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Choose the right kind of server first
| Method | Best for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| LAN server | Players on the same home or office network; testing | Not normally reachable by friends elsewhere |
| Home dedicated server | Free private play or a small community using your own PC | Port forwarding, uptime, upload bandwidth and maintenance are your responsibility |
| Linux VPS or dedicated machine | 24/7 operation, automation and multiple instances | Requires operating-system and network administration |
| Managed game host | Fast public deployment, control panels, support and managed backups | Recurring cost and less operating-system control |
| Modded server | Workshop maps, custom assets and plugins | Every dependency and framework must remain compatible |
Decide whether the server is LAN-only or Internet-facing before installing. A server that starts successfully is not automatically reachable by remote players.
What you need before installing
- A Windows or Linux machine that can stay online, with CPU, memory and storage headroom for your chosen map, player count and mods. There is no reliable universal RAM-per-player rule: map complexity, plugins, view distance and simulation load change requirements.
- Stable upload bandwidth and, for port forwarding, router access plus a reserved private IPv4 address for the server computer.
- Permission to create inbound firewall rules. On a VPS, confirm that the provider also permits the required traffic.
- A separate server directory rather than mixing U3DS files with a normal Unturned client installation.
- A backup location for
Servers/<ServerID>, including saves,Commands.dat, Workshop settings, administrator lists and plugin configuration. - SteamCMD if you need Linux, unattended updates, scripts or multiple server instances.
Method 1: install U3DS through Steam
- Open Steam and search the Library for Unturned Dedicated Server. Install it separately from the playable Unturned client.
- Launch U3DS and create or select a server profile. Choose LAN or Internet mode to match your intended use.
- Start the profile and wait for the console to finish loading. The first run creates the server directories.
- Stop the server cleanly before editing files. Locate the generated profile below the U3DS installation’s
Serversdirectory; the exact Steam library path depends on where you installed the tool. - Edit configuration, restart, and test locally before opening the server to other players. Steam’s labels can change between builds, so use the current official guide when a profile screen differs.
This is the easiest beginner route. The official documentation distinguishes it from the more controllable SteamCMD installation: server hosting overview.
Method 2: install with SteamCMD
Windows
Install SteamCMD in a dedicated directory, then run the U3DS App ID 1110390. An anonymous installation command is:
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steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir .unturned +app_update 1110390 validate +quitFor a fixed deployment directory, a repeatable update command is:
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir "C:UnturnedServer" +app_update 1110390 validate +quitDo not place a real Steam password in a shared batch file. If a non-anonymous login is ever required, protect the credentials and account for Steam Guard prompts. Windows-specific notes are documented at the Windows dedicated-server guide.
Linux
In SteamCMD, use:
login anonymous
app_update 1110390
quitA common installation path is SteamCMD/steamapps/common/U3DS. From that directory, launch an Internet server with:
./ServerHelper.sh +InternetServer/MyServerFor LAN play, use:
./ServerHelper.sh +LanServer/MyServerMyServer is the ServerID. It selects the profile and data directory under U3DS/Servers; use a simple ID such as FriendsServer until the basic server works. Linux installation and service examples are available in the Linux dedicated-server guide.
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Running Linux at boot
For a permanent service, create a systemd unit that runs under a dedicated non-root user, sets an explicit working directory, starts ServerHelper.sh, restarts after crashes and is enabled at boot. The community guide’s screen-based unit is an example, not a universal copy-and-paste file: replace its username, paths and ServerID, and implement graceful shutdown with the server’s save and shutdown commands.
Start, name and configure the server
Understand the names
- ServerID: the internal profile and directory identifier, such as
FriendsServer. - Displayed name: the name players see in the browser, set with
Name. - Map: the world loaded by the server, set with
Map. - Address: a LAN address, public IP, hostname or supported connection code, depending on your networking method.
Create Commands.dat
Put one startup command on each line in the profile’s Commands.dat. Stop the server before editing and keep a backup:
Name Friends Server
Map PEI
Port 27015
MaxPlayers 8
Perspective Both
PvE
Owner YOUR_STEAMID64Replace YOUR_STEAMID64 with your own 64-bit Steam identifier. The example is not a usable ID. Useful commands include Name, Map, Port, MaxPlayers, Perspective, PvE or PvP behavior, Owner, Welcome and supported difficulty, time, weather, loot and zombie settings. Historical commands can change; check the current Unturned command reference.
Restart after changing startup settings. Runtime commands belong in the server console, or in administrator chat with the appropriate prefix. Use Help to inspect commands available in your current build. Commands such as Give may require cheats and should not be enabled casually on a public survival server.
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Make an Internet server reachable
Port forwarding and firewall
- Reserve a private LAN IP for the server computer in your router.
- Find that computer’s private IPv4 address.
- Open the router’s port-forwarding page and forward the server’s required consecutive ports to that address.
- Add matching inbound firewall rules on Windows or Linux.
- Start the server and test from a different network, ideally with a friend or a cellular connection.
The configured game port and the following query/listing port are used together. A common first-server example is 27015 and 27016; current guidance commonly starts successive servers at 27017 and 27019. Forward only the ports required by each instance, using the router’s UDP or UDP/TCP selector as required by the current documentation and router interface. See port-forwarding guidance.
Fake IP when forwarding is impossible
Carrier-grade NAT, double NAT, apartment or school networks, ISP restrictions and inaccessible routers can prevent ordinary forwarding. Unturned documents a supported Fake IP route for such cases, but it is not interchangeable with conventional forwarding in every scenario. Follow the current setup and availability details in the official hosting documentation.
Configure a Game Server Login Token
A public Internet server may need a GSLT for Steam authentication and server-list visibility. Obtain the token through Steam’s game-server-token system, place it in the server setting or launch configuration specified by the current guide, and treat it like a password. Never publish it or commit it to a shared script. A server can accept a direct connection yet remain absent from the browser when its token, listing or network setup is incomplete. Consult the GSLT documentation.
Test from the right network
Try the in-game Internet list, add the result to Favorites, and use the current direct-connect or server-code option where available. Test the public address from outside your home network. Some routers lack NAT loopback, so failure when the host uses its own public address does not disprove a server that works for an external friend.
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Give administrators access safely
Use an Owner line in Commands.dat, grant admin at runtime, or add SteamID64 values to Adminlist.dat. A display name is not sufficient and can change. Keep a written administrator list, grant access only to trusted people, remove former moderators promptly, and use bans or whitelist-style controls deliberately. Administration methods are summarized in the server-hosting documentation.
Add Workshop maps, assets and plugins
These are different categories:
- Workshop maps are custom worlds that the server and clients must download.
- Workshop assets supply items, vehicles, structures or other dependencies.
- Plugins are server-side extensions, commonly managed through frameworks such as RocketMod or OpenMod.
- Configuration may need manual synchronization even after content downloads.
- Identify the Workshop item and record its numeric file ID.
- Add that ID to the server’s Workshop download configuration.
- Restart and confirm in the console that the content downloaded.
- Set the matching map name in
Commands.dat. - Check the map’s dependency and framework instructions; not every map is self-contained.
- Have players install or download the matching content, then test with one change at a time.
Install and validate a vanilla server first. Mixing a map update, several plugins and a game update at once makes failures difficult to isolate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the server online and recoverable
Safe updates
- Announce maintenance.
- Run
savein the console. - Stop with
shutdownrather than closing the process abruptly. - Back up the complete
Servers/<ServerID>directory. - Update U3DS through Steam or SteamCMD using
app_update 1110390. - Check Workshop maps, plugins and frameworks for compatibility.
- Start, read the console, join and test before announcing that the server is back.
The update command is documented at Unturned.info’s server-hosting guide.
Backups
Back up world data, Commands.dat, Workshop configuration, admin and ban lists, plugin settings and useful logs. Keep at least one local copy and one copy off the server machine, retain multiple restore points, and perform a test restore. Back up before updates, map changes and mod changes; “automated backups” from a host are not automatically an independent backup strategy.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
The server will not start or exits immediately
- Confirm the launch path, ServerID and working directory.
- Check file permissions and required libraries, especially on Linux.
- Run the helper directly and read the console instead of launching through a disappearing shortcut.
- Undo the most recent command, map or plugin change and restore the last known-good backup.
Friends cannot connect
- Verify the server is running and listening on the configured port plus the next port.
- Check the host firewall and router destination IP.
- Confirm you are not behind carrier-grade NAT or double NAT.
- Test from outside the LAN; a host-side public-IP test can fail because of missing NAT loopback.
The server is not in the browser
- Check Internet mode rather than LAN mode.
- Verify GSLT configuration and secrecy.
- Check both ports and the query/listing rule.
- Use direct connection as a diagnostic: direct access with no listing usually indicates discovery, token or query configuration rather than a dead server.
The wrong map loads or Workshop content is missing
- Confirm the map name and numeric Workshop ID.
- Read download and dependency errors in the console.
- Ensure clients have matching content and that a map update did not invalidate the existing save.
Admin commands do not work
- Use the correct SteamID64, not a nickname.
- Restart after editing
Commands.datorAdminlist.dat. - Check command syntax with
Helpand whether the command requires cheats.
The server lags after adding players or mods
Do not assume more RAM alone will solve it. Review CPU load, storage performance, map complexity, plugin behavior, view distance, upload capacity and player count. Remove one recent mod at a time and compare console errors and performance.
Self-hosting versus a managed host
Self-hosting costs no recurring hosting fee and gives complete file, mod and log control, but the machine must stay online and your network, power, public IP, firewall and maintenance become part of the service. A VPS or dedicated machine improves uptime and automation but still requires administration and may provide limited DDoS protection.
A managed host avoids home port forwarding and supplies a control panel; plans may include automated updates, backups, support and DDoS protection. Those are provider claims, not independent performance tests. Compare renewal pricing, CPU allocation, location, downloadable backup retention, file access, Workshop installation, RocketMod/OpenMod compatibility, multiple-instance support, dedicated-IP fees and cancellation terms.
Current provider examples
On August 16, 2026, BisectHosting’s live selector displayed $3.00 per GB/month on monthly billing and a 2 GB plan at $5.99/month; it showed 10%, 15% and 20% discounts for quarterly, semiannual and annual billing. Its marketing page advertised free DDoS protection, instant setup, 21 locations, automated updates, OpenMod and RocketMod support, and three days of free server backups. Verify the current configuration at BisectHosting’s live configuration and features at its Unturned hosting page.
On the same date, Apex Hosting displayed 2 GB at $5.99 for the first month and $7.99 recurring, 6 GB at $16.87 then $22.49 recurring, and 12 GB at $29.24 then $38.99 recurring. Its page advertised FTP, DDoS protection, automatic backups and updates, instant setup and 24/7 support. These are displayed provider prices and features, not a benchmark; check Apex’s current page before buying.
Running two or more servers
Use SteamCMD and separate ServerID directories, for example +InternetServer/FriendsServer and +InternetServer/EventsServer. Give each instance its own configured port and following query port, separate save/configuration directory and adequate CPU, memory and bandwidth. Never reuse the first server’s ports or accidentally point both processes at the same ServerID.
Quick Recap
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