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If your Satisfactory dedicated server starts without mods, or players see a missing-mod message, manage the client and server with Satisfactory Mod Manager (SMM), verify that every mod supports dedicated servers, and install the required files on the correct side of the connection. For remote servers, SMM or ficsit-cli must have filesystem or SFTP access to the real server directory.
First confirm that you are using a PC client and a Windows or Linux dedicated server, then check the mod’s dedicated-server status, synchronize the mod list and versions, and update or disable mods after game changes. The recovery steps below cover wrong paths, unsupported mods, mismatched profiles, host restrictions and a damaged Mods folder.
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Satisfactory loads a modded session through Satisfactory Mod Loader (SML). A server can therefore appear to be running normally while loading the unmodded game, loading only part of the intended profile, or refusing a connection because a required mod is absent or incompatible. The same symptom can have different causes:
- The server or client is a console installation. Dedicated-server modding is supported only on PC clients and desktop Windows or Linux server installations.
- The files were installed into a different game or server directory than the one actually being launched.
- A mod works in single-player but has no dedicated-server support.
- A mod that must be installed on both sides is present on the server but not on one or more clients, or the reverse.
- The client, server, SML, or a mod is on a different game-version branch or profile.
- An update left an obsolete mod version in the installation, or SMM could not remove a previous profile cleanly.
- A managed host does not provide the filesystem or SFTP access required to place the files.
Work through the checks in order. Changing several variables at once makes it difficult to tell whether the actual problem was the mod list, the path, or the server build.
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Check the platform before changing files
Supported client and server combinations
Modded dedicated servers require a PC copy of Satisfactory for each player and a desktop dedicated-server installation running on Windows or Linux. Console clients and console-hosted servers cannot use this dedicated-server mod workflow. If one player is on a console, that player cannot join a session that depends on SML mods.
Also confirm that the server branch and the game version selected by the launcher are the ones your mods support. A server can be reachable and accept vanilla players while still being unsuitable for the mod profile you are trying to load.
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SMM can manage a local server directory or a remote installation. Remote management is possible only when the administrator has network filesystem access or SFTP access to the server. A server address and game password alone are not enough: the mod manager must be able to read and write the installation’s files.
Use Satisfactory Mod Manager first
SMM is the lowest-friction method because it downloads the mod files, dependencies and Satisfactory Mod Loader together. Use the same manager to maintain the client profile and the dedicated-server installation rather than copying an arbitrary Mods folder between machines.
Add a remote server in SMM
- Open SMM and choose Other, then Manage Servers.
- Add the server’s connection details and provide the filesystem or SFTP credentials supplied by the administrator or host.
- Select the server in SMM’s game-version or installation drop-down. Choose the actual dedicated-server installation, not a client installation that happens to be on the same computer.
- Open the server entry and compare its installed profile with the profile you intend players to use.
- Install or update SML and the required mods through SMM. Let SMM resolve dependencies instead of downloading individual archives from unrelated locations.
- Restart the dedicated server after the profile changes, then have one PC client connect before asking every player to update.
If SMM cannot connect, treat that as an access or path problem first. Verify the credentials, the SFTP port and the server directory with the host or administrator; repeatedly reinstalling a mod will not fix a directory that SMM cannot reach.
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Manage a server installed on the same computer
For a local installation, select the server installation in SMM and check that its displayed path is the directory used by the server service or startup script. A common mistake is modifying a client profile while the dedicated server launches from a separate directory. Stop the server before major profile changes so files are not locked or overwritten during deployment.
Confirm the real server path with ficsit-cli
ficsit-cli is the terminal-oriented alternative to SMM. It is useful when the server is administered over SSH or when a graphical interface is unavailable, but it still needs access to the correct local directory or a mounted remote filesystem.
Create an installation entry
- In ficsit-cli, open Installations and choose New Installation.
- Enter the real dedicated-server directory. Examples include
D:SatisfactoryDSon Windows or/opt/SatisfactoryDedicatedServeron Linux. - Check the directory against the path used by the service, container, or startup script. Do not rely on a default path if the server was moved or installed by a hosting panel.
- Use the installation entry to install or update the selected profile, then restart the server through the method your administrator normally uses.
Those example paths are illustrative; your installation may use another directory. The important test is that the entry points to the files the running server reads. If the server starts unchanged after a successful-looking deployment, inspect its launch configuration and logs for a different working directory.
When ficsit-cli is the better choice
Choose ficsit-cli when you have shell access, prefer repeatable terminal operations, or need to administer a Linux machine without a desktop session. Choose SMM when you want profile browsing, dependency handling and a visual comparison of client and server installations. Neither tool can overcome a host policy that blocks access to the server directory.
Verify that every mod supports dedicated servers
Do not infer server compatibility from a successful single-player launch. Open each mod’s page on ficsit.app and inspect the Latest Version section. When a compatibility table includes a Server column, a checkmark for your server type indicates dedicated-server support. If the table does not list your server type, treat the mod as unsupported until its author documents otherwise.
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Classify the mod before installing it
- Both-sided: required on the dedicated server and on every participating PC client.
- Server-side: installed only in the server profile; clients should not add it unless the mod page explicitly requires a client component.
- Client-side: installed on each player’s client; it does not belong in the server profile.
The Satisfactory Modding FAQ advises assuming that a mod is both-sided unless its mod page or the dedicated-server compatibility grid explicitly says otherwise. This default prevents a common mistake: labeling a mod client-only because it changes the user interface even though its gameplay component must also load on the server.
Compatibility checklist for each entry
- Record the exact mod name and version shown in the SMM profile.
- Confirm a checkmark for the relevant Windows or Linux server type, where the page provides separate server columns.
- Read the mod’s dependency notes and install those dependencies at compatible versions.
- Check whether the mod targets the same Satisfactory game branch as the server.
- Remove an obsolete copy before installing a newer release if SMM reports duplicate or stale files.
Place mods on the correct side of multiplayer
| Mod classification | Dedicated server | Every PC client | Typical failure when misplaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both-sided | Required | Required | A player is rejected for a missing mod, or the server refuses to load the profile. |
| Server-side | Required | Not normally required | Adding it to clients can create an unnecessary mismatch; omitting it from the server removes its gameplay or administration feature. |
| Client-side | Not normally required | Required for each player using the feature | Installing it on the server can cause an unsupported-server error, while a client without it simply lacks the local feature. |
When a mod page and the compatibility grid disagree, use the most specific current instructions on the mod page and avoid forcing the mod into a dedicated profile until the author clarifies the conflict.
Synchronize profiles and versions
Players often describe a profile mismatch as a missing-mod error even when the mod exists on both machines. The server and clients must agree on the intended set, and both-sided mods must be present at compatible versions.
Make one profile the source of truth
- Decide which administrator-maintained SMM profile is authoritative.
- Remove test, disabled or obsolete entries from that profile instead of leaving several versions in the installation.
- Export the SMM profile or use its copy-mods-list feature.
- Distribute that profile or list to every player and have them import or install it through SMM.
- Compare the resulting enabled list before starting the server. Pay attention to dependencies that SMM adds automatically.
Do not ask players to build a profile from memory. A single missing dependency can produce the same connection failure as a missing primary mod.
After a Satisfactory game update
Update the mods and SML before trying other repairs. Official Satisfactory support recommends updating or disabling mods first whenever mods are installed and an issue appears. Check each mod’s latest release and dedicated-server status, update the server profile, then update the clients from the same source profile. If a mod has not yet published support for the new game version, disable that mod rather than mixing an old build into a new server profile.
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Cleanly disable mods and rebuild a damaged profile
Use SMM to turn off all mods when testing whether the base dedicated server works. If SMM reports success but the server still loads stale mods, or if SMM cannot disable them, perform a manual cleanup.
- Stop the dedicated server and exit Satisfactory and SMM on the affected machine.
- Locate the game installation used by the affected client or server, not a second installation shown in a launcher.
- Delete that installation’s
Modsfolder. This removes installed mod files; uninstalling SMM alone does not remove them. - Start the unmodded game or server once to confirm that the base installation launches.
- Reinstall or reconnect SMM to the correct installation.
- Install one known-compatible mod first, start the server, and test a client connection.
- Re-enable the remaining mods one at a time, restarting and testing after each group so the first failing entry is identifiable.
Deleting the folder is a cleanup measure, not a substitute for checking compatibility. Rebuilding the same unsupported profile will recreate the error.
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Fix common symptoms by branch
You can join vanilla, but not the modded server
- Confirm that the server is actually launching SML and the intended installation path.
- Check the server log or SMM status for a profile that contains the expected mods.
- Verify dedicated-server support for every server entry.
- Export the server profile and install it on the client; do not add a visually similar mod with a different identifier.
- Update or disable mods after a game-version change, then retry with a minimal profile.
The server says a player is missing a mod
- Identify whether the named mod is both-sided. Unless its documentation says server-side or client-side, assume both-sided.
- Have the player install the exact profile through SMM, including dependencies.
- Remove an old duplicate from the client’s
Modsfolder and reinstall the current version. - Check that the player is on the same game branch as the server.
SMM installs files but nothing changes
- Compare the path displayed in SMM with the path used by the server service or launcher.
- For a remote machine, test filesystem or SFTP access and confirm write permission.
- For ficsit-cli, inspect the installation entry under Installations and correct it if it points to a parent, backup or old directory.
- Stop the server during deployment and restart it after the profile is complete.
The host does not expose the server files
Ask the provider for SFTP or file-manager access to the dedicated-server directory and confirm which Satisfactory branch and server build it runs. Some hosts restrict file transfer or do not support modded dedicated servers on every plan or branch. Without an approved way to write the server files, SMM and ficsit-cli cannot install the profile remotely.
SMM and ficsit-cli: which management method fits
| Consideration | Satisfactory Mod Manager | ficsit-cli |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Graphical application with profile and dependency controls | Terminal-based workflow |
| Where it runs | On the administrator’s computer, or against a remote installation | On the server or another machine that can reach its filesystem |
| Local file access | Selects a local client or dedicated-server installation | Uses an installation entry pointing to the real directory |
| Remote file access | Requires network filesystem or SFTP access | Requires a local mount, SSH/SFTP workflow or other filesystem access |
| Best fit | Players and administrators who need visual profile synchronization and automatic dependency handling | Administrators comfortable with shell access, scripts or headless Linux servers |
The tools are alternatives for managing the same files, not separate mod ecosystems. Pick one as the normal administrator workflow and avoid editing the same profile concurrently from both tools.
Host-side checks before opening a support ticket
Prepare these details so a host or mod author can reproduce the problem:
- Operating system and whether the machine is a dedicated server or a local client host.
- Satisfactory game branch and the server build currently selected.
- SMM version, or the ficsit-cli installation entry and path.
- The complete enabled mod list, including versions and dependencies.
- Which mods are marked compatible with your server type on their ficsit.app pages.
- The exact connection message and whether an unmodded profile works.
- Whether the administrator can read and write the server directory through filesystem access or SFTP.
Do not upload credentials or private server configuration files when requesting help. Share only the paths, versions and logs needed to identify a mismatch.
A reliable recovery order
For most cases, this order minimizes downtime:
- Verify PC client plus supported Windows or Linux dedicated server.
- Confirm the server’s actual installation path.
- Connect SMM through Other → Manage Servers, or create the correct ficsit-cli installation entry.
- Check dedicated-server support for every mod and classify its placement.
- Build one authoritative profile and copy it to all clients.
- Update mods and SML after any game update; disable unsupported entries.
- Test with a minimal profile.
- Delete the affected installation’s
Modsfolder only if normal disabling fails, then rebuild gradually. - Escalate to the host when filesystem access, server branch selection or mod policy prevents deployment.
Following this sequence separates platform limitations, access errors, compatibility decisions and corrupted files instead of treating every missing-mod message as the same fault.
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