough if the router still blocks inbound traffic.
Make an internet connection possible
Use UPnP when appropriate
Vintage Story can ask a UPnP-enabled router to create the mapping automatically. Enable it from the server console with:
/serverconfig upnp 1UPnP must also be enabled and permitted on the router. Some networks disable it, and some routers refuse mappings from a different network profile. Treat the setting as an attempt, then verify from outside your home network rather than assuming that it succeeded.
Forward the port manually
For manual forwarding, give the server computer a stable local address, then create a router rule that sends inbound traffic on the server port to that address. Forward TCP port 42420. For Vintage Story 1.20 and later, repeat the rule for UDP; the Linux examples likewise allow TCP and UDP. If your server uses another port, forward that number instead.
- Reserve the server computer’s local IP address in the router’s DHCP or address-reservation screen.
- Create a TCP rule for the chosen external port to the server computer’s same internal port.
- Create a UDP rule as well for version 1.20 and later.
- Allow the same protocols and port in Windows Firewall, UFW or your host firewall.
- Restart or reload the router rules if its interface requires it.
- Test from a friend on a different internet connection, not only from inside your home network.
Some routers do not support hairpin NAT, so a test from your own Wi-Fi can fail even while an outside player can connect. Conversely, a local success does not demonstrate internet reachability. Carrier-grade NAT and an ISP-level inbound block cannot usually be fixed by changing a local firewall rule; use a VPN-style virtual network or paid hosting when your connection cannot accept inbound traffic.
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Configure identity, access and gameplay
Set the server’s public information
Use the server console commands or serverconfig.json to set a server name, description and message of the day. A clear name helps friends select the right entry; the welcome message can state rules, planned maintenance or the required mod set.
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Protect private servers
Set a password if the server is for a closed group. Decide whether it should appear in the public server list. A private password and an unlisted server reduce accidental joins but do not replace safe account practices or backups. Give operator status only to trusted administrators through the console or the documented startup commands.
Configure mods deliberately
Install the same mod versions on the server and, where required, on each player’s client. Keep a written list of filenames and versions. On Linux, the guide describes adding the Mods directory path to the server configuration. Do not add a mod to a live world without checking its compatibility and rollback plan; a mod can alter saved data or prevent the server from starting.
Build the world before going live
The wiki recommends creating and tuning the world in single-player with advanced world settings, then uploading that world to the server. This lets you adjust generation choices without making every player wait through trial-and-error on the live server. Stop the server before replacing a world, preserve the existing save as a backup and verify that the uploaded directory is owned by the service account on Linux.
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Preserve the data directory during updates
The multiplayer wiki warns that replacing installation files can erase saves, settings and player data when the data folder lives inside the installation directory. Before an update, stop the server cleanly, copy the world and server data to a separate storage location, and note the current game version, mods and configuration. Install the new server files without deleting the preserved data directory, then follow the release-specific migration instructions.
Use a restore plan, not only a backup
- Keep at least one backup that is not on the same disk as the live server.
- Back up before game, mod or runtime updates and before major world edits.
- Retain the server configuration, world saves, player data and mod list together.
- Test a copy of the backup by starting it on a separate directory before you need it.
- Record the port, data path, service account and startup command.
A backup that cannot be restored is only an untested copy. For a small private server, a scheduled archive after the server is stopped may be enough; larger or busier worlds need a retention schedule that matches how much progress the group can afford to lose.
Connect players and diagnose failures
The server process will not start
- Check that the installed .NET runtime matches the Vintage Story release.
- Read the first error in the console or log rather than repeatedly restarting.
- Confirm the service account can read the installation and write the data directory.
- Check whether another process already uses the selected port.
- Temporarily remove a newly added mod from a copy of the server to identify compatibility problems.
Players on the same network can join, but internet players cannot
Verify the computer firewall, router forwarding target and external address. Confirm that TCP is forwarded and add UDP for version 1.20 onward. Check that the server is listening on the configured port and that you did not forward to an old local IP address. If the router reports no usable public address, carrier-grade NAT or an ISP block may be the cause; a VPN-style network or paid host is the practical alternative.
The server is reachable but unstable
Compare active players and world activity with the published estimates, then leave additional memory and CPU headroom. Watch for rapid growth in logs, repeated mod errors and a nearly full disk. Reduce unnecessary mods or world activity, and avoid treating the 1 GB-plus-300 MB-per-player figure as a promise of performance.
A world or player appears to be missing after an update
Stop the server and inspect the configured data path. If the installation was replaced, restore the preserved world and player-data directories from backup. Check ownership and permissions on Linux, and ensure that the server is not starting with a new empty data path because a shortcut, service file or launch argument changed.
Quick Recap
A practical launch checklist
- Choose local play, self-hosting or paid hosting based on availability and administration needs.
- Record the exact Vintage Story version and install its matching runtime, especially on Linux.
- Allocate at least the published planning estimate plus headroom: 1 GB base RAM, 300 MB per player and four CPU threads recommended.
- Install the Windows executable or Linux server archive in a location separate from backups.
- Create a dedicated Linux service account if applicable and restrict its interactive login after setup.
- Start the server and confirm the listening-port message or background service status.
- Set the name, description, MOTD, password, public-list setting and operator permissions.
- Configure UPnP or manually forward TCP 42420 and UDP where required.
- Open matching rules in the operating-system firewall.
- Create and tune the world in single-player, then upload it while the server is stopped.
- Install and document compatible mods on both server and clients.
- Back up world, configuration, player data and mods before inviting players and before every update.
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