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To set up an Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) server, install the dedicated-server files through Steam, edit the JSON files in the installation’s servercfg folder, make the configured TCP and UDP ports reachable, and then verify in the server console that those files were loaded. configuration.json controls network and registration behavior; settings.json controls the server’s name, passwords, slots, and entry requirements.
The exact field names can vary with the server build. Keep the official ACC Server Admin Handbook PDF shipped in the dedicated-server folder beside you, and edit the files already generated by your installation rather than replacing them with an example copied from an older guide.
What you need before installing
ACC dedicated hosting is a software configuration task. You do not need a separate physical product, but the computer running the process must remain powered and connected whenever people are expected to join. You also need administrative access to the machine, its firewall, and—if the server is public—the router or gateway in front of it.
- A Steam installation that can download the ACC dedicated-server files.
- A folder where Steam can keep the server files and write log and configuration output.
- Permission to edit JSON files and create inbound firewall rules.
- A fixed, or at least predictable, local address for the host if you will forward ports from a router.
- The current handbook PDF included with the server files. Search snippets for older handbooks mention versions 1.6.0, 1.9.3, and 1.10.2, so do not assume an old field or default still applies to your build.
Decide whether this is a LAN/private server or an Internet-listed server before editing the files. That choice changes the lobby-registration setting and determines whether router port forwarding is necessary.
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Install the dedicated-server files through Steam
- Install or open Steam on the machine that will host the server.
- Use Steam’s library or tools area to install the Assetto Corsa Competizione dedicated-server package. Let Steam finish downloading before editing anything.
- Open the package’s installation directory. The server executable and its support files are in this Steam folder.
- Open the
servercfgsubfolder. This is where the JSON configuration files belong. If the files are not present yet, start the server once and stop it cleanly so it can generate its initial configuration. - Make a backup copy of the entire
cfgfolder before changing values. Keep the backup outside the live configuration folder so a reset cannot overwrite it.
The four JSON documents commonly present in the folder are assistRules.json, configuration.json, event.json, and settings.json. Their names are case-sensitive in some tools, so preserve the spelling and the .json extension.
Know which file controls which behavior
ACC separates relatively stable network identity from race and access settings. Editing the wrong file is a common reason a change appears to do nothing.
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|---|---|---|
configuration.json |
Network ports, lobby registration, and other identity-level behavior. | Change ports and public/private visibility here. Use the keys and structure generated by your installed build. |
settings.json |
Server name, passwords, slot count, car group, and entry requirements. | These are the values you are likely to adjust between events. |
assistRules.json |
Driving-assistance rules. | Do not borrow fields from a different build; consult the handbook that shipped with your files. |
event.json |
Event and session definition. | Use the generated schema as the template for your race weekend. |
broadcasting.json |
Broadcasting integration. | This is separate from configuration.json; adding broadcasting keys to the latter will not configure the broadcaster. |
Open JSON in an editor that preserves plain text and shows matching braces. Do not add comments, trailing commas, or smart quotation marks: the server expects valid JSON, not a format that merely looks similar.
Configure network ports in configuration.json
What the two ports do
The handbook defines tcpPort as the port ACC clients use to establish a connection. It defines udpPort as the port connected clients use to stream car positions and the port used for the ping test. If a server never shows a ping, an unreachable UDP port is a likely cause.
Sources show different examples for the numbers, so there is no universal pair that should be pasted blindly:
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| Value shown in documentation | How to interpret it |
|---|---|
| UDP 9231 and TCP 9232 | A common convention cited for an Internet-listed server. Treat it as a convention, not a requirement. |
| UDP 9201 and TCP 9201 | The sample pair used in one handbook excerpt. Your build may generate different defaults. |
| The values already in your file | The authoritative starting point for your installation. Keep them unless you have a reason to change them. |
Both ports must be unique on the host, allowed through its firewall, and reachable from the Internet if you want a public listing. If another application already occupies a port, choose an unused pair and apply the same values consistently in the server configuration, firewall rule, and router forwarding rule.
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Open configuration.json and locate the generated keys. A minimal illustration of the relevant shape is:
{"udpPort": 9201, "tcpPort": 9201, "registerToLobby": 1, "lanDiscovery": 1}This is an illustration, not a complete replacement configuration. Preserve every other key in your file and use the port numbers you selected. Some installations place additional properties around these values.
registerToLobby determines Internet lobby registration. Set it to 1 when the server should register publicly; set it to 0 for a private multiplayer server that should not appear in the public lobby. lanDiscovery controls whether the server answers local-network discovery requests. It is useful for a LAN, but it does not substitute for Internet registration or port forwarding.
Set the name, passwords, and slots in settings.json
Open settings.json and change the identity and access fields there. Keep the JSON types intact: numbers remain numbers, while names and passwords remain quoted strings.
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| Key | Purpose | What to decide |
|---|---|---|
serverName |
The name players see. | Use a distinctive name that identifies your group, event, or schedule. |
password |
Player-entry password. | Set one for a controlled event; distribute it privately. |
spectatorPassword |
Password for spectator access. | Use a separate value if spectators should not receive the driver password. |
adminPassword |
Administrative access. | Use a long, unique value and do not publish it with the player password. |
maxCarSlots |
Maximum driver slots. | Keep the value within what your installed build and event configuration support. |
carGroup |
Restricts the permitted car class or group. | Choose the group required by the event rather than assuming every car is allowed. |
trackMedalsRequirement |
Track-medal requirement for joining. | Raise it only if you want to screen for prior track experience. |
safetyRatingRequirement |
Safety-rating requirement for joining. | Set a threshold appropriate to the drivers you expect. |
Edit the existing object instead of deleting unknown keys. For example, changing a generated value might look like this:
{"serverName": "Friday GT3 Practice", "password": "use-a-private-value", "spectatorPassword": "different-private-value", "adminPassword": "store-this-securely", "maxCarSlots": 20}The example values are only format examples. Replace them with your own values, preserve any additional properties in the file, and validate the braces and commas before saving.
Open the ports on the host and router
- Write down the final
tcpPortandudpPortvalues fromconfiguration.json. - Create inbound firewall rules for both protocols on the machine running the server. A TCP rule alone is insufficient because car-position traffic and the ping test use UDP.
- If the host is behind a router, forward the same TCP and UDP port numbers to the host’s local address. Forwarding a different external number than the one in the server file will send players to the wrong service.
- Ensure the host’s local address does not change. A DHCP reservation or static address prevents a forwarding rule from silently targeting another device later.
- Start the server and test from outside the local network when possible. A local test can succeed even when the router blocks Internet traffic.
For a LAN-only server, Internet forwarding is unnecessary, but the host firewall still has to permit local clients. Keep lanDiscovery enabled if you want compatible clients on the same network to discover it automatically.
Choose private or public visibility
Private multiplayer
Set registerToLobby to 0. The server will not register in the public lobby. Players must connect through the supported private or LAN workflow, and local discovery can be enabled with lanDiscovery. This is appropriate for a household network, a closed league, or a testing session.
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Public lobby listing
Set registerToLobby to 1. The server can then register publicly, but registration does not bypass networking requirements. The selected TCP and UDP ports must still be reachable, the firewall and router must pass them, and the configuration files must load successfully.
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A server that is still registering, has registerToLobby set to 0, or failed to load a configuration file may never appear in the list. Check those conditions before changing unrelated race settings.
Start the server and prove that the files loaded
- Save the JSON files and close the editor so no program keeps an incomplete version open.
- Launch the dedicated-server executable from the Steam installation folder.
- Watch the console during startup. Do not invite players until the process has finished loading the configuration.
- Inspect the
cfgcurrentfolder. The handbook says the server writes text output there; use those files to confirm which values the running instance accepted. - Join from a client on the intended network path. For a public server, test from an external connection; for a LAN server, test from another device on the same network.
If the console reports a parameter it did not accept, treat that as a JSON or schema error. Stop the process, restore the last known-good file, and reapply one change at a time. A reported startup message, Starting server ACC Server (please edit settings.json), is commonly associated with the server not picking up the expected settings file; verify the path before editing more values.
Configure event restrictions without locking out drivers
After connectivity works, apply the race restrictions in settings.json. Change one restriction at a time and test with a client account that should pass and one that should fail.
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carGroupwhen the event is limited to a particular class. - Use
trackMedalsRequirementto require demonstrated familiarity with the selected circuit. - Use
safetyRatingRequirementto filter by the game’s safety-rating value. - Set
maxCarSlotsto the intended number of drivers rather than assuming the visual lobby capacity reflects your configuration.
Keep the player, spectator, and administrator passwords distinct. A spectator password shared in a public announcement should never be the administrator password.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Set up broadcasting separately
Broadcasting uses a separate broadcasting.json file, not configuration.json. Create or edit that file only according to the schema in the handbook that shipped with your server version.
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One forum user reported that the server ignored the broadcasting file until it was saved as UTF-16 little-endian with a byte-order mark, and that the log did not show the broadcasting plugin starting beforehand. That is a single-user report rather than an official schema requirement, so treat encoding as a troubleshooting test, not a guaranteed rule:
- Confirm the file name and location first.
- Validate the JSON and check the startup log for broadcasting initialization.
- If the file is valid but still ignored, make a backup and test UTF-16 LE with a BOM, then restart and compare the log.
- Revert to the encoding documented for your build if the server reports an error.
Troubleshoot the failures that occur most often
The server recreates defaults or ignores my edits
Stop the server and confirm that you edited the servercfg folder belonging to the installed dedicated-server package, not a similarly named folder or a copy on another drive. A Steam discussion describes the server overwriting edited settings when it was reading from a different folder than the one the user expected.
Check the file’s modified time, then start the server once and inspect cfgcurrent for the values actually used. If the process still generates defaults, move the live JSON files to a safe backup location and start once to regenerate clean files. Reapply changes to those newly generated files, preserving their structure.
The server starts but never appears in the list
- Confirm
registerToLobbyis1for a public listing. - Confirm both configured ports are unique and reachable through the host firewall and router.
- Check that the server is not still in its registration phase.
- Inspect startup output and
cfgcurrentfor a rejected parameter or malformed JSON. - Test the UDP path specifically; a missing ping strongly suggests that UDP is blocked or forwarded incorrectly.
Players can see the server but cannot join
Recheck the TCP rule and forwarding target, then verify that the external port maps to the same local port in configuration.json. Confirm the player is using the current password and that maxCarSlots has not been reached. If entry requirements are enabled, a valid connection can still be rejected by carGroup, trackMedalsRequirement, or safetyRatingRequirement.
The server has no ping or car positions are missing
UDP is the first place to look. Confirm the UDP number in the file, the firewall protocol, and the router’s protocol mapping. Do not infer UDP health from a successful TCP connection: they serve different parts of the session.
A JSON change causes startup errors
Restore the last backup, then re-enter only the intended change. Check for a missing comma, an extra comma after the final property, curly quotation marks, an unquoted number, or a key copied from a different ACC version. The handbook notes that a parameter the server did not accept indicates a mistake in the JSON file or an unsupported field.
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Back up the current files, delete the JSON files from the live configuration folder, and start the server once. The handbook states that the server regenerates defaults this way. Stop it, compare the new files with your backup, and reapply settings gradually rather than restoring every old value at once.
Keep the server maintainable
- Record the chosen TCP and UDP ports, the host’s local address, and whether the server is public or private.
- Back up the complete
servercfgfolder before each event or version change. - Keep administrative credentials out of public chat, screenshots, and streaming overlays.
- After a Steam update, reread the bundled handbook and compare newly generated files with your backup before assuming every old key remains valid.
- Use
cfgcurrentoutput and startup logs as the record of what the running process accepted, not merely what an editor shows on disk.
The bundled handbook is the final authority for field names, defaults, and version-specific behavior. Search snippets currently reference several handbook versions, and the current official version is not established here; therefore, use the PDF installed with your own server when an example conflicts with your generated files.
Quick Recap
Setup checklist
- Install the dedicated-server package through Steam.
- Open the package’s
servercfgfolder and back it up. - Set
udpPortandtcpPortinconfiguration.json, using unused numbers. - Choose
registerToLobbyvalue0for private or1for public operation, and setlanDiscoveryas needed. - Set the name, passwords, slot count, and optional entry requirements in
settings.json. - Allow both protocols through the firewall and forward them to the host when public access is required.
- Start the server, inspect the console and
cfgcurrent, and correct rejected parameters before inviting drivers.
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