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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted Vintage Story servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
Make a Vintage Story server private by combining three controls: an account whitelist, an optional password, and disabled public advertising. For a dedicated server running Vintage Story 1.20 or later, whitelist protection is enabled by default; add every permitted username, including the host. Then turn off advertisement, share the address and port only with your group, and configure TCP and UDP port 42420 plus matching firewall rules if friends connect over the internet.
Choose the right hosting mode first
Your privacy setup depends on whether you are opening a temporary single-player world, running a dedicated server, or paying someone else to operate the infrastructure. The modes do not expose the same settings, so choosing one before changing configuration prevents you from applying dedicated-server instructions to a LAN session.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open to LAN | Players on the same local network | LAN worlds do not receive the dedicated-server whitelist default; available controls depend on the game mode and version. | Usually little or none; no internet exposure when kept LAN-only. | Same-household or same-network play. |
| Dedicated self-hosted server | LAN players and, after router configuration, players over the internet | Whitelist, password, and advertisement settings can be combined. | Host firewall rules and, for remote players, router forwarding may be required. | Owners who want complete control over access and files. |
| Managed hosting | Normally reachable over the internet and intended to stay online | Provider panel controls plus Vintage Story whitelist, password, and advertisement settings. | The provider handles most router and machine administration. | Groups that need 24/7 uptime without configuring a home network. |
Use Open to LAN for a short local session
Opening a single-player world to LAN is the narrowest exposure. It is reachable only from devices on the same home, school, or office network. This is suitable when everyone is physically nearby and you do not need the world to remain online after the host leaves. It is not a way to invite friends who are elsewhere on the internet.
Use a dedicated server for a persistent private world
A dedicated server is the practical choice for a long-running or 24/7 world. It can accept local connections immediately and internet connections after the router and host firewall are configured. Dedicated servers running version 1.20 and later use whitelist protection by default, according to the Vintage Story Wiki’s Dedicated Server guide.
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Consider managed hosting when networking is the blocker
Monthly hosting is an alternative when your computer cannot stay on, your internet connection does not permit inbound connections, or router administration is not practical. You still need to configure the game’s whitelist, password, and advertisement options in the provider’s panel or server files. Provider prices and features change, so verify those details directly before choosing a service.
Keep the whitelist enabled
The whitelist is the primary account-level gate. It checks the player’s in-game username instead of relying only on a shared secret. Do not disable it for a private server: the official guide describes turning whitelist protection off as risky and significantly less secure than keeping it enabled alongside a password.
Add each permitted username
- Start the dedicated server and open its server console.
- For every person who should be allowed to join, run
/player username whitelist on, replacingusernamewith the exact in-game account name. The command form shown in the guide is/player [username] whitelist on; the brackets indicate a value to replace, not characters to type. - Run the same command for the host’s own account. A server operator can otherwise lock out their own player while testing.
- Have each invited player use the exact spelling and capitalization of the account name they enter in Vintage Story. A different name, extra space, or changed account can fail the whitelist check.
An individual player can be added without restarting the server. That lets you test access immediately and invite people gradually instead of scheduling downtime for every change.
Why a whitelist is stronger than a password alone
A password is a shared credential: anyone who learns it can attempt to connect. A whitelist limits the accepted accounts even if the password is disclosed. Keeping both controls means a leaked password does not automatically open the world to an unknown account, while removing a username revokes that account’s access without requiring a new secret for everyone else.
Add a second barrier with a password
Set a password in addition to the whitelist when you want an extra check for your invited group. Choose a unique secret that you do not use for email, game-store, or administrator accounts, and send it only to the people who are meant to join.
Set the password in the configuration file
Open the server’s serverconfig.json and set the Password value. A valid example is:
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"Password": "use-a-unique-secret",Preserve the JSON quotation marks and comma placement used by the surrounding file. A malformed JSON file can prevent the server from starting, so make a backup before editing and keep the value on one line unless the existing format says otherwise.
Set the password from the console
From the server console, run:
/serverconfig password <password>Replace <password> with the secret you want to use. Friends enter that value in the password field of their server entry. A password does not replace whitelist enforcement; leave whitelist mode on even after the password works.
Remove the server from the public listing
Prevent discovery through the public server list by disabling advertisement. In the server console, use:
/serverconfig advertise 0The equivalent advertisement setting in the configuration should also be set to off if you edit files directly. With advertising disabled, friends add the server manually and connect using the host address and port you provide.
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Unlisted does not mean unreachable. Anyone who obtains the address can still attempt a connection, which is why advertisement, whitelist, and password serve different purposes:
- Advertisement off: reduces casual discovery in the public browser.
- Whitelist on: limits which Vintage Story accounts may pass the account check.
- Password set: adds a shared secret for the invited group.
Treat the direct address as private information. Do not post it in a public chat, screenshot, stream overlay, or forum thread. If an address is exposed, keep the whitelist in place and change the password rather than assuming that hiding the listing is enough.
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Connect local friends and remote friends differently
Players on the same network
A friend connected to the same router can use the host computer’s LAN address after you open the world to LAN or start the dedicated server. LAN-only access does not require exposing the server to the internet. If the friend cannot see the world automatically, provide the LAN address and the server port and have them add the entry manually.
Players somewhere else on the internet
Remote players need an internet path to the host. Vintage Story can attempt an Open to Internet/UPnP setup, which asks the router to create the required mapping automatically. This succeeds only when the router supports UPnP, it is enabled, and the network permits inbound connections.
When the UPnP attempt fails, configure forwarding manually. The default Vintage Story server port is 42420; forward both TCP and UDP from the router to the computer running the server. Give friends the reachable address and port, not the host’s private LAN address. Router menus and labels vary by manufacturer, so follow the router’s own documentation for the exact forwarding screen.
Keep the host’s private address stable
A forwarding rule targets a particular device on your home network. If the router later gives the server computer a different LAN address, the rule can point at the wrong machine. Reserve the host’s address in the router’s DHCP settings, or otherwise ensure the forwarding target remains unchanged. This is a networking reliability step; it does not replace any Vintage Story access control.
Allow the game through the host firewall
Even a correct router rule cannot deliver traffic if the operating system drops it. Permit inbound TCP and UDP traffic on port 42420 in the firewall on the computer running the dedicated server. The official dedicated-server guide includes examples for firewalld, iptables, and ufw; use the syntax appropriate to your distribution and firewall manager.
- Open only the required game port rather than disabling the firewall globally.
- Create rules for both protocols; forwarding only TCP or only UDP can produce incomplete or failed connections.
- Apply the rule to the correct network profile and host interface.
- After testing, remove temporary broad rules and retain the narrow 42420 allowance.
If local players can connect but remote players cannot, check the firewall and router forwarding separately. A successful LAN test proves that the server process is running, but it does not prove that the internet route is open.
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Follow this complete private-server setup
- Decide on LAN or dedicated hosting. Choose Open to LAN for a temporary same-network game; choose a dedicated server for a persistent world or internet play.
- Confirm the installed game version. Version 1.20 and later use the current whitelist behavior and setting names. Older servers use different configuration terminology.
- Start the server and retain whitelist protection. Do not switch whitelist mode off while troubleshooting connectivity.
- Add the host and every friend. Run
/player username whitelist onfor each exact in-game username. No restart is required for an individual addition. - Set a unique password. Edit
serverconfig.jsonor run/serverconfig password <password>, then give the secret only to the invited players. - Disable public advertisement. Run
/serverconfig advertise 0or apply the equivalent configuration value. - Test locally first. Have a player on the same network connect using the host’s LAN address. Correct whitelist and password errors before adding internet complexity.
- Enable remote access only if needed. Try Open to Internet/UPnP, or forward TCP and UDP 42420 to the server computer manually.
- Update the host firewall. Allow inbound TCP and UDP 42420 and keep all other unsolicited inbound traffic blocked.
- Share connection details privately. Send the reachable address, port, and password through a private channel. Tell players to add the server manually because it is no longer advertised.
- Revoke access when someone leaves. Remove that account from the whitelist and change the shared password if you believe it was disclosed.
Use the correct settings for your Vintage Story version
Version differences are a common cause of confusing instructions. On dedicated servers running 1.20 and later, use the current whitelist mode and player whitelist command described above. The setting name is WhitelistMode.
On pre-1.20 servers, the older setting is OnlyWhitelisted. That name is obsolete on 1.20 and later, so copying an old configuration example into a current server can leave you changing a value the server no longer uses. Check the version shown by your server installation before editing files or following a forum post.
The default behavior also differs by mode: dedicated servers on 1.20+ enable whitelisting by default, while single-player worlds opened to LAN do not receive that dedicated-server default. A LAN session therefore should not be assumed to have the same account gate as a dedicated server.
Troubleshoot a private server that friends cannot join
The server appears in the public list
Run /serverconfig advertise 0 and verify the equivalent advertisement value is off in the active configuration. Restart only if your installation requires a reload for file changes, then have friends remove any old listing and add the server manually.
A friend is rejected even though the password is correct
Check the exact in-game username and run /player username whitelist on again with the correct value. Confirm that the friend is connecting to the intended server and that the whitelist was not disabled or replaced while editing an older configuration.
The host cannot join its own world
Add the host account explicitly to the whitelist. The server operator account is not automatically guaranteed access merely because it launched the process.
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LAN players connect, but remote players time out
Verify that the router forwards both TCP and UDP 42420 to the correct host, that the host’s firewall allows both protocols, and that the friend is using the internet-reachable address rather than the private LAN address. If UPnP was used, inspect the router’s active mappings; an unsupported or disabled UPnP service requires manual forwarding.
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Remote access worked and then stopped
Check whether the host’s LAN address changed, invalidating the forwarding target. Reserve the address, confirm the server is running on port 42420, and review firewall rules after operating-system updates. If your internet provider changes the public address, send the current address to friends through a private channel.
Editing the configuration prevents startup
Restore the backup and validate the JSON syntax, especially quotation marks, commas, and the spelling of Password. Use the console commands for password and advertisement changes when possible to avoid manual formatting errors.
Security and maintenance practices
- Keep whitelist protection enabled permanently for a private world.
- Use a password that is unique to this server and rotate it when the invited group changes.
- Share the address and password separately when practical.
- Advertise nothing publicly; an unlisted server still needs account and password checks.
- Forward only TCP and UDP 42420 and keep the operating-system firewall active.
- Review the whitelist after vacations, community events, or staff changes and remove accounts that no longer need access.
- Back up the world and
serverconfig.jsonbefore upgrades or configuration edits. - When upgrading across the 1.20 boundary, replace obsolete
OnlyWhitelistedinstructions with the currentWhitelistModebehavior and retest one local and one remote connection.
When self-hosting is impractical
A managed server can remove the need to leave a home computer running and can shift router and firewall administration to the hosting operator. It does not make access control automatic: configure the Vintage Story whitelist, password, and advertisement setting in the provider’s control panel or server files, then verify that the panel is editing the active instance. Choose this route when uptime and convenience matter more than owning the machine and network configuration.
For a private friend server, the essential outcome is the same in every hosting mode: only intended accounts pass the whitelist, an optional unique password adds another check, the server is not advertised publicly, and network exposure is limited to the required game port.
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