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To host Factorio: Space Age for friends, install a Factorio 2.0 or newer headless server, enable the Space Age content, create or copy a save, configure server-settings.json, launch it with --start-server, and allow UDP port 34197 through your firewall and router. Every connecting player must use the same game version and identical mods.
You can run the server directly on Linux or Windows, or place it in Docker. Native installation gives you the simplest file-level control; Docker makes repeatable upgrades easier, provided that saves and configuration are stored in a persistent volume.
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A dedicated server is a headless Factorio process with no graphics window and no playable character. It loads a save, accepts network connections, runs the simulation, and writes autosaves. The server can pause automatically when nobody is connected unless you disable that behavior.
- Factorio 2.0 or newer: Space Age content is built for the 2.0 series. A server on an older release cannot load the expansion correctly.
- Space Age content enabled: The official expansion uses the
space-agemod together with the matching base-game content. Standard Space Age setups also enablequalityandelevated-rails. - A save file:
--start-serverdoes not generate a world by itself. Create a save with--createor copy an existing.zipsave into the server’s saves directory. - A settings file: Copy the supplied server-settings example and configure its name, visibility, player limit, password, and access controls.
- Network reachability: Factorio uses UDP, not TCP, for its game traffic. The default port is UDP 34197.
- Matching clients: Every player must run exactly the same Factorio version and mod set as the server.
The Factorio Wiki documents a hard limit of 65,535 players, but practical capacity is much lower and depends on simulation load, factory size, mods, and the hardware you provide. No general CPU or RAM benchmark is established for Space Age servers, so monitor performance and adjust from observed UPS rather than relying on a universal specification.
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Choose native headless or Docker
Native headless installation
Use the official headless package or a normal Factorio installation in headless mode when you want direct access to binaries, saves, logs, and configuration. The smaller Linux headless package omits graphics and sound files and avoids libraries such as Xlib, libGL, and libasound, making it suitable for a GUI-less machine. Run the process as a separate, non-root factorio user rather than as root.
Docker deployment
Docker packages the server and its startup behavior into a container. The factoriotools image runs as a non-root factorio user, publishes UDP 34197, and uses a mounted directory for saves, configuration, and mods. Docker does not remove the need for backups: deleting a container without preserving its mounted data can delete your world.
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|---|---|---|
| File and update control | Direct control of the Factorio directory and command line. | Image tags and environment variables define startup; files remain in the mounted volume. |
| Rollback | Keep previous binaries and copy the save before changing versions. | Pin or retain an earlier image and restore the persistent volume or backup. |
| Persistence | Saves and settings live in the installation directory. | Persistence depends on mounting a host directory such as /opt/factorio. |
| Networking | You configure the host firewall and router directly. | You configure Docker’s UDP publish plus the host firewall and router. |
| Mod synchronization | You manage mod-list.json and mod files directly. |
The same files are stored in the mounted volume; optional startup variables can update mods. |
| Security maintenance | You update the operating system and Factorio installation yourself. | You update the image, host, and mounted application data. |
Install Factorio 2.0 or newer
Linux headless package
- Download the Factorio 2.0-or-newer headless release appropriate for your architecture.
- Extract it into a directory owned by the dedicated
factoriouser, for example/opt/factorioor a directory in that user’s home. - Verify that the executable exists at
bin/x64/factorio. - Keep the server files separate from personal game installations so that updates and backups are predictable.
Do not launch the service as root. A dedicated account limits the damage if the process or an installed mod is compromised and makes file ownership errors easier to diagnose.
Windows installation
- Install or extract the 2.0-or-newer Factorio files on the machine that will remain online.
- Use the executable at
binx64factorio.exe. - Ensure the Windows account running the server can read and write the
saves,mods, and configuration directories.
Enable Space Age content
Space Age is not enabled merely because the server binary is new enough. The server’s mod-list.json must contain the same enabled content that the clients use. A typical Space Age list includes:
{
"mods": [
{"name": "base", "enabled": true},
{"name": "space-age", "enabled": true},
{"name": "quality", "enabled": true},
{"name": "elevated-rails", "enabled": true}
]
}Use the file format generated by your Factorio version; do not copy a list from an unrelated release without checking its mod names and dependencies. If you add any other mod, install the identical version on every client. A red mod-mismatch message means at least one game version or mod differs.
Create or copy the server save
Create a new world
From the Factorio installation directory, create a save with the headless binary:
./bin/x64/factorio --create ./saves/my-save.zipThe command creates my-save.zip in the saves directory. For a Space Age campaign, generate a fresh world using the Space Age world format instead of assuming that an old vanilla world will provide the intended planetary progression.
Apply map and simulation settings
You can pass JSON files to --create for map generation and map settings. Those files control values such as resource placement, pollution, biter expansion, and evolution. Keep the JSON files with your server configuration so you can reproduce a world or document how it was generated.
Use an existing save
To continue a game, copy its .zip file into the server’s saves directory and use that path with --start-server. Shut down the original game cleanly before copying so the archive is not incomplete. Back up the archive before enabling Space Age or changing mods; a mod migration can alter the save and may not be reversible.
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Configure server-settings.json
- Copy
data/server-settings.example.jsonto a separate file such asdata/server-settings.json. - Edit the copy rather than the example, because updates can replace the example file.
- Set a recognizable server name and description so players can identify the correct world.
- Choose tags, the maximum player count, and a password if the server is not intended for unrestricted access.
- Choose a visibility mode: public, LAN, or hidden.
- Configure whitelist and administrator settings when you need a controlled community.
- Save the file as valid JSON and check commas, quotation marks, and braces before launching.
| Setting area | What to decide |
|---|---|
| Name and description | How the server appears in browsers and what players should know before joining. |
| Tags | Searchable labels such as cooperative, Space Age, or modded. |
| Player cap | The maximum simultaneous connections you want to support; the documented 65,535 figure is a hard limit, not a practical target. |
| Visibility | Public listing, LAN discovery, or hidden access by direct address. |
| Password | A shared secret for private play. Distribute it through a trusted channel. |
| Authentication | Public listing requires Factorio credentials or an authentication token. The settings file is plain text, so protect its permissions and never publish it. |
| Administration | Whitelist, admin list, and optional RCON settings are available through the command-line options and server configuration. |
Start the dedicated server
Start a named save
Use --start-server with the save archive and the settings file:
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--start-server ./saves/my-save.zip
--server-settings ./data/server-settings.jsonA dedicated server can be started with the --start-server command-line option. The process has no GUI or in-game character; it loads the archive and waits for players. It continues normal autosaves and saves on exit.
Always load the newest save
If you keep several rolling saves, use:
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server-load-latest
--server-settings ./data/server-settings.jsonThis selects the latest save according to Factorio’s save naming and timestamp behavior. Verify which archive was selected in the startup log after an upgrade or restore.
Windows batch file
Place the following in a .bat file in the Factorio directory:
start /wait .\bin\x64\factorio.exe --start-server-load-latest --server-settings .\data\server-settings.jsonThe /wait option keeps the batch process attached until Factorio exits, which is useful for manually supervised restarts. For an unattended service, use your operating system’s service or task scheduler and make sure the service account owns the save and configuration files.
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--server-settings FILEselects the JSON settings file.--port Nchanges the listening port. If you change it, update the firewall, router forwarding, and the address players use.--start-server SAVEloads a specific save archive.--start-server-load-latestloads the newest available save.- Whitelist and admin-list options restrict or elevate players.
- RCON options provide remote administration when configured securely.
Open UDP 34197 to players
Host firewall
Allow inbound UDP 34197 on the machine running Factorio. Do not open TCP as a substitute; Factorio’s game traffic uses UDP. If you selected a custom port with --port, allow that port instead.
Router port forwarding
- Give the server machine a stable local address, preferably through a DHCP reservation.
- Open the router’s port-forwarding page.
- Forward external UDP 34197 to the server’s local address and UDP 34197.
- Save the rule and confirm that the host firewall also allows it.
- Test from outside the local network; testing from the same LAN can produce misleading results on routers without NAT loopback.
The official multiplayer guidance warns that some routers randomize outbound source ports. Antivirus software and host firewalls can also block packets even when the router rule looks correct.
How players connect
Players can find a public server through the Factorio browser, use LAN discovery on the same network, connect through Steam services, or enter a direct IP address and port. A hidden server will not appear in public listings, so provide its address and UDP port to trusted players.
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Publish the server or keep it private
Public listing
Set visibility to public and provide valid Factorio authentication credentials or a token. The token is sensitive: it is stored in plain text in the settings file, so restrict file permissions, exclude it from backups shared with others, and rotate it if exposed. If the server starts but does not appear in the browser, check both the visibility value and whether the credential or token fields are non-empty and valid.
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LAN or hidden play
Choose LAN for a household or office network where players can discover the server locally. Choose hidden when you want direct-IP access without a public listing. A password, whitelist, and admin list add separate layers of access control; visibility alone is not authentication.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep clients and mods identical
Factorio requires every game instance to use exactly the same game version and mods. For Space Age, compare at least base, space-age, quality, and elevated-rails, then compare every additional mod and its version.
- Update the server and all clients to the same Factorio 2.0 release.
- Copy the server’s mod files and
mod-list.jsonto clients only when you trust the source and understand the changes. - Remove disabled or obsolete mods from one side instead of trying to join with a partial list.
- Restart after changing the mod list and verify the startup log before inviting players.
Run Space Age in Docker
The factoriotools project documents this minimal deployment. It maps host directory /opt/factorio into the container, publishes UDP 34197, and runs the container as a non-root user:
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sudo mkdir -p /opt/factorio
sudo chown 845:845 /opt/factorio
sudo docker run -d
-p 34197:34197/udp
-v /opt/factorio:/factorio
--name factorio
--restart=unless-stopped
factoriotools/factorioThe mounted directory stores configuration, mods, and saves. Before replacing or deleting a container, copy the save archives and settings from /opt/factorio to separate backup storage.
Documented container variables
| Variable | Purpose |
|---|---|
PORT |
Selects the Factorio listening port. |
SAVE_NAME |
Chooses the save archive to load. |
LOAD_LATEST_SAVE |
Loads the newest save rather than a fixed name. |
GENERATE_NEW_SAVE |
Requests creation of a new world when configured by the image. |
TOKEN |
Supplies the authentication token for public listing; treat it as a secret. |
UPDATE_MODS_ON_START |
Updates mods during container startup when enabled. |
DLC_SPACE_AGE |
Enables the Space Age mods in the documented 2.0.8-and-newer image configuration. |
Environment-variable names and behavior are image-specific. After changing one, inspect the container log and verify the resulting mod-list.json, save selection, and listening port.
Backups, upgrades, and routine administration
Back up before every risky change
- Stop the server cleanly before copying a save.
- Keep at least one backup outside the Factorio directory or Docker volume.
- Back up
server-settings.json,mod-list.json, and mod archives along with saves. - Label backups with the Factorio version and date so you know which binary can open them.
Upgrade in a controlled order
- Announce maintenance and stop new connections.
- Copy the current save and configuration.
- Update the native files or pull the replacement container image.
- Start the server and inspect logs for version, mod, and save-loading errors.
- Join with an administrator account before inviting everyone else.
Secure administration
Use a non-root operating-system account, restrict access to the settings file, and avoid exposing RCON to the public internet unless you have a specific secure management design. Remove obsolete authentication tokens and rotate credentials after a suspected disclosure.
Troubleshoot common failures
| Symptom | Checks and corrective action |
|---|---|
| Server does not start | Confirm the save path exists, the archive is readable, and the JSON settings file is valid. The --start-server option requires a save. |
| Space Age fails to load | Confirm the server is Factorio 2.0 or newer and that Space Age content is enabled in mod-list.json. |
| Nobody can connect | Check that the server is listening on the expected port, UDP 34197 is forwarded to the correct local address, and both host firewall and antivirus rules permit it. |
| Server is absent from the public list | Verify public visibility and valid, non-empty Factorio credentials or token. A hidden or LAN server will not be listed publicly. |
| Red mod-mismatch message | Compare exact Factorio versions and the complete enabled mod list, including Space Age’s space-age, quality, and elevated-rails entries. |
| Container restarts with no progress | Confirm that /opt/factorio is mounted, has the expected ownership, and contains the saves and settings. Restore the latest backup before replacing more containers. |
| Players connect locally but not remotely | Test from outside the LAN, recheck the router’s destination address, and account for routers that rewrite source ports or lack NAT loopback. |
Capacity and performance planning
There is no authoritative, general CPU-and-RAM sizing table for Space Age. Start with the number of concurrent players, the scale of the factory, and the number and complexity of mods. Observe UPS and server logs during peak activity, then move the process to faster hardware or reduce simulation load if UPS falls below the experience your group expects.
Because the server pauses when empty by default, a private group can leave it running without simulating the factory continuously. If you disable auto-pause, account for the additional time the world will spend processing while nobody is connected.
Quick Recap
Pre-launch checklist
- Factorio server version is 2.0 or newer.
base,space-age,quality, andelevated-railsare enabled as intended.- A fresh Space Age save was created, or an existing save was copied and backed up.
server-settings.jsonis valid JSON and has the intended name, visibility, password, and player cap.- Public servers have valid credentials or a token stored securely.
- UDP 34197 is allowed by the host firewall and forwarded by the router.
- Every client has the same game version and complete mod set.
- Native files or the Docker volume are backed up before upgrades.
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