To host a DayZ Frostline server, install the Windows dedicated-server files with SteamCMD or Bohemia Interactive’s Server_manager.ps1, create a profile and storage location, select the Frostline/Sakhal mission that exists in your current installation, open the game and Steam query ports, and launch DayZServer_x64.exe with the correct parameters. Frostline launched with DayZ update 1.26 and adds Sakhal; anyone joining a Sakhal server must own the Frostline expansion.
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What a Frostline server actually hosts
Frostline is DayZ’s expansion associated with the Sakhal map. The expansion shipped alongside update 1.26 in 2024 and is sold for Steam, Xbox and PlayStation. The dedicated-server workflow described here is the Windows PC community-server process: you administer the machine, install the DayZ server files, choose the installed Sakhal mission, and expose the server to players.
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Ownership is an access requirement, not a server setting. Bohemia Interactive states that access to servers running Sakhal requires a purchased Frostline copy. Set up the server first, but test discovery and joining with a client account that has the expansion activated.
Choose where to run the server
You can run the software on a Windows computer you control, a Windows virtual private server, or a Windows dedicated server. The correct choice depends on how much administration you want to perform and whether the machine can remain online for your community.
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| Hosting option | Control and administration | Cost pattern | Networking and maintenance considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows machine you administer | Maximum control over the operating system, files, firewall and restart policy; you are responsible for every update and failure. | No separate hosting bill if you already own suitable hardware, but electricity, bandwidth and hardware wear remain your responsibility. | You must configure the local firewall and, if the machine is behind a router, port forwarding. A reliable always-on connection is important. |
| Windows VPS | Administrative access to a virtual Windows installation with less physical hardware to maintain. | Recurring monthly charge; plans, locations, included resources and player limits vary and can change, so verify them when ordering. | The provider normally supplies a public address and security controls, but you still install SteamCMD, manage updates, protect credentials and configure the Windows firewall. |
| Windows dedicated server | Exclusive hardware and the broadest control over storage and system resources; you still perform operating-system and DayZ administration. | Usually a higher recurring charge than a VPS because the hardware is reserved for you. | Useful when you need predictable disk and CPU access. Confirm that the provider supports Windows, SteamCMD, DayZ updates and the geographic region your players need. |
Do not choose a plan from an advertised player count alone. There is no universal Frostline capacity figure: actual concurrency depends on the server build, mission, mods, simulation load, CPU, memory, storage and network conditions. Treat provider limits and performance claims as time-sensitive and verify them before purchase.
Prerequisites before installing anything
- Windows: use Windows 10 or Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer.
- PowerShell: Bohemia’s official manager script requires PowerShell V4 or newer.
- Administrative access: you need permission to install software, create directories, open firewall rules and run a persistent process.
- Steam credentials: the SteamCMD workflow needs an account and the ability to download the DayZ dedicated-server files and Workshop content you intend to use.
- Frostline entitlement for testing: the account used to verify Sakhal access must have Frostline activated, and players joining the finished server need the expansion as well.
- Network control: have access to the host firewall and, where applicable, the router, cloud security group or provider edge firewall.
- Persistent disk space: reserve room for the server installation, Workshop downloads, logs, crash dumps, BattlEye/BEC/RCon files and persistent mission data.
Create a service or administrator account with a strong password for the machine. Keep Steam credentials out of batch files that other users can read, and restrict write access to the profile and storage directories because they contain the server’s operational data.
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Use Bohemia’s Server_manager.ps1 workflow
Bohemia’s documented Server_manager.ps1 workflow can download SteamCMD, the DayZ server files and Workshop mods. Download the script from Bohemia’s current server-management documentation, review its options, and run it from an elevated PowerShell session on the Windows host.
- Create a dedicated root directory for the installation, such as a folder on a data volume rather than the Windows system directory.
- Place the manager script where you can keep it with your deployment notes. If Windows blocks a downloaded script, inspect the file and apply your organization’s normal PowerShell execution policy rather than disabling security globally.
- Run the script’s installation or update operation so SteamCMD obtains the current dedicated-server build and any Workshop items you selected.
- Record the resulting server executable location and the exact mission directories created by this build. Do not assume that a mission folder name from an older guide still exists after an update.
The manager is useful when you want repeatable downloads and Workshop handling. Keep a copy of the command-line options you used so a replacement machine can be rebuilt consistently.
Use a direct SteamCMD installation instead
If you prefer to control the download steps yourself, install SteamCMD and use your normal DayZ dedicated-server app workflow. Download the server files into the same dedicated root directory, then obtain Workshop content separately when you decide to add mods. The important result is identical: a current DayZServer_x64.exe, the mission files shipped with that build, and a known location for Workshop data.
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Do not mix files from unrelated installations. A stale executable paired with newer mission or Workshop files can produce misleading startup errors, so update the server and its dependent content as one documented change.
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Separate profiles and persistent storage
Keep operational files outside the executable directory. Bohemia documents the -profiles parameter for logs, dumps and BattlEye/BEC/RCon-related files, and -storage for persistent server data. Separating these paths makes backups, troubleshooting and upgrades safer.
C:DayZprofiles
C:DayZstorage
C:DayZbackupsThe paths above are examples of a layout, not required names. Use directories that exist on your machine and grant the server process write permission to them. Back up the configuration, mission and storage data before changing the game build or making broad economy changes.
Create the server configuration
Create a configuration file in the server root or another path you can reference explicitly. At minimum, define a hostname, a description and your password policy. Bohemia’s reference also shows the Steam browser query port as steamQueryPort = 2305.
hostname = "Sakhal Community";
description = "Frostline survival server";
password = "";
steamQueryPort = 2305;An empty password makes the server open to anyone who can discover it; use a non-empty value when you want a private test or whitelist-style community. Choose an administrative-password arrangement appropriate to your administration tools, and do not publish credentials in your server description or launch scripts.
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Keep the configuration in version control or dated backups, but remove secrets before sharing it. When you change a port, hostname or password, record the change with the date so players and moderators know which connection details are current.
Select the current Sakhal mission
The launch command’s -mission value must point to the Frostline/Sakhal mission directory installed by your current server build. Open the server’s mission directory, identify the Sakhal folder actually present, and use that exact path. This precaution matters because mission folder names and layouts can change between DayZ updates; copying a path from an old tutorial can start the wrong map or stop the process immediately.
Do not guess a mission name from memory. If the installation contains multiple missions, match the directory to the Frostline files and document the choice in your deployment notes. After an update, check the directory again before restarting a production instance.
Build the launch command
Launch DayZServer_x64.exe with the configuration file, profile path, storage path and selected mission. The following pattern includes Bohemia’s documented example game port, the query port used in the configuration example and useful logging switches:
DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=C:DayZprofiles -storage=C:DayZstorage -mission={{CURRENT_SAKHAL_MISSION_FOLDER}} -doLogs -adminLog -netLogReplace {{CURRENT_SAKHAL_MISSION_FOLDER}} with the exact Sakhal mission directory from your installation. The double-curly-brace text is a command template, not a literal folder name. If your configuration file has another name or location, change the -config value accordingly.
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-configpoints to the server configuration file.-port=2302is the game-server port shown in Bohemia’s reference configuration.-profilessends profiles, logs and related diagnostic files to the directory you selected.-storageidentifies the persistent storage location you back up.-missionselects the installed mission; use the current Sakhal directory rather than a copied legacy path.-doLogs,-adminLogand-netLogenable progressively useful logging for first boot and diagnosis. Keep only the logging level you need after the server is stable.
Use a batch file or service definition so the command is reproducible after a reboot. Quote paths containing spaces, and test the command interactively first so errors remain visible in the console and profile logs.
Add mods without destabilizing the first launch
Start with an unmodded Frostline server. Confirm that the Sakhal mission loads, the process stays alive and a Frostline-enabled client can connect before introducing Workshop content. This gives you a known-good baseline.
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DayZ has two documented mod switches:
-mod=<string>loads client-distributed Workshop mods. Every connecting player must obtain compatible client content.-serverMod=<string>loads server-only mods that do not need to be distributed to clients in the same way.
Add one mod at a time. For each addition, verify that the Workshop item downloaded successfully, check its stated dependencies, preserve the required load order and restart the server. Keep a written mod list with item identifiers, versions and order. If a new mod prevents startup, remove only that last change and return to the known-good list rather than changing several variables at once.
When an update changes a dependency, re-check every mod before allowing players back in. A server can appear online while clients fail to join because a required dependency or load order is wrong.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Open the network ports
Allow the game port and Steam query port through every network layer between the server and the internet:
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| Purpose | Value in this setup | Where to allow it |
|---|---|---|
| DayZ game server | 2302 |
Windows Defender Firewall and, when applicable, the home router, cloud security group or provider firewall. |
| Steam server-browser queries | 2305 |
The same host and upstream network controls; it must match steamQueryPort in the configuration. |
The values are examples from Bohemia’s current configuration reference. If you choose different ports, use the same values in the launch command, configuration file and firewall rules, then document them for players. Avoid opening unrelated ports. Review the host firewall after Windows updates or provider migrations because a recreated security group may silently remove the rules.
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First boot and connection test
- Start the launch command interactively with logging enabled.
- Watch the console for immediate syntax, missing-file or permission errors.
- Confirm that the process remains running instead of closing after initialization.
- Open the profile directory and inspect the RPT and other log output for mission, Workshop, BattlEye or network errors.
- From a Frostline-enabled client, search for the hostname and attempt a connection from outside the host’s local network when possible.
- Once connected, verify that the player can move, interact and reconnect without losing expected persistence.
A server that appears in a local browser but cannot be reached from the internet usually has a firewall, router forwarding or upstream security-group problem. A server that is reachable but rejects only some players commonly has an entitlement, mod dependency or client-version mismatch.
Graceful shutdown, backups and updates
Do not terminate the server process with a forced kill during normal administration. Bohemia’s DayZ configuration guidance says: “It is highly recommended to use the graceful shutdown method to avoid negative side effects on player characters and the server storage saving.” Use your administration method’s graceful-shutdown action, wait for the process to finish writing data, and only then reboot or update the host.
Schedule backups of:
- the main configuration file and launch scripts;
- the mission and persistent storage directories;
- the profile, BattlEye/BEC/RCon and log configuration you rely on;
- the ordered Workshop mod list and the corresponding downloaded content.
Before applying a DayZ update, announce a maintenance window, perform a graceful shutdown, copy the backup set, update the server files and re-check the mission folder name. Then verify Workshop dependencies and run a short connection test. Frostline changes temperature, loot and other systems, so retain a rollback copy before making large economy or balance changes.
Troubleshoot the failures that matter most
| Symptom | Likely cause | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| The executable closes immediately. | Invalid command syntax, inaccessible configuration, missing mission directory or insufficient write permission. | Run the command in a console, check the profile log, verify every path and confirm the server account can write to profiles and storage. |
| The process runs but the server is absent from the browser. | The game or query port is blocked, the query value does not match the configuration, or an upstream firewall is still closed. | Compare -port, steamQueryPort and firewall rules, then test from an external network. |
| Players can see the server but cannot connect. | Wrong mission, incompatible build, missing Frostline entitlement or a mod/dependency mismatch. | Confirm the current Sakhal mission, update server and client content together, and test with a client account that owns Frostline before checking mods. |
| A modded server stops after one Workshop addition. | Missing dependency, incorrect load order or a mismatched client-distributed mod. | Remove the newest mod, restore the last known-good list, read its dependency requirements and add it again only after the prerequisites are present. |
| Characters or storage revert after a restart. | Forced termination, incorrect -storage path or a storage directory that the process cannot write. |
Use graceful shutdown, verify the active storage path in the launch command and check permissions and backups before restarting. |
| Players report lag after adding content. | Additional simulation or script load, resource contention or a mod conflict. | Compare logs and resource usage with the unmodded baseline, remove the latest change, and add content incrementally instead of changing several mods at once. |
Operational checklist for a public Sakhal server
- Windows and PowerShell meet the documented minimum versions.
- The server files and Workshop downloads came from a repeatable SteamCMD or
Server_manager.ps1process. - Profiles and storage are separate from the executable directory and included in backups.
- The configuration has a clear hostname, description and intentional password policy.
- The
-missionpath matches the Sakhal directory installed by the current build. - The launch command uses consistent values for
-port,steamQueryPort, profiles and storage. - Host, router and provider firewalls allow the game and query ports.
- The first boot was checked in logs before mods were installed.
- Mods are documented in dependency order and introduced one at a time.
- Administrators use graceful shutdown and preserve backups before updates.
With those controls in place, a Windows machine, VPS or dedicated server can run the same Frostline/Sakhal dedicated-server software; the difference is how much hardware, networking and maintenance responsibility you retain.
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