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For a small private Satisfactory 1.1 server, keep the four-player default, forward 7777/TCP, 7777/UDP and 8888/TCP, leave autosave at 300 seconds with three rotating files, and raise Network Quality only while watching server responsiveness. This combination follows the current configuration guidance and gives you a stable baseline before you tune for a larger group.

The settings below explain exactly where to change each value, which files hold server options and saves, and how to recover when a change causes connection, lag or progress problems.

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Recommended baseline settings

Start with the documented defaults rather than copying an aggressive preset. A dedicated server’s workload changes with factory size, exploration, save-file growth and simultaneous players, so a setting that helps one installation can hurt another.

Area Starting value Why it is the safest baseline When to change it
Maximum players 4 The server is tuned for the default four-player cap. Only after observing stable CPU, memory and network performance with your actual group.
Standard game port 7777/TCP and 7777/UDP Carries the normal server and game traffic. When another service already occupies the port or your host requires a different external port.
Reliable-messaging port 8888/TCP Used for reliable messaging alongside the standard port. When changing the standard port; set the matching reliable-port options too.
Autosave interval 300 seconds (5 minutes) Balances rollback protection with the performance cost of writing a save. Shorten it for valuable or frequently changing worlds; lengthen it only after confirming save writes do not interrupt play.
Rotating autosaves 3 files Provides several recent recovery points without unlimited storage growth. Increase it when your retention policy requires more restore points.
Network Quality Conservative/default value Higher values can improve client loading and network performance but consume server framerate. Raise it in small steps while monitoring responsiveness.

Keep the four-player cap initially

The configuration documentation explicitly warns: “Before changing the following setting, note that the server is tuned to be most performant with the default player cap of four.” Treat four as a performance target, not merely a menu default. Increasing the limit allows more simultaneous connections, but it also increases simulation, replication, save and bandwidth work. Do not advertise a higher capacity until your own players can build, travel and save without stalls.

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If you need a higher limit, make one change at a time and record the old value. Test during a busy factory session rather than an empty fresh world. If responsiveness degrades, return to four before investigating more complex causes.

Forward all three Patch 1.1 ports

Create firewall and router rules for 7777/TCP, 7777/UDP and 8888/TCP, forwarding each to the dedicated-server machine’s private IP address. The standard port carries ordinary server and game traffic; 8888 is the reliable-messaging port. A rule for only one protocol or only 7777 can produce a server that appears online but rejects joins, fails discovery or disconnects during session setup.

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Reserve the host’s local address in your router so that forwarding does not break after a DHCP lease changes. Permit the same ports in the operating-system firewall. Test from a network outside your home LAN; a local test can succeed even when internet NAT or firewall rules are wrong.

Leave autosave at five minutes first

The documented default is 300 seconds, or five minutes. Every save protects more recent progress, but writing a large world can temporarily consume disk and CPU resources. Keep five minutes while you establish a performance baseline. If players are building rapidly and a five-minute rollback would be unacceptable, reduce the interval gradually and watch for save-time hitches. If saves noticeably interrupt play, increase the interval only after confirming that disk space and storage health are not the real problem.

Satisfactory keeps three rotating autosaves by default. The oldest file is replaced as new autosaves are written, giving you several recent points without manually deleting files. Change mNumRotatingAutosaves only when you have a defined retention plan and enough disk space. More copies help recovery from corruption or an unnoticed bad build, but they do not replace independent backups.

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Tune Network Quality as a measured trade-off

Network Quality is not a universal “higher is better” switch. The documentation notes that increasing it may improve client load times and network performance while reducing server framerate. Start at the current conservative value. Raise it one step, have several players travel through the busiest factory areas, and observe server responsiveness, not just client loading time. If interactions feel delayed or simulation hitches appear, undo the last increase.

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How Satisfactory stores dedicated-server configuration

Satisfactory uses Unreal Engine INI files for server configuration. The files are generated after the server has started successfully at least once. If the expected directory does not exist, launch the server, let it finish initialization, then shut it down gracefully before editing.

Platform INI directory Server-settings save
Linux <installation_directory>/FactoryGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ ~/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/SaveGames/ServerSettings.PORT.sav
Windows <installation_directory>FactoryGameSavedConfigWindowsServer %LocalAppData%FactoryGameSavedSaveGamesServerSettings.PORT.sav

Normal game saves are kept in the platform-specific SaveGames/server directory. The ServerSettings.PORT.sav file is separate from that world-save directory; backing up one does not automatically back up the other.

Edit only while the process is stopped

  1. Stop player access and perform a manual save if anyone is connected.
  2. Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly.
  3. Copy the relevant INI files and save directories to a backup location.
  4. Edit the files in the platform-specific server configuration directory.
  5. Start the server and verify the log and in-game behavior.

Do not edit while the process is running. Configuration files can be rewritten during shutdown, discarding live edits. Game updates can also overwrite or replace configuration files, so keep a dated backup and recheck critical values after an update.

Changing the maximum player count

Use Game.ini and the [/Script/Engine.GameSession] section. A minimal configuration is:

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[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=6

Replace 6 with the number you have tested. Keep the section header exactly as shown. If the same key appears more than once, remove stale duplicates so that the effective value is unambiguous.

You can also supply the value at startup:

-ini:Game:[/Script/Engine.GameSession]:MaxPlayers=6

Use either a managed file edit or a startup override as your normal method, not a mixture that makes future troubleshooting unclear. After changing the value, connect with the intended number of players and check that the server remains responsive during travel, combat, construction and an autosave.

Changing ports safely

If 7777 is unavailable, pass a different standard port with -Port=. A changed standard port must be paired with the corresponding reliable-port settings, -ReliablePort= and, where required by your deployment, -ExternalReliablePort=. Update router forwarding, host-firewall rules and any connection information together.

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  1. Choose unused TCP and UDP values for the new standard port and an unused TCP value for reliable messaging.
  2. Set -Port=, -ReliablePort= and -ExternalReliablePort= in the service or launch command.
  3. Forward the new standard port for both TCP and UDP, plus the reliable port for TCP.
  4. Restart the server cleanly and confirm the startup log reports the intended values.
  5. Test from an external network and document the final mapping for every administrator.

Leaving 8888 forwarded while changing only 7777 is a common partial migration. It can allow initial discovery yet fail reliable messages later. Treat the three-port set as one configuration.

Save protection and recovery

Manual saves before maintenance

If the server runs as a service, issue a manual save before stopping it when players are connected. Service documentation states that stopping the process does not automatically save the game. Schedule maintenance only after players have finished, save explicitly, then stop the service.

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Back up both worlds and settings

Copy the normal SaveGames/server directory, the separate ServerSettings.PORT.sav file and the edited INI files. Keep at least one backup outside the server’s installation directory so an update or reinstall cannot remove every copy. Label backups with the server port and date; this matters if you later run more than one instance.

Use rotating autosaves for short-term rollback

When a factory is damaged or a save becomes suspicious, stop new building, note the latest healthy autosave and copy the current files before restoring anything. Restore the chosen rotating autosave according to your normal server procedure, then start the server and verify the world before inviting players back. Do not delete the other rotating files until the restored world has been checked.

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Diagnosing lag after a settings change

Change one variable at a time and keep a short log of the old and new values, player count, factory activity and save times. This separates a Network Quality regression from a port problem, disk stall or overloaded simulation.

Symptoms and targeted checks

  • Lag begins after raising Network Quality: return to the previous value, reproduce the busiest scenario and compare server responsiveness. If the problem disappears, keep the lower value.
  • Lag occurs only during autosave: inspect save duration and storage performance. Try the documented five-minute interval before shortening it further, and avoid changing player count at the same time.
  • Lag appears only with additional players: restore the four-player cap, then add capacity only after testing a quiet and a busy factory state.
  • Players disconnect or cannot join: verify all three ports, both protocols on 7777, the host firewall and the host’s current private IP. Test externally rather than from the same LAN.
  • Settings revert after restart: stop the process before editing, check for duplicate INI entries, confirm the service launches the file you edited and review the files again after an update.

There is no authoritative universal CPU or RAM number that guarantees a given player count. Hardware advice must account for save size, factory complexity, operating system, storage and observed single-core performance. Use measurements from your installation instead of a generic specification table.

Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Self-hosting gives you direct control over INI files, ports, backups and update timing. It also makes you responsible for firewall rules, reliable shutdowns, storage capacity and recovery testing. A managed service can reduce routine administration, but you still need to verify that it supports the current 1.1 port model and provides usable backups.

Decision factor Self-hosted server Managed Satisfactory hosting
Reliability You configure forwarding, firewall rules, uptime and graceful shutdown. The provider handles the host platform; you must confirm port support and service status.
Performance You choose hardware and can observe its real workload directly. Resources depend on the selected plan and provider’s contention policy.
Administration Manual INI edits, updates and backups. Control panels may simplify routine operations, but settings still need validation.
Recovery Full access to rotating autosaves and downloadable files if you implement backups. Check how many backups are retained, how they are downloaded and how restores are performed.
Cost and control Uses your existing machine and connection, with maximum control. Recurring cost in exchange for less infrastructure work.

Before paying for a managed service, verify program status, current Patch 1.1 support, the 7777 TCP/UDP and 8888 TCP requirements, backup retention, downloadable saves, port customization and pricing. Do not assume a generic game-server plan exposes the reliable-messaging port.

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A practical rollout checklist

  1. Install or update the server and launch it once to generate configuration files.
  2. Stop it gracefully and back up the INI directory, world saves and server-settings save.
  3. Forward 7777/TCP, 7777/UDP and 8888/TCP to a stable private IP; open the same ports in the firewall.
  4. Confirm MaxPlayers=4, a 300-second autosave interval and three rotating autosaves.
  5. Start the server, connect from an external network and test normal gameplay.
  6. Invite the intended group and observe the busiest factory areas through at least one autosave.
  7. Adjust only one setting at a time, record the result and keep the previous working value available for rollback.
  8. Perform a manual save before every planned shutdown or update.

What “best” means for your server

The best settings are the highest capacity and responsiveness your own world can sustain reliably, not the largest numbers a configuration file accepts. For most small groups, that means retaining four players, the documented three-port model, five-minute autosaves and a conservative Network Quality value. Expand only when measurements from your server justify the change, and preserve recovery options before experimenting.

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