Starbound Server Commands and Admin Setup: Dedicated Server, RCON, and Troubleshooting Guide

To run a Starbound dedicated server, install the server files, start starbound_server (or starbound_server.exe on Windows), forward port 21025, and configure accounts in storage/starbound_server.config. Admin access is tied to the account used to log in: add that account under serverUsers with admin: true, connect with it, then run /admin in chat. RCON is a separate, disabled-by-default remote console with a smaller command set and no leading slash.

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This guide covers installation, networking, JSON configuration, admin permissions, commands, RCON security, Linux service management, and the fixes for the failures administrators encounter most often.

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What a Starbound dedicated server needs

A dedicated server runs the game world independently of a player’s client. Players connect from the Multiplayer screen, while the server process owns the universe state, player limit, bans, backups, and administrative permissions.

• Windows: launch starbound_server.exe from the Starbound installation directory.
• Linux: install or update the files with SteamCMD app ID 211820, then start ./starbound_server from the server’s linux directory.
• Network: the documented game-server port is 21025. The Linux setup guide describes TCP and UDP on that port; allow and forward TCP 21025 for normal Internet access, and add UDP if your network or build requires it.
• Configuration: edit storage/starbound_server.config, which is JSON.
• Administration: an account in serverUsers must have admin set to true, and the server must allow admin commands.

The published defaults are configuration values, not guarantees for every modded or future build. The Starbounder Linux setup guide, crawled in 2026, lists a maximum of eight players, a maximum team size of four, RCON port 21026, and three player-backup files by default.

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Install and start the server

Windows

1. Install Starbound through Steam on the machine that will host the server.
2. Open the Starbound installation directory and locate starbound_server.exe.
3. Run the executable. Keep the server window open while players connect.
4. For a local test on the same machine, connect to 127.0.0.1 from the game’s Multiplayer menu.

Windows Firewall may ask whether the executable can communicate on private or public networks. Permit the profile that matches your intended use, then create an explicit inbound rule for TCP port 21025 if outside players still cannot connect.

Linux with SteamCMD

Use a separate, non-root account named steam for the game process. The exact dependency package names vary by distribution, but SteamCMD must be installed and executable before you begin.

1. Create the service account and give it ownership of the installation directory. Do not run the game server as root.
2. Install SteamCMD and its required 32-bit compatibility libraries for your distribution.
3. Start SteamCMD with steamcmd.sh.
4. Inside SteamCMD, select a full installation directory, sign in, update app 211820, and quit:

force_install_dir /srv/starbound
login anonymous
app_update 211820 validate
quit

The path above is an example. Use the same path consistently in your service file and firewall documentation. After the update completes, start the Linux server from its linux directory:

cd /srv/starbound/linux
./starbound_server

A successful startup is commonly accompanied by the line “Congratulations! You’re now successfully running your server.” in the Linux setup guide. Treat that message as a process diagnostic: it confirms startup, not that the port is reachable from the Internet.

Updating without losing the world

Stop the server before running app_update 211820. Back up the entire storage directory first, because it contains configuration and world/player data. Update the files, inspect the configuration, and start the server again. Do not edit JSON while the process is writing it.

Make the server reachable

Router and host firewall

1. Give the host a stable local address, either with a DHCP reservation or a static network configuration.
2. Forward external TCP port 21025 on the router to the host’s local TCP port 21025. The Linux guide also documents UDP on 21025; forward and allow UDP when your setup or testing indicates it is needed.
3. Allow the same port through the operating-system firewall.
4. Check that gameServerBind is not restricted to an address that outside clients cannot reach. Leaving the bind setting at the build’s usable default is generally safer than guessing an interface address.

Do not test an Internet forwarding rule from inside the same LAN unless your router supports NAT loopback. Test locally with 127.0.0.1, test from another device on the LAN with the host’s private address, and test from an outside network with the public address or DNS name.

How players connect

1. Open Starbound and choose Multiplayer.
2. Select a character.
3. Enter the server’s IP address or DNS name.
4. Enter the account name and password configured on the server, if authentication is enabled.
5. Join the server.

Players on the same machine can use 127.0.0.1. Players on the same home network should use the host’s private address. Everyone else needs the public address or a DNS name that resolves to it.

Configure starbound_server.config safely

The file is located at storage/starbound_server.config beneath the server installation. It is strict JSON: use double quotes around keys and string values, commas between members, and no comments or trailing commas.

Stop the server and make a backup before editing. If the process encounters malformed JSON at startup, the documented behavior is to rename the bad file to starbound_server.config.old and create a default configuration. That recovery prevents a permanent startup failure, but it can also discard settings you expected to keep, so compare the renamed file with your backup.

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Important settings

Minimal configuration example

Use the existing file as the authority for keys your build includes. This excerpt illustrates the documented settings; merge it into your file rather than replacing unrelated options blindly.

{
  "serverName" : "My Starbound Server",
  "maxPlayers" : 8,
  "gameServerPort" : 21025,
  "allowAdminCommands" : true,
  "allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone" : false,
  "runRconServer" : false,
  "rconServerPort" : 21026,
  "playerBackupFileCount" : 3
}

After saving, validate that the file is syntactically valid JSON before restarting. A restart is required for many settings, including account and RCON changes, to take effect.

Create an admin account

Starbound’s admin permission is account-based. It is not granted merely because someone knows the server address or because they are the host’s operating-system user.

1. Stop the server.
2. Open storage/starbound_server.config.
3. Inside serverUsers, add a unique account with a strong password and admin set to true. A typical entry has this shape:

"serverUsers" : {
  "operator" : {
    "password" : "use-a-long-unique-password",
    "admin" : true
  }
}

4. Preserve the surrounding JSON structure and commas. If serverUsers already contains accounts, add the new member without deleting the existing ones.
5. Save a backup, restart the server, and connect using the exact account name and password.
6. Open chat and run /admin. The command toggles admin mode for the logged-in account.

Use a separate operator account instead of sharing a personal player account. Remove or change the password if it has been exposed, and do not publish the configuration file because it contains credentials.

Why /admin does not work

• Wrong login: confirm that you connected with the account listed under serverUsers, not an identically named character.
• Missing permission: verify that the account’s value is exactly true, not the string "true".
• Commands disabled: check allowAdminCommands. If it is false, no account can use admin commands.
• Server not restarted: stop and start the server after editing the file.
• Malformed JSON: look for starbound_server.config.old; restore your backup or repair the syntax.
• Admin mode toggled off: /admin is a toggle. Run it once and then test a harmless command such as /help.

In-game slash commands

Run these commands in chat after admin mode is enabled. Use the syntax shown; angle-bracket values represent arguments and are not typed literally.

Moderation commands and ban scope

A UUID ban targets a particular character. An IP ban targets users connecting from that IP, so it can affect multiple people behind the same address and may not identify a specific individual. Choose the narrowest scope that solves the problem.

Timed bans are temporary. The command reference states that they disappear when the server shuts down or the configuration is reloaded. A persistent ban must remain in the relevant bannedUuids or bannedIPs configuration data after you confirm the result.

RCON: remote administration without a character

RCON is not an alternative spelling for in-game chat commands. It is a separate remote-console interface, disabled by default, with fewer commands because it has no in-world character context.

Enable it deliberately

1. Stop the server and back up the configuration.
2. Set runRconServer to true.
3. Set a long, unique rconServerPassword.
4. Choose rconServerBind so the console listens only on the management interface you intend to use.
5. Use rconServerPort; the documented default is 21026.
6. Allow that port only from trusted administrator IP addresses. Do not expose RCON broadly to the public Internet.
7. Restart the server and test authentication from an approved management host.

RCON credentials are separate from a player’s in-game login. Store them in a password manager, rotate them after staff changes, and remove firewall access when RCON is no longer needed.

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Documented RCON commands

The RCON command surface includes help, ban, unban, kick, whisper, whereis, timewarp, serverreload, and shutdown. Do not add a leading slash: send kick player reason, not /kick player reason.

Because RCON has no in-world character, commands that depend on a current world or character context may be unavailable even when their in-game equivalents exist. Use help through the RCON session to see what the running build accepts.

Keep a Linux server running

systemd service

Running the process under systemd gives you automatic startup and consistent logs without using a terminal window. Create a unit such as /etc/systemd/system/starbound.service and adjust only paths that differ on your host:

[Unit]
Description=Starbound dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/srv/starbound/linux
ExecStart=/srv/starbound/linux/starbound_server
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload and control the service with:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start starbound
sudo systemctl status starbound
sudo systemctl enable starbound
sudo systemctl stop starbound

Use status immediately after a configuration change. If the process exits, inspect the service journal and the server’s own logs before repeatedly restarting it.

Detached terminal alternative

A detached screen or byobu session is simpler for a small server. Start the server inside the session, detach without stopping it, and reattach when you need to see console output. It does not provide system startup, restart policy, or the same auditability as systemd.

Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Self-hosting gives you direct control over files, firewall rules, mods, backups, and RCON. A managed service trades some operating-system control for a web panel, provider-maintained uptime, and support. Compare the following before deciding:

Choose self-hosting when you are comfortable maintaining Linux or Windows, forwarding ports, and securing credentials. Choose managed hosting when avoiding SteamCMD, router configuration, systemd, backup maintenance, or server security is worth the recurring fee. Verify current limits, backup policy, RCON availability, mod support, region, and cancellation terms before subscribing; those details change by provider and plan.

Troubleshooting checklist

The server starts but friends cannot connect

1. Confirm the server is listening on the configured gameServerPort, normally 21025.
2. Check the host firewall and router forwarding rule.
3. Verify the forwarding destination is the current private address of the server.
4. Check gameServerBind for an interface mismatch.
5. Test from outside the LAN, because NAT loopback can make an internal test misleading.
6. Confirm that players are using the public IP or DNS name, not the host’s private address.

The configuration change is ignored

1. Stop the server before editing.
2. Check that the edited file is the active storage/starbound_server.config.
3. Validate JSON syntax and look for starbound_server.config.old.
4. Restart the process and confirm the setting in the startup behavior.

Players are unexpectedly removed or banned

Review both bannedUuids and bannedIPs. An IP ban can affect an entire household, school, or carrier-grade NAT group. Check whether a timed ban expired during a shutdown or configuration reload, and document whether future enforcement should target a UUID, an IP, or both.

serverreload causes lag

The command reparses server-side assets and the command reference warns that this can cause lag. Use it during a maintenance window, warn connected players, and avoid issuing it repeatedly while investigating an unrelated problem.

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The Linux process exits immediately

• Run it from the server’s linux directory.
• Confirm the steam account can read and execute the installation.
• Check that SteamCMD completed app_update 211820.
• Inspect JSON syntax and the renamed .old configuration.
• Read the service journal when using systemd and correct the path in WorkingDirectory or ExecStart.

Operational security checklist

• Run the Linux process as the non-root steam account.
• Use a strong, unique password for every admin and RCON account.
• Keep RCON disabled unless you need it.
• When RCON is enabled, bind and firewall it to trusted management addresses.
• Back up storage before updates, JSON edits, dungeon placement, universe-flag changes, or bulk moderation.
• Keep the game port and RCON port distinct in firewall rules.
• Record who made high-impact world and progression changes.
• Test restoring a backup rather than assuming that a backup file is usable.
• Update the server during a maintenance window and tell players when it will restart.

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