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7 Days to DiePATCH 2026.10.15

How to Set Up a 7 Days to Die Hamachi Server (and a Better Alternative)

By VGSources Team 12 min read

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Hamachi can let friends reach a 7 Days to Die dedicated server without configuring inbound ports on your router, but Hamachi is only the virtual private network. You still need the separate “7 Days to Die Dedicated Server” Steam tool, a configured serverconfig.xml, and a computer that stays online. Every player installs Hamachi, joins the same Hamachi network, and connects to the host’s Hamachi IPv4 address on the server port.

For a small group that cannot change router settings, this is a practical workaround. If you want a world that remains available when the owner is away, or you want less networking and maintenance work, port-forwarded self-hosting or managed hosting is a better fit.

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What a Hamachi server actually is

Hamachi creates an encrypted virtual network that makes participating computers appear to be on one private LAN. That can avoid the need to expose a home router’s inbound game port. It does not create, install, or launch a 7 Days to Die server. The game server process comes from the separate dedicated-server tool.

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The host therefore has three jobs: run the dedicated server, keep the server configuration valid, and permit the server through the operating-system firewall on the Hamachi network adapter. Each player has two jobs: run Hamachi and join the host’s Hamachi network. The game connection then uses the host’s Hamachi IPv4 address and the port defined in serverconfig.xml.

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This arrangement is different from opening ports on a router. A Hamachi setup depends on the virtual network being active for everyone, while a directly reachable server depends on router forwarding and a public address. Neither method removes the need for a running server process.

Requirements before you begin

Software and accounts

  • A Steam account and the separate “7 Days to Die Dedicated Server” tool. The current setup documentation identifies the tool as Steam app 294420; it is separate from the retail game application.
  • Hamachi installed on the server computer and on every computer that will connect through the virtual network.
  • The retail game installed for anyone who will play. The dedicated-server tool can run independently, but running the game and server on one computer increases resource demand.
  • Administrator access to install software and create firewall rules on the host computer.

Hardware and connection headroom

Steam lists 8 GB of RAM as the game minimum and 12 GB as recommended. The official help material also lists 64-bit Windows 10 or newer and 20 GB of storage, and notes that a dedicated server needs additional CPU and memory headroom. Steam specifically warns that running a dedicated server and the game client on one computer effectively doubles the RAM requirement. A machine that only meets the game minimum may therefore struggle when it is also hosting the world.

Requirement Published figure or condition What it means for this setup
Operating system Windows 10 or newer, 64-bit Use a supported 64-bit Windows installation for the host.
Memory 8 GB minimum; 12 GB recommended for the game Reserve additional memory when the same computer runs the dedicated server and the client.
Storage 20 GB listed by the official help center Leave extra free space for world data, logs, updates, and backups.
Processor 2.8 GHz quad-core minimum listed by Steam Server simulation and a local game client add CPU load beyond the minimum specification.
Network Broadband internet The host must remain connected while friends are playing.

Step-by-step: set up the Hamachi server

1. Install the dedicated-server tool

  1. Open Steam’s library tools view and locate “7 Days to Die Dedicated Server.” Install Steam app 294420 rather than assuming the retail game installation contains the server executable.
  2. Let Steam finish the installation and any first update before editing files. Note the installation directory; the configuration file is in the server tool’s folder.
  3. Do not launch the retail game as a substitute for the dedicated server. A listen game and a dedicated process have different hosting behavior and resource requirements.

2. Create the Hamachi network

  1. Install Hamachi on the host and on every player’s computer.
  2. On the host, create a new Hamachi network and choose a network name and password that you can share privately.
  3. Have each friend join that network. Confirm that every member appears online in Hamachi and that the host can see the other members.
  4. Record the host’s Hamachi IPv4 address. Use that address for game connections; do not substitute the host’s unrelated LAN address or public address.

Hamachi membership is a prerequisite for this method. A friend who has not joined the same virtual network will not be able to reach the Hamachi address, even if the dedicated server is running correctly.

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3. Configure serverconfig.xml

Open the dedicated-server folder and edit its serverconfig.xml with a text editor. Set the server name, world and gameplay options, maximum players, visibility, and networking values you actually want to use. Keep the XML syntax intact: each property must remain inside a valid <property> element, and quotation marks must be paired.

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The documented example uses ServerPort 26900. A minimal networking portion can therefore include the following lines, provided those properties already exist in your file:

<property name="ServerPort" value="26900"/>
<property name="ServerAllowCrossplay" value="True"/>
<property name="EACEnabled" value="True"/>
<property name="IgnoreEOSSanctions" value="False"/>

The last three settings are required by the official cross-play guidance when you are preparing a console-compatible server. If you are hosting Steam-only players, keep the values appropriate to your group and the current configuration documentation.

Set ServerMaxPlayerCount to a value your hardware can sustain. For console cross-play, the official help center permits a maximum of eight players. Higher values are not a valid way to bypass that cross-play limit.

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Save the file before starting the server. If the server later reports an invalid property or fails to load, restore the last known-good file and change one setting at a time. XML parsing errors are usually caused by a missing quote, angle bracket, or closing element rather than by Hamachi.

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4. Start the dedicated server

  1. Launch the dedicated-server executable from the tool’s installation directory.
  2. Leave its console window or log visible during the first startup. Wait until world generation and service initialization finish; starting the game client before that point can produce a misleading connection failure.
  3. Check that the console reports the configured server port and that the world has loaded without configuration errors.
  4. Keep this process running for the entire session. Closing the console stops the server and disconnects everyone.

5. Allow the server through the host firewall

When Windows asks whether to allow the server application, permit it on the Hamachi adapter and on the network profile you actually use. If no prompt appears, create an inbound firewall rule for the dedicated-server executable or for the configured game ports. A Hamachi connection can reach the host’s virtual adapter while the operating-system firewall still blocks the server, so installing Hamachi alone is not sufficient.

Limit the rule to the required application, ports, and private virtual network where practical. Do not disable the entire firewall as a troubleshooting shortcut. After changing a rule, restart the server or its listening service if the process does not begin accepting connections.

6. Connect one friend first

  1. Give the friend the host’s Hamachi IPv4 address and the configured server port.
  2. Have the friend join the Hamachi network, confirm the host shows as online, and enter the address and port in the game’s multiplayer connection flow.
  3. Watch the server console while the friend connects. A connection attempt appearing in the log proves that traffic reached the server, even if a later authentication or settings error prevents entry.
  4. Once one player can load into the world, invite the rest of the group. Testing with one friend isolates firewall and configuration problems before several clients join at once.

Ports, protocols, and firewall rules

The Fun Pimps’ support FAQ documents the 26900 series for a standard server configuration. It lists TCP 26900 for game details and UDP 26900–26903 for game traffic, Steam listing and communication, and LiteNetLib networking. Optional administration features use separate TCP ports.

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Port or range Protocol Purpose and condition
26900 TCP Game details; the documented BasePort value.
26900–26903 UDP Game traffic, Steam listing/communication, and LiteNetLib networking.
8080 TCP Web dashboard, only when that feature is enabled.
8081 TCP Telnet administration, only when that feature is enabled.
27015 UDP Steam’s general default local gameplay port for dedicated or listen servers; Steam’s broader guidance is separate from the 7 Days to Die FAQ.

Use the active server configuration and current Steam guidance together. Do not blindly open every range listed on a generic Steam port page, and do not assume that changing ServerPort leaves the rest of the required range unchanged. If you select a different base port, apply the corresponding values from the current game documentation to the firewall and, for a conventional self-hosted server, to the router.

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Hamachi usually removes the router-forwarding step because players reach the host through the virtual network. It does not remove the host firewall requirement, and it does not make optional dashboard or telnet ports safe to expose publicly. Enable those administration features only when you need them and protect them according to the game’s current documentation.

Cross-play settings and the eight-player ceiling

The official help center’s cross-play instructions require four relevant conditions: ServerMaxPlayerCount no higher than 8, ServerAllowCrossplay=True, EACEnabled=True, and IgnoreEOSSanctions=False. These settings are intended for console cross-play and should be checked together; enabling one while leaving the others at incompatible values can prevent console clients from joining.

The help center also publishes valid ranges for gameplay settings such as DayNightLength and LootRespawnDays. Use those documented ranges rather than copying values from an old configuration file. A setting outside its accepted range can stop startup or produce behavior different from what the UI suggests.

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Cross-play does not change the basic Hamachi procedure: the host still runs the dedicated process, all participants still need the same virtual network path, and the server still needs firewall access. The eight-player maximum is a cross-play configuration limit, not a promise that a minimally specified computer can deliver a smooth session for eight simultaneous players.

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Troubleshooting a failed connection

The friend cannot see the host in Hamachi

  • Confirm both computers are signed in and joined to the identical Hamachi network name.
  • Check that the host is shown as online rather than offline or unreachable.
  • Have both players restart Hamachi and rejoin the network before changing game settings.
  • Verify that the address being shared is the host’s Hamachi IPv4 address, not a local Wi-Fi address.

Hamachi works, but the game times out

  • Confirm the dedicated-server console is still running and finished loading the world.
  • Check that the friend is using the same port shown in serverconfig.xml.
  • Review the Windows firewall rule for the dedicated-server executable and the configured TCP/UDP ports on the Hamachi adapter.
  • Test with one friend and no optional administration features enabled. This separates a basic game connection from dashboard or telnet configuration.

The server starts and immediately stops

  • Read the first configuration error in the console rather than the final shutdown line.
  • Validate XML punctuation and restore a known-good copy if a recent edit introduced a malformed property.
  • Check that another process is not already using the selected port.
  • Reapply only documented values for cross-play and gameplay settings; do not use values outside the published ranges.

Players connect but are kicked or cannot use cross-play

  • For console cross-play, verify all four required settings: the maximum player count of 8 or less, cross-play enabled, EAC enabled, and sanctions not ignored.
  • Confirm every client is updated to a compatible game version and that the dedicated-server tool has finished its own update.
  • Inspect the server log for authentication or platform errors after the network connection succeeds.

Hamachi versus the two alternatives

Hamachi is most useful when the host cannot control the home router and the group is comfortable having every player run a VPN client. Port-forwarded self-hosting is the conventional home-server route. Managed hosting shifts the machine, networking, and much of the maintenance to a provider.

Factor Hamachi virtual LAN Port-forwarded self-hosting Managed hosting
Initial setup Install the dedicated server and Hamachi, create a network, configure the XML, and set firewall rules. Install and configure the server, reserve a stable LAN address, forward ports, and set firewall rules. Choose a service, configure the hosted instance, and connect using the provider’s instructions.
Router/NAT dependency Designed to avoid inbound router forwarding for the game connection. Requires router forwarding from the public interface to the server computer. The provider handles the hosting network; your home router is not the server’s inbound path.
Who must keep a machine online The host’s computer and Hamachi must stay online. The owner’s server computer and internet connection must stay online. The provider keeps the server machine online; you still need access to connect and administer it.
Availability when the owner is offline Unavailable when the host computer or server process is offline. Unavailable when the home server is offline. Can remain available without the owner’s personal computer running, subject to the service’s operation.
Maintenance You handle updates, backups, XML changes, firewall rules, Hamachi membership, and troubleshooting. You handle updates, backups, router changes, firewall rules, and hardware. The provider handles much of the machine and networking work; you remain responsible for game settings, access, saves, and provider-specific controls.
Cross-play and mods Uses the same dedicated-server settings and limits as other methods. Uses the same dedicated-server settings and limits as other methods. Depends on the host’s supported version, controls, and cross-play policy; verify before committing.
Recurring cost No hosting fee is established here; you supply the host hardware and connection. No hosting fee is established here; you supply the host hardware, connection, and router. Recurring charges vary by provider, location, resources, and billing term.

Alternative 1: self-host with router port forwarding

Use this route when you control the router and want friends to connect without installing Hamachi. First reserve a stable LAN address for the server computer so a DHCP change does not invalidate the forwarding rule. Then forward the configured game ports from the router to that address, allow the same traffic through the host firewall, and give friends the public address and port they should use.

  1. Reserve the server computer’s LAN address in the router.
  2. Set and record the server’s ServerPort and related networking values.
  3. Forward the documented TCP and UDP ports to the reserved address.
  4. Allow the dedicated-server process and ports through the operating-system firewall.
  5. Start the server, test from a friend’s external connection, and only then distribute the address to the full group.

The Fun Pimps’ support guidance explicitly describes router port forwarding and the 26900-series defaults. Keep the configured values, router rules, and firewall rules synchronized. A changed server port or a new local address can make an otherwise healthy server appear offline.

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Alternative 2: managed hosting

Managed hosting is the lower-maintenance choice when you do not want to keep a home computer powered on or administer router and firewall rules. The provider supplies the server machine and usually handles much of the installation, networking, and update work. You still choose the world settings, player limit, access controls, backups, and update timing exposed by that service.

For a hosted 7 Days to Die world, Godlike.Host provides 7 Days to Die server hosting through its own game panel, free DDoS protection, up to three free backups a day with restore, and 24/7/365 support.

Do not assume every host supports every game version, mod workflow, or console cross-play mode. Before paying, verify the supported 7 Days to Die version, maximum player count, backup and restore process, file access, update controls, and whether cross-play settings such as EAC and IgnoreEOSSanctions are available. Current US pricing and terms vary and should be checked on the provider’s own page at the time of purchase.

Which method should you choose?

  • Choose Hamachi when your group is small, the owner can keep a computer online, and router access is unavailable or inconvenient.
  • Choose port-forwarded self-hosting when you control the router, want direct connections without a VPN client, and are willing to maintain the server and home network.
  • Choose managed hosting when persistence, convenience, and reduced system administration matter more than keeping the server on your own hardware.

Whichever method you select, the dedicated-server tool, valid serverconfig.xml, compatible client versions, and adequate CPU and memory remain the foundation. Hamachi changes the path players use to reach the host; it does not replace the server software or the operational work required to keep a shared world available.

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