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You can run a Squad dedicated server on a Linux x64 host with SteamCMD, the Linux server AppID 403240, and a systemd service. The reliable setup is: install the required 32-bit libraries, create an unprivileged service account, install and validate the files, configure SquadGame/ServerConfig/, open the correct UDP/TCP ports, and run the process under systemd. Docker with host networking is a practical alternative if you already operate containers.
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The figures below are starting points, not guarantees. A current provider guide lists at least 4 vCPUs, 10 GB of RAM and 40 GB of free disk, with 16 GB of RAM recommended for a 100-player server. Map, tick rate, mods, virtualization and host contention all affect the actual player capacity.
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What a Linux Squad server needs
The dedicated server is separate from the game client. You do not need to install a graphical desktop or run the client on the machine hosting the server. Use a 64-bit Linux distribution with public network reachability, enough CPU and memory, and a filesystem with room for the game files, logs and backups.
Minimum practical starting point
| Resource | Starting guidance | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Linux x64 | The installation procedure requires 32-bit compatibility libraries even on a 64-bit host. |
| CPU | 4 or more vCPUs | A provider guide’s operational recommendation; not an independent benchmark. |
| Memory | 10 GB or more | Use 16 GB as the cited recommendation for a 100-player server. |
| Storage | 40 GB or more free | Leave additional room for updates, logs and configuration backups. |
| Network | Publicly reachable IPv4/UDP | Carrier-grade NAT, upstream firewalls or a provider’s DDoS policy can prevent inbound connections. |
The 10 GB, 4-vCPU and 40 GB figures come from a current hosting guide accessed in 2026, while the 16 GB figure is its recommendation for 100 players. Treat them as planning guidance rather than a guaranteed player count. A busy map, higher tick-rate workload, mods, noisy neighboring virtual machines or CPU throttling can reduce capacity.
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Linux client support is a different question
In its Squad Update 9.0 FAQ dated 5 September 2025, Offworld Industries states: Squad doesn’t have a native Linux build, but can be played through Proton.
That statement describes the game client. It does not replace the separate Linux dedicated-server installation documented for server operators. Players can use supported client platforms while the server process runs on Linux.
Prepare the Linux host
Install 32-bit compatibility libraries
Package names vary by distribution. On Debian or Ubuntu, the cited Linux procedures use:
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sudo apt install screen lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 lib32z1If your distribution uses different package names, install its equivalents for 32-bit GCC runtime, C++ runtime and zlib support. Resolve these dependencies before troubleshooting the server executable; missing 32-bit libraries commonly cause an immediate startup failure.
Create a dedicated service account
Do not run the game server as root. Create an account used only for the server and give it ownership of the installation directory:
sudo useradd --system --home /opt/squad-server --create-home --shell /usr/sbin/nologin squad
sudo install -d -o squad -g squad /opt/squad-serverIf the home directory already exists, the second command still makes its ownership explicit. Keep the account’s privileges limited to the files and ports needed by the server. Use sudo -u squad when running maintenance commands manually so that files created during an update remain readable by the service.
Choose a stable installation path
The examples use /opt/squad-server. You may use another path, but use the same path in SteamCMD, the systemd unit, backup commands and any container bind mounts. Inconsistent paths are a frequent cause of a service that starts in the wrong directory or cannot find its configuration.
Install and validate the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Install SteamCMD
Install SteamCMD from your distribution or from Valve’s official SteamCMD package for your distribution. Confirm that the steamcmd command is available to the squad account. The community Linux instructions also describe downloading SteamCMD manually and using screen when you want an interactive session to survive an SSH disconnect.
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Run the documented installation command
Log in anonymously and install AppID 403240 into the chosen directory:
steamcmd
+login anonymous
+force_install_dir /opt/squad-server
+app_update 403240 validate
+quitRun it as the service account if SteamCMD is installed for that account:
sudo -u squad steamcmd
+login anonymous
+force_install_dir /opt/squad-server
+app_update 403240 validate
+quitThe validate argument checks the downloaded files. Use it on the first installation and whenever you suspect a damaged or incomplete update. When SteamCMD finishes, confirm that the server executable and the SquadGame directory exist beneath /opt/squad-server.
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Put the same command in a small script rather than relying on a hand-edited shell history:
#!/bin/sh
exec steamcmd
+login anonymous
+force_install_dir /opt/squad-server
+app_update 403240 validate
+quitStore the script somewhere writable only by administrators, make it executable, and run it as squad. Stop the running service before updating so that SteamCMD is not replacing files underneath an active process.
Configure identity, administration and maps
Server configuration lives under /opt/squad-server/SquadGame/ServerConfig/ (or the equivalent path you selected). Keep this directory under versioned or dated backups; it contains the settings that distinguish your server from a fresh installation.
Server.cfg
Use Server.cfg for the server name, password, public address, player limit and team settings. Preserve the file’s existing syntax and capitalization when editing. A private test server can use a password; a public server should have a clear name and an accurate player limit so clients know what they are joining.
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Rcon.cfg
Rcon.cfg defines the RCON port and password. RCON is administrative access, not game traffic. Use a strong, unique password and avoid exposing its TCP port to the entire internet when your firewall can restrict it to an administrator’s address range.
Admins.cfg
Add administrator SteamIDs to Admins.cfg, one per line, using the format expected by the installed server files. Keep a private record of which person owns each ID; a typo can leave an operator without privileges.
LayerRotation.cfg
Put map and layer rotation entries in LayerRotation.cfg. Make a small change first, start the server, and inspect the logs before replacing a large rotation. An invalid entry can prevent the intended rotation from loading even when the process itself starts.
Launch parameters
A representative launch command is:
./SquadGameServer
Port=7787
QueryPort=27165
RCONPORT=21114The port values in this command must match the firewall, router forwarding and any hosting-provider security rules. If you run another instance on the same machine, assign it a distinct game port, query port, RCON port and any other required service ports; two processes cannot listen on the same socket.
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Open and forward the network ports
Port requirements differ between installation guides and server builds, so verify the exact list for the build you are running. The following values are the ones documented in the cited guides.
| Function | Protocol and port | How to use the value |
|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | UDP 7787 | Matches the Port=7787 launch argument in the example. |
| Steam query traffic | UDP 27165 | Matches QueryPort=27165. |
| RCON | TCP 21114 | Matches RCONPORT=21114; restrict source addresses where practical. |
| Additional values listed by a broader installation guide | UDP 7788; TCP and UDP beacon port 15000; query port 27166; possible ephemeral UDP ports above 30000 | Do not open these blindly. Confirm whether your server build, instance layout or container documentation requires them. |
Host firewall example
For the minimum set in the provider guide, an Ubuntu host using UFW could be configured as follows:
sudo ufw allow 7787/udp
sudo ufw allow 27165/udp
sudo ufw allow 21114/tcp
sudo ufw status verboseAdd the broader set only after confirming it is required by your build. If you do add a range for ephemeral UDP traffic, document why it is open and limit it to the smallest range supported by your environment.
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Router forwarding and carrier-grade NAT
On a home connection, forward each required port from the public router address to the Linux host’s fixed private address. A correct local rule is not enough if the ISP uses carrier-grade NAT: inbound IPv4 traffic may never reach your router. Ask the ISP for a public address, use a hosting provider with public UDP support, or choose another network arrangement. Test from a network outside your LAN rather than relying only on a local connection.
Run SquadGameServer under systemd
An interactive shell or screen session is useful while testing, but systemd provides automatic startup, restart handling and centralized logs after the server is stable.
Create the unit
Create /etc/systemd/system/squad.service:
[Unit]
Description=Squad dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
User=squad
Group=squad
WorkingDirectory=/opt/squad-server
ExecStart=/opt/squad-server/SquadGameServer Port=7787 QueryPort=27165 RCONPORT=21114
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetThe service account, working directory and executable path must match your installation. If you change ports, change them in ExecStart and in every firewall or router rule at the same time.
Enable, start and inspect it
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable squad
sudo systemctl start squad
sudo systemctl status squad
sudo journalctl -u squad -fenable schedules startup at boot; start launches it now. Leave journalctl -u squad -f running during the first launch so that dependency errors, configuration parsing failures and port conflicts are visible immediately.
Check ownership before blaming systemd
If the unit exits but an interactive launch works, compare the two environments. Confirm that squad owns the game directory, that the working directory is correct, and that the service is not trying to write logs or configuration beneath a root-owned path:
sudo chown -R squad:squad /opt/squad-server
sudo -u squad sh -c 'cd /opt/squad-server && ./SquadGameServer Port=7787 QueryPort=27165 RCONPORT=21114'Stop the interactive process before starting the systemd unit, otherwise the test process may already be holding the required ports.
Updates, backups and routine maintenance
Back up configuration before changes
The most important backup is SquadGame/ServerConfig/. A simple dated archive is:
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sudo mkdir -p /var/backups/squad
sudo tar -C /opt/squad-server -czf /var/backups/squad/serverconfig-$(date +%F).tar.gz SquadGame/ServerConfigCopy backups off the host if losing the machine would also lose the only copy. Test an archive by listing it with tar -tzf; a backup that cannot be read is not a recovery plan.
Perform a controlled update
- Stop the service:
sudo systemctl stop squad. - Back up
SquadGame/ServerConfig/and note the current server version. - Run SteamCMD with
+app_update 403240 validateas thesquadaccount. - Start the service:
sudo systemctl start squad. - Watch
sudo journalctl -u squad -fand confirm that the expected ports are listening.
Schedule updates during a maintenance window. Validation can take longer after a large patch, and players should not be left connected while files are being replaced.
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The process exits immediately
- Check 32-bit dependencies: confirm that the distribution equivalents of
lib32gcc-s1,lib32stdc++6andlib32z1are installed. - Read the first error, not only the final systemd status:
sudo journalctl -u squad -b --no-pager. - Verify ownership and write permissions for the installation and
ServerConfigdirectories. - Run the same command as
squadfrom the declared working directory to expose path or permission differences.
SteamCMD cannot complete the install or update
- Confirm that the command uses AppID
403240and the intended+force_install_dir. - Run
validateagain after checking free disk space and network access. - Do not start the server until SteamCMD has returned to its prompt and exited; a partially updated directory can produce misleading runtime errors.
The server starts but nobody can connect
- Use
ss -lntupto confirm that the process is listening on the configured ports. - Check both the Linux firewall and the upstream provider or router firewall.
- Verify that the forwarded destination address has not changed.
- Test from outside the local network. A successful LAN connection does not prove that public routing or NAT is correct.
- Recheck the build-specific port list, including any required beacon or additional query ports.
RCON or administrator access does not work
- Confirm that the RCON port and password in
Rcon.cfgagree with the launch and firewall settings. - Check that SteamIDs in
Admins.cfgare one per line and contain no accidental whitespace or formatting changes. - Review the service log after each configuration change, then restart the service so it reloads the files.
Docker as an alternative
A documented CM2Walki container image provides another operating model. It is most attractive when your Linux host already uses Docker for backups, monitoring and deployment. Host networking avoids a second layer of port translation, while persistent bind mounts keep the game files and SquadGame/ServerConfig/ outside the disposable container filesystem.
Settings the container exposes
| Environment variable | Purpose |
|---|---|
PORT |
Game traffic port. |
QUERYPORT |
Steam query port. |
BEACONPORT |
Beacon service port where required by the image and server build. |
RCONPORT |
RCON TCP port. |
Run each instance with separate port values and separate persistent storage. The image supports optional CPU pinning, which can help operators reserve particular host CPUs, and can update the game automatically when the container restarts. Automatic updates are convenient but reduce change control: use a maintenance policy and keep configuration backups before restarting into a new version.
Direct installation versus Docker
| Consideration | SteamCMD plus systemd | Docker with host networking |
|---|---|---|
| Operational familiarity | Best for administrators comfortable with Linux services and files. | Best if Docker is already part of the host’s normal operations. |
| Updates | Explicit stop, SteamCMD update and restart; easy to schedule and audit. | Can update on container restart, depending on image settings. |
| Persistence | Game and configuration files live directly on the host. | Requires deliberate bind mounts for game data and ServerConfig. |
| Multiple instances | Use separate systemd units, directories and ports. | Use separate containers, storage and ports; isolation is clearer. |
| CPU control | Rely on systemd and host-level controls. | Optional CPU pinning is documented by the image. |
| Logs and inspection | journalctl, ps and ss show the service directly. |
Use container logs in addition to host process and socket checks. |
| Firewall diagnosis | One host process and its listening sockets are straightforward to inspect. | Host networking avoids NAT, but you still need to track each container’s ports. |
Choose the direct installation when you want the fewest layers and the clearest systemd audit trail. Choose Docker when persistent storage, repeatable container deployment and multi-instance isolation matter more than direct host-level simplicity.
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The software procedure is the same, but the network and operational risks differ.
| Decision factor | Home or owned hardware | VPS or game host |
|---|---|---|
| CPU and RAM | Depends on the machine and other workloads. | Check the provider’s actual vCPU type, memory allocation and contention policy. |
| Public IPv4 and UDP | May be blocked by CGNAT or an ISP router. | Confirm public IPv4, inbound UDP and any anti-DDoS restrictions before ordering. |
| Latency | Usually follows your ISP and physical location. | Choose a region close to the intended player base. |
| Backups | You must provide and test them. | Verify whether snapshots or independent backups exist and what they cover. |
| Cost | Uses existing hardware and connection but consumes electricity and bandwidth. | Has a recurring monthly charge; compare the full cost, not only the advertised CPU figure. |
Before committing to a provider, confirm the four resource starting points, public UDP availability, permitted game-server traffic, backup controls and the ability to open the exact ports your build requires. No universal player-capacity number is established by an independent benchmark; treat provider sizing as guidance and monitor CPU, memory, tick behavior and connection quality after launch.
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