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The most reliable way to host Vintage Story for people outside your home is to run its dedicated server on a Windows or Linux computer, forward the server port through your router and firewall, then configure the world and player permissions. You can instead share a world only on your local network, or pay a game-server host to keep a server online without maintaining your own machine.
This guide covers the three hosting choices, current version-dependent runtime requirements, hardware planning, Windows and Linux setup, port forwarding, server configuration, backups, updates, mods and troubleshooting.
Choose the hosting method that fits your group
Vintage Story’s official hosting guidance divides multiplayer hosting into local hosting, internet self-hosting and paid hosting. The practical difference is who keeps the server process, computer and network available.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local network | People playing in the same home or office network | Free | The host computer must remain running while others play | Lowest networking effort; limited to the same network unless you add another connectivity method |
| Self-hosted over the internet | Players in different locations who want control over files and settings | No hosting fee, but you provide the computer and internet connection | Your computer, router and connection must remain available | Most control; requires firewall rules, router forwarding or a virtual-network arrangement |
| Paid hosting | Groups that want a server available without leaving a personal PC on | Recurring service fee | The hosting provider’s infrastructure | Setup is usually simpler, but file access, backups, locations and mod support depend on the provider |
Local network play
For friends connected to the same router, use Open To Lan. This is the simplest free option, but the host must keep the game and computer running. If the world should remain available after the player disconnects, launch a dedicated server instead of relying on the in-game session.
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Internet self-hosting
The official hosting page describes Open To Internet/UPnP as an attempt to create the required route through your router automatically. If automatic setup fails, forward the port manually. A VPN-style virtual network is another option when router access is unavailable. All of these approaches still depend on your host computer and internet connection staying online.
Paid hosting
Paid hosting trades recurring cost for simpler availability and less home-network administration. The official guidance links to third-party hosts that support mod installation, but support, backups, server locations, player limits and terms vary. Check those details for the specific provider and plan before purchasing; no single provider is universally suitable.
If you want a managed option, Godlike.Host offers Vintage Story server hosting with its own Pterodactyl-based game panel, SFTP/FTP access, up to three free backups a day with restore, and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket; see the current plans for details.
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Check the game version before installing anything
Vintage Story’s dedicated server files and Linux runtime requirements change with the game release. Match the server version to the clients that will connect, and read the instructions for that exact release before installing a runtime.
| Vintage Story release | Runtime named by the Linux guide |
|---|---|
| 1.22.0 and later | .NET 10 |
| 1.21.0 | .NET 8 |
| Earlier releases | .NET 7 |
These requirements are version-sensitive rather than permanent compatibility rules. If you are installing a newer release than those listed above, verify the current server instructions first. A server and client on incompatible versions may fail to connect even when the network is configured correctly.
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Plan hardware without treating estimates as guarantees
Vintage Story publishes rough, conservative guidance for a normal survival world in which players may spread out. The published estimate is 1 GB of base RAM plus 300 MB per player, with four CPU threads recommended, and a CPU frequency estimate of 1 GHz base plus 150 MHz per player. These figures are planning guidance, not a tested minimum or a guaranteed player capacity.
The multiplayer wiki gives a different CPU-frequency scaling figure of 1 GHz base plus 100 MHz per player. Because the two official figures differ, do not present either per-player frequency formula as a settled benchmark. Actual capacity depends on player count, how far players travel from one another, world activity, mods, simulation load and configuration.
Use the figures as a starting worksheet
- Start with at least the 1 GB base memory allowance, then add 300 MB for each expected concurrent player.
- Prefer a processor with four available threads or more so the server has headroom for simulation and other system tasks.
- Leave memory and CPU capacity for the operating system, backups, monitoring and any mod workload.
- Increase resources when players spread out, generate new terrain rapidly or run a heavily modded world; the published figures do not quantify those effects.
A spare desktop, small Linux computer or mini PC can be suitable in principle, but the documentation does not endorse a particular model. Before buying hardware, check its CPU thread count, memory, operating system and intended player and mod workload. An existing adequate PC or a paid host may make a purchase unnecessary.
Windows dedicated-server setup
The Windows guide documents a dedicated server executable included with the game installation. Its walkthrough was verified on Windows 11 Home, version 23H2, 64-bit; that is the guide’s verification context, not a statement that only that edition is supported.
1. Locate the server program
- Install the same Vintage Story release that your players will use.
- Open the game’s installation directory and locate
VintagestoryServer.exe. - Decide where server data, worlds, logs and configuration should live. A separate data path keeps those files independent from the program installation and makes updates safer.
You can launch the executable directly or create a shortcut that specifies the separate data path described by the Windows guide. Keep a note of that path; it is the location you must back up and preserve during updates.
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- Run
VintagestoryServer.exe(or the shortcut with your chosen data path). - Allow the program through Windows Firewall when prompted, or create an inbound rule for the server port before testing remote access.
- Look for the console message
Dedicated Server now running on Port 42420 and all ips!. That message indicates that the process is listening on the documented default port.
If the console closes immediately, run the executable from a command window so you can read the error. Common causes are a missing or mismatched installation, an occupied port or a data-folder permission problem.
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Linux dedicated-server setup
The Linux instructions use a dedicated-server archive, a server.sh script and a background service arrangement. Follow the commands and package requirements for your specific Vintage Story release, because the required .NET runtime changes by version.
1. Prepare a dedicated account and files
- Create a separate service account for the server rather than running it as root or as your everyday login.
- Extract the dedicated server archive into a directory owned by that account.
- Install the .NET runtime required by the release: .NET 10 for 1.22.0 and later, .NET 8 for 1.21.0 or .NET 7 for earlier releases, subject to the current release instructions.
- Keep the server’s data directory separate from system files and include it in your backup plan.
The Linux guide recommends disabling interactive login for the service account after setup. That limits the account to running the service rather than being used as a normal shell login.
2. Start the background process
- Change to the server directory.
- Use
server.sh startto start the documented background process. - Use the guide’s status, stop and log commands to confirm that the process remains running and to inspect errors.
3. Allow the server through the host firewall
The Linux examples allow both TCP and UDP traffic on port 42420. Apply equivalent rules in the firewall you actually use, then verify that the rules persist after a reboot. A host firewall rule alone is not enough when the server is behind a home router; you must also configure the router.
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The documented default server port is 42420. For internet access, forward that port from your router to the computer running the server and allow it through the computer’s firewall.
TCP and UDP requirements
The networking guide describes TCP forwarding and says to repeat the forwarding for UDP beginning with Vintage Story 1.20. Its Linux firewall examples allow both protocols. Create rules for the port your server actually uses; if you change the server port, substitute the new value everywhere.
- Give the host computer a stable address on your local network, preferably with a router DHCP reservation.
- In the router’s port-forwarding page, create an inbound rule for TCP port 42420 to the host’s local address.
- For Vintage Story 1.20 and later, create the corresponding UDP rule.
- Allow the same protocol and port in Windows Firewall,
ufw,firewalldor the firewall supplied by your operating system. - Restart or reload the firewall rules, then test from a device outside your home network. Testing only from inside the same network can produce a false positive because some routers do not support hairpin connections.
Automatic forwarding with UPnP
You can ask the server to attempt automatic router forwarding with the console command /serverconfig upnp 1. UPnP depends on router support and settings, and it may fail silently or be disabled for security reasons. If it does not create a usable route, use manual forwarding or a VPN-style virtual network instead.
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When forwarding cannot work
Some internet connections use carrier-grade NAT, which prevents inbound forwarding even when your local router is configured correctly. In that situation, ask the internet provider whether a public address is available, use a virtual-network arrangement, or choose paid hosting. Do not expose unrelated administrative ports just to make the game reachable.
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Set the server’s identity and protections
Server settings can be changed with configuration commands or in serverconfig.json. Set these before inviting people so the listing and connection behavior are clear.
- Name and description: Give players enough information to identify the correct server.
- MOTD: Add rules, contact information or a short welcome message that appears when players join.
- Password: Set one when the server is private or invite-only. Share it through a private channel rather than posting it publicly.
- Public listing: Choose whether the server appears in the public server list. A private server can remain unlisted while still accepting invited players.
- UPnP: Enable it with
/serverconfig upnp 1only if you want the server to attempt automatic forwarding. - Operator access: Grant operator status through the server console or the documented startup commands only to trusted administrators. Operator privileges can change worlds, permissions and server behavior.
For a modded Linux server, the Linux instructions require adding the Mods directory path to the server configuration. Install exactly the same mod set and compatible versions for every player, and keep a copy of the mod files with the world backup.
Create the world before putting it online
The multiplayer configuration guidance recommends creating and tuning the world in single-player first, using the advanced world settings. This lets you inspect terrain and rules without troubleshooting networking at the same time.
- Open single-player and create a test or final world.
- Use the advanced world-generation and gameplay settings you want the server to use.
- Enter the world briefly to confirm that generation, starting conditions and any required mods behave as expected.
- Stop the game cleanly and identify the resulting world directory.
- Upload or copy that world into the dedicated server’s data location, preserving the directory structure required by the server.
- Start the server and verify the world name, spawn area and player permissions before sharing the address.
Do not overwrite a live world casually. Stop the server first, make a dated backup and then replace or restore files. A world that has been opened by a newer game version may not be safely usable by an older server.
Backups, updates and safe maintenance
Protect the data directory
The multiplayer wiki warns that replacing installation files during an update can delete saves, settings and player data when those files live inside the installation directory. Preserve the data folder, especially when using the default in-installation layout.
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- Stop the server before copying or restoring files.
- Back up the world, server configuration, player data, logs and mod directory.
- Keep at least one backup away from the server computer so disk failure or ransomware does not remove every copy.
- Label backups with the game version and date.
- Test that a backup can be opened on a separate copy before trusting it as your only recovery point.
Update in a controlled order
- Announce a maintenance window and stop new players from joining.
- Stop the server cleanly and create a full backup.
- Read the instructions for the target Vintage Story version, including its .NET runtime requirement on Linux.
- Replace program files while preserving the data directory.
- Update mods only when their authors document compatibility with the target game version.
- Start the server, inspect logs and join with a test account before reopening it to everyone.
If an update fails, restore the previous program files and matching backup rather than repeatedly opening the same world with incompatible versions.
How the options compare in day-to-day use
| Decision factor | Local hosting | Internet self-hosting | Paid hosting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recurring cost | None beyond your existing equipment and connection | None for hosting itself; you supply electricity, hardware and internet access | Monthly or otherwise recurring service charge; exact prices vary and are not established here |
| Availability | Only while the host session and PC are running | Only while your computer, router and connection are running | Designed to remain available without your personal PC running |
| Networking work | Usually none beyond joining the same network | Port forwarding or UPnP, host-firewall rules and remote testing | Usually handled by the provider, although you still configure the game |
| Mods | Use mods installed consistently by the local players | Full control of the Mods directory and server files | Depends on the provider’s panel, file access and stated mod support |
| Control | High control while the host is present | Highest control over files, configuration and backups | Convenient management, but provider policies limit some system-level control |
Troubleshoot the failures you are most likely to see
The server starts, but nobody outside the house can join
- Confirm the server console reports the expected port and that the server is listening on the host’s local address.
- Check both TCP and UDP forwarding where required, and make sure the router forwards to the current local address rather than an old DHCP address.
- Check the operating-system firewall separately from the router.
- Test from a genuinely external network, such as a mobile connection.
- If local forwarding is correct but the public address is not reachable, investigate carrier-grade NAT or ask the provider for a public address.
UPnP does not open the port
Verify that the router supports UPnP and that it is enabled for the local network. If the command /serverconfig upnp 1 produces no usable route, disable the assumption that it will work and configure manual forwarding or a virtual network.
Players receive a version or runtime error
Check that every client and the dedicated server use the same Vintage Story release. On Linux, install the runtime associated with that release rather than copying a requirement from an older guide: .NET 10 is listed for 1.22.0 and later, .NET 8 for 1.21.0 and .NET 7 for earlier versions.
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The server is slow when players spread out
World activity and exploration can increase simulation and memory pressure. Compare the workload with the conservative RAM and CPU estimates, stop unnecessary services, reduce excessive mod load and move the server to a machine with more available threads or memory. The published figures do not guarantee a particular player count.
A save or player list disappeared after an update
Stop using the updated installation until you confirm where the data directory is. Restore the pre-update backup, then repeat the update while preserving the data folder. This is why a separate data path and version-labeled backups are safer than keeping saves inside replaceable program files.
A practical launch checklist
- All players know the exact Vintage Story version.
- The Windows executable or Linux archive matches that version.
- Linux has the runtime required by that release.
- The host meets the rough memory and CPU planning estimate with headroom.
- The server starts and reports its listening port.
- TCP forwarding is configured for the chosen port; UDP is also configured for version 1.20 onward.
- The host firewall allows the same traffic.
- The server name, MOTD, password, public-listing choice and operator permissions are set.
- The world was created or tested in single-player and copied safely to the server.
- A restorable backup exists before the first public session and before every update.
- Mods, if any, are installed in the configured Mods directory and match the clients.
Bottom line
For a small group that plays together occasionally, local hosting is the quickest free route. For remote friends and maximum control, self-host the dedicated server on Windows or Linux, preserve a separate data directory, open the documented port 42420 (TCP and, from version 1.20 onward, UDP), and configure the firewall and router deliberately. Choose paid hosting when continuous availability and simpler networking are worth a recurring fee. Whichever path you choose, match the game and runtime versions, create the world carefully, restrict operator access and back up the data before updates.
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