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The reliable way to host an American Truck Simulator (ATS) server in 2026 is to run SCS Software’s free ATS Dedicated Server tool (Steam app ID 2239530), create a server_config.sii, export server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat from the regular game, then configure the network ports and share the server’s Session Search ID. A dedicated server stays online when no players are connected, unlike a host-dependent Convoy session.
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This guide covers Windows and Linux installation, package generation, mods and DLC, public listing, NAT limitations, game-server tokens, player joining, and the fixes for the failures that most often prevent a server from appearing.
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An ATS Dedicated Server is a separate server process for Convoy multiplayer. It keeps the session running independently of any player’s game client, so the world remains available after the original host disconnects. SCS describes that always-on behavior as the main advantage over an ordinary Convoy, which needs its host to remain in the session.
The dedicated-server application is free. SCS also states that the server can run without owning the game or its downloadable content. The server process does not render the game, drive a truck, or provide the game’s map files itself. Instead, it reads package files exported from a normal ATS installation. Those files describe the map, owned DLC and enabled mods that the session should use.
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Choose self-hosting or managed hosting
| Decision area | Self-hosted ATS server | Managed ATS hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | You install the Steam tool or SteamCMD, edit files, apply updates and maintain the operating system. | The provider supplies a control panel and maintains the server machine and service process. |
| Network work | You decide whether to use a public IP, configure firewall rules and forward the required ports. | The provider normally handles the external network and gives you a connection address or panel workflow. |
| Persistence | A dedicated process remains available without players; a game-server token can preserve its identity. | Always-on operation and support are usually part of the service, subject to that provider’s plan. |
| Mods and versions | You have direct control of exported package files and the server configuration. | The panel may simplify uploads, but players still need a matching game version, mod set and load order. |
| Cost | The official dedicated-server software is free; your hardware, electricity or VPS are separate costs. | Expect a recurring hosting charge. Price, location and player limits depend on the provider and plan. |
Self-hosting is the better fit if you can administer Windows or Linux, SteamCMD, files and firewall rules. Managed hosting is more practical when you want a control panel, provider-maintained uptime or help with network configuration. The rest of this article describes the official self-hosted workflow.
Requirements and decisions before installation
- A Windows or Linux machine that can remain online for the hours your group needs.
- Network access to the machine, either locally or through a VPS or dedicated host.
- The ATS Dedicated Server Steam application, app ID 2239530.
- A normal ATS installation for exporting the package files. The dedicated machine itself does not need the base game, DLC or mod archives once the package files have been copied.
- Permission to edit the host firewall and, for public browsing, the router or upstream firewall.
- A plan for the server name, description, moderators, password policy and port numbers.
Keep one home directory for the server’s configuration and logs. If you redirect that location with -homedir, use the same logical home when generating or copying files; inconsistent home paths are a common reason for apparently missing configuration.
Install the ATS Dedicated Server
Install through the Steam client
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Use the library filter to show Tools. Find American Truck Simulator Dedicated Server and install it. The documented Steam app ID is
2239530. - Choose a directory with enough free space for the executable, logs and configuration. The package files are small compared with a full game installation, but leave room for log growth and backups.
- Start the dedicated-server executable once. The first launch creates the server home and a default
server_config.sii.
Install with SteamCMD
SteamCMD is useful on a headless Windows or Linux machine without the Steam desktop client. A standard anonymous installation command is:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2239530 validate +quitRun SteamCMD from the directory where you want the tool installed, or add SteamCMD’s force_install_dir before app_update when you need a specific destination. If your distribution requires the 32-bit Steam runtime, install the runtime libraries documented by that distribution before launching the server.
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Launch on Linux
SCS provides a supplied launch script for Linux. Use that script when possible, because it sets up the expected Steam client library. If you launch the binary yourself, provide the required steamclient.so library in the location expected by the tool. Test the process interactively first so missing libraries and permission errors are visible.
Both Windows and Linux support -homedir to redirect the server data directory. The option must point to the directory that contains server_config.sii and the exported package files. If ATS itself uses a redirected home, keep the paths consistent while exporting and copying packages.
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Generate the package files from ATS
The dedicated server needs two files that are generated by the normal game: server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat. They encode the map, DLC and enabled-mod configuration for the session. Generate them after every change to the map, DLC selection or mod load order.
- Start the regular American Truck Simulator game with the profile and configuration you want the server to use.
- Enable the developer console. Open the game’s configuration file and set
uset g_console "1". - Launch the game and press the tilde key (
~) to open the console. Keyboard layouts differ; use the key assigned to the console on your layout if tilde does not open it. - Enter
export_server_packagesand press Enter. To place the files in a particular directory, use the command’s destination form supported by your game build. - Confirm that both
server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datwere created. Copy both files, together, into the dedicated server’s home directory. - Restart the dedicated process after replacing the files.
Do not copy only the .sii file. The matching .dat file is part of the exported package and must be kept with it. If the server host has no ATS installation, that is acceptable: SCS says the package files carry the required configuration, so the dedicated process does not need additional DLC or mod data on that machine.
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Configure server_config.sii
The first launch creates a default configuration. Open it in a plain-text editor and set the session identity and networking values. Keep a backup before editing; a missing quote or malformed value can stop the process from loading.
Identity and session settings
- Server name and description: Use a name players can recognize in the Convoy Lobby. Put region, rules or schedule information in the description.
- Password: Set one for a private group. Share it through your normal community channel rather than publishing it with the server name.
- Moderators: Add the appropriate player identifiers in the moderator section so trusted users can administer the session.
- Logon token: Add a Steam game-server logon token if you need a persistent server identity. The token is discussed in its own section below.
Port values
The configuration separates physical connection and query ports from virtual ports. A current connection guide lists these defaults; verify the values in your live configuration because updates or multiple instances can change them.
| Setting | Typical default | What it is used for | Router forwarding |
|---|---|---|---|
connection_dedicated_port |
27015 |
Physical player connection traffic | Forward TCP and UDP when the server must be reachable from the internet. |
query_dedicated_port |
27016 |
Physical server queries and listing traffic | Forward TCP and UDP for public browsing. |
connection_virtual_port |
100 |
Virtual connection endpoint used by the game session | Do not forward; it is not the external router port. |
query_virtual_port |
101 |
Virtual query endpoint | Do not forward; it is not the external router port. |
If you run more than one instance on the same machine, give each instance a different physical and virtual port set. Two processes cannot listen on the same port. Keep the port pairs documented beside each instance’s home directory so later firewall changes do not target the wrong server.
Make the server reachable
Public Convoy Lobby listing
The dedicated server does not perform NAT punching. To appear in the public browser, it needs a publicly reachable IP address or router port forwarding. Create firewall and router rules for both TCP and UDP on the physical connection and query ports shown in server_config.sii. Forward those ports to the machine’s fixed private address, and allow the same traffic through the host operating system’s firewall.
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Check the router’s WAN address rather than assuming the address shown by an internal network tool is public. Carrier-grade NAT, an upstream modem in router mode or a provider firewall can prevent inbound connections even when local forwarding rules look correct. In those cases, request a public address, place the server on a network with inbound access, or use managed hosting.
Joining through Session Search ID
Direct Session Search is a different path from public listing. SCS’s workflow exposes a Session Search ID when the server starts and in Convoy information. A player can paste that ID into the Convoy search field. This route can work when NAT prevents the server from appearing in the public browser, although every player still needs a network path to the server and compatible game content.
Use a persistent Steam game-server token
An anonymous dedicated-server launch receives a non-persistent server ID. That can make bookmarks, saved listings or community instructions unreliable after a restart. A Steam game-server logon token (GSLT) gives the server a persistent identity.
- Open Steam’s game-server management page while signed in to the account that will own the token.
- Create a token for American Truck Simulator’s game app ID. Do not enter the dedicated-server tool’s app ID
2239530in the token form; the token must be associated with the game itself. - Copy the generated token and place it in the logon-token field in
server_config.sii. - Save the file and restart the dedicated server.
Keep the token private. If it is exposed, revoke it in Steam’s management page and create a replacement. When running multiple instances, use distinct configuration and identity settings for each one.
Start the server and give players a join path
- Stop any test instance still running from the first launch.
- Confirm that
server_config.sii,server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datare in the active-homedir. - Start the dedicated-server process and watch its console or log for configuration and port errors.
- Note the Session Search ID printed at startup or shown in Convoy information.
- For a public server, tell players the exact lobby name and any password. For a private or NAT-limited server, send the Session Search ID instead.
Players can join in either of two ways:
- Convoy Lobby: Open Convoy, browse the list, select the server name and enter its password if requested.
- Session Search: Open the Convoy search field, paste the Session Search ID and select the returned session.
Mods, DLC and version compatibility
The exported package files represent the configuration loaded when you ran export_server_packages. If you add a map DLC, remove a mod or change load order, export the package files again and replace both files on the server. Restart the process so it reads the new package.
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A safe update sequence
- Stop the dedicated server and back up the current configuration and package files.
- Update ATS and the desired mods on a normal game installation.
- Launch the profile, verify the map and load order, and run
export_server_packagesagain. - Copy the newly generated
server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datto the server home. - Start the server and test with one client before announcing the update.
- Tell every player to update to the same game version and mod order before joining.
Troubleshoot the most common failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The process exits immediately. | Malformed server_config.sii, missing package file or incorrect home directory. |
Restore the last known-good configuration, verify all three required files are in the active -homedir, and launch interactively to read the error. |
| The server runs but is absent from the public list. | No public IP, missing port forwarding, blocked firewall traffic or no persistent identity. | Forward TCP and UDP for the physical connection and query ports, allow them through the host firewall, check for upstream NAT, and add a valid game-server token if a stable listing is important. |
| Players can search by ID but cannot connect. | Connection traffic is blocked, the wrong physical port was forwarded, or the server is behind an upstream firewall. | Verify the live connection_dedicated_port, forward it to the correct private address, and test from a network outside the host’s LAN. |
| A player sees the server but is rejected. | Game-version mismatch, missing DLC, different mods or different load order. | Compare the exact ATS version and mod order with the package export; regenerate packages after any change. |
| The server identity changes after every restart. | The process is launching anonymously without a persistent token. | Create a token for the ATS game app ID, place it in server_config.sii, and restart. |
| One of two instances fails to start. | Both instances use the same physical or virtual ports, or the same home directory. | Assign unique ports and separate homes, then launch each instance with its own -homedir. |
Operating and maintaining the server
Back up the small set of important files
Back up server_config.sii, server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat whenever the configuration is known to work. Keep a dated copy before changing ports, moderators, passwords or mods. A backup lets you roll back a bad export without rebuilding the server.
Control access
Use a password for a private community and grant moderator privileges only to trusted accounts. Keep the GSLT out of screenshots, public repositories and shared logs. Restrict operating-system access to the service account and expose only the ports required by the configuration.
Plan updates
Game updates can change compatibility even when the server files themselves are unchanged. Test the dedicated process after updating the tool or ATS, then export fresh package files if the game version or content changed. Announce the required version and mod order before reopening the session.
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When managed hosting is the better choice
A managed ATS Convoy service is useful when you do not want to maintain SteamCMD, operating-system updates, firewall rules or uptime monitoring. Typical controls include a server name, password, moderators and mod support, but the exact controls, locations, player limits and recurring price vary by provider and plan.
Choose self-hosting when you need direct file access, custom networking or complete control of package generation. Choose managed hosting when a control panel and provider-maintained availability are worth the recurring charge. In either case, players still require matching game versions, DLC access where applicable, and identical mods and load order.
Quick Recap
Quick pre-launch checklist
- Dedicated Server app
2239530installed and launching. - First launch completed and the intended
-homedirconfirmed. server_config.sii,server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datpresent in that home.- Packages exported after the final map, DLC and mod load order was selected.
- Unique physical and virtual ports assigned for each instance.
- TCP and UDP forwarding created for physical connection and query ports when public listing is required.
- Host firewall and any upstream firewall allow the same physical ports.
- GSLT created with ATS’s game app ID if persistent identity is needed.
- Session Search ID copied from the running server.
- At least one client tested with the exact game version and mod order.
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