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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe simplest way to host a Core Keeper dedicated server is to install the free Dedicated Server application from Steam’s Library Tools, start it on a computer that can stay online, and give friends the server’s Game ID. Leave the direct port unset to use Steam relay, which means the standard setup does not require router port forwarding. Use direct IP mode only when you deliberately configure and expose a reachable port.
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What a dedicated Core Keeper server does
A dedicated server runs the world independently of the game session on your desktop. Friends can join while you are away from the world, provided the server machine and its network connection remain available. The server software is downloadable at no license cost; your practical costs are the computer’s power, network service and maintenance, unless you rent a managed server instead.
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There are two connection paths:
- Steam relay (recommended starting point): leave the direct port unset, start the server, and share its Game ID. This is the path for which port forwarding is no longer required.
- Direct connection: set a
-portvalue and make that port reachable through the host firewall and router. The-ipargument is relevant only when a port is set.
Pugstorm’s official Steam announcement, “Update 1 – Coming in June!” (2022), describes the intended flow: “If you’d like to host your own dedicated server you can do so using Core Keeper’s own dedicated server hosting application, which will be available to run from the Tools menu in your Steam Library.” The same announcement says that port forwarding was required during experimental testing but “is no longer necessary” for the normal setup.
Decide between self-hosting and a managed server
Self-hosting gives you control over the machine, world files and update timing. A managed service trades that control for less operating work. No current provider ranking, price comparison or uptime measurement is established here, so compare the actual offer you are considering rather than assuming that every host supplies the same features.
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| Factor | Self-hosted dedicated server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | The dedicated-server application is free to download; hardware, electricity and internet access are yours. | Recurring rental price varies by provider and plan; current prices are not established. |
| Machine availability | Requires a computer that can remain powered on and connected whenever friends need the world. | The provider supplies the always-on machine. |
| Setup and maintenance | You install updates, start the process, monitor failures and perform backups. | The provider may simplify those tasks, but the exact automation and support level must be checked. |
| World-file control | Full access to the local world data and your own backup schedule. | Confirm how to download, restore and retain world backups before subscribing. |
| Capacity | The argument reference reports a default limit of eight players. Higher settings are not a performance guarantee. | Plans may advertise different limits, but verify what the current game version actually supports. |
| Location and latency | You choose the physical location of the host machine, subject to your own network. | Choose a data-center region close to most players if the service offers regions. |
| Compatibility | You can verify the installed game and server builds directly. | Ask which game version and storefront combinations the provider currently supports. |
Choose self-hosting when you already have a machine that can stay online and you are comfortable copying world files and applying updates. Renting is mainly a convenience choice for people who do not want an always-on computer or server administration.
Before installation: prepare the host safely
Use a machine that can stay online
There is no authoritative current CPU, RAM, bandwidth or operating-system requirement in the available documentation. Do not treat an internet forum’s hardware number as a guaranteed capacity figure. Use a supported system for the server package you actually download, and watch resource use after inviting players.
- Install the current Core Keeper game and dedicated-server package from the same release family where possible.
- Prevent sleep or hibernation on the host while the server is meant to be available.
- Use a stable wired or reliable wireless connection and allow the server application through the operating system firewall when prompted.
- Keep the host account and operating system updated, but schedule restarts so players are not interrupted unexpectedly.
Back up before you touch a world
Make a copy of the world before migrating it, changing server settings or publishing connection details. The setup guidance notes that the dedicated-server worlds folder may not appear until the server has completed its first save. Start the server once, create or load a world, wait for a save, stop the process cleanly, and then copy the resulting world data to a separate location.
Keep at least one backup that is not inside the live server folder. Use dated folders so you can identify a known-good version if a later update or failed shutdown damages the active copy. Never overwrite your only backup with a newly edited world.
Install the dedicated-server application from Steam
Steam Library Tools method
- Open the Steam client and select Library.
- Filter the library to Tools. Search for Core Keeper’s dedicated-server application and select Install.
- Let Steam finish downloading the package, then open the installed application using the launch option supplied with that package.
- On the first run, create or select the world you intend to host. Allow it to save before stopping the server and making your backup.
The exact executable name and configuration-file layout can change with package updates. If the application does not start, read the instructions included with the version Steam installed instead of copying a command intended for an older build.
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SteamCMD method
SteamCMD is useful on a headless machine or a system where you do not want the full Steam client. Community setup instructions identify the dedicated-server application with Steam app ID 1963720. A typical installation command is:
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steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./core-keeper-server +app_update 1963720 validate +quitThe command downloads or validates the package in the directory you specify. If SteamCMD reports an error, check the server package’s included instructions and confirm that the app ID and command syntax still match the current release. Do not assume that a path or executable name from an older guide remains valid.
Verify the build before inviting anyone
Record the game version and server-package version shown by the installation or startup output. A client on a different build may fail to join even when networking is correct. The technical argument reference used for the documented options identifies package version 1.2.1.5; treat that as the version of that reference, not a promise that every 2026 download uses it.
Run the server through Steam relay (no port forwarding)
For the standard setup, do not set a direct connection port. The argument reference says that leaving the port unset uses Steam relay. The server then publishes a Game ID that friends use to find the world.
- Start the dedicated-server application on the host machine.
- Leave
-portunset. Do not add-ip; that argument matters only when a port is configured. - Wait until the startup output indicates that the world is loaded and the server is accepting connections.
- Copy the Game ID shown by the server’s status output or host interface.
- Send the Game ID privately to the people you want to play with. Avoid posting it publicly, and do not include your world backup or local file paths.
- Keep the server process running while friends play. Closing the terminal or stopping the application makes the world unavailable.
Relay mode avoids the router configuration that was needed during experimental dedicated-server testing. It does not remove the need for a functioning internet connection, a running host and a firewall rule that permits the application to communicate.
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Use direct IP mode only when you need it
Direct mode can be useful when relay connectivity is unsuitable or when you need players to connect to a known address. It is more work and exposes a service through your network.
- Choose an unused port appropriate for your network policy and set it with
-port <port-number>. - If the host has multiple network interfaces and the package requires an explicit bind address, set
-ip <address>. The argument reference specifies that-ipis relevant only when a port is set. - Create an operating-system firewall rule allowing the chosen protocol and port for the dedicated-server application.
- Configure router port forwarding to the host’s local address if players are connecting from outside your home network.
- Give friends the address and port in the format required by the current game client, and test from a network that is not the host’s local Wi-Fi.
A port that is open on the router but blocked by the host firewall will still fail. Conversely, a firewall exception cannot make a port reachable when the router, carrier-grade NAT or another upstream network blocks inbound traffic. If direct mode is not essential, return to relay mode by removing the port setting.
Set player capacity conservatively
The current argument reference reports a default maximum of eight players. That is a configuration default, not a measured performance result. The same reference cautions that increasing the limit may require more resources or make a session unstable.
- Start with the default of eight and add players gradually.
- Observe server responsiveness, save times and disconnects before raising any limit.
- Do not describe a larger configured value as tested capacity unless you have tested that exact world, build and host.
- If instability appears after a change, stop the server cleanly, restore the previous setting and use your most recent backup if world data behaves unexpectedly.
The available material does not establish a safe CPU, memory or bandwidth target for a particular player count, so hardware recommendations based only on the number of players would be guesswork.
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How friends join and what can prevent it
Relay connection
Send the current Game ID after the server has fully started. Friends should use the game’s dedicated-server or join-by-ID flow and enter that code exactly. Generate or copy a fresh code after recreating a server rather than assuming an old code still identifies the same running instance.
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Direct connection
Give players the reachable address and configured port, not the Steam application ID. They must be able to reach the port from their network, and the client and server must be on compatible builds.
Platform and storefront compatibility
No authoritative 2026 compatibility matrix is established for every console, PC storefront or cross-play combination. Before promising that a particular platform can join, confirm the current game version, server version and storefront support in the official game documentation or the package notes you installed. Avoid assuming that a dedicated server listed in Steam automatically accepts every edition of the game.
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Stop cleanly before copying files
Tell players to leave, stop the server through its normal shutdown method, and wait for the process to exit before copying or replacing world data. Copying files while the world is being written can produce an incomplete backup.
Update in a controlled order
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the running server.
- Make a dated backup of the world.
- Update the server package.
- Start the server alone and confirm that the world loads.
- Have one trusted player test joining before reopening the server to everyone.
Keep the previous server package available until the new version has loaded the world successfully. If the update fails, stop the new process and restore the backup rather than repeatedly launching against the only copy.
Protect connection details
A Game ID or direct address is an access detail, not a password. Share it only with the intended group, and rotate your approach by stopping and restarting the server if you have posted it publicly. Do not publish world files, local paths or administrative information alongside the connection code.
Troubleshooting branches
The server application will not install
- Confirm that you are viewing Steam’s Tools filter, not only the Games list.
- If using SteamCMD, verify app ID
1963720, installation permissions and the package’s own instructions. - Check that the downloaded game and server versions are current and compatible.
Friends cannot join by Game ID
- Confirm that the server finished loading the world and is still running.
- Copy the Game ID again; a mistyped character is enough to fail.
- Make sure you did not accidentally set
-portand switch the server into direct mode. - Check the host firewall and test with a client on a different network.
- Verify that every player is using a compatible game build.
Direct connections time out
- Confirm the selected port is actually configured in the server launch arguments.
- Allow that port through the host firewall and forward it to the correct local machine.
- Check whether the internet connection uses carrier-grade NAT or another upstream restriction that prevents inbound connections.
- Remove the port setting and return to relay mode if you do not specifically need direct IP access.
The world folder is missing
Run the server, create or load a world, and wait for the first save. The setup guidance notes that the dedicated-server worlds folder may not be created until after that save. Stop the server normally before searching again or making a backup.
The session becomes unstable with more players
Return to the default limit of eight, remove recent configuration changes and test the same world with fewer players. Because no independent performance benchmark or hardware requirement is established, treat higher limits as experimental rather than guaranteed.
When renting is the better choice
A managed Core Keeper server can be sensible when no household computer can stay online, when the group needs a region closer to most players, or when nobody wants to handle updates and backups. Before paying, ask:
- Which Core Keeper version and storefront combinations are supported today?
- Can you download complete world backups and restore them yourself?
- What player limit is included, and is it a configuration ceiling or a tested recommendation?
- Where is the server located, and can you change regions?
- How are maintenance, crashes and game updates communicated?
- Can you cancel without losing the world immediately?
Use the same backup discipline on a rented server as on a home machine. A provider’s control panel does not replace an independent copy of the world.
2026 limitations you should state honestly
The official Steam announcement is strong evidence for the Steam Tools distribution route and the removal of port-forwarding requirements from the standard flow, but it dates from 2022. Community-maintained technical references document the relay/direct arguments and identify package version 1.2.1.5, while their values should be checked against the package you download now.
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Launch checklist
- Install the dedicated server through Steam Library Tools or SteamCMD app ID
1963720. - Run it once, create or load the world and wait for the first save.
- Stop cleanly and store a dated backup outside the live worlds folder.
- For the easiest setup, leave
-portand-ipunset and use the Game ID with Steam relay. - If using direct mode, configure
-port, make it reachable through the firewall and router, and use-iponly with a port. - Begin with the documented default of eight players; treat higher values as unverified.
- Share connection details privately and confirm client/server version compatibility.
- Back up before migrations and updates, and keep a rollback copy until the new build is proven to load the world.
For most groups, relay mode plus a backed-up self-hosted machine is the shortest path: install the free server tool, leave the direct port blank, copy the Game ID and keep the host online. Move to direct networking or managed hosting only when a specific connectivity or maintenance need justifies the added complexity or cost.
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