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To host a Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) server, install SCS Software’s free Dedicated Server tool (Steam app ID 1948160), export the server package files from your game installation, create and edit server_config.sii, forward the server ports, and then run the server executable. Friends need their own copy of ETS2, but they do not need a separate server licence.
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The workflow below follows SCS documentation and established community setup guides. No current SCS guide specifically for the 2026 game build is published, so verify version-sensitive commands, configuration keys and port requirements against the current SCS Modding Wiki before opening the server to other players.
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What you need before starting
- A legal, up-to-date copy of Euro Truck Simulator 2 for the person creating the server and for every player who will join.
- A Windows computer or other supported machine that can remain online while people play. Self-hosting uses the computer’s electricity, internet connection and storage.
- The free Euro Truck Simulator 2 Dedicated Server tool, available through Steam as app ID
1948160. - Access to the game installation so you can export
server_packages.siiandserver_packages.dat. - Router or firewall access for forwarding the server’s network ports when players are connecting from outside your home network.
- The current SCS Modding Wiki instructions for your exact game build. The documented port numbers and configuration names may change between releases.
The dedicated server is separate from the normal game client. Installing ETS2 alone does not create a server, and installing the server tool alone does not provide the map and downloadable-content package information it needs.
Choose between self-hosting and renting
Self-hosting costs nothing for the software and gives you direct access to the files, but your computer and home internet connection determine uptime. Renting moves the machine, connectivity and much of the setup to a commercial game-hosting provider and adds a recurring fee. A rented panel generally lets you change files and restart the process without configuring your own router, although the controls available depend on that provider.
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| Consideration | Self-hosted PC | Rented game server |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | The dedicated server software is free. | The provider charges a recurring hosting fee; no standard price is published. |
| Technical work | Install files, export packages, edit configuration, manage firewall rules and forward ports. | Most file and port work is handled in the provider’s control panel. |
| Uptime | Depends on the host computer, power and home internet connection. | Depends on the provider’s infrastructure and maintenance. |
| Control | Direct access to the server folder, configuration and launch parameters. | Access is limited to the panel and file controls supplied by the provider. |
| Capacity examples | The SCS sample configuration uses a limit of eight players. | One commercial host advertises an Economy tier for 1–8 players and a Standard tier for 8–32 players; those figures are marketing claims and are not verified game limits. |
If the group is small and you are comfortable with router settings, self-hosting is the least expensive route. A rented server is more convenient when the host PC cannot stay online or when you do not want to expose a home connection to incoming traffic.
Step 1: Install the Dedicated Server tool
Install through the Steam client
- Open Steam and go to the Library.
- Change the library filter so that Tools are displayed. Steam may hide tools until this filter is enabled.
- Find and install Euro Truck Simulator 2 Dedicated Server. Its Steam application ID is
1948160. - Note the installation directory. You will copy the exported package files into this server directory later.
The tool is a free download separate from the paid game. Installing it does not automatically copy your current map and DLC package description into the server folder.
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If you prefer a scripted or headless installation, a community setup uses SteamCMD with this command:
steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:GameServer" +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 +quitReplace C:GameServer with the folder in which you want the server installed. The command logs in anonymously, downloads app 1948160 and exits. Confirm that the download completes before continuing. If you use a different operating system or SteamCMD layout, adapt the executable path and quoting without changing the application ID.
Step 2: Export the server packages from ETS2
The dedicated server needs two files describing the map and downloadable content available to the session: server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat. They are generated by the game, not by the dedicated-server installer.
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- Start Euro Truck Simulator 2 with the profile and content you intend to use on the server.
- Enable the game’s developer and console options in its configuration. The exact menu or configuration-file location can vary by build, so use the current SCS instructions for your version.
- Open the in-game developer console and run the server-package export command documented by SCS. Do not substitute a command from an older build if the current documentation shows a different name.
- Locate the generated
server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datfiles. - Copy both files into the dedicated-server installation folder.
The export reflects the DLC and mod setup active when you create it. If you add, remove or update map content or mods, export the package files again and replace both files in the server directory. A package created from one content set should not be assumed to describe another.
Keep the package set consistent
- Use the same intended DLC and mod state when exporting and when players connect.
- Keep the two package files together; copying only one leaves the server without a matching package pair.
- Re-export after significant content changes rather than troubleshooting an old package first.
Step 3: Launch once and create the server configuration
Run the dedicated-server executable once after copying the package files. On its first run, it creates a server home directory and a default server_config.sii file. That file contains the session name, password, player limit, port information, server logon token and moderator list.
Find the correct home directory
By default, the server uses the game’s Game User Path. If you start the server with a -homedir parameter, the game and the dedicated server must use the same changed path. A mismatch can make the server appear to have missing profiles, packages or configuration files.
Edit the settings that matter most
- Stop the server after the first launch so the configuration can be edited safely.
- Open
server_config.siiin a plain-text editor. - Set the server name using the
lobby_namesetting. Choose a name your players can recognize. - Set a password if the session is private. Share it only with the intended group.
- Set the player limit. The SCS sample configuration uses a limit of 8 players; treat that as the documented sample value rather than proof that every current build supports a different maximum.
- Review the sample vehicle limits if traffic behavior matters. The wiki example uses
max_vehicles_totalset to 100 andmax_ai_vehicles_playerset to 50. - Leave the generated
server_logon_tokenin place unless the current SCS instructions tell you to create or replace it. The wiki describes this as the game-server login token tied to a persistent account. - Save the file without changing its SII syntax or removing required entries.
Do not copy a complete configuration from an unrelated version without checking each key. The server creates a current default file specifically so new builds can include the settings they expect.
Step 4: Configure ports and router forwarding
The SCS sample lists a connection dedicated port of 27015 and a query dedicated port of 27016. Community setup guides describe both as the default server ports and identify UDP as the required protocol. One guide recommends forwarding both TCP and UDP for ports 27015–27016, which is the safer router rule when the interface allows protocol selection.
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Forward the ports on a home router
- Give the computer hosting the server a stable local network address, either through a DHCP reservation or a fixed address supported by your router.
- Open the router’s port-forwarding or virtual-server page.
- Create a rule for port
27015to the host computer. Select UDP; if your router supports combined rules, include TCP as well. - Create a second rule for port
27016to the same computer, again including UDP and, where practical, TCP. - Save the rules and apply the router configuration.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through the computer’s firewall when the operating system prompts you. If you use manual firewall rules, permit the same ports and protocols you forwarded.
The sample configuration also lists virtual ports 100 and 101. These are separate from the two dedicated network ports shown above; do not assume they replace the router-forwarding rules. Confirm their purpose in the current SCS documentation if you change them.
Multiple servers on one machine
Every concurrent server instance needs its own ports and its own logon token. Do not launch two instances using the same 27015/27016 pair or the same token. Assign a distinct connection and query port pair to each additional instance, then create matching router and firewall rules.
When players are on the same home network
Players inside your local network may be able to connect using the host computer’s local address without an internet-facing port forward. Players outside the network require the router and firewall configuration above. Share only the connection details appropriate for the player’s location, and verify that your internet provider does not block unsolicited inbound connections.
Step 5: Start the server and let players connect
- Confirm that
server_packages.sii,server_packages.datand the editedserver_config.siiare in the expected server home or installation locations. - Start the dedicated-server executable.
- Watch the console or log output for startup errors. A failure to load packages usually points to missing, mismatched or stale exported files; a bind error usually indicates that another process already uses the selected port.
- Give players the server name, password if one is set, and the connection information required by the current ETS2 multiplayer interface.
- Have each player join from their own ETS2 installation. Every connecting player must own Euro Truck Simulator 2, but no player needs a separate dedicated-server licence.
Keep the server process running for the entire session. Closing the console window or shutting down the host computer ends the session for everyone connected.
Troubleshooting common setup failures
The Dedicated Server tool is not visible in Steam
Open the Library filters and enable Tools. The dedicated server is distributed as a tool rather than as the normal ETS2 game entry. If it still does not appear, use SteamCMD and app ID 1948160 to install it into a known directory.
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The server starts but has no map or DLC
Stop the process and check that both exported package files are present. If you changed DLC or mods after exporting, repeat the in-game export and copy the new pair. Also check that the game and server are using the same Game User Path, especially if you supplied -homedir.
Players on the internet cannot find or join the server
- Confirm that the server is running and listening on the configured connection and query ports.
- Check that 27015 and 27016 are forwarded to the host computer’s current local address, not an old DHCP address.
- Check both the router firewall and the computer firewall. Community guidance identifies UDP as the default; allowing both TCP and UDP for these two ports avoids protocol-selection mistakes on routers that support separate rules.
- Ensure that a second server or another application is not already using the ports.
- If local players can join but remote players cannot, the problem is usually at the router, firewall or internet-provider boundary rather than in the package export.
The server reports a port conflict
Change the conflicting port to an unused pair, update the forwarding and firewall rules, and use a distinct logon token for that instance. Each simultaneous server must have its own connection port, query port and token.
The configuration changes do not appear
Stop the server before editing, save the file as plain text, and verify that you edited the configuration in the active Game User Path. A second installation or a different -homedir can leave you modifying a file the running server never reads.
Players are rejected despite using the correct password
Check the configured player limit and whether the server is already full. Confirm that every player owns ETS2 and that the server package files represent the content expected by the current game build. If the issue began after a DLC or mod change, export the packages again.
Operating the server after it works
Back up the important files
Keep a copy of server_config.sii, server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat before changing content or upgrading the server tool. A backup gives you a known configuration to restore if an edit introduces a syntax or path error.
Re-export after content changes
The package files describe the map and DLC/mod setup used at export time. Repeat the export whenever that content set changes; do not assume that updating the dedicated-server executable automatically updates the package description.
Review version changes
The documented workflow is stable, but SCS documentation does not confirm that every command, key or default remains identical in the 2026 build. Before a major ETS2 update, check the current SCS Modding Wiki for changes to the export command, server_config.sii fields, port behavior and token requirements.
Protect access
Use a password for private groups and avoid publishing the server’s logon token. Limit moderator entries to people who actually administer the session. Keep the server software and the game content on a machine you control, and stop the process when you are not using it.
Self-hosting or renting: a practical decision
Choose self-hosting when you want the free software, full file access and control over launch parameters, and you can keep a machine and network connection available. Choose a rental when router configuration, home uptime or maintenance is the main obstacle. Treat advertised player tiers above the eight-player SCS sample as provider-specific claims, not as a confirmed limit of the dedicated-server software.
For a small private convoy, the essential path is straightforward: install app 1948160, export both package files, launch once to create the configuration, set the name/password/player limit, forward 27015 and 27016, and run the executable. Recheck the SCS documentation whenever the game updates so that your export command and configuration match the current build.
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