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Godlike.Host offers hosted 7 Days to Die servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
To run a 7 Days to Die server, install the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD (app ID 294420), launch it once to generate serverconfig.xml, edit that file in a plain-text editor, forward the game ports to the host computer, and allow those ports through its firewall. A home server is available only while that computer is powered on and the server process is running; a managed server is the practical choice when you need continuous uptime without leaving a PC at home.
What you are actually setting up
A dedicated server runs the world simulation separately from the game client. Players connect to that process instead of one player’s in-game session, so the host can leave the game client closed and can administer settings centrally. The server can use the built-in Navezgane map or create a Random World Generation (RWG) world, enforce a password, limit player count and assign administrator SteamIDs.
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There are two practical hosting models:
| Model | Availability | Up-front work | Control | Network trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home-hosted PC | Only while the computer is on and the server process is running | Install files, configure the router, open the OS firewall and maintain the machine | Full access to configuration, saves and mods | Usually the shortest route for people near your home connection; UPnP or SteamNetworking fallback can add ping |
| Managed server | Normally 24/7, subject to the provider’s service | Create a server and choose a location; no home router forwarding | Control depends on the provider, but configuration and mod access are commonly available | Datacenter location determines latency |
This guide concentrates on a self-hosted PC, while identifying the points where a managed server removes work.
Before installing: hardware, account and network checks
Choose the machine that will host
- Use a computer that can remain powered on for the hours your group plays. Sleep, hibernation and automatic reboots interrupt the world.
- Prefer a wired Ethernet connection. Wi-Fi can work, but radio interference and power-saving behavior make a less predictable connection.
- Give the host a stable local address. A DHCP reservation in the router is safer than forwarding ports to an address that may change after a reboot.
- Keep enough free disk space for the server files, world save, logs and backups. RWG worlds and long-running saves grow over time.
Do you need a paid Steam account?
The setup guides consulted report that the dedicated-server download can be installed with SteamCMD’s anonymous login; a paid Steam account is not required for the server installation itself. Players still connect with the normal game client. Do not put a personal Steam password into a batch file when anonymous access is sufficient.
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Check whether inbound connections are possible
Your router must receive an inbound connection from the internet and send it to the host PC. If your internet provider places you behind carrier-grade NAT, a normal port-forward rule may never be reachable from outside. In that case, ask the provider for a public IPv4 address or use a hosting arrangement that supplies reachable networking.
Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD
SteamCMD is Valve’s command-line installer. The beginner installation path documented at wiki.7d2d.net uses app ID 294420 and an ordinary server folder such as C:7DTDServerserver. The exact SteamCMD executable location is up to you; the important part is that the install directory is separate from your personal game-client installation.
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- Create a dedicated folder for the server files. On Windows, an example is
C:7DTDServerserver. On Linux, choose a directory owned by the account that will run the service. - Open a terminal in the SteamCMD folder and start SteamCMD.
- Set the destination and sign in anonymously. In SteamCMD, the sequence is:
force_install_dir C:7DTDServerserver login anonymous app_update 294420 validate quit - Wait for SteamCMD to finish validating. If it reports that files are up to date, the server is still installed correctly; validation is checking the existing files rather than downloading everything again.
On Linux, run the server under a non-login user created specifically for it rather than under root. That limits the damage if a server-side process or mod is compromised and makes file ownership and backups easier to reason about.
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Launch once, then edit serverconfig.xml
Start the dedicated-server executable from the installation directory before attempting detailed configuration. The first launch can appear to fail to connect while still creating serverconfig.xml; check the server folder before assuming installation failed.
Edit with a plain-text editor
Open serverconfig.xml in Notepad++, VS Code or another plain-text editor. Do not use Word or a rich-text processor: it can insert formatting characters that make XML invalid. Preserve the existing XML structure, quotation marks and element names. Make one group of changes, save, and restart the server so an error is easy to isolate.
Settings worth changing first
- Server name: Use a distinctive name that friends can recognize in the server browser or direct-connect dialog.
- Server port: Leave the game port at 26900 unless you have a deliberate reason to change it. If you change it, the router rule, firewall rule and the port supplied to players must all match.
- World: Select Navezgane for the fixed built-in map or RWG for a procedurally generated world. Record the world choice before creating a long-term save.
- Maximum players: Set a limit your hardware and upload connection can sustain rather than choosing a large number by default.
- Password: Add one for a private group. Share it through a private channel, not a public post.
- Administrators: Add trusted players’ SteamIDs in the relevant
AdminFileentries. Administrator rights are powerful; grant them only to people who need moderation or console access.
Keep a copy of the original configuration and a dated copy of every working revision. An XML syntax error can prevent startup, and a backup lets you return to the last known-good file quickly.
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Forward the game ports
Port guidance is inconsistent across current community and hosting documentation. The common core is TCP 26900 and UDP 26900, with UDP 26901 and UDP 26902 also used by PC servers. A Valve developer-wiki summary is commonly quoted as TCP 26900 plus UDP 26900–26903. Because the official page could not be checked directly for this setup, treat UDP 26903 as a compatibility port to test rather than an unquestioned requirement.
| Port | Protocol | Use | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26900 | TCP and UDP | Main game connection | Forward and allow it in the host firewall |
| 26901 | UDP | Additional game traffic | Forward and allow it |
| 26902 | UDP | Additional game traffic | Forward and allow it |
| 26903 | UDP | Listed by some guides for LiteNetLib or additional traffic | Try it if clients cannot join after the core ports are open; documentation disagrees on whether it is required |
| 8080 | TCP | Web administration when enabled | Forward only if you intentionally enable web admin, and restrict exposure |
| 8081 | TCP | Telnet administration in guides that enable it | Forward only when that feature is enabled and needed |
Older tutorials that use 25000–25003 appear to describe an earlier arrangement. For a current PC installation, begin with 26900–26902 and add 26903 only when testing or your server build specifically requires it. TCP 8080 and 8081 are not game-join ports; they are administrative services and should not be opened casually.
Create the router rules
- Find the host PC’s local IPv4 address with the operating system’s network details. Confirm it remains stable through a DHCP reservation or a manual network configuration.
- Open the router’s administration page. Common local addresses are
192.168.1.1and192.168.0.1, but the router’s gateway address is authoritative. - Open the section named Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server or a similar label.
- Create a separate rule for each required protocol and port, targeting the host PC’s local address. For 26900, create both a TCP rule and a UDP rule; create UDP rules for 26901 and 26902.
- Save or apply the rules, then reboot the router only if its interface requires it. A reboot is not a substitute for saving the configuration.
Allow the same ports through the operating-system firewall
Forwarding at the router changes where traffic goes; it does not authorize the host computer to accept that traffic. In Windows Defender Firewall, create inbound rules for TCP 26900 and UDP 26900, 26901 and 26902 (and 26903 if you are testing it). On Linux, add equivalent rules to the firewall system enabled by your distribution, then reload it. Restrict rules to the server executable or service when your firewall supports application scoping.
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Give players the right connection details
Players outside your home network need your public IP address and the server port, normally public-ip:26900. Your public IP is not the same as the host’s private address such as 192.168.1.25. Do not publish the address together with router login details, and remember that many residential connections change public IPs periodically.
Test from a different network, such as a phone hotspot. A connection made from inside the same LAN can succeed even when the internet-facing rule is wrong because some routers do not support hairpin NAT. Have a friend test from outside before announcing the server to a larger group.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.UPnP and SteamNetworking: useful fallbacks, not first choice
Some setups use UPnP or SteamNetworking instead of manually forwarding every port. These options can simplify a restrictive router configuration, but the fallback path can add ping and makes the network path less transparent. Manual forwarding gives you a predictable destination and is easier to audit. If you use UPnP, disable unused router services and check which mappings the server creates; never assume a mapping remains safe after changing software.
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Keep the server running safely
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Use a dedicated Windows account or service arrangement rather than running the server from a personal desktop session. Prevent sleep, configure updates and reboots for a maintenance window, and keep the server folder outside locations synchronized by consumer backup software unless you understand how live save files are handled.
Linux
Run the process as the non-login server user, give that user ownership of the installation and save directories, and use a service manager so the process can restart after a reboot. Keep administrative privileges separate from the account that owns the game files.
Startup flags and scheduled restarts
Community guides commonly suggest a batch or shell script using -batchmode and -nographics for unattended operation. Flag names and behavior have differed between guides and were not confirmed against the official documentation, so verify them against the server build you install. A script should log output, use an explicit working directory and stop cleanly before scheduled maintenance rather than killing the process abruptly.
Backups and updates
- Stop the server before copying world saves and configuration files so a half-written save is not archived.
- Keep at least one backup from before every game update or mod change.
- Update during a planned maintenance window and test the server privately before inviting everyone back.
- Back up
serverconfig.xml, world data, player data and any custom scripts separately from the live installation.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The server starts but nobody outside can join
- Confirm the server process is listening on the port shown in the configuration and that its local firewall rule is enabled.
- Verify the router forwards to the current local IP, not an old DHCP address.
- Test TCP 26900 and UDP 26900–26902 from outside the LAN; add UDP 26903 only if the core set does not work and your build or guide requires it.
- Check for double NAT: if an ISP modem and your own router both perform routing, forward the ports through both or place one device in bridge mode.
- Ask the ISP whether carrier-grade NAT blocks inbound IPv4 connections.
The first launch creates no configuration file
Run the executable from its installation directory with permission to write there, inspect the console and log output, and check that SteamCMD completed app_update 294420 validate. A protected folder, antivirus quarantine or an incomplete download can prevent file creation.
Players can connect but are disconnected or lag
Check the host’s upload capacity, CPU and memory use while several players are online. Prefer Ethernet, stop large uploads and downloads, and compare results with and without UPnP or SteamNetworking fallback. Extra ports do not compensate for an overloaded host or an unstable ISP connection.
Configuration changes have no effect
Stop the server before editing, save valid XML, confirm you edited the active installation’s serverconfig.xml rather than a second copy, and restart. If startup fails after a change, restore the last working backup and reapply settings one at a time.
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A first-day checklist
- SteamCMD installed and app 294420 validated into a dedicated folder.
- Initial launch completed and
serverconfig.xmlcreated. - Server name, world type, player limit, password and administrator SteamIDs reviewed.
- Host given a stable local IP address.
- TCP 26900 and UDP 26900–26902 forwarded to that IP.
- Matching Windows or Linux firewall rules enabled.
- UDP 26903 tested only if required by the build or connection symptoms.
- Web-admin and telnet ports left closed unless deliberately enabled and secured.
- External connection tested from a different network.
- Save backups, update windows and a restart method documented.
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