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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo host BeamNG.drive multiplayer, install the BeamMP-Server on Windows or Linux, configure ServerConfig.toml, and let players connect through BeamMP. A same-network game needs no public port forwarding. Internet players require a reachable IPv4 address, the configured port forwarded over both TCP and UDP (usually 30814), and firewall rules that permit the server. A VPS avoids your home router and is the easier, more secure option according to BeamMP, while home hosting costs nothing beyond the computer and internet connection you already have.
What you are actually hosting
BeamNG.drive itself is the driving client. The dedicated multiplayer component is BeamMP-Server, which coordinates BeamMP connections; it is not the same thing as installing the full BeamNG.drive game on a headless machine. This guide covers the server available for Windows and Linux in the official BeamMP Server Setup guide.
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You can run a private server for invited players or configure a public server that appears in BeamMP’s official server list. Public-list access requires an authentication key. BeamMP recommends configuring a key for private servers too, but the key is a credential: do not publish it in screenshots, configuration examples, chat messages, or public repositories.
Choose a hosting location first
The right location depends mainly on who must connect and how much network administration you want to do. BeamMP says, “Creating a Home Server is free, hosting one with a VPS is easier and more secure.” That is the project’s own guidance rather than an independently measured performance comparison, so use it as a decision point, not a guarantee.
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| Option | Cost model | Network path | Administration and exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same-home LAN | No hosting fee; uses an existing computer | Players connect to the host’s local IP; no public forwarding | Lowest exposure, but the computer must remain on and reachable on the LAN |
| Home internet server | No separate hosting fee | Requires reachable IPv4, router forwarding for the configured TCP and UDP port, and host-firewall rules | You maintain the operating system, router, firewall, updates, and the exposure created by an open inbound port |
| VPS | Paid external server; price and resources vary by provider | Players use the VPS public IP; there is no home-router forwarding step | BeamMP describes this route as easier and more secure; you still maintain the server unless the plan includes management |
| Managed BeamMP hosting | Paid service with provider-defined limits | The provider supplies the reachable address and network configuration | Check documented BeamMP support, CPU/RAM limits, backups, update policy, IPv4 availability, TCP/UDP access, and cancellation terms before paying |
BeamMP’s homepage promotes hosting partners, but the available documentation does not establish a particular provider’s price, performance, service-level guarantee, affiliate terms, or player capacity. Compare those details directly with any provider rather than treating the category as an endorsement.
When home hosting is appropriate
Use a home computer when everyone is on the same network, when the server is for a small private group, or when you are comfortable configuring a router and firewall. A local-only server does not need to be visible on the public internet.
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Choose a VPS when players are distributed across the internet and your ISP blocks inbound connections, when you do not want to expose a home network service, or when the host computer cannot stay online. A VPS still needs operating-system hardening, updates, and a firewall; it simply moves those responsibilities away from your home router.
BeamMP server requirements versus BeamNG.drive client requirements
The figures below come from BeamMP’s server FAQ, accessed in 2026. They are minimum server figures, not a capacity calculator. The FAQ does not state how many players a given CPU, map, or mod collection can support, nor does it promise smooth operation at those minimums.
| BeamMP-Server requirement | Published minimum | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Usable memory | 50+ MiB | Excludes operating-system overhead; mods and plugins consume additional resources |
| CPU | Above 1 GHz, preferably multicore | Minimum guidance, not a player-count guarantee |
| GPU | None | The dedicated server does not render the game |
| Disk | 10 MiB plus mods and plugins | Reserve additional space for the operating system, logs, downloads, and backups |
| Upload bandwidth | 5–10 Mb/s | FAQ guidance; actual demand depends on connected players and content |
See the complete figures in the BeamMP Server FAQ. Do not copy BeamNG.drive desktop requirements into the server specification. BeamNG’s client page, last modified February 25, 2026, lists 16 GB RAM and 6 GB video memory as minimums, with 32 GB RAM, at least 8 GB video memory, a Ryzen 7 3700X or Core i7-9700-class processor, and 60 GB storage recommended. Those numbers apply to the game client that players run, not to a headless BeamMP server. The current client figures are maintained on BeamNG’s system-requirements page, which directs readers to Steam for the latest client information.
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Prepare before installing
- Decide whether the server is LAN-only, private over the internet, or public in the BeamMP list.
- Choose a computer or VPS that can stay online for the sessions you plan to host.
- Record the machine’s local address if it will sit behind a home router.
- Confirm that your ISP provides a reachable IPv4 address. Carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) can make inbound forwarding impossible, even when your router appears correctly configured.
- Choose a non-administrator service account for Linux. BeamMP recommends not running the server as root, through sudo, or under a personal account.
- Plan where you will store the authentication key and configuration backups. Treat the key as a secret.
Install BeamMP-Server on Windows
Use the current Windows build and instructions in BeamMP’s official guide rather than a binary or command copied from an old third-party tutorial. The guide’s sequence is:
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- Download the BeamMP server executable from BeamMP.
- Create a dedicated folder for the server. Keeping the executable, configuration, logs, mods, and plugins together makes backups and updates easier.
- Launch the executable once. The first run generates the configuration files beside it.
- Stop the process, edit
ServerConfig.toml, and then start the server again with the settings you want.
Run the server under a Windows account with only the permissions it needs. Keep the folder out of locations where unrelated users can modify the executable or configuration.
Install BeamMP-Server on Linux
Download the build matching the Linux distribution and architecture documented by BeamMP. Place it in a dedicated directory, mark the binary executable, and run it once to generate its configuration. The exact binary name and package details can change, so follow the current Server Setup documentation rather than pasting commands from an outdated guide.
- Create a separate unprivileged service user and a directory owned by that user.
- Copy the current BeamMP server build into that directory.
- Set the executable permission and start it once from that directory.
- Stop it after the initial file generation, edit
ServerConfig.toml, and start it as the service user. - If you use a service manager, configure it to restart only after reviewing logs and to start after the network is available.
Do not run the server as root, with sudo, or from your personal login account. Restrict write access to the server directory and back up the configuration separately from the executable.
Configure ServerConfig.toml
ServerConfig.toml is created beside the executable on the first launch. Open it with a text editor and set the server details and options documented for the current build.
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Private server
Use private visibility when you want invited friends to connect without advertising the session in the public list. Configure an authentication key anyway, as BeamMP recommends, and keep the value secret. Give friends the server’s address and port through a private channel.
Public server
A public server requires an authentication key for server-list access. After the server is running and reachable, players can locate it by the name you configure in BeamMP’s server list. Public visibility means unknown players may attempt to connect, so use a firewall, keep the server software updated, and avoid placing personal files in the server directory.
Port selection
Use the port written in ServerConfig.toml. BeamMP’s FAQ identifies 30814 as the usual default and specifies both TCP and UDP, but your configured value can differ. The value in the file is authoritative; use that same number in the router rule, host firewall, and connection address.
Open network access safely
Same local network
For a server and players on the same home or office LAN, do not create a public port-forwarding rule. Connect to the host machine’s local IP address. If the game and server run on one computer, BeamMP’s FAQ says to use direct connect with 127.0.0.1 and the configured port.
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Home server for internet players
- Give the server computer a stable local address, preferably with a DHCP reservation in the router.
- Create a router port-forwarding rule for the configured port, normally 30814, with TCP and UDP enabled.
- Set the destination to the server computer’s local IP, not to the router itself.
- Allow the BeamMP server application or that port through the host firewall for incoming and outgoing traffic.
- Leave the firewall enabled. Opening only the required application or port is safer than disabling the firewall.
- Restart the server and test from outside your home network. A test performed from the same LAN may not reveal a router’s lack of loopback support.
Port forwarding exposes a service on your home network to unsolicited internet traffic. Limit access to the server machine, keep the operating system patched, use a dedicated account, and share your public IP only with people you trust.
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VPS server
A VPS does not use your home router. Allow the configured TCP and UDP port in the VPS operating-system firewall and in any cloud security-group or provider firewall, then give players the VPS public IPv4 address and port. Verify that the plan actually permits inbound UDP as well as TCP; some providers impose network restrictions that are not obvious from a basic specification.
IPv4, IPv6, CGNAT, and mobile connections
BeamMP’s guide documents IPv4 support and says IPv6 support is not yet implemented. Its FAQ warns that CGNAT can prevent home port forwarding. Mobile 4G and 5G connections also do not support the required port-forwarding setup according to BeamMP. If your router’s internet address is private or differs from the address shown by an external IP-check service, ask your ISP whether CGNAT is in use and whether a public IPv4 option is available. Otherwise, use a VPS or another network that supplies reachable IPv4.
Start the server and let players join
Host test
Start BeamMP-Server and watch its console or log for startup errors. On the host computer, use BeamMP direct connect to 127.0.0.1 and the configured port. This confirms that the local process is listening before you troubleshoot the router.
Friends joining a private internet server
Give friends the public IPv4 address and configured port, for example, the address followed by a colon and the port number. Do not send the private local address to people outside your network. Share the public address only with people you trust, because it identifies your connection to the internet.
Players joining a public server
Once the authentication key, visibility, port, firewall, and network path are correct, players can search BeamMP’s server list by the configured server name. A listing does not replace firewall or port-forwarding rules; the server must still be reachable.
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Troubleshoot connection failures
| Symptom | Checks to perform |
|---|---|
| Server will not start | Confirm you downloaded the build for the correct operating system, installed the required Windows redistributables where applicable, can write to the server directory, and are using a configuration format supported by the current build. |
| Host cannot connect locally | Verify the process is running, the configured port is correct, and direct connect uses 127.0.0.1 with that port. |
| LAN players cannot connect | Check that they are on the same network, are using the server computer’s current local IP, and that the host firewall allows the server on the LAN profile. |
| Internet friends receive a timeout | Confirm the router forwards the exact configured port over both TCP and UDP to the correct local IP, the host firewall allows incoming and outgoing traffic, and the server is running. |
| Forwarding looks correct but nobody outside can connect | Check whether the ISP uses CGNAT, whether the connection is mobile 4G/5G, and whether the router’s WAN address is a reachable public IPv4. BeamMP does not yet implement IPv6 server access. |
| Server does not appear publicly | Check that public visibility is enabled, the authentication key is present and valid, and outbound access to BeamMP’s listing service is allowed. Never paste the key into a public troubleshooting post. |
| Players connect to the wrong machine | Inspect the router’s forwarding destination and reserve the server computer’s local IP so DHCP cannot silently change it. |
BeamMP’s Server FAQ specifically recommends checking that the server is running, the configured TCP and UDP port is forwarded, the firewall permits it, and the ISP is not using CGNAT. Work through those checks in that order so you do not change several variables at once.
Keep a server maintainable
- Back up
ServerConfig.toml, plugins, mods, and any access information before changing versions. - Keep the authentication key out of public screenshots, version-control repositories, and shared example files. If it is exposed, replace it through the BeamMP process that issued it.
- Apply operating-system and server updates during a planned maintenance window, then test local direct connect before inviting players.
- Run Linux under the dedicated unprivileged account recommended by BeamMP; apply the equivalent least-privilege approach on Windows.
- Record the configured port, local server IP, router rule, and firewall rule so recovery does not depend on memory.
- Monitor disk usage for logs, mods, and plugins even though the FAQ’s base figure is only 10 MiB.
- Do not assume the FAQ’s 50+ MiB RAM or 5–10 Mb/s upload minimum will support a particular player count, map, or mod set. Increase resources when real workload or logs show pressure.
Questions to ask before paying for managed hosting
If you choose an external managed service, ask for written answers rather than relying on a generic “game server” label:
- Is BeamMP-Server explicitly supported, and which current server build can be installed?
- Is a public IPv4 address included, and are inbound TCP and UDP connections on the configured port allowed?
- What CPU, usable RAM, storage, upload bandwidth, and player or process limits apply?
- Can you upload and manage mods and plugins, and are backups automatic?
- Who handles operating-system patches, BeamMP updates, restarts, and failed processes?
- Where are the machines located, what is the cancellation policy, and what happens to your files after cancellation?
BeamMP’s official materials do not establish a named provider, price, benchmark, commission, or service-level guarantee. Verify those terms with the provider you are considering.
Which setup should you use?
For players in one home, run BeamMP-Server on a local computer and connect through its local address. For a private group over the internet, home hosting is viable only when you have reachable IPv4, can forward both protocols, and accept the security and maintenance responsibilities. For a public or frequently available server, a VPS removes the home-router dependency and is the route BeamMP characterizes as easier and more secure. In every case, use the current server build, keep the authentication key private, and treat the port in ServerConfig.toml as the single source of truth.
Quick Recap
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