Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) Server Requirements: What You Need to Host in 2026

For a small Euro Truck Simulator 2 convoy, plan on at least a dual-core CPU, 2 GB of RAM and about 5 GB of free storage. Allow 10 GB or more when you will install mods. The dedicated server is installed with SteamCMD using app ID 1948160, not the client’s app ID 227300. Configure both TCP and UDP ports 27015–27016, and obtain a separate Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT) if the server must appear in the public browser.

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ETS2 dedicated server requirements at a glance

There is no verified official SCS hardware specification for the dedicated server. The figures commonly published by fan and hosting sites are estimates, and they conflict. Use them as planning ranges rather than guarantees.

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These baselines assume a dedicated machine or virtual server running only the game service. A desktop that is also streaming, recording, hosting file shares or running several containers needs additional headroom.

What the ETS2 dedicated server does

SCS Software added dedicated-server support for convoy multiplayer in December 2022. Instead of one player acting as the host from the game client, the dedicated process stays online independently. Players connect to that process, so the owner can restart a game client or leave the convoy without ending the session for everyone.

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Convoy capacity is not a single universally published number. Game Host Bros advertises support for up to 128 players, while its memory tiers begin at 4 GB. Treat 128 as a vendor claim and a planning ceiling, not a promise that every map, traffic pattern, mod collection or machine will perform well at that size. Start with the number of people you actually expect and measure resource use before expanding.

How much CPU, RAM and storage to allocate

Small groups: 1–8 players

A GameCP hosting guide lists approximately one CPU core and 1.5 GB of RAM for this range. A dual-core machine with 2 GB gives a more forgiving baseline, especially if the operating system, SteamCMD updates and monitoring tools share the host. Keep at least a few hundred megabytes free rather than running the machine at its limit.

Medium groups: 8–32 players

The same guide lists about 1.5 CPU cores and 2.5 GB of RAM. In practice, allocating 3–4 GB lets the service absorb connection bursts and mod-related overhead. CPU scheduling matters as much as the headline core count: a modern two-core virtual machine can outperform an older machine with more nominal cores.

Larger groups: 32–128 players

GameCP’s highest tier lists roughly 2.5 cores and 4 GB of RAM for 32–128 players. Because that is a sales tier, not an independently measured requirement, reserve more than 4 GB if you intend to approach the upper end, run extensive mods or host other services. Test with a representative convoy before opening the server to a large community.

Storage and growth

The base installation is commonly estimated at about 5 GB. Allocate at least 10 GB when mods are involved. Keep extra space for downloaded workshop or package files, crash dumps, rotating logs, backups and a second copy during updates. A full disk can prevent both startup and configuration saves, so monitor free space rather than relying on the nominal installation size.

No official SCS hardware table was verified for these figures. The Truck Simulator Wiki estimate of a dual-core CPU, 2 GB RAM and 5 GB storage is a useful minimum planning point; the GameCP and Game Host Bros figures should be read as indicative hosting tiers.

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Software, accounts and the correct Steam app ID

Install the dedicated server with SteamCMD and use app ID 1948160. App ID 227300 belongs to the Euro Truck Simulator 2 game client. Some control-panel templates display both values, and a template configured with 227300 can crash or install the wrong files.

The American Truck Simulator dedicated server uses a different app ID, 2239530. Do not substitute it for an ETS2 installation.

SCS’s December 2022 blog notes that the Dedicated Server tool is shown in the Steam client to people who own the game. SteamCMD is the practical installation route when the tool does not appear in the graphical library. Use a current SteamCMD build for the operating system you selected and create a dedicated, writable directory for the server.

Install the server with SteamCMD

1. Create the server directory. Choose a path with enough free space, such as /srv/ets2-server on Linux or D:ets2-server on Windows. Give the account that will run the process read, write and execute permission.
2. Open SteamCMD. Change to its directory and run the executable. On Linux this is normally ./steamcmd.sh; on Windows run steamcmd.exe.
3. Install app 1948160. At the SteamCMD prompt, use:
   force_install_dir <path-to-ets2-server>
login anonymous
app_update 1948160
quit
   Replace the path placeholder with the full server directory. The command shown in community guides uses anonymous login and the dedicated-server app ID.
4. Check the result. Confirm that the directory contains the dedicated-server executable and supporting files. If SteamCMD reports that the app is unavailable or installs a client-sized directory, recheck the ID and the force-install path before troubleshooting anything else.
5. Plan updates. Run the same app_update 1948160 sequence during maintenance windows. Stop the running server first, back up configuration and package files, update, then start it again.

Do not point the command at an existing client installation. Keeping the dedicated files separate prevents a client update or mod experiment from replacing server files.

Export the convoy packages and create the configuration

The dedicated process needs the server package data exported by the game client. A typical setup flow is:

1. Launch Euro Truck Simulator 2 on a computer with the required game installation.
2. Enable the in-game developer console in the game’s configuration. The exact edit depends on the current client configuration, so make a backup before changing it.
3. Open the console and run export_server_packages. The game writes the package files used by the dedicated server.
4. Copy the exported package files into the dedicated server’s home directory. Preserve the filenames and directory structure.
5. Start the dedicated server once. It should generate server_config.sii in the server directory.
6. Stop the process, edit the generated configuration for the convoy name, access settings and other options you need, then start it again.

If server_config.sii is not created, inspect the process output for a missing package, a non-writable directory or an incorrect working directory. Starting from the server’s own folder avoids relative-path errors.

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Open the network ports

Community setup guides report forwarding both TCP and UDP ports 27015 and 27016 to the machine running the server. Because this port information comes from guide synthesis rather than a confirmed SCS page, treat it as the starting configuration and verify the listening ports in your own build.

1. Assign the host a stable private IP address through a DHCP reservation or static configuration.
2. Create router port-forwarding rules for TCP 27015–27016 and UDP 27015–27016 to that address.
3. Allow the same ports through the operating system firewall.
4. Start the server and check its log for bind or listen errors.
5. Test from a connection outside your home network; testing only from inside can give a false result because some routers do not support NAT loopback.

If local players can connect but people on the internet cannot, check the router’s public address, double NAT, carrier-grade NAT and firewall rules. If the server cannot bind, another process may already be using one of the ports; choose a consistent, unused port range and apply it in every relevant configuration and forwarding rule.

Make the server visible in the public browser

A server can be reachable by direct connection without appearing in the public browser. Community guidance says each public server needs its own Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT). Generate one for the account that owns or administers the server, keep it private, and enter it in the server configuration where the dedicated-server documentation expects the token.

Use a different token for each independent server. Reusing, exposing or revoking a token can prevent listing and complicate recovery. If the process runs but the listing is absent, first confirm that the token is present and valid, then check that the advertised ports are reachable from outside your network.

Scale the machine to your real player count

Player count alone does not determine load. A heavily modded convoy, frequent joins and leaves, long-running logs or simultaneous backups can create short spikes. Watch CPU utilization, memory pressure, disk space and network errors during a busy session. Increase resources one step at a time so you can identify which constraint changed.

Mods, updates and backups

Mods increase storage needs and can make version mismatches more disruptive. Keep a manifest of every mod and its version, and require players to use the same set. Before an ETS2 or mod update, stop the server and copy server_config.sii, exported packages and any custom data to a separate location.

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Use a staging directory for updates when possible. Install the new files, verify that the process starts and inspect the log, then replace the live directory during a short maintenance window. If the new build fails, restore the previous directory and configuration rather than repeatedly editing a damaged installation.

Common failure modes and fixes

The server crashes immediately

Check the Steam app ID first. Using 227300 instead of 1948160 installs or launches the client content and is a known cause of startup failure in control-panel templates. Confirm the working directory, package files and write permissions next.

Players receive a connection timeout

Verify that the server is listening, the firewall allows both protocols, and forwarding targets the current private IP. Test from an external network and rule out double NAT or carrier-grade NAT before changing game settings.

The server runs but is not listed

Check the GSLT, public reachability of the forwarded ports and the server’s advertised configuration. A missing or invalid token affects browser visibility but does not necessarily stop the process from running.

Players report missing content or rejection

Compare the exported package files, game version and mod list on the server and clients. Re-export packages after a client or mod change, copy them to the server directory and restart cleanly.

Updates leave the server unusable

Restore the last known-good backup, then run SteamCMD against a clean directory with app ID 1948160. Do not copy an entire client installation over the dedicated files.

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Pre-launch checklist

• App ID is 1948160, with no client files mixed into the server directory.
• CPU, RAM and storage match the expected player count, with mod and backup headroom.
• Package files were exported with export_server_packages and copied to the server home.
• The first launch generated server_config.sii.
• TCP and UDP 27015–27016 are forwarded and allowed through the firewall.
• A unique GSLT is configured when public-browser listing is required.
• External connectivity, logs, backups and free disk space have been tested.

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convoy multiplayerDedicated ServerETS2 serverEuro Truck Simulator 2Server RequirementsSteamCMD