To keep strangers out of a Don’t Starve Together world, configure access before you start it. For a normal hosted game, use Host Game, add a password, and change visibility to Local Only when every player is on the same network. For an internet-accessible dedicated server, set a non-obvious cluster_password in the master cluster.ini. You can add Steam-group restrictions or reserved whitelist slots when a shared password is not enough.
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Understand what “private” means in DST
Don’t Starve Together has two separate privacy decisions:
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- Visibility: whether the world is advertised publicly or limited to a local network.
- Authorization: which players are allowed to complete the join process once the server is reachable.
A password controls authorization. A local-only, LAN-only, or offline setting controls reachability and listing. They are not interchangeable. A server can be hidden from the public list but still require a password, and a password-protected server can remain reachable over the internet by anyone who obtains that password.
Choose the narrowest control that still lets your intended players connect:
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| Goal | Recommended control | Important trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Friends connecting from different homes | Hosted-world password or dedicated-server cluster_password |
Anyone who learns the password can attempt to join; change it if it spreads. |
| Players who all belong to one Steam group | steam_group_only=true with the correct steam_group_id |
Every intended player must belong to that group, and the ID must match. |
| Players in the same household or physical LAN | offline_cluster=true or lan_only_cluster=true; in a hosted game, choose Local Only |
Remote friends cannot connect. Offline mode also removes Steam-related functionality. |
| Reserve places for named users | Whitelist slots plus approved Klei User IDs in whitelist.txt |
A whitelist reserves capacity for approved users; it is not a complete substitute for a password or network restriction. |
Make a hosted world private
This is the simplest method when you start a world from the game client rather than operating a dedicated server.
- Open the game’s Host Game flow.
- Configure the world before starting it. Add a password in the server settings. The Don’t Starve Together Help Center recommends a password when you want to play with friends only.
- Choose the visibility appropriate to your players. Use the local-only option when everyone is on the same local network. Leave the world reachable for remote friends only when they need to connect from outside that network.
- Start the world and give the password or invitation only to the people you intend to play with.
- Tell each player to enter the password exactly as supplied. A copied password avoids errors caused by capitalization, spaces, or punctuation.
- If an unintended person obtains the password, stop using that value and create a new one before the next session. Treat the replacement as a new credential rather than assuming that removing a player will invalidate the old password.
When to use Local Only: Select the local-only setting for a household, classroom, party, or other group whose computers share the same LAN. It prevents remote friends from joining, so it is the wrong choice for a group spread across different homes.
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When to keep internet access: For friends in different locations, retain an internet-reachable hosted world and rely on the password. Visibility and password are separate choices, so use the least-public visibility available in your Host Game settings while preserving the connectivity your group needs.
Secure a dedicated server with cluster.ini
A dedicated server uses the cluster configuration instead of the client’s Host Game screen. Klei’s dedicated-server settings guide defines cluster_password as the password players must enter to join. Edit the master cluster.ini for the cluster you want to protect.
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- Stop or otherwise take the dedicated server offline using the normal controls for your hosting setup before changing its configuration.
- Open the cluster directory and locate the master
cluster.ini. - Set
cluster_passwordto a value that is not obvious and is not reused for another account or service. Keep the setting in the master configuration; changing a different shard or unrelated configuration will not protect this cluster. - Save the file and start the server again through your usual dedicated-server process so it reads the updated configuration.
- Give the password only to the intended players. If it is posted in a public chat, stream, screenshot, or open community, assume that anyone who can see that location may try to join.
- Rotate the value when the playing group changes or when you believe it has been shared beyond the group. Update the configuration and distribute the new value privately.
The password does not make the server unreachable; it makes the join attempt require the password. If the server is listed or discoverable, an outsider may still see it and be asked for credentials. That is expected behavior for password authorization.
Restrict a dedicated server to a Steam group
A Steam-group restriction is useful for a stable community that already manages membership through one group. In the cluster configuration, enable steam_group_only=true and provide the matching steam_group_id.
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- Set
steam_group_idto that identifier in the cluster configuration. - Set
steam_group_only=true. - Apply the edited configuration using the server’s normal stop-and-start or reload procedure.
- Ask every intended player to join the configured Steam group before attempting to connect.
This method changes the membership test: a player who is not in the configured group cannot use the server even if the server address is known. It also creates an operational dependency. Removing someone from the group removes their eligibility, while forgetting to add a new friend prevents that friend from joining. A wrong group ID has the same practical effect as an empty or unrelated group.
For stronger control, use the Steam-group rule together with a password. The group limits who qualifies, while the password adds a second check for anyone who does qualify.
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Use offline or LAN-only modes for a physical network
offline_cluster=true
Setting offline_cluster=true creates an offline cluster that is not publicly listed and allows only players on the local network to join. This is appropriate when all participants are physically connected to the same LAN and you want the world absent from public listings.
Offline mode has a specific cost: Steam-related functionality does not work in this mode. Do not choose it for a group that depends on Steam features or includes friends connecting from another location.
lan_only_cluster=true
Setting lan_only_cluster=true accepts connections only from machines on the same LAN. It is the direct dedicated-server equivalent of a local-network-only session. Remote players outside that network cannot connect, even when they know the server details or password.
Offline versus LAN-only
| Setting | Listing and reach | Steam-related functionality | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
offline_cluster=true |
Not publicly listed; local-network players only | Does not work | A fully local session where public listing is undesirable |
lan_only_cluster=true |
Connections accepted only from the same LAN | Not stated as disabled by the setting | A dedicated server whose boundary is the physical network |
Neither setting is suitable for remote friends. If even one intended player lives elsewhere, use an internet-accessible configuration with a password, and consider the Steam-group or whitelist controls described below.
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Reserve access with whitelist slots
Whitelist controls are designed for reserved capacity. Configure whitelist slots and place the approved players’ Klei User IDs in whitelist.txt inside the cluster directory.
- Decide how many slots should be reserved for approved users.
- Set the whitelist-slot value in the dedicated-server configuration.
- Enter each approved player’s Klei User ID in
whitelist.txt, using the ID associated with that player rather than a display name. - Save the configuration and whitelist file, then apply the changes through the server’s normal restart or reload process.
- Test with an approved account and confirm that the reserved capacity behaves as intended.
A whitelist reserves places for the users named in the file; it is not described as a complete network or authentication barrier. Pair it with cluster_password, steam_group_only=true, or a LAN restriction when the objective is to stop unapproved people from attempting to join at all.
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Use one primary control based on your network, then add a second control when the cost of an accidental join is high.
Remote friends with a dedicated server
- Set a non-obvious
cluster_passwordin the mastercluster.ini. - Add
steam_group_only=trueand the matchingsteam_group_idif the whole group can be managed through Steam. - Add whitelist slots and approved Klei User IDs when certain players must retain reserved capacity.
This combination separates concerns: the password authenticates, group membership limits eligibility, and the whitelist protects places for named users.
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One household or LAN party
- For a client-hosted world, choose Local Only in Host Game.
- For a dedicated server, choose either
offline_cluster=trueorlan_only_cluster=true. - Use a password as an additional safeguard if your setup supports it, but remember that a password cannot make a remote player reach a LAN-only server.
Small, changing friend group
A password is usually easier than maintaining a group roster or a user-ID file. Rotate it when the roster changes instead of continuing to distribute one permanent credential.
Troubleshoot failed privacy settings
A friend receives a password error
- Confirm that the friend is using the current password, not an older value saved in chat or a previous session.
- Check capitalization, punctuation, and accidental spaces.
- For a dedicated server, verify that
cluster_passwordwas changed in the mastercluster.ini, then apply the configuration with the server’s normal restart or reload process.
A remote friend cannot connect
Check whether Local Only, offline_cluster=true, or lan_only_cluster=true is enabled. Each of these choices limits connections to the local network. Replace that restriction with an internet-accessible configuration when players are in different homes.
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A Steam-group member is rejected
- Verify that the player has joined the exact Steam group identified by
steam_group_id. - Check the group ID for transcription errors.
- Confirm that
steam_group_only=trueis applied to the intended cluster, not another configuration.
The server is still visible publicly
A password by itself does not necessarily remove a server from public discovery. Use the appropriate local-only, offline, or LAN-only control when hiding the server or limiting its network reach is part of the requirement. Keep the password as the authorization layer when the server must remain reachable to remote friends.
The whitelist did not stop an unapproved join attempt
Whitelist slots reserve capacity; they are not presented as a replacement for password or network restrictions. Add a password, Steam-group restriction, or LAN boundary if you need to prevent unapproved users from attempting to join.
Configuration changes appear to have no effect
Recheck that you edited the master cluster.ini and the whitelist.txt in the correct cluster directory. Then use the dedicated server’s normal procedure to apply the edited files before testing again. A change in an unused cluster or shard cannot protect the world you are running.
Privacy checklist before inviting anyone
- Decide whether players are all on one LAN or connecting over the internet.
- For Host Game, set the password before starting the world and choose the correct visibility.
- For a dedicated server, verify
cluster_passwordin the mastercluster.ini. - If using a Steam group, confirm both
steam_group_only=trueand the matchingsteam_group_id. - If using a local network, confirm whether
offline_cluster=trueorlan_only_cluster=truematches your need and accept the remote-access trade-off. - If reserving capacity, update whitelist slots and
whitelist.txtwith approved Klei User IDs. - Share credentials or invitations only with the intended players.
- Rotate the password when it is shared beyond the group or the group membership changes.
The practical default for friends in different homes is password protection. Use a local-only, offline, or LAN-only setting when everyone is on the same physical network, and add Steam-group or whitelist controls when a single shared password does not provide enough separation.
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