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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsTo make an Unturned LAN server, install the separate Unturned Dedicated Server (U3DS) tool, launch it with +LanServer/<ServerID>, wait for Loading level: 100%, then invite players through Steam or give them the newly generated Server Code. Everyone must be on the same local network. A LAN-only server does not need port forwarding.
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What an Unturned LAN server does
A LAN server runs the game world on one computer and makes it available to players on the same home, school, or office network. The host computer runs the dedicated server process; players connect with their normal Unturned clients. This is different from hosting a regular peer-to-peer session because the world, settings, save data, and player limit are controlled by the dedicated-server files.
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LAN mode is appropriate when every player is physically or wirelessly connected to the same router. It is not a way to let someone on another network join by your home IP address. Internet access requires a separate server mode and network configuration.
- Supported hosting systems: Windows and Linux.
- Unsupported hosting system: macOS hosting is not supported by the setup documentation.
- Required software: U3DS, installed separately from the game client.
- Required network: all players on the same local network for LAN play.
- Port forwarding: not required for a strictly local server.
Choose an installation method
| Method | Best for | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Library | Most first-time hosts | A graphical installation of the separate U3DS tool with minimal command-line work. |
| SteamCMD | Administrators, scripted setups, and multiple servers | Command-line installation, updating, validation, and easier automation. |
Both methods install the same dedicated-server software. Choose one; you do not need to install both.
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Install U3DS from Steam
Install the dedicated-server tool
- Open Steam on the computer that will remain available as the host.
- Open your Library and locate the separate Unturned Dedicated Server tool (U3DS), rather than launching the ordinary Unturned game entry.
- Install the tool. The server files are installed independently of the game client.
- Open the U3DS installation folder. You will use this folder to create the launch script and edit the generated server configuration.
The host does not need to be a second computer, but running the server and the game on the same machine uses additional memory, processor time, and network capacity. For a small group, that arrangement can work; a separate host leaves the player’s computer more resources for the game.
Install or update U3DS with SteamCMD
SteamCMD is useful when you want a repeatable installation, unattended updates, or several server folders. Start SteamCMD and run:
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app_update 1110390
quitThe downloaded files are placed under steamapps/common/U3DS/. To update an existing installation, run app_update 1110390 again. To check and repair the installed files, append validate:
app_update 1110390 validateAfter SteamCMD finishes, change to the U3DS directory before creating the launch command. The same U3DS files can host different worlds by using different ServerID values.
Launch the server in LAN mode
The launch argument is the detail that determines whether the server is local: use +LanServer/<ServerID>. Do not substitute the Internet-server argument when you only want players on your local network.
Windows launch script
In the U3DS folder, create a file ending in .bat, such as start-lan.bat, with this content:
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start "" "%~dp0 ServerHelper.bat" +LanServer/MyServerMyServer is the ServerID. Replace it with a short identifier that describes this world, for example FamilyLAN or WeekendWorld. The value is not the public server name; it selects the saved-data and configuration folder. Using a different ServerID creates a separate server setup rather than overwriting the first one.
Double-click the batch file to start the server. Keep the console window open while the server is running.
Linux launch command
From the U3DS directory, run:
./ServerHelper.sh +LanServer/MyServerUse the same ServerID rules as on Windows. If the shell reports that the script cannot be executed, check that you are in the U3DS directory and that the script has execute permission before trying the command again.
Complete the first startup
On its first launch, U3DS creates the server folders and files. Do not try to connect while the world is still loading. Wait for the console to show:
Loading level: 100%Once that message appears, the world has finished loading and the server is ready for configuration or connections. If you are setting up files before inviting anyone, type Shutdown in the server console to close it safely. This gives you a clean stopping point before editing settings.
Find and edit the generated server files
Server data is stored below:
U3DS/Servers/<ServerID>/For the server named MyServer, the main settings file is:
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U3DS/Servers/MyServer/Server/Commands.datCommands.dat uses one command per line. Most settings should be changed while the server is closed, then applied on the next launch. Keep a backup copy before making major changes so you can restore a known-good configuration.
Core Commands.dat settings
| Line | Effect | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
Name My Unturned Server |
Sets the server’s displayed name. | Use the name players should recognize in invitations or server listings. |
Map PEI |
Selects the map. | The map name must be valid. A misspelled or unavailable map prevents the intended world from loading. |
MaxPlayers 24 |
Sets the player limit. | Replace 24 with the maximum number your host and network can handle. |
Owner YourSteamID64 |
Assigns ownership privileges. | Replace the example text with the owner’s numeric SteamID64. |
Password ExamplePassword1234 |
Requires a password to join. | Give the password only to the people who should enter the server. |
PvE |
Enables player-versus-environment rules. | Use this when players should cooperate without normal player-versus-player combat. |
Perspective Both |
Allows both supported camera perspectives. | Choose the perspective policy appropriate for your group. |
Port 27015 |
Sets the server port. | For LAN play, leave the port at its normal value unless another local service requires a different arrangement. |
The documentation also supports a cheats setting in Commands.dat. Treat cheats as a deliberate group decision: enabling them changes the rules of the world and may affect the experience for every connected player.
After editing, save the file, launch the same ServerID again, and watch the console for a complete startup. If you change the map, password, owner, player limit, or other server rule while the process is running, the change may not apply until you shut down and restart.
Install Workshop maps and mods
Workshop content is configured separately in:
U3DS/Servers/<ServerID>/WorkshopDownloadConfig.jsonAdd the Steam Workshop file IDs for the maps or mods you want the server to install. During startup, U3DS downloads the listed items and their dependencies. Players who join then download the required content automatically.
A Workshop map still needs a valid map selection in Commands.dat. Listing a Workshop ID alone does not replace the map setting. If a custom world fails to load, check both the map name and the Workshop configuration, then restart after correcting the files.
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Let friends join the LAN server
Check the local network first
Every player must be connected to the same home or office network as the host. A wired host and Wi-Fi players can normally share the same LAN, provided the router permits devices to communicate with one another. A guest Wi-Fi network may isolate its clients from the host, so move everyone to the primary network if the server cannot be discovered.
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Use a Steam invitation
Once the console has reached Loading level: 100%, invite friends through Steam. The invitation is the simplest option when everyone is already connected through Steam and the server is visible on the same LAN.
Use the Server Code
U3DS creates a 17-digit Server Code for the running server. Give that code to your friends, who can enter it through Unturned’s Connect Directly option. Copy the code from the current launch: it can change each time the server starts, so an old code may stop working after a restart.
The Server Code is not the host computer’s local IP address and is not a substitute for the +LanServer/ launch argument. It is a connection method generated for the active server session.
Save the world and stop the server safely
Unturned does not provide built-in autosave for this dedicated-server setup. Saving is therefore a manual responsibility for the host.
- While the server is running, type
Savein the server console before a planned restart. - To save and close cleanly, type
Shutdown. - Do not terminate the process or power off the host while players are active unless you accept the risk of losing progress since the last save.
A practical routine is to save before changing files, before operating-system updates, and before ending a play session. Start the same ServerID afterward so the server reopens the same world and configuration.
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Port forwarding is not part of a local-only setup. Do not open router ports merely because you are running a dedicated server on your own network.
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| Requirement | LAN-only server | Direct Internet server |
|---|---|---|
| Players | Must be on the same local network. | Can be outside the local network. |
| Launch mode | +LanServer/<ServerID> |
A separate Internet-server configuration, not the LAN argument. |
| Port forwarding | Not needed. | Needed when using direct access by IP or domain. |
| Router ports | No WAN rule required. | Forward two consecutive UDP ports to the host’s local IPv4 address; the default pair is UDP 27015 and UDP 27016. |
| Authentication/network setup | No Internet hosting token is required for the local mode described here. | The current setup documentation describes a Game Server Login Token and either Fake IP or port forwarding. |
| Server Code | Generated for the active LAN launch and may change after relaunching. | Internet hosting follows its own setup and connection requirements. |
If one friend is outside your network, changing the launch line to an Internet mode is not enough by itself. You must follow the separate Internet-hosting requirements, including authentication and either Fake IP or the two-port forwarding arrangement. Those changes are unnecessary for a group playing in one home.
Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet?
| Connection | Advantages | Potential issue |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Easy to place the host and players anywhere within coverage. | Interference, distance, or a guest-network isolation rule can prevent discovery or make the connection less stable. |
| Wired Ethernet | Usually provides a more consistent link for a stationary host and several simultaneous players. | The host must be near a network cable or switch. |
Both can work for LAN play. If discovery is unreliable, test with the host on Ethernet and all players on the primary router network before changing server files.
Troubleshoot a server that friends cannot join
The server does not appear
- Confirm that every player is on the same LAN, not a different router, mobile hotspot, or isolated guest network.
- Wait for the console to report
Loading level: 100%; discovery is not a sign that the world is ready before that point. - Check the launch script for
+LanServer/<ServerID>. A script using+InternetServer/<ServerID>is not a LAN launch. - Restart the server and have players look again after the new startup has completed.
The Server Code no longer works
Obtain the code from the current server session and send the entire 17-digit value again. The code can change after every launch, so a code copied during a previous session may be obsolete.
The wrong map loads or startup fails
- Open
Server/Commands.datin the folder for the exact ServerID used by the launch script. - Verify that the
Mapvalue is a valid map name. - For a Workshop map or mod, verify that its file ID is present in
WorkshopDownloadConfig.jsonand allow the server to install it during startup. - Correct the file while the server is closed, save it, and launch again.
Players are asked for a password
Check whether Commands.dat contains a Password line. Give players the exact password, including capitalization, or remove the line while the server is stopped if the world should be open.
Progress disappeared
The dedicated server does not autosave. Save with the console’s Save command before restarts and use Shutdown for a clean close. Make sure you relaunch the same ServerID; a different identifier opens a different saved-data and configuration folder.
A Windows or Linux command does nothing
- On Windows, place the batch file in the U3DS folder and preserve the quoted
ServerHelper.batpath. - On Linux, run the command from the U3DS directory and use
./ServerHelper.sh, including the leading./. - Confirm that the U3DS installation completed successfully; SteamCMD’s
validateoption can repair missing or damaged files.
A reliable first-session checklist
- Install U3DS separately from the ordinary Unturned game on a Windows or Linux host.
- Choose a ServerID and create the Windows batch file or Linux launch command with
+LanServer/<ServerID>. - Launch once to generate
U3DS/Servers/<ServerID>/, wait forLoading level: 100%, and useShutdown. - Edit
Server/Commands.datfor the name, map, player limit, owner, password, PvE, perspective, and port. - Add Workshop file IDs to
WorkshopDownloadConfig.jsonif the world uses custom content. - Launch again and keep the console open.
- Confirm that all players are on the same LAN.
- Invite them through Steam or send the newly generated 17-digit Server Code for Connect Directly.
- Use
Saveduring the session andShutdownwhen ending it.
For a household or other single-network group, this is the complete path: U3DS, the LAN launch argument, generated configuration files, and a current invitation or Server Code. Only switch to Internet-hosting instructions when players genuinely need to connect from outside the local network.
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