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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe dependable way to keep a Space Engineers world online is to run Keen Software House’s Dedicated Server on a separate Windows PC, or rent a game-server instance. The dedicated process runs without a player’s game client, rendering, or audio effects, so friends can connect even when the owner is not playing.
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For a self-hosted public server, plan on Windows, .NET 4.8 or newer, the Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables, at least a 3.2 GHz CPU with three logical cores, 6 GB of RAM, 5 Mbps bandwidth, a static public IP, UDP port forwarding, and a matching firewall rule. The sections below take you from that decision through installation, world migration, permissions, crossplay, and ongoing maintenance.
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There are two practical ways to make a persistent server. Self-hosting gives you control over the machine, files, saves, mods, and administrative settings. Renting moves installation and hardware upkeep to a provider, but you manage the game configuration through the provider’s tools and accept its plan limits.
| Consideration | Self-hosted Windows PC | Rented game-server instance |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front and recurring cost | Uses hardware and an internet connection you already have or acquire. The cited Keen documentation does not provide a total cost. | A recurring service charge. Current prices, plans, and geographic availability are not established by the cited sources. |
| Installation and updates | You install the Dedicated Server, configure it, apply updates, and maintain backups. | The provider supplies the server environment; the exact update and backup controls depend on its service. |
| Uptime responsibility | Your PC, power, operating system, and connection must remain available. | The provider operates the host, while you remain responsible for the game configuration and save data you control. |
| Control | Direct access to server files, ports, services, logs, permissions, and mods. | Control is mediated by the provider’s panel and the features of the selected plan. |
| Platform choices | Windows dedicated-server software is the documented route for PC hosting. EOS and console-compatible settings can support Xbox or mixed groups when configured correctly. | Keen identifies GTX Gaming as an official PC hosting option and Nitrado as an official Xbox hosting option; this is not a performance or price ranking. |
Keen’s guide states that “Dedicated servers are available for everyone who owns Space Engineers.” It also says you do not need an extra Steam account: the dedicated server is free with an existing Space Engineers account. Choose self-hosting if you want file-level control and have a Windows machine that can stay online. Rent when avoiding operating-system, networking, and maintenance work is worth the recurring fee.
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Hardware, software, and network requirements
The figures below are Keen Software House’s published Dedicated Server requirements, not an independent benchmark or a guarantee for every player count, world size, simulation load, or mod collection.
| Item | Published minimum | Published recommendation | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 3.2 GHz, 3 logical cores | 4.5 GHz, 3 logical cores | Check sustained clock speed and logical-core count, not only the processor’s model name. |
| Memory | 6 GB RAM | 10 GB RAM | Leave additional memory for Windows, the server process, worlds, and mods. |
| Bandwidth | 5 Mbps | Not separately stated | This is Keen’s published bandwidth figure; actual use varies with players and activity. |
| Operating system | Windows PC | Windows PC | The cited setup documentation describes Windows installation and service operation. |
| Runtime components | .NET Redistributable 4.8 or higher; Visual C++ Redistributables 2013 and 2017 | Install the required runtimes before troubleshooting the server executable. | |
| Public networking | Static public IP recommended/required for outside-internet connections; UDP forwarding and firewall access for the listen port | The default listen port in Keen’s guide is UDP 27016, but you can choose another port. | |
These numbers describe the server process only. Windows itself, backups, logs, downloaded workshop content, and other applications need disk space and memory. Keen’s guide does not state a current disk-space figure, so verify free space for the installation, each world, logs, and downloaded mods rather than relying on a fixed number.
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- Identify the Windows PC’s private LAN address and reserve it in your router if possible, so the forwarding target does not change.
- Confirm that your internet connection can accept inbound connections and that you have a static public IP when players will connect from outside your LAN.
- Decide whether the server will be private, Steam-Group restricted, or publicly discoverable; that choice affects the access settings you will configure later.
Install the Dedicated Server
Steam installation
- Open the Steam client and select Library → Tools.
- Search for Space Engineers Dedicated Server and install it.
- After installation, confirm that the Windows account running the server can read and write the installation directory and the location where worlds and logs will be stored.
SteamCMD installation
If you do not want to use the Steam client, Keen documents SteamCMD installation with dedicated-server app ID 298740. In a SteamCMD folder, use the command pattern below, replacing the destination with a real path:
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir somedirectorypath +app_update 298740 +quitRun the command again when you intentionally update the installation. Keep the install directory separate from your world-save directory when practical; that makes it easier to preserve saves during software maintenance.
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First launch and prerequisites
Start SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe. If Windows reports a missing runtime or the program closes immediately, install or repair .NET 4.8 or newer and the Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables, then launch again. The dedicated server does not render the game world or play visual and audio effects, so a machine without a gaming GPU can still be suitable if its CPU, memory, storage, and network meet the stated requirements.
Create or migrate a world
Configure a new instance in the manager
- Run the dedicated-server executable and select Local/Console.
- Select Continue to server configuration.
- Choose a new world or select an available saved world.
- Enter a server name and world name that your players will recognize.
- Set the listen IP and port. Leave the port at the default UDP
27016unless another service or another server instance requires a different value. - Choose visibility, password, player lists, administrators, banned players, reserved slots, and active mods.
- Select Save & start.
The manager exposes an optional Steam Group ID restriction. A password protects a server without requiring group membership; a Steam Group restriction limits visibility or access to the group you specify. Use the least complicated method that matches your community, and document the chosen setting for players who cannot see the server.
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A game save created in a normal client session is not automatically in the dedicated server’s save location. To transfer it, copy the save to the relevant dedicated-server save directory, then select it in the server manager. Preserve the original copy until you have opened the transferred world and confirmed that settings, player data, and mod references are intact.
Run more than one instance
The manager can create multiple instances, but Keen cautions that every instance needs its own port. Give each world a distinct UDP listen port, forward each port to the same Windows PC as needed, and keep separate save and log locations so one instance cannot overwrite another.
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Run as a Windows service
The manager supports foreground operation and Windows service instances. To create service instances, run the manager as an administrator. A service can start with Windows without requiring an interactive desktop session, which is useful for a machine that is dedicated to hosting. Test the service with a noncritical copy of the world first, and record the service name and save path so another administrator can recover it.
Expose the server to the internet
Forward the configured UDP port
- In the router, create an inbound port-forward rule for UDP and the server’s configured listen port. Keen’s default is
27016/UDP. - Set the destination to the Windows PC’s private LAN address.
- In Windows Defender Firewall or your installed firewall, allow inbound UDP on that same port for the server executable or an equivalent rule.
- Restart the server if you changed its listen port, then test from a connection outside your home network.
Do not assume that unrelated query, remote-management, or panel ports are required. The documented game connection requirement is UDP on the configured listen port. If people outside your LAN still cannot connect, verify the public IP, the router’s WAN address, the forwarding target, and the firewall rule with your internet provider or network administrator. Keen’s guide says a static public IP is needed for outside-internet connections.
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LAN testing versus internet testing
Test in two stages. First, connect from another device on the same LAN; this confirms that the server process and local firewall are working. Next, have a player on a different network connect using the public address and configured port. A successful LAN test does not prove that router forwarding or the ISP path is correct.
Set permissions, privacy, and administration
Private access
Use a password for a small group, or configure the Steam Group ID restriction when membership itself should control visibility. Keep the password out of public posts and change it if it is shared beyond the intended group.
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Administrators and player lists
The server settings include administrators, banned players, and reserved slots. Keen’s administration guidance says administrators can be promoted from the Dedicated Server Manager or through the VRage Remote Client. The Remote API is another route used by providers and experienced operators. Grant the minimum level of access needed, and keep a second trusted administrator account so you are not locked out if the primary account changes.
Backups and rollback
Before installing a large mod set, changing world rules, or applying a game update, stop the instance and copy the world directory to a separate location. Keep dated copies rather than overwriting one backup. If a change causes crashes or a broken load, stop the server, restore the last known-good copy, and test the change on a duplicate world first.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Configure PC, Xbox, and mixed-platform play
Keen says dedicated servers can enable EOS networking and console compatibility. A server intended for Xbox players or a mixed PC/Xbox group must use the console-compatible configuration exposed by the current game and server tools, rather than assuming that a standard PC-only setup will work.
Mods for Xbox or mixed groups
Keen’s administration and mod guidance says Xbox and mixed-platform servers should use mods hosted on Mod.io. The crossplay announcement also states that server mods containing scripts can run only when they do not require client-side scripts. That announcement is dated May 2, 2021, so treat detailed compatibility behavior as potentially changed: check the current in-game and server documentation before building a world around a particular mod.
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For a mixed group, start with an unmodded or very small Mod.io set. Have both a PC and an Xbox player join, load the same world, and test the mechanics that matter to your group. Add mods one at a time and keep a rollback copy, because a single incompatible item can prevent clients from joining even when the server itself starts.
Keep the server online and maintained
Auto-restart and auto-update
The server manager includes auto-restart and auto-update options, but Keen specifies that auto-update works only while the Dedicated Server GUI is running. If the GUI is closed, do not assume that the server will update itself; use an operator-controlled maintenance routine instead.
Windows service recovery
For a service instance, configure Windows service recovery actions so the service can restart after an unexpected stop. Keen’s guide also describes using Task Scheduler as a periodic check. Set a sensible delay between restart attempts, and make sure repeated failures do not create an endless restart loop that hides a bad update or corrupt save.
Update procedure
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the server cleanly.
- Copy the world, configuration, and any custom administration files to a dated backup location.
- Update through Steam or SteamCMD, using app ID
298740for the dedicated-server package. - Start the instance and watch the log for world-load, mod, or dependency errors.
- Join with a test account before telling the whole group that the server is ready.
Common problems and precise fixes
The executable will not start
- Confirm that you installed .NET 4.8 or newer and both Visual C++ 2013 and 2017 redistributables.
- Check that the Windows account has permission to the installation and save directories.
- Review the server log for a missing file, invalid path, or port already in use.
Players on the internet cannot see or join
- Verify that the server is running and listening on the same port shown in the manager.
- Confirm that the router forwards UDP, not only TCP, to the correct private IP.
- Allow that UDP port through the host firewall.
- Check that you are giving players the current public IP and that the ISP provides the static public address required by Keen’s guide.
- Test from outside the LAN; a local connection alone cannot validate internet reachability.
A save is missing from the manager
Stop the server, copy the save into the dedicated-server save directory described by Keen’s setup process, then reopen the manager and select it. Do not delete the original client save until the dedicated instance has loaded successfully.
A second server disconnects or cannot bind
Assign the second instance a different listen port and create a corresponding forwarding and firewall rule. Two instances cannot share the same port on one host.
Crossplay clients fail after adding mods
Remove the newest mod from a backup copy, confirm that the server starts, and then add Mod.io-hosted items one at a time. For Xbox or mixed groups, avoid mods that require client-side scripts and recheck current compatibility guidance because the detailed crossplay announcement is from 2021.
Self-hosting or renting: a practical decision checklist
- Choose self-hosting when you already have a Windows PC meeting Keen’s requirements, can provide a static public IP and port forwarding, and want direct control over files, mods, and administration.
- Choose renting when you prefer a provider to supply the online machine and network environment, or when your home connection cannot accept inbound traffic.
- For Xbox-only play, compare services that explicitly support Xbox; Keen names Nitrado as its official Xbox host.
- For PC hosting, Keen names GTX Gaming as an official provider. The cited material does not establish current prices, player-slot limits, performance, backups, or regional availability, so inspect those details before paying.
Whichever route you choose, keep an independent copy of your world and configuration. A provider account or a Windows service is not a substitute for a recoverable save.
Quick Recap
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