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How to Make a Conan Exiles Server Private

Set a non-empty ServerPassword to make a Conan Exiles server private. This guide covers self-hosted Windows configuration, rented servers, admin access, firewall checks, and common connection problems.

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The reliable way to make a Conan Exiles server friends-only is to set a non-empty ServerPassword and give it only to the people you want to play with. On a self-hosted Windows dedicated server, place that value in ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Engine.ini under [OnlineSubsystemSteam]. On a rented server, enter the equivalent password in the provider’s Server Settings, General, or initial rental configuration panel.

Keep AdminPassword separate. It grants administrative access through the in-game “Make Me Admin” process; it is not the password ordinary players use to join. A password limits access, but it does not replace firewall rules, correct ports, or careful handling of the administrator credential.

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What the two passwords do

Conan Exiles uses two different credentials that are easy to confuse:

Setting Purpose Where it is configured on a self-hosted Windows server Who should receive it
ServerPassword Controls ordinary player entry. A non-empty value makes the server require a password when someone joins. ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Engine.ini, under [OnlineSubsystemSteam] Only intended players
AdminPassword Allows a player to use administrative tools and change server settings after joining. ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\ServerSettings.ini Only the trusted administrator or administrators

Leaving the server-password field blank creates a public server according to hosting guidance. Setting an admin password alone does not make the server private: players could still join without the player password if ServerPassword is empty.

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Make a self-hosted Windows dedicated server private

This procedure applies to a dedicated server you operate on Windows, rather than a locally hosted co-op session. You need access to the server machine, permission to edit its files, and a way to allow the game traffic through the machine’s firewall and network.

1. Install the dedicated-server software

Install the Conan Exiles Dedicated Server tool through Steam or SteamCMD. Funcom’s setup documentation identifies SteamCMD application ID 443030. Use the installation method appropriate for your machine and keep the installation directory available for later configuration edits.

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2. Start the server once and check network access

Start the dedicated server before editing settings so it can create its normal configuration folders. Funcom lists UDP ports 27015 and 7777 as the default listening ports and notes that a firewall exception may be required for the server to appear in the browser.

Open the required inbound rules on the server’s operating-system firewall and, when the server is behind a router, forward the applicable ports to the server computer. The exact forwarding interface differs by router and hosting arrangement. If friends cannot see or reach the server later, verify the firewall and port path before changing passwords.

3. Open the correct configuration file

Stop the server before editing configuration files. Open:

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ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Engine.ini

Use a plain-text editor. Do not edit ServerSettings.ini for the player join password; that file is where the separate administrator credential belongs.

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4. Add the player password under the Steam online-subsystem section

Find the [OnlineSubsystemSteam] section in Engine.ini. Set a server name and a non-empty server password there. The relevant lines have this form:

[OnlineSubsystemSteam]
ServerName=Private Friends Server
ServerPassword=use-a-unique-private-passphrase

If the section already contains other settings, preserve them and add or update the two values rather than deleting unrelated entries. Avoid putting quotation marks around the value unless the existing configuration format specifically requires them. Save the file, then restart the dedicated server so it loads the change.

5. Set the administrator credential separately

In:

ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\ServerSettings.ini

set a distinct AdminPassword. Do not reuse the player password. After the server is running, join it as a normal player, open Server Settings, choose Make Me Admin, and enter the administrator password. This unlocks administrative controls for the account that completed that process; it does not change who is allowed to join.

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6. Restart and test with a non-administrator account

Restart the server after saving both files. Test the complete flow from a player account that does not have administrator access:

  1. Find the server in the Conan Exiles server browser or connect using the address you normally share with players.
  2. Confirm that the game requests a password.
  3. Enter the player password and verify that the account can join.
  4. Try an incorrect password to confirm that an unintended credential is rejected.
  5. Check that ordinary players cannot access administrative controls unless you deliberately give them the administrator credential and they complete the Make Me Admin process.

If the server is not visible at all, treat that as a connectivity problem first. A missing browser listing can result from firewall or port configuration even when the password is correct.

7. Share only the join details

Give intended players the server address or browser-search details and the ServerPassword. Send the administrator credential through a separate, restricted channel, or keep it to yourself. Anyone who knows the admin password may be able to change settings or use administrative tools, so it should not be included in a general group message.

Use a rented or managed server

Managed hosts expose the same basic control through a web panel instead of requiring you to edit files directly. The labels vary, but look for Server Settings, General, or the settings shown during the rental setup.

Typical panel workflow

  1. Open the server’s management panel and stop the server if the provider requires it for configuration changes.
  2. Choose the Conan Exiles server’s general or server-settings section.
  3. Enter a non-empty value in the field labelled Server Password, Password, or an equivalent player-access field.
  4. Set the visible server name if you want friends to identify it easily.
  5. Save or apply the configuration and restart the server.
  6. Enter the separate administrator-password field only for the people who will manage the server.
  7. Test joining with the player password before distributing it.

Funcom’s historical Xbox rental guidance described selecting a region, player-slot count, rental duration, server name, and server password through G-Portal, with an admin password used separately in the server settings menu. That documentation is historical, so current platform support, prices, panel names, and availability must be checked with the host before renting. Do not assume that an Xbox workflow, a PC workflow, and a current panel expose identical options.

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Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Both approaches can provide password-protected access. The practical difference is who operates the machine and maintains the configuration.

Decision factor Self-hosted dedicated server Managed server
Initial setup Install the dedicated-server tool, create configuration files, and arrange firewall and network access. Choose a supported game and platform in a provider panel, then enter server settings.
Ongoing maintenance You handle SteamCMD or Steam updates, restarts, backups, firewall changes, and troubleshooting. The provider supplies the machine and panel; the exact maintenance boundary depends on its service.
Configuration control Direct access to Engine.ini, ServerSettings.ini, and other server files. Control is limited to the settings and file-management tools exposed by the provider.
Mods and custom files You control the installation and file layout, subject to game compatibility. Support for mods and direct file access depends on the host and plan; no universal feature set is established.
Player slots Determined by the configuration and machine resources you operate. Usually selected as a plan option; the available counts and limits are provider-specific and not stated here.
Regions and uptime Bound to your machine, network, power, and internet connection. Selected from the host’s available regions and service guarantees, which vary by provider.
Cost No rental fee is specified, but you supply the hardware, connection, electricity, and administration. Recurring rental pricing is provider- and platform-specific and should be confirmed before purchase.

Choose self-hosting when direct file control and hands-on administration matter more than convenience. Choose managed hosting when you want the provider to supply the machine and expose the settings through a panel. In either case, the privacy mechanism remains the player server password.

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How private is a password-protected server?

A secret, non-empty ServerPassword makes the server effectively friends-only for people who do not know the credential. It does not make the server invisible to every browser, and it does not protect a server whose address, password, or administrative credential has been widely shared.

  • It controls entry: players need the join password to pass the server’s access check.
  • It does not replace networking: a blocked firewall rule or incorrect port can prevent legitimate players from connecting.
  • It does not equal administration: the admin credential is a separate capability and should be protected more carefully.
  • It is not a universal whitelist: the available whitelist procedure depends on the platform, game version, and hosting panel. The available guidance does not establish one current whitelist method that works everywhere.

If you require individual-account allowlisting rather than a shared password, check the documentation for the exact Conan Exiles version and host you operate. Do not assume that a setting from one platform or provider exists on another.

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Password and account-handling practices

Use separate secrets

Create one value for player access and another for administration. Reusing the admin password as the player password removes the distinction between “can join” and “can change the server.” If a player password is exposed, replace it without also exposing administrative access.

Share through a limited channel

Send the join password only to the intended group. Avoid posting it in a public server listing, open community page, or message that includes people who should not have access. Tell players which server name and address belong with the password so they do not accidentally distribute credentials for a different server.

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Rotate after a leak

If someone outside the group receives the player password, stop the server or open its settings, replace ServerPassword, save, and restart. Notify the intended players of the new value. If the administrator credential was exposed, change AdminPassword as well and repeat the Make Me Admin process with the new value.

Back up before editing

Copy the existing Engine.ini and ServerSettings.ini before making changes. A backup gives you a way to restore the previous configuration if a typo prevents startup or changes an unrelated setting.

Troubleshooting by symptom

The server still appears public

  • Confirm that ServerPassword is present in Engine.ini, not only in ServerSettings.ini.
  • Check that it is under [OnlineSubsystemSteam].
  • Make sure the value is not empty and that the file was saved in the active server installation directory.
  • Stop and restart the server after editing; a running process may still be using the previous configuration.
  • On a managed host, verify that the panel change was applied to the correct server and not merely typed into an unsaved form.

Friends cannot find or reach the server

  • Check the server process and confirm that it completed startup.
  • Review firewall exceptions for the default UDP ports 27015 and 7777, unless your configuration or provider specifies different values.
  • Check router forwarding and the address you gave players.
  • Ask a friend to test again after the restart; a stale browser result may not reflect the current state.
  • Do not interpret a missing browser listing as proof that the password is wrong. Visibility and authentication are separate checks.

The password works for one person but not another

  • Have the player retype it carefully, including capitalization and punctuation.
  • Ensure they are joining the intended server name and address.
  • Confirm that you changed the password only once and that every player received the latest value.
  • Check whether a managed panel has separate fields for a player password and an administrator password.

Make Me Admin fails

  • Verify that AdminPassword is set in ServerSettings.ini, not confused with ServerPassword.
  • Confirm that the administrator value was saved before the server restart.
  • Join the server first, open Server Settings, select Make Me Admin, and enter the admin value exactly.
  • If the player can join but cannot administer the server, changing the player password will not fix the issue; inspect the admin setting and the in-game process instead.

The server stops starting after an edit

  • Restore the backup copies of the configuration files.
  • Check for accidental deletion of section headers or unrelated lines.
  • Reapply only the required ServerName, ServerPassword, and AdminPassword entries, then restart.
  • If the problem persists, compare the active installation path with the path you edited. A second installation can contain a different ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer directory.

A quick pre-launch checklist

  • The dedicated-server tool is installed and updated through Steam or SteamCMD using the Conan Exiles server application.
  • The server starts successfully before and after configuration changes.
  • ServerPassword is non-empty and located under [OnlineSubsystemSteam] in Engine.ini.
  • AdminPassword is stored separately in ServerSettings.ini.
  • The firewall and, where applicable, router permit the server’s listening traffic.
  • A player account has tested both a valid and invalid join password.
  • The administrator has tested Make Me Admin without distributing that credential to ordinary players.
  • Intended players have the current server address, name, and player password.
  • You know how to rotate both passwords if either one is exposed.

What to remember

For a self-hosted Windows server, the decisive edit is a non-empty ServerPassword in ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Engine.ini under [OnlineSubsystemSteam]. For a rented server, make the same change through the provider’s player-access setting. Keep the administrator credential in ServerSettings.ini or its separate panel field, verify firewall and port access, and share only the join password with the people you intend to play.

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