How to Install Mods on a Euro Truck Simulator 2 or American Truck Simulator Server

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To install mods on an ETS2 or ATS dedicated server, you do not copy Steam Workshop content to the server. Activate the complete mod set in your own game client, load a map, run the export_server_packages console command, and upload the generated server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat files to the server. Restart the server, then require every player to use the same mods in the same load order.

The dedicated server reads that exported package pair at startup. It has no Steam Client or Workshop access, so a missing export, an old export, or a player-side mismatch produces missing-content or wrong-version rejections even when the mod appears correctly installed on one computer.

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How the ETS2 and ATS mod system works

Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator dedicated servers use an exported description of the content that the session requires. The export records the active mods, their order, and active downloadable content (DLC) requirements. The server consumes the package files; it does not build the list by browsing a Workshop account.

Both files are created by export_server_packages while a map is loaded. Uploading only one file, exporting before activating a mod, or leaving an older pair in place means the server is not using the set you intended.

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What you need before starting

• A working ETS2 or ATS game client with the mods you want to use enabled.
• Access to the server control panel, file manager, or FTP account.
• Permission to stop and start the dedicated server.
• The exact game edition and profile in which you will activate the mods.
• Any DLC that the session should require. DLC enabled during export is included in the package list.
• A player-side copy of every required mod, including non-Workshop content, in the same load order.

Make a backup of the server’s existing server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat before replacing them. A backup gives you a quick rollback if the new export is incomplete or a newly updated mod causes a rejection.

Step-by-step: install mods on an ETS2 or ATS server

1. Enable the developer console in the game client

Close the game before editing its configuration. Open config.cfg in the appropriate Documents folder:

Open the file with a plain-text editor such as Notepad. Find the console setting and set it to uset g_console "1". Many setup guides also enable the developer setting with uset g_developer "1"; using it can make console-related troubleshooting easier. Save the file without changing its extension, then start the game again.

If the tilde key does not open a console after saving, exit the game and check that the editor did not append .txt to the filename and that the values are still set to 1.

2. Activate the complete mod set

1. Start ETS2 or ATS with the profile you intend to use for the server export.
2. Open Mod Manager.
3. Move each required item into Active Mods.
4. Arrange the active entries in the load order required by the mod author or by your existing game setup.
5. Select Confirm Changes.
6. Start a session and load a map before exporting.

The export describes the currently active set, not every file sitting in a local mod directory. If a mod is inactive when you run the command, it will not be added to the server package list. Loading a map is important because the command is intended to run from an active game session rather than from the title screen.

3. Export the server package files

With the map loaded, press ~ to open the console and enter:

export_server_packages

The game writes server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat to the game home (Documents) folder. The export also records active DLC, so enable every DLC the server should require before running the command.

You can select another output name or destination with the optional form:

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export_server_packages destination file

Use that form only when you have a specific local workflow for collecting the files. Confirm the resulting names before uploading; the dedicated server expects the package pair with the names server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat.

4. Confirm both files were refreshed

Open the game home folder and locate both generated files. Check their modified times against the moment you ran the command. Keep the two files together; they are a pair and should come from the same export.

Do not rely on bundled files supplied with a server installation. Some hosting instructions describe default package files dated December 2022, but their compatibility with current game builds is not established. A fresh export from the client is the safer source for a current server.

5. Stop the dedicated server

Use the host control panel’s stop action and wait until the process is fully offline. Uploading while the server is running can leave the process using the old files or create a partial replacement. If the panel offers a save or graceful-stop option, use it before opening the file manager or FTP session.

6. Find the server’s ETS2 or ATS data directory

Host layouts differ, so do not assume that the client Documents path is also the server path. Common Linux-style examples include:

• .local/share/Euro Truck Simulator 2
• .local/share/American Truck Simulator
• ./userfiles/American Truck Simulator/

Your provider may place the files in a different instance, profile, or userfiles directory. Use the host’s own path instructions or the file manager’s search function, and verify that you are editing the data directory used by the instance you plan to start.

7. Upload and replace the package pair

1. Rename or download a backup copy of the existing server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat, if present.
2. Upload the newly exported server_packages.sii.
3. Upload the newly exported server_packages.dat to the same directory.
4. Choose overwrite or replace when the file manager asks.
5. Check that both files have the new upload time and are not zero bytes.

Replacing the old pair is preferable to deleting files first: it reduces the chance that the server is left without package metadata if an upload is interrupted. If your panel cannot overwrite, stop the server, retain a backup outside the active directory, remove the old pair, upload both new files, and verify completion before restarting.

8. Start and verify the server

Start the dedicated server from the control panel. Watch the startup log for normal initialization and join with a client that has the exact exported set. A successful connection confirms that the server can read the package pair and that the joining client satisfies its content requirements. Test with the same profile and load order that other players will use.

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ETS2 and ATS: what changes and what does not

The workflow is the same for both games. The main differences are the game-specific Documents folder, the map and DLC selection, and the directory name used by the server host.

Make every player match the server

A package export does not distribute mod files to players. Before joining, each player should install or otherwise obtain every required mod, activate the same entries, and reproduce the server’s load order. The server compares the joining content against its exported requirements; a mismatch blocks the connection with a missing-content or version-related prompt.

Use a shared mod checklist

• Record the exact mod names enabled at export time.
• Record the order shown in Mod Manager, including compatibility patches and map components.
• Record the DLC enabled for the session.
• Tell players which game (ETS2 or ATS), profile, and map they should use.
• After any change, distribute the new list before asking players to reconnect.

Load order is part of the match. Two players can possess the same files and still fail if one has moved a priority patch, map component, or override to a different position.

Updating, removing, or replacing a mod

Re-export and re-upload the package pair every time you add, remove, or update a mod. The package files are a snapshot of the client state at export time; they do not update themselves when a Workshop item changes later.

1. Stop the server and note the current working package files.
2. Update the mod set in the client.
3. Confirm the desired active list and order.
4. Load a map and run export_server_packages again.
5. Replace both server files with the new pair.
6. Tell players to update their local files and load order.
7. Restart and test one connection before opening the session to everyone.

A Workshop update that reaches a player’s computer but is not represented in a fresh server export can result in a “wrong version” rejection. Conversely, exporting after a player-side update and leaving another player’s older copy installed creates the same mismatch from the opposite direction.

Troubleshooting common failures

The server says a player is missing content

• Confirm that the missing item was active in Mod Manager when the export was created.
• Check that both package files were uploaded to the active server instance, not a similarly named backup or test directory.
• Have the player install the missing mod and place it in the exported order.
• Re-export after correcting the list, then replace both files together.

The server reports a wrong version

Compare the mod revision on the player’s computer with the revision used when the server package pair was generated. This often occurs after an automatic Workshop update. Re-export from a client with the intended revision and require every player to use that same revision. Do not upload only server_packages.sii or only server_packages.dat.

export_server_packages produces no usable files

• Confirm that g_console is set to 1 in the correct game’s config.cfg.
• Open a profile, load a map, and run the command from the active session.
• Check the game home folder rather than only the installation folder.
• If you used the destination form, inspect the destination and verify the filenames.
• Restart the game after correcting the configuration and run the command again.

The server starts but behaves as if no mods were installed

Check the upload location first. A valid pair in the wrong directory has no effect. Then verify the filenames, capitalization, upload timestamps, and file sizes. Stop the server, replace both files from one export, and restart it. If the problem began immediately after a mod update, restore the backed-up pair to determine whether the new export or the mod revision is responsible.

Players are rejected after a load-order change

Return the client to the recorded order, or create a new export after deliberately changing the order. Everyone must follow the resulting order; changing only one player’s Mod Manager arrangement does not change the server’s requirements.

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Operational practices that prevent outages

Keep dated exports

Store each working pair in a local folder named with the game, map, and date, such as ATS-desert-session-2026-10-14. Keep the two files together and include a text note listing active mods, order, and DLC. This makes rollback and player support far faster than trying to reconstruct an old setup.

Change one variable at a time

When diagnosing a failure, update one mod or one order change, export once, and test. Simultaneously changing several maps, patches, and truck packages makes it difficult to identify which requirement caused the rejection.

Use a controlled restart window

Announce maintenance before stopping the server. Complete the export, upload, timestamp check, and one-player test before inviting the full group. Players who join during a half-updated deployment may receive inconsistent results.

Separate test and live instances

If the host provides multiple instances, use one for trying a new mod and another for the established session. Verify the destination path before each upload so a test export cannot silently replace the live package pair.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a custom filename for the exported files?

The command supports a destination-and-file form, but the running server still needs the package files available under the names and location it expects. Rename or copy them only as part of a controlled workflow, and verify the final names before startup.

Should I delete the old package files before uploading?

Normally, no. Stop the server and replace the old pair, keeping a backup. Deleting first is only a fallback when a file manager cannot overwrite; in that case, upload and verify both new files before starting.

Do I need to upload the actual mod archives to the dedicated server?

The current export-based process requires the generated package pair rather than a Workshop download by the server. Players still need their own matching mod data. Follow the host’s current instructions if it documents an additional requirement for a particular server build.

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