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What the Docker server actually runs
ETS2’s dedicated server is a headless program. Docker supplies an isolated runtime and a repeatable way to start it; it does not replace the game’s server files or create a convoy configuration for you. You still need to obtain the dedicated-server files, create a convoy session in the game, export its package files, and provide a valid server_config.sii.
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- Dedicated-server software: Steam app ID
1948160. - Required session files:
server_config.sii,server_packages.sii, andserver_packages.dat. - Player limit: eight players, according to SCS Software’s current dedicated-server documentation.
- Network requirement: a reachable public address and correctly forwarded ports. The server does not provide NAT punching.
Plan the network before installing anything
There are two port pairs in the configuration, and confusing them is a common reason a server starts but remains invisible.
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| Purpose | Documented virtual port | Documented dedicated port | Forward from the internet? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convoy connection | 100 | 27015 | Yes, TCP and UDP for public access |
| Server query and browser listing | 101 | 27016 | Yes, TCP and UDP for public access |
The virtual ports are internal values used by the server configuration. They are not the ports you open on a home router or cloud firewall. The dedicated ports are the host-facing ports that Docker publishes and that your router or provider must pass to the machine running the container.
SCS specifically states that a dedicated server does not handle NAT punching. A server behind carrier-grade NAT, a locked-down apartment connection, or a cloud security group that blocks inbound traffic may run normally while remaining absent from the session browser. Establish that you can receive inbound TCP and UDP traffic before spending time on Docker settings.
Install the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD
SteamCMD is Steam’s command-line distribution tool for game servers. Steam Support says current Steam game servers use SteamCMD to download and update their files. Install the SteamCMD package appropriate for your operating system, then run the normal anonymous app-update workflow with app ID 1948160.
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 validate +quitThe exact installation directory depends on the host operating system and distribution. Record that directory; it is the source from which you will copy or mount the dedicated-server data. If the command reports that the app is already installed, run the same update command whenever you intentionally update the server.
Do not place the only copy of your configuration inside a disposable container layer. Create a host directory for persistent data, for example a directory owned by the account that will run Docker, and copy the dedicated-server data into it. Keep a separate backup of the configuration and package files before changing them.
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Export a convoy session and collect its three files
The package files are generated by the game client, not by Docker. Launch ETS2, configure the convoy session you want to host, and use the game’s dedicated-server export function. The resulting directory must contain all three files together:
server_config.sii— session and server settings.server_packages.sii— the package manifest.server_packages.dat— package data referenced by the manifest.
Keep the filenames unchanged and preserve their case. Place them in the data directory that the selected Docker image expects. If you export a new convoy configuration later, replace the package files as a set rather than mixing a new .sii file with an older .dat file.
The dedicated server does not use the Steam client interface, so Workshop subscriptions, client-only mods, and DLC that was not included in the exported package are not silently supplied at runtime. Treat the exported package as the complete content definition for the server.
Choose an image and map its settings
There is no single official Docker image whose environment-variable names and mount path apply to every installation. Select a maintained ETS2/ATS image, then read the README for the exact image tag, supported CPU architecture, container data path, startup command, and variable names. Image maintainers may rename variables or change paths between tags.
Configure the image for the following functions. The key names below are purposes, not universal variable names; copy the image’s current names exactly.
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| Setting to configure | Value or decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Lobby or server name | Your public convoy name | Identifies the session in the browser and direct search. |
| Maximum players | Up to 8 | Eight is the documented dedicated-server maximum. |
| Virtual connection port | 100 in the SCS example | Internal server setting; not a router port. |
| Virtual query port | 101 in the SCS example | Internal server setting; not a router port. |
| Dedicated connection port | 27015 in the SCS example | Publish and forward this port for TCP and UDP. |
| Dedicated query port | 27016 in the SCS example | Publish and forward this port for TCP and UDP. |
| Gameplay flags | Match the convoy you exported | Conflicting values can make the running session differ from the intended one. |
| Steam game-server logon token | Optional; use a token created for app ID 1948160 | Provides a persistent server identity. |
Start with the image’s documented defaults where they match the SCS example. Change one setting at a time and retain the image tag in your deployment notes so an update does not unexpectedly alter the configuration.
Mount persistent storage instead of relying on the container layer
Bind-mount the host directory containing server_config.sii, server_packages.sii, and server_packages.dat to the container path documented by the image. The mount preserves configuration, package files, and logs when the container is recreated or upgraded.
Before starting the container, set shell variables to the image tag and the image’s documented data path, then use them in your command:
export ETS2_IMAGE='<set this to the maintained image tag you selected>'
export ETS2_DATA_PATH='<set this to the container data path from that image README>'
mkdir -p "$PWD/ets2-data"
# Copy the three exported server files into $PWD/ets2-data first.
docker run -d
--name ets2-dedicated
--restart unless-stopped
-v "$PWD/ets2-data:$ETS2_DATA_PATH"
-p 27015:27015/tcp
-p 27015:27015/udp
-p 27016:27016/tcp
-p 27016:27016/udp
--env-file ets2.env
"$ETS2_IMAGE"The angle-bracket values above are shell variables you must replace with the real image tag and mount path; they are not values accepted by Docker. Create ets2.env by copying the selected image’s documented environment-variable names and adding your lobby name, player limit, ports, gameplay flags, and optional token. Avoid guessing variable names: an unknown variable is usually ignored, producing a container that starts with unintended defaults.
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Forward the host ports
Docker’s -p options make the ports reachable on the Docker host. They do not automatically configure your router or cloud firewall.
- On a home network, assign the Docker host a stable LAN address.
- Forward external TCP 27015 to the host’s TCP 27015, and external UDP 27015 to host UDP 27015.
- Forward external TCP 27016 to host TCP 27016, and external UDP 27016 to host UDP 27016.
- Allow the same four flows in the host firewall and, for a VPS, in the provider’s security group or network ACL.
- If you deliberately choose different external ports, update the image’s dedicated-port settings and every forwarding rule together. Leave the virtual ports at their configured internal values unless the image documentation requires otherwise.
Only the machine running the container needs the forwarded ports. You do not forward virtual ports 100 and 101 from the router.
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Start, inspect, and test the server
- Check that the three server files exist in the host directory that is being mounted. A typo in the mount path can produce an apparently fresh server with no package data.
- Start the container and follow its output:
docker logs -f ets2-dedicated. - Look for messages showing that the configuration was read, the package files loaded, and both network ports opened. An immediate exit usually indicates a missing file, an invalid setting, an unsupported architecture, or an image-specific permission problem.
- From another machine, search the ETS2 in-game browser by the lobby name. If the session is not listed, try the game’s direct-search option and test from a network outside the host’s LAN.
- Join with a second player before inviting the full group. This isolates firewall, NAT, and package problems while the logs are easy to read.
A server that is visible to clients on the same LAN but not to external players almost always points to routing, carrier-grade NAT, a missing public address, or a blocked TCP/UDP rule rather than a missing Docker environment variable. A server that is reachable by direct search but absent from the browser points to query-port reachability or listing behavior.
Use a persistent Steam game-server identity when appropriate
An anonymous or empty launch receives a non-persistent server identity. A Steam game-server logon token gives the server a persistent identity, which is useful when you want the listing and identity to survive container replacement.
Creating that token requires ownership of the game, and the token request must use the ETS2 game app ID 1948160. Store the token in the image’s environment mechanism or a protected secrets file rather than committing it to a public Compose file or shell history. If the token is revoked or exposed, replace it through Steam’s game-server-token management and restart the container.
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Home Docker host or VPS?
SCS supports running the standalone server on a rented or paid-for server. Docker can be used in either location; the important differences are reachability, reliability, and administration.
| Decision factor | Home host | VPS or rented server |
|---|---|---|
| Public IP | May be missing or obscured by carrier-grade NAT; verify before setup. | Usually supplied, subject to the provider’s terms and firewall. |
| TCP/UDP forwarding | You control the router, but must configure four rules and permit them through the ISP connection. | You control Docker and provider firewall rules; some providers restrict game traffic. |
| Uptime | Depends on household power, router, and internet availability. | Normally better for an always-on convoy, but still depends on the provider. |
| Backups and persistent volumes | You must back up the bind-mounted directory and protect it from disk failure. | You must configure snapshots or external backups; deleting a VPS can delete its local volume. |
| Latency | Often best for players near the home connection. | Choose a region close to most players; distance affects latency. |
| Operating cost | Uses existing hardware and connection, with electricity and bandwidth costs. | Recurring rental cost varies by provider and specification. |
| Administration | You maintain the host, router, updates, and local network. | You maintain the operating system and container while the provider maintains the underlying facility. |
Public reachability is the first gate. If your home connection cannot accept inbound traffic and you cannot obtain a usable public address, a VPS or other rented host is the practical route. The server’s workload is dependent on the number of instances and the host’s specifications; authoritative documentation does not publish a current Docker-specific CPU, RAM, or storage minimum.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
The container exits immediately
- Read the first error in
docker logs ets2-dedicated, not only the final shutdown line. - Confirm that the bind mount contains all three required files and that the container user can read them.
- Check that the image tag supports the host architecture and that its startup command matches the current release.
- Validate the syntax and values in
server_config.siiand the environment file. Remove duplicate or misspelled keys.
The server runs but is not in the browser
- Confirm the host has a public address and is not behind carrier-grade NAT.
- Check all four physical mappings: TCP 27015, UDP 27015, TCP 27016, and UDP 27016.
- Check the host firewall and any VPS security group separately; opening the router alone is not enough.
- Verify that the image’s dedicated-port variables match the ports Docker publishes.
- Try direct search from an external network. A local-LAN test cannot prove internet reachability.
Players can find it but cannot join
- Inspect whether the connection port, rather than only the query port, is blocked.
- Ensure TCP and UDP are both allowed; forwarding only one protocol is incomplete.
- Compare the running lobby settings with the exported session and regenerate the package files if the convoy configuration changed.
The listing disappears after recreation
- Confirm that the host directory is still mounted and contains the same configuration.
- Use a persistent game-server logon token if you need a stable identity.
- Check that the container is not being recreated with a new image tag that changed its data path or variable names.
A new package or mod is not available
Re-export the convoy session and replace server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat together. The dedicated server cannot fetch Steam Workshop content through the Steam client, so installing a Workshop item on your desktop does not make it available to the headless server.
Updates, backups, and safe operations
Keep the image tag, environment file, port map, and host data path in a small deployment note. Before updating the image or SteamCMD files, stop the container, back up the entire mounted directory, update one component, and inspect the logs before inviting players.
Back up at least server_config.sii, server_packages.sii, and server_packages.dat. Protect the backup and any Steam token as credentials. Do not expose the token in a public repository, screenshots, or a shared chat.
Review the selected image’s current README at every major update. Docker repositories can change environment-variable names, mount paths, architecture support, and default ports; Steam distribution behavior can also change. Treat the SCS port example as a documented baseline, not proof that a third-party image has identical defaults.
What this setup can and cannot provide
Docker gives you reproducible startup, isolated dependencies, and easy replacement of the runtime while your bind-mounted data remains intact. It does not bypass ISP restrictions, create a public IP, supply Workshop content, or raise the eight-player server limit. A correctly configured container is necessary, but public TCP/UDP reachability is equally necessary for browser listing and external joins.
For a small group on a connection with a real public address, a home Docker host is usually sufficient. For scheduled sessions that must stay online, or for players spread across regions, a VPS or rented server removes the home router and power-availability constraints. In either case, the portable recipe is the same: app 1948160, the three exported server files, a persistent mount, matching image settings, and four correctly forwarded physical port/protocol combinations.
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