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Godlike.Host offers hosted Unturned servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
To make a private Unturned server, install the Unturned Dedicated Server through Steam or SteamCMD, create an instance with its own server ID, and put a password in that instance’s Commands.dat. For friends on the same network, let them connect through Steam or the generated Server Code. For friends outside your network, use Fake IP or forward two consecutive ports and provide a Game Server Login Token.
The steps below cover Windows and Linux, explain when port forwarding is actually necessary, and show how to keep the server private while it is running.
What you need before creating the server
A private server is a dedicated-server process that runs separately from the normal Unturned game client. The computer running it stores the world and configuration, so it must remain powered on whenever friends need to play. You can run it on a Windows desktop for occasional sessions or on a Linux machine for an always-on service.
- Unturned Dedicated Server: install it from the Steam Library or with SteamCMD.
- A unique server ID: for example,
MyServer. This ID creates a separate saved-data and configuration directory. - A configured
Commands.dat: include a name, map, player limit, and password. - Network access: LAN or Steam Server Code for local friends; Fake IP or port forwarding for Internet players.
- Game Server Login Token: required by the official guide when the server is hosted over the Internet.
You do not need port forwarding for a friends-only LAN setup. Forwarding is one Internet-access option, not a requirement for every private server.
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Choose the right hosting approach
| Decision | Windows desktop | Linux machine or VPS |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | First setup and sessions when you are already at the PC | Always-on hosting and remote administration |
| Installation | Steam Library or SteamCMD | SteamCMD and the Linux server helper |
| Startup | Launch the server command when needed | ServerHelper.sh; optionally a systemd service |
| Uptime | Available only while the host computer is running | Can run continuously on an always-on computer or VPS |
| Maintenance | Usually manual updates and restarts | Can be automated with service management, but still needs updates and checks |
Both operating systems use the same basic model: one dedicated-server installation can contain multiple separately named instances, each with its own savedata and configuration.
Install Unturned Dedicated Server on Windows
Steam Library method
- Open Steam and switch to the Library view.
- Find and install Unturned Dedicated Server. It is distributed as a separate dedicated-server application rather than as a world created inside the ordinary game client.
- Note the installation directory. You will use it when launching the server and editing the instance files.
This is the simplest route for a first private server because Steam handles the application installation and updates through the normal library interface.
SteamCMD method
SteamCMD is the advanced route and is useful when you want a scripted installation or a Linux host. Start SteamCMD and run the following sequence:
login anonymous
app_update 1110390
quitThe application ID is 1110390. SteamCMD places the dedicated-server files in the U3DS directory. If you use a custom installation location, keep track of that path because every launch command and instance directory is relative to it.
Run the update command again whenever you deliberately update the server. Updating the dedicated-server files does not replace the per-instance settings in Commands.dat, but you should still verify that the server starts cleanly after an update.
Create a server instance
Start the server with a unique ID, such as MyServer. The first launch creates that instance’s savedata and configuration directory. A unique ID matters when you run more than one world: each ID keeps its map, password, player limit, and other settings separate.
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Windows launch pattern
The Windows community documentation uses this headless launch pattern:
-nographics -batchmode +secureserverServerReplace Server with your chosen instance ID. For example, an instance named MyServer uses:
-nographics -batchmode +secureserverMyServer-nographics prevents the server from trying to open a graphics window, while -batchmode runs it as a background-style process. Launch from the dedicated-server installation directory so the executable can find the instance path.
First-launch behavior
The first successful start creates the folders and files for the new instance. Stop the process after those files appear, then edit Commands.dat before inviting anyone. Starting once before configuring is useful because it guarantees that you are editing the directory belonging to the exact server ID you will launch later.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchConfigure privacy and gameplay in Commands.dat
Open the instance’s Commands.dat file and put one setting on each line. At minimum, define the server name, map, maximum player count, and password. A typical private configuration looks like this:
Name My Private Unturned Server
Map PEI
MaxPlayers 8
Password choose-a-long-private-passwordThe exact map name should match a map available to the server installation. Keep the password on the same line as the Password setting and avoid adding extra punctuation that you do not intend friends to type.
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Administrative ownership
If you need in-game administrative control, add an Owner line containing the administrator’s SteamID64:
Owner 7656119XXXXXXXXXXUse the SteamID64 for the account that should have owner privileges. Treat that identifier and the password as access credentials: share them only with the people who should administer or join the server.
What each essential setting does
| Setting | Purpose | Private-server guidance |
|---|---|---|
Name |
Label friends see when identifying the server | Use a distinctive name so nobody selects the wrong instance |
Map |
Chooses the world loaded by the instance | Use the map name installed on the server |
MaxPlayers |
Sets the player limit | Set it to the size of your group rather than leaving an unnecessarily large public slot count |
Password |
Restricts entry to people who know the password | Use a password that is not reused elsewhere |
Owner |
Assigns administrative ownership by SteamID64 | Add only the account that should manage the server |
After changing Commands.dat, restart the instance. Configuration edits made while the server is already running may not apply until the next start.
Decide how friends will connect
Option 1: LAN or Steam Server Code
For friends on the same local network, LAN is the least complicated option. The server can be joined through Steam friends or through its randomly generated Server Code. This avoids direct router port forwarding and is the natural choice when everyone is in the same home, office, or other local network.
Give friends the server name and password, then have them use the Steam friend connection or Server Code shown for the running instance. The host computer still needs to remain online, and its local firewall must allow the dedicated-server process to communicate.
Option 2: Fake IP for Internet friends
The official hosting guide lists Fake IP as one Internet-access method. It is an alternative to forwarding ports on your router. When you choose this route, follow the Fake IP instructions for the current dedicated-server build and still configure the required Game Server Login Token for Internet hosting.
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Fake IP can be preferable when you cannot change the router—for example, on a shared connection or a managed network. It does not remove the need to keep the host process running or to allow the application through the host machine’s firewall.
Option 3: Port forwarding
Port forwarding makes the server reachable through your router’s public Internet connection. Unturned uses two consecutive ports. The documented defaults are 27015 and 27016.
| Server setting | Ports to forward | Destination |
|---|---|---|
No custom Port value |
27015 and 27016 |
The local IP address of the computer running Unturned Dedicated Server |
Custom Port value |
The chosen port and the next consecutive port | The same host computer, with both ports allowed |
Forward both ports to the host computer, not to a different gaming PC on the network. Then allow the same pair through the computer’s firewall and any firewall provided by the hosting provider or VPS. Forwarding only one port is incomplete because the server expects the consecutive pair.
Internet hosting also needs a Game Server Login Token
The official documentation requires a Game Server Login Token for Internet hosting. This requirement applies whether you use Fake IP or port forwarding. LAN hosting through the local network and Server Code does not use the Internet-hosting path described here.
Keep the token with the instance’s administrative information and do not publish it alongside the server password. If you change from LAN to Internet hosting, add the token and complete the selected Fake IP or forwarding setup before testing from outside the local network.
Start the server on Linux
Linux administrators can use the documented helper script from the U3DS installation. For an Internet instance named MyServer, run:
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./ServerHelper.sh +InternetServer/MyServerFor a LAN instance, run:
./ServerHelper.sh +LanServer/MyServerUse the same instance ID you configured in Commands.dat. The +InternetServer and +LanServer choices make the intended access scope explicit, so do not use the Internet form for a server that is meant to stay LAN-only.
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If the Linux machine is intended to run continuously, wrap the helper command in a systemd service. A service can start the instance automatically after boot and request a graceful shutdown when the machine is stopped. The service should launch the exact instance ID, run under an account with access to the U3DS files, and write logs somewhere you can inspect.
Automatic startup improves availability, but it also means the server can come back online after a reboot with the last configuration. Review the password, owner SteamID64, port choice, and Internet mode before exposing an always-on instance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Let friends join without accidentally making the server public
- Start the exact instance whose
Commands.datcontains the password and desired map. - Confirm the server name and player limit are the values you intended.
- For LAN play, provide the Steam friend connection or the generated Server Code.
- For Internet play, provide the connection details appropriate to your Fake IP or forwarded-port setup, and keep the password separate from any public address information.
- Have each friend enter the password exactly as written in
Commands.dat.
Do not advertise a forwarded Internet server without a password. A forwarded port makes the process reachable; the password is what keeps uninvited players from entering through the normal join flow.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
The instance starts, but the old settings remain
- Check that you edited the
Commands.datunder the same server ID used in the launch command. - Verify that each setting is on its own line.
- Stop and restart the instance after saving the file.
Friends on the same network cannot join
- Confirm the dedicated-server process is still running.
- Check that the host computer’s firewall allows the server application.
- Use the current Steam friend connection or Server Code generated by that running instance.
- Recheck the password and the server ID so friends are not trying to join a different instance.
LAN works, but Internet friends cannot connect
- Choose one Internet method: Fake IP or port forwarding. They are alternatives, not steps that must both be enabled.
- If forwarding, forward both consecutive ports. The defaults are
27015and27016; a customPortuses that port and the next one. - Allow both ports through the host and provider firewalls.
- Confirm that the required Game Server Login Token is configured for Internet hosting.
The server is reachable, but nobody can authenticate
- Check the
Passwordline for spelling, capitalization, and accidental spaces. - Make sure friends are entering the password for the currently running instance, not a previous server.
- If administrative commands fail, verify that the
Ownerline contains the correct SteamID64.
The Linux server stops after the terminal closes
Run it through a systemd service rather than relying on an interactive shell. Configure the service to start the correct ServerHelper.sh command and to stop the process gracefully. Then inspect the service logs to distinguish an application error from a permissions or path mistake.
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Plan for uptime
A Windows host is available only while that computer is powered on and the server process is running. This is often ideal for weekend sessions because it avoids maintaining an always-on machine. A Linux computer or VPS is better when friends should be able to join independently of the owner’s desktop schedule.
Update deliberately
Use Steam or SteamCMD to update the dedicated-server application, then restart the instance and verify that the configured map, password, player limit, and owner still load. For SteamCMD installations, the update operation uses application ID 1110390. Keep a backup of the instance savedata before major maintenance so a configuration mistake does not become a lost world.
Limit administrative access
- Use a private password and change it if it has been shared beyond the intended group.
- Assign
Owneronly to the SteamID64 that needs administrative control. - Do not publish your Game Server Login Token.
- Forward only the two required consecutive ports, and only to the dedicated-server host.
- Stop Internet access when you no longer need remote players; LAN mode avoids unnecessary router exposure.
Which setup should you choose?
| Your situation | Recommended setup | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone is on the same home network | LAN server with a password and Server Code | No router port forwarding; simplest friends-only access |
| Friends are remote and you cannot change the router | Internet server using Fake IP and a Game Server Login Token | Uses the documented Internet alternative to forwarding |
| Friends are remote and you control the router | Internet server with the two-port forwarding pair and a Game Server Login Token | Direct routing to the host, with firewall rules under your control |
| You host occasional sessions from your gaming PC | Windows Dedicated Server installed through Steam | Fastest setup and no separate always-on machine |
| You want a world available around the clock | Linux Dedicated Server with ServerHelper.sh and systemd |
Automatic startup and graceful shutdown on an always-on host |
The core private-server recipe is the same in every case: install the dedicated application, create a uniquely named instance, configure Commands.dat, protect it with Password, and select the narrowest network path that fits your friends. LAN and Server Code are enough for local play; Internet play adds Fake IP or two-port forwarding plus a Game Server Login Token.
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