How to Host an SCP: Secret Laboratory Server in 2026

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You can host an SCP: Secret Laboratory dedicated server yourself on a supported x86-64 Windows or Linux machine, or rent a managed game-server instance. The official baseline is modest—3 GB of RAM, a two-core CPU and 4 GB of storage for a full 25-player, unmodified server—but it is a minimum, not a performance guarantee. In 2026, the documented Linux choices are Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Debian 13; the Windows guide lists Windows 8.1 or 10 and says Windows 11 is not officially supported but should work.

The practical sequence is: install the dedicated-server files (preferably with Steam’s “Secret Laboratory Dedicated Server” tool on Windows, or SteamCMD on either platform), launch LocalAdmin once, edit the config_gameplay.txt file belonging to the active LocalAdmin port, configure reachability through router UPnP or current manual-forwarding instructions, and keep the process running. Use the official documentation linked throughout this guide because operating-system support, config defaults and verification rules can change.

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Decide where the server will run

There are three realistic paths: self-host on a computer you already control, self-host on a small dedicated machine, or rent a game-server instance. You do not automatically need to buy hardware. A spare desktop, mini PC or virtual machine that meets the official baseline may be enough, provided it has a supported x86-64 processor, a stable connection and permission to accept incoming traffic.

The official hosting documentation also includes a renting-a-game-server route. Renting can be sensible when your internet connection cannot accept inbound traffic, your computer must be shut down regularly, or you do not want to maintain an operating system. Self-hosting is preferable when you need direct access to every file and process and are willing to handle networking and updates.

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Check the 2026 requirements before installing

Official minimum baseline

The SCP: Secret Laboratory Tech Support Public Wiki lists 3 GB RAM, a two-core CPU and 4 GB of storage for a full 25-player server with no plugins or modifications. Those figures describe the documented minimum case. They are not a benchmark, an ideal specification or a promise that every map, player load or modification will run smoothly. Leave operating-system headroom and storage space for logs, updates and backups.

The guide explicitly warns: “Please note that ARM CPUs are not supported, and cannot be used to host SCP:SL servers.” That excludes ARM-based single-board computers and ARM virtual machines even if they appear to have enough memory or storage.

Supported operating-system choices

Operating-system requirements age quickly. Confirm the versions and prerequisites in the official dedicated-server guide immediately before installation.

Install on Windows with the recommended Steam tool

For a Windows host, Northwood recommends the Steam Dedicated Server tool because it avoids manually assembling a SteamCMD installation.

1. Install or open Steam on the x86-64 Windows computer.
2. Open the Steam Library and enable the Tools category if it is not already visible.
3. Search for Secret Laboratory Dedicated Server and install it.
4. Launch the installed dedicated-server tool once. The first launch opens LocalAdmin and prompts for initial settings.
5. Record the LocalAdmin port shown during setup. That port determines which configuration directory you must edit later.
6. Stop the process cleanly after the initial prompt, edit the active gameplay configuration, then launch it again for testing.

Do not confuse the dedicated-server tool with the normal game client. The server files and their configuration live in the dedicated-server installation and the per-port application-data directory described below.

Install with SteamCMD on Windows or Linux

SteamCMD is the documented alternative when you want a scriptable or headless installation. The public server uses Steam application ID 996560. The official guide permits anonymous login and uses validation during installation or updating.

SteamCMD command sequence

login anonymous
app_update 996560 validate
quit

Run those commands from SteamCMD after installing SteamCMD for your operating system. The command downloads or validates the public release; it is not a game build number and should not be presented as one. The vanilla server includes the Northwood Plugin API framework, but that does not mean a particular third-party plugin is installed or supported.

Windows SteamCMD workflow

1. Install SteamCMD in a directory where the account running the server can read and write files.
2. Start SteamCMD and log in anonymously.
3. Run app_update 996560 validate and wait for completion.
4. Exit SteamCMD, change to the directory containing the downloaded server files, and launch LocalAdmin.
5. Complete the initial settings prompt, note the LocalAdmin port and stop the process before editing configuration.

Linux workflow

The Linux guide covers Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Debian 13. It calls for SteamCMD and tmux, and recommends a separate account named scpsl-server rather than running the game server as your everyday login or as root.

1. Install the distribution’s SteamCMD package and tmux package using the operating system’s normal package-management tools.
2. Create the separate scpsl-server user and give that account ownership of its server directory.
3. Start SteamCMD as that account, log in anonymously, and run app_update 996560 validate.
4. Change into the directory that contains the downloaded server files.
5. Start a tmux session, then run ./LocalAdmin inside it. Complete the initial prompt and note the LocalAdmin port.
6. Detach from tmux instead of closing the process. The server can then continue running after you disconnect the SSH session; reconnect later to inspect the session or stop the server cleanly.

Keep the server account limited to its own files. A separate account reduces the consequences of a configuration error or a compromised process, although it does not replace normal operating-system updates and firewall rules.

Edit the active gameplay configuration

The most common configuration mistake is editing the wrong file. SCP:SL stores gameplay settings in a directory named for the LocalAdmin port. Edit config_gameplay.txt inside the directory for the port used by the running server—not a template, an old port or another installation.

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Replace <port> with the actual LocalAdmin port number. If the file does not reflect a change after a restart, stop the server, verify the port directory, check that the file was saved with the expected name and start the server again.

Settings worth reviewing first

• server_name: the name players see in the server browser or connection details.
• max_players: the player limit you want to expose. The official minimum-resource scenario assumes 25 players; raising the limit changes the workload.
• server_tickrate: the server simulation update rate. Change it deliberately and monitor stability rather than assuming the minimum hardware can sustain any value.
• online_mode: the online-authentication mode. Keep the setting consistent with the access model you intend to operate.
• enable_whitelist: whether access is restricted to an allow-list. Verify the corresponding player-management procedure in the current documentation before opening the server publicly.
• forward_ports: whether the server requests automatic router port forwarding through UPnP.

The field names and defaults can change, so use the current official gameplay-config guide when deciding values. Make a backup of the file before a large change so you can restore a known-good configuration.

Make the server reachable from the internet

Automatic forwarding with UPnP

Setting forward_ports enables automatic port forwarding only when your router supports and has enabled UPnP. The server cannot create an internet route through a router that has UPnP disabled or unavailable. Check the router’s UPnP setting, apply the change, restart the server and inspect the router’s active mappings.

The configuration documentation does not substantiate a universal manual port list. If UPnP is unavailable, use the current official support instructions and your router’s documentation for the exact game ports, protocol, local address reservation and firewall rules. Do not copy a generic port list from an unrelated game or assume that one protocol is sufficient.

Host firewall and address stability

• Allow the dedicated-server executable through the host firewall only on the network profiles you actually use.
• Reserve the host’s local address in the router, or configure a stable local address, so a forwarding rule does not point at a different device after reboot.
• Test from a separate internet connection, such as a phone hotspot. A test from the same LAN may succeed through local routing even when internet forwarding is broken.
• If the server works locally but not externally, check the host firewall, router mapping, carrier-grade NAT and whether your internet provider blocks inbound connections.

Use a memorable hostname with an SRV record

Version 13.2 added SRV-record support according to the official guide. An SRV record can point a memorable hostname to a particular server port, using the _scpsl service over UDP. This is useful when the port is not the default one, because a basic A or AAAA record supplies an address but does not, by itself, specify an alternate port in the guide’s example.

Set up the DNS record at the DNS provider that hosts your domain, following that provider’s SRV interface. The record must use the service label _scpsl, the UDP protocol and the target hostname and port required by your server. DNS changes can take time to propagate, so test the resulting name from outside your local network.

Important verification limitation

The SRV documentation states that verification and server-list placement with a domain are not possible in the described procedure. Use the server’s IPv4 address for verification and set server_ip to that IPv4 address for automatic verification. The SRV name can still provide a convenient connection name for players, but it does not replace the IPv4 value required by that verification workflow. See the official SRV guide before publishing DNS instructions.

Launch, test and operate the server

First private test

1. Start LocalAdmin from the directory containing the server files.
2. Confirm that the intended server_name, player limit and online-mode settings loaded from the active port directory.
3. Connect from the host or another device on the same network to verify that the process is running.
4. Test from an external connection after forwarding is configured.
5. Watch the console for startup errors, failed bindings or repeated restarts before inviting players.

Keeping Linux online after SSH disconnects

A normal foreground process usually ends when its SSH session closes. The documented Linux workflow recommends tmux: start the server inside a tmux session, detach while leaving it running, and reattach when you need to view the console or perform a controlled shutdown. This is a process-lifetime solution, not a replacement for a service manager, monitoring or backups.

Updates and backups

Stop the server before changing major settings, copy config_gameplay.txt and any access-control files, then run SteamCMD’s app_update 996560 validate during a maintenance window. Recheck the active port directory after an update because a changed port or newly generated configuration can make an old edit appear to have been ignored. Keep a dated backup outside the live server directory.

Understand public-server and modification rules

Before advertising a public server, read the current Northwood Studios Community Server Guidelines in full. The published guideline result says community servers may monetize to support server expenses, but may not monetize by using or restricting players’ access to anything sold or otherwise offered by Northwood Studios. Treat that as a policy boundary, not as blanket permission for any payment model.

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The same guidance says server modifications must be accurately reported with the modded flag. If you add plugins, gameplay changes or other modifications, describe them honestly and set the server’s status as required. The documented 3 GB/2-core/4 GB baseline assumes no plugins or modifications, so modified servers should be given extra testing and resource headroom rather than being judged against that minimum alone.

Troubleshoot the problems that appear most often

The server starts, but my settings do nothing

Stop the process and inspect the path first. Confirm that you edited config_gameplay.txt under the directory named for the LocalAdmin port that the server actually uses. A file under another port, a template or a second installation will not affect the running instance.

Players on the internet cannot connect

Verify that forward_ports is enabled only if the router supports UPnP, that UPnP is enabled, and that the host firewall allows the executable. Test from a different internet connection. If your network uses carrier-grade NAT or blocks inbound traffic, automatic forwarding may never work; consult your internet provider or move the server to a reachable host.

The process disappears when I close SSH

Run ./LocalAdmin inside a persistent tmux session and detach rather than closing the session. Reattach to inspect the console. If you need automatic restarts or boot-time launch, add a properly secured service arrangement after the basic installation works.

The machine has enough memory but will not run the server

Check the processor architecture. ARM CPUs are explicitly unsupported. Move the installation to an x86-64 machine or virtual machine; adding RAM to an ARM host will not solve the compatibility problem.

Windows 11 behaves differently from the guide

Windows 11 is described as not officially supported, although the guide says it should work. Reproduce the issue on a listed Windows version or on the documented Linux versions, and recheck the official guide for a support change before treating a Windows 11 workaround as permanent.

The domain works for players but verification fails

Use the server’s IPv4 address for the verification procedure and set server_ip to that IPv4 address. SRV records can provide a name-and-port connection path, but the documented verification and server-list workflow does not accept the domain in place of IPv4.

Self-hosting versus renting: a practical decision

Choose self-hosting when you have a supported x86-64 machine, can configure inbound networking and want complete access to files, logs and processes. Windows is the shorter path for users already comfortable with Steam’s graphical tools. Linux is attractive when you prefer SSH, a separate service account and tmux, or when the host is headless.

Choose a rented server when uptime, inbound connectivity or operating-system maintenance is the main obstacle. Before paying, confirm that the plan exposes the SCP:SL configuration files you need, permits the modifications you intend to report, provides backups or downloads, and supports the player capacity you want. Pricing, availability and provider quality vary, so compare the current plans and terms. One option is Godlike.Host’s SCP: Secret Laboratory server hosting, which comes with a Pterodactyl-based game panel with SFTP access, free DDoS protection, up to three free backups a day with restore, and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket.

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Pre-publication checklist

• Host is x86-64, not ARM.
• Operating system matches a currently documented choice, or Windows 11 use is accepted as unofficial.
• At least 3 GB RAM, two CPU cores and 4 GB storage are available for the unmodified 25-player baseline, with additional headroom reserved.
• Server files were installed with the dedicated-server tool or SteamCMD app ID 996560.
• LocalAdmin has been launched and its port recorded.
• The correct per-port config_gameplay.txt was edited and backed up.
• Router UPnP and host firewall behavior were tested, or current manual-forwarding instructions were followed.
• External connectivity was tested from outside the hosting LAN.
• Linux installations run under the separate scpsl-server account and stay alive in tmux.
• Any plugins or gameplay changes are accurately marked with the modded flag.
• Public monetization and access rules have been checked against the current Community Server Guidelines.
• IPv4 verification requirements are satisfied even if an SRV hostname is offered to players.

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