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Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted Squad servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
You can run a Squad dedicated server on a Linux x64 host with SteamCMD, provided the machine has 32-bit compatibility libraries, enough CPU and memory, public UDP reachability, and a non-root service account. The documented install uses Steam AppID 403240, stores identity and rotation files in SquadGame/ServerConfig/, and is most reliable when supervised by systemd.
This is a server guide, not a client-install guide. Offworld Industries’ 5 September 2025 Update 9.0 FAQ says, “Squad doesn’t have a native Linux build, but can be played through Proton.” That statement concerns the game client; the dedicated-server procedure below is a separate Linux deployment.
What you need before installing
Choose a Linux x64 system with a stable public connection. A current hosting guide lists at least 4 vCPUs, 10 GB of RAM and 40 GB of free disk space as a practical starting point. The same guide recommends 16 GB of RAM for a 100-player server. Those are provider operating figures, not universal guarantees: map, tick rate, mods, player count and contention from other workloads all affect capacity.
| Requirement | Practical target | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 4 or more vCPUs | Simulation and networking load rise with player count and map activity. |
| Memory | 10 GB or more; 16 GB recommended for 100 players | Leaves room for the server process, operating system and file cache. |
| Storage | 40 GB or more free | Accommodates the server files, updates, logs and configuration backups. |
| Architecture | Linux x64 with 32-bit compatibility support | SteamCMD and server dependencies require 32-bit libraries on common distributions. |
| Network | Publicly reachable IPv4/UDP, or an equivalent supported arrangement | Players and Steam queries must reach the host; carrier-grade NAT can block inbound IPv4. |
A VPS is usually simpler than a home connection because it normally provides a public address and datacenter routing. For either option, check CPU allocation, RAM, disk I/O, public IPv4 and UDP policy, DDoS/network restrictions, geographic latency, backup controls and the total monthly cost before committing.
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Use a dedicated account
Do not run the game process as root. Create an unprivileged account and give it ownership of the installation directory. On Debian or Ubuntu, a typical setup is:
sudo useradd --system --create-home --home-dir /opt/squad --shell /usr/sbin/nologin squad
sudo mkdir -p /opt/squad-server
sudo chown -R squad:squad /opt/squad-serverThe exact account and path are your choice; keep them consistent in SteamCMD, configuration edits and systemd.
Install 32-bit libraries
Package names differ between distributions. The cited Linux instructions use these Debian/Ubuntu packages:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y screen lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 lib32z1 ca-certificates wget tarOn another distribution, install its equivalents for 32-bit GCC, C++ standard library and zlib support, then verify the SteamCMD executable starts before troubleshooting the game server itself.
Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD
The server is distributed through SteamCMD. The documented anonymous-install command uses AppID 403240:
steamcmd
+login anonymous
+force_install_dir /opt/squad-server
+app_update 403240 validate
+quit+app_update 403240 validate both downloads the server and checks the files. Run it once for the initial installation and again after an update. If SteamCMD is not in your shell’s PATH, call it with its full path.
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Make updates repeatable
Save the update operation as a script owned by the service account so that maintenance does not depend on shell history:
sudo -u squad tee /opt/squad/update-server.sh > /dev/null <<'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
set -eu
steamcmd
+login anonymous
+force_install_dir /opt/squad-server
+app_update 403240 validate
+quit
EOF
sudo chmod 750 /opt/squad/update-server.sh
sudo chown squad:squad /opt/squad/update-server.shIf you use an interactive SSH session during installation, screen can keep SteamCMD or the server process alive after a disconnect. For production operation, systemd is preferable because it records logs and restarts a failed process.
Validate the files before first launch
Wait for SteamCMD to report completion, then inspect the installation directory and confirm that the server executable exists. If validation repeatedly redownloads files, check free disk space, ownership and whether another SteamCMD process is already updating the same directory.
Configure identity, administrators and rotation
Configuration files live below the installation’s SquadGame/ServerConfig/ directory. With the example path, that is /opt/squad-server/SquadGame/ServerConfig/. Back up this directory before every planned update or substantial edit.
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Use Server.cfg for the server name, password, public address, player limit and team settings. Keep passwords out of shell history and restrict file permissions if the machine has other users.
Rcon.cfg
Set the RCON port and a strong RCON password in Rcon.cfg. RCON is administrative access; do not expose it broadly when a firewall can limit the source addresses.
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Admins.cfg
Add administrator SteamIDs to Admins.cfg, one per line, using the format expected by the installed server build. Test one administrative action after launch so you know the file is being read.
LayerRotation.cfg
Define map and layer rotation in LayerRotation.cfg. Start with a short, known-good rotation, confirm that the server advances between layers, and only then add a larger or modded list.
Choose launch ports consistently
Every port in the launch command must match the host firewall, any cloud security group and (for a home installation) the router’s port-forwarding rules. A representative launch is:
cd /opt/squad-server
./SquadGameServer
Port=7787
QueryPort=27165
RCONPORT=21114For additional instances, assign distinct values to every relevant port and keep a written port-to-instance map. The Docker documentation uses the same concepts through PORT, QUERYPORT, BEACONPORT and RCONPORT environment variables.
| Function | Port information documented by the guides | Protocol and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | 7787 | UDP; listed as the minimum game port by the provider guide. |
| Additional game-related traffic | 7788 | UDP; listed by the broader installation guide. |
| Steam query | 27165 | UDP; used in the representative launch and provider firewall example. |
| Alternate query | 27166 | UDP; listed by the broader installation guide. |
| RCON | 21114 | TCP in the provider example; protect it with source restrictions where possible. |
| Beacon | 15000 | Both TCP and UDP are listed by the broader guide. |
| Possible additional ports | UDP ports above 30000 | The broader guide notes possible ephemeral requirements; verify against your server build and host. |
The two guides do not present an identical port list. Treat 7787/UDP, 27165/UDP and 21114/TCP as the provider’s minimum example, then confirm whether your build requires 7788, beacon 15000, query 27166 or high UDP ports before publishing firewall rules.
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sudo ufw allow 7787/udp
sudo ufw allow 27165/udp
sudo ufw allow 21114/tcp
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verboseAdd only the extra ports confirmed for your build. A cloud provider may require the same rules in its security group, and a local firewall rule cannot override an upstream block.
Router forwarding and carrier-grade NAT
For a home server, forward each selected port to the Linux machine’s fixed LAN address. Carrier-grade NAT can prevent unsolicited inbound IPv4 connections even when the Linux firewall and router appear correct. If outside players cannot connect, test from a different network and ask the ISP whether the connection has a public IPv4 address or whether an alternative supported network arrangement is available.
Run Squad under systemd
Systemd gives the server a predictable working directory, automatic restart behavior and centralized logs. Create /etc/systemd/system/squad.service as root:
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Description=Squad Dedicated Server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=squad
Group=squad
WorkingDirectory=/opt/squad-server
ExecStart=/opt/squad-server/SquadGameServer Port=7787 QueryPort=27165 RCONPORT=21114
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetAdjust the executable path and ports to your installation. Then load and start it:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable squad
sudo systemctl start squad
sudo systemctl status squad
sudo journalctl -u squad -fThe live journal is the first place to look for missing libraries, permission errors, malformed configuration or a port already in use. Keep the service account’s ownership intact; running SteamCMD as root after initially using squad can create root-owned files that prevent later starts.
Verify the first launch
- Check the process: run
ps -ef | grep SquadGameServerand confirm it is owned by the intended service account. - Check listeners: run
sudo ss -luntpand confirm the configured game, query and RCON ports are bound. - Read the journal: use
sudo journalctl -u squad -n 200to find startup warnings and errors. - Test discovery: search for the server from a client on another network, not only from the host itself.
- Test administration: confirm an entry in
Admins.cfgworks and that RCON accepts the configured credentials from an allowed address. - Test rotation: join a controlled session, change layers and verify the next entry in
LayerRotation.cfgloads.
Updates, backups and rollback discipline
Safe update sequence
- Announce maintenance and stop the service:
sudo systemctl stop squad. - Back up
/opt/squad-server/SquadGame/ServerConfig/to storage outside the live installation. - Run the validated SteamCMD update as the
squaduser:sudo -u squad /opt/squad/update-server.sh. - Review ownership and permissions after the update.
- Start the service and follow logs:
sudo systemctl start squad, thensudo journalctl -u squad -f. - Perform an external discovery and join test before declaring maintenance complete.
Keep dated configuration backups and record the server build, port assignments and any mod or rotation changes. If a new build fails, stop the service, restore the last known-good configuration, inspect the journal and verify dependencies before attempting another update.
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Routine health checks
- Monitor free disk space so logs and updates cannot fill the filesystem.
- Check that systemd has not entered a restart loop with
systemctl status squad. - Confirm listeners after every port or configuration change with
ss. - Review firewall and cloud security-group rules after network changes.
- Keep at least one backup off the server; a local copy is not protection from disk loss.
Docker as an alternative
The CM2Walki image documents a containerized deployment with host networking, persistent bind mounts, multiple instances on separate ports, optional CPU pinning and automatic game updates when the container restarts. Host networking avoids a second layer of port mappings, while bind mounts keep ServerConfig and other persistent data outside the disposable container.
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| Decision point | Direct SteamCMD + systemd | Docker |
|---|---|---|
| Operational familiarity | Best for administrators comfortable with Linux services and package dependencies. | Best when Docker is already part of the operating environment. |
| Updates | Run SteamCMD after stopping the systemd unit. | Documented image behavior can update the game when the container restarts. |
| Persistence | Back up the installation’s ServerConfig directory directly. |
Use persistent bind mounts and back up those host directories. |
| Multiple instances | Use separate service units, directories and ports. | Run separate containers with distinct ports and storage. |
| CPU control | Use normal Linux service or scheduler controls. | The documented image supports optional CPU pinning. |
| Diagnostics | journalctl, ps and ss provide a simple audit trail. |
Combine container logs with host-level process and network checks. |
Troubleshooting by symptom
The server exits immediately
- Read
journalctl -u squad -n 200for the first error, not only the final shutdown line. - Verify 32-bit libraries are installed and that the executable can be launched by the
squadaccount. - Check that
WorkingDirectory,ExecStartand file ownership match the real path. - Run the executable manually as
squadfrom the working directory to separate systemd errors from server errors.
The port is already in use
Run sudo ss -luntp and identify the process holding the port. Stop the duplicate instance or assign a complete, non-overlapping port set to the new instance. Do not change only the game port while leaving query, beacon or RCON assignments conflicting.
Players cannot find or join it
- Confirm the server is listening on the expected UDP ports.
- Check Linux firewall rules, cloud security groups and router forwarding together.
- Test from outside the host’s network.
- Rule out carrier-grade NAT or an ISP policy that blocks inbound traffic.
- Verify that the query port in the launch command matches the one allowed upstream.
SteamCMD fails to update
- Stop the running server first so files are not changed while updating.
- Run
app_update 403240 validateagain and inspect disk space. - Check that the service account can write to the install directory.
- Make sure no second SteamCMD process is using the same path.
RCON does not work
Confirm the TCP port and password in Rcon.cfg, verify the process is listening, and allow the port only from the administration network where possible. A firewall rule that opens the game’s UDP port does not automatically open RCON’s TCP port.
Self-hosting or a VPS?
Self-hosting can be economical when you already have suitable hardware and a public connection, but it depends on router control, upstream bandwidth and protection against outages. A VPS simplifies public reachability and often provides snapshots or backups, yet advertised vCPU performance can vary and some providers restrict game traffic or expose only limited UDP controls.
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Quick Recap
| Question | Self-hosted machine | VPS |
|---|---|---|
| CPU and RAM | Physical capacity is yours, but other household workloads may compete. | Check whether vCPUs are dedicated or shared and whether 16 GB RAM is available for a large server. |
| Public networking | Requires router forwarding and a non-blocked public address. | Usually includes a datacenter address; verify inbound UDP policy. |
| Latency | Good for nearby players if the ISP route is strong. | Choose a region close to the intended player base. |
| Resilience | Power, ISP and hardware failures are your responsibility. | Provider maintenance and network incidents remain possible; review SLA and backup options. |
| Cost | Lower recurring cost if hardware and connection already exist. | Predictable monthly bill, with larger memory and CPU allocations costing more. |
Operational checklist
- Linux x64 host with 32-bit compatibility libraries installed.
- Dedicated unprivileged
squadaccount and correct directory ownership. - At least 4 vCPUs, 10 GB RAM and 40 GB free disk as a starting point; 16 GB RAM for a 100-player target according to the cited provider guidance.
- SteamCMD installed and AppID 403240 validated.
Server.cfg,Rcon.cfg,Admins.cfgandLayerRotation.cfgbacked up.- Launch ports documented and matched in host firewall, cloud rules and router forwarding.
- Systemd unit enabled with restart handling and journal monitoring.
- External join test completed after installation and every network change.
- Repeatable stop, backup, update and start procedure documented for other administrators.
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