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You can run a private Factorio dedicated server without an active internet connection. The server computer and every player device must already have the game files, the same Factorio version, matching mods, and a save file. On the host, create or copy a save, configure server-settings.json, start headless mode, allow UDP port 34197 through the host firewall, and have players join through LAN discovery or the host’s local IP address.
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What “offline Factorio server” actually means
An offline server is a private Factorio instance that communicates only across your local network. It does not need to authenticate with Factorio.com, appear in the public server browser, or accept connections from the wider internet. A wired or wireless home network is sufficient; an Ethernet cable is optional, but it generally gives the most predictable connection for a stationary server.
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There is one important distinction: downloading Factorio, downloading a headless package, obtaining mods, or signing in to acquire files may require internet access beforehand. Once those files, the save, and any required mod files are stored locally, the dedicated server and LAN clients can operate without an internet connection.
The dedicated server can run without a player character or a graphical game window. Factorio’s official multiplayer documentation describes this mode as starting a dedicated (or headless) server with the --start-server command-line option.
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Choose the right offline arrangement
| Decision | Recommended choice for a private LAN | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Server type | Dedicated/headless server | The server process runs independently of an in-game player and can be hosted on a machine without graphics. |
| Linux package | Full package or smaller headless package | The full package includes the regular game; the headless package omits graphics and is smaller. |
| Windows host | Regular Factorio executable with a batch file | Start the executable with the same server arguments from a reusable .bat file. |
| Visibility | LAN for automatic discovery | Players can look under Play on LAN. |
| Visibility alternative | Hidden for direct IP connections | The server is intentionally omitted from discovery; players use Connect to address. |
| Idle behavior | Automatic pause by default | Simulation pauses when nobody is connected. |
| Continuous simulation | Set no-auto-pause |
The factory continues running while everyone is away. |
For most homes, use LAN visibility while setting up and testing. Hidden visibility is useful when you want the server reachable only by people who know its local address and port.
Prepare the server and every client
Keep versions and mods identical
Before starting, make a checklist for the host and every player:
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- Every device has the same mod set, with matching mod versions.
- The intended save file is present on the host.
- All devices are connected to the same isolated LAN rather than separate guest, cellular, or otherwise segmented networks.
- The host has a stable local IP address, or players know the current address shown by the host’s network settings.
A version or mod mismatch is one of the most common reasons a server is visible but cannot be joined. Resolve that mismatch before changing firewall rules.
Select a Linux installation
Factorio documents two Linux choices. The full game package is appropriate when the machine may also be used as a graphical client. The smaller Linux headless package is intended for a server-only machine and avoids graphical dependencies. Whichever package you choose, keep its directory structure intact so the executable and the data and saves directories remain together.
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On Windows, the regular executable can be launched in server mode from a batch file. A batch file is useful because it preserves the command, save path, and settings path instead of requiring you to retype them after every reboot.
Create or copy the save file
A dedicated server needs a save file to load. You can create a new world from the command line or copy an existing save into the server’s saves directory.
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From the Factorio installation directory, run:
./bin/x64/factorio --create ./saves/my-save.zipThis creates my-save.zip in the local saves directory. Use a different filename if you want to preserve several worlds; the filename becomes the value you pass to --start-server.
Copy an existing world
Copy the save archive into the server’s saves directory. Do not point the start command at a nonexistent path or at an unrelated directory. If you are moving a save from another installation, verify that the destination contains the complete archive and that the server and clients have the mods needed by that world.
Confirm the path before starting
- Check that the file really ends in
.zipunless you intentionally use another supported save name. - Check capitalization and spelling in the path.
- Use a path relative to the Factorio directory only when you run the command from that directory; otherwise use the correct absolute path.
Configure server-settings.json
Factorio includes an example settings file at data/server-settings.example.json. Copy it to a working file named server-settings.json, then edit that copy rather than changing the example.
cp data/server-settings.example.json data/server-settings.jsonThe equivalent operation on Windows is to duplicate the example file in File Explorer and rename the copy server-settings.json. The exact location can vary with the installation directory, but the start command must point to the file you actually edited.
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Set visibility for a private network
Use LAN visibility when you want players on the same network to find the server under Play on LAN. Choose hidden visibility when you prefer direct addressing. Hidden visibility intentionally prevents browser discovery; it is not evidence that the server is broken.
Leave public visibility disabled for an isolated offline game. Public listing is a different operating mode and requires Factorio.com credentials or an authentication token. Those fields are unnecessary for a private LAN and should remain empty. Never publish an authentication token.
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Add a password and control lists
A game password prevents casual access by other people who happen to be on the same network. For tighter control, Factorio’s command-line options support separate whitelist, banlist, and adminlist files. These controls address different needs:
- Password: a shared secret that every joining player enters.
- Whitelist: limits access to explicitly permitted player identities.
- Banlist: blocks specified identities.
- Adminlist: identifies players allowed to use administrative functions.
You can use a password alone for a small household game or combine it with a whitelist when the LAN contains guests or other devices. Keep the files alongside the server configuration and document which copy is active.
Decide whether the factory should pause
Headless mode pauses when no players are connected by default. This saves processing and prevents the factory from progressing while nobody is supervising it. If you want production, trains, or other simulation activity to continue while everyone is away, set no-auto-pause in server-settings.json.
That setting is a deliberate behavior change: an unattended factory can consume resources, trigger defenses, or otherwise advance the world. The server still saves on exit and performs normal autosaves.
Start the dedicated server
Linux command
From the Factorio installation directory, start the selected save with:
./bin/x64/factorio --start-server ./saves/my-save.zip --server-settings ./data/server-settings.jsonThe command-line reference also supports --start-server-load-latest when you want the server to load the latest save rather than naming one archive explicitly. Use the explicit save path during initial setup because it makes mistakes easier to spot.
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Create a text file beside the executable, give it a .bat extension, and place the corresponding Windows command in it. The executable path and save path must match your installation. Launch the batch file from the server computer and keep its console window open while the server is running.
What successful startup looks like
A successful start should identify the save, load the world, and leave the server process running while it waits for clients. If the process exits immediately, inspect the displayed error before changing network settings. A missing save, malformed settings file, or incorrect executable path is a local configuration problem, not a LAN problem.
Open the correct local network traffic
Factorio’s default game-server port is UDP 34197. Allow inbound UDP traffic on that port in the server host’s operating-system firewall. If you change the Factorio port in the server configuration, allow the new UDP port instead and tell direct-connect players which port to use.
Do not add router port forwarding when every player is on the same isolated LAN. Port forwarding exposes a service beyond the local network and is unrelated to an offline household server. If your router has guest-network isolation enabled, move the relevant devices to the same trusted local network or disable that isolation for the devices involved.
Use wired networking when reliability matters
Wi-Fi is sufficient when the signal is stable, but a wired Ethernet connection can reduce interference and roaming-related interruptions. This is an optional network choice, not a Factorio requirement.
Join from each player computer
Join through LAN discovery
- Start the dedicated server and wait until it has loaded the save.
- On the client, open Factorio’s multiplayer menu and choose Play on LAN.
- Select the server shown in the local list.
- Enter the game password if one is configured.
LAN discovery is convenient, but it depends on local network discovery traffic and the host firewall. A server can be running correctly even when it does not appear in the browser.
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Join by local IP address
- On the server computer, find its local IPv4 address in the operating system’s network settings.
- On the client, choose Connect to address.
- Enter the server’s local IP address.
- If the server uses a non-default port, append that port to the address as requested by the Factorio connection dialog; with the default configuration, UDP port 34197 is used.
- Authenticate with the password or whitelist requirements, if enabled.
Direct connection is the correct method for a hidden server and a useful fallback when LAN discovery fails.
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Keep public authentication disabled
An offline LAN server does not need Factorio.com credentials or an authentication token. Public listing is only relevant when you intentionally publish the server beyond the local network. Keeping those fields empty reduces accidental exposure and avoids storing credentials in a configuration that other household users may inspect.
Use separate identities for administration
Give administrative privileges only to the people who need them through the adminlist. Use a whitelist when the server should admit only named players, and use the banlist to remove access for a specific identity. A password is easier to share but provides less granular control than lists.
Protect the host machine
- Allow only the Factorio UDP port through the host firewall.
- Do not expose the port through router forwarding for a LAN-only game.
- Keep the server directory and settings file accessible only to trusted users.
- Back up important saves before changing mods or server settings.
Troubleshoot the problems that occur most often
The server does not appear under Play on LAN
- Confirm that both devices are on the same local network and not separated by guest-network isolation.
- Verify that the host firewall allows UDP 34197, or the custom port you configured.
- Use Connect to address with the host’s local IP. Hidden visibility intentionally removes the server from discovery.
- Confirm that the server process is still running and has finished loading the save.
Direct connection times out
- Check the local IP address again; it may have changed after the host reconnected to the network.
- Confirm that the client is using the configured port, not an old value.
- Confirm that the firewall rule is for UDP, not only TCP.
- Check whether the router or access point isolates wireless clients from one another.
The client reports a version or mod mismatch
Install exactly the same Factorio version and mod set on the server and every client. Matching only the major version is not enough when the installed build or mod versions differ. If the save depends on a mod that is missing from the server, copy the required local mod files before attempting to join.
The server cannot load the world
- Verify that the save path exists.
- Verify that
--start-serverpoints to the intended save archive. - Check spelling, capitalization, and the current working directory.
- Confirm that the server has the mods required by the save.
The server stops when everyone leaves
This is the default automatic-pause behavior. If continuous simulation is intentional, set no-auto-pause in server-settings.json, restart the server, and understand that the factory will continue running unattended.
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The process starts but settings are ignored
Confirm that the command references the edited settings file, not the untouched example. A duplicated file with a similar name in another directory is a common source of confusion. Restart the server after changing settings so the new values are loaded.
Operational checklist
Use this sequence whenever you deploy or recover the server:
- Install the Factorio full or headless package on the host.
- Install the identical Factorio version and mods on each client.
- Create a save with
--createor copy an existing archive intosaves. - Copy
server-settings.example.jsontoserver-settings.json. - Choose LAN visibility for discovery or hidden visibility for direct IP access.
- Set a password, whitelist, banlist, or adminlist when the LAN requires access control.
- Leave public visibility and Factorio.com authentication fields empty for an offline private game.
- Decide whether the default pause behavior is appropriate or enable
no-auto-pause. - Start the server with
--start-serverand the correct save and settings paths. - Allow UDP 34197, unless you selected another port, through the host firewall.
- Join with Play on LAN or Connect to address using the host’s local IP.
- Back up the save before major mod, version, or configuration changes.
Capacity and practical limits
Factorio documents a hard limit of 65,535 players, but that number is a protocol limit rather than a realistic target for a home server. Practical capacity is usually much lower and depends on the host hardware, factory complexity, simulation load, network quality, and the number and behavior of connected clients. For a private household LAN, the relevant test is whether the server maintains acceptable simulation performance for the actual group, not whether it approaches the documented maximum.
Bottom line
For an offline Factorio LAN, install the game or headless package locally, ensure every machine has the same version and mods, create or copy a save, configure server-settings.json, and start it with --start-server. Allow UDP 34197 on the host firewall, avoid router port forwarding, and have players discover the server through Play on LAN or connect directly to its local IP. Keep public authentication disabled, use password or list-based controls as needed, and enable no-auto-pause only when you intentionally want the factory to keep running unattended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an offline Factorio server need internet while people are playing?
No. After the game files, save, and matching mods are already stored locally, a private LAN server and its clients can play without an active internet connection.
What port does Factorio use by default?
The default game-server port is UDP 34197. Allow it through the host firewall; do not forward it through the router for a LAN-only game.
How do friends join a hidden server?
They choose Connect to address and enter the host computer’s local IP address, including the configured port when it is not 34197.
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