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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe Conan Exiles Dedicated Server Launcher is a Windows utility that automates the awkward parts of hosting a dedicated server: installing and updating the server through SteamCMD, downloading Workshop mods, exposing configuration files, checking network reachability, and handling restarts, backups, and logs. To get a working server, place the launcher in a simple folder, configure its branch, name, passwords, ports, and mods, then start it and forward the same ports through your router and firewall.
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This guide covers launcher version 1.10.0, reported by Funcom on 14 October 2026. Launcher releases can change, so verify the current version in the official Funcom launcher thread before installing.
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What the launcher does
Funcom describes the Dedicated Server Launcher as a small utility intended to make running a Conan Exiles dedicated server easier. It is a management layer around the dedicated-server executable and SteamCMD rather than a replacement for either one.
- Installs or updates SteamCMD and the Conan Exiles dedicated-server files.
- Downloads and updates Steam Workshop mods selected by numeric Workshop ID.
- Exposes common server settings, branch selection, passwords, player limits, and network parameters in one interface.
- Provides router connection parameters and reachability checks.
- Shows server logs and opens the configuration files you may need to edit.
- Can monitor updates, notify players, restart on a schedule or after a crash, provide a web status page, and make timestamped backups.
The launcher does not remove the need for a correctly configured host, firewall, router, game branch, or compatible mod set. Those remain the usual causes of connection and startup failures.
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- The Adventures of Conan is an asymmetrical dice game of exploration, sorcery and glorious combat set in the Hyborian age.
- Let your blade be sharp and your heart unyielding, for in the fray, only the bold claim victory!
- Each role brings new challenges and routes to victory
- All of the characters, adventures, and art are drawn from the Dark Horse Comics line of Conan titles, including Conan, Conan the Cimmerian, Conan the Slayer and more.
Hardware and prerequisites
Use a separate, supported host
Run the dedicated server on a separate computer when possible. Hosting and playing on the same machine consumes CPU, memory, disk and network resources and makes troubleshooting harder. Use a stable wired connection for the host, keep the machine awake, and give it a fixed local IP address so router forwarding does not break after a reboot.
Funcom’s published setup article gives historical Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 64-bit examples. They are useful as a baseline, not a guarantee for a 2026 installation:
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|---|---|---|---|
| 10 players | 8 GB | 35 GB | Historical example; current build requirements may be higher. |
| 35 players | 8 GB | 35 GB | Historical example; leave additional space for updates, logs, mods and backups. |
| 70 players | 12 GB | 35 GB | Historical example; sustained load depends on world activity and mods. |
No newer official numeric hardware table is established here. Treat the figures above as dated examples from Funcom’s 2017 guidance, then monitor memory, CPU, disk space and tick performance while your actual population grows.
Install SteamCMD and avoid Steam-client conflicts
The launcher can install SteamCMD for you, or you can install it separately. Do not run the regular Steam client while starting the dedicated server directly. Funcom warns that Steam DLL error dialogs can appear when the client and server contend for the same components.
Install the launcher and perform the first start
- Download the current official Dedicated Server Launcher from Funcom’s launcher thread. Confirm the release number and date before using an older executable.
- Create a short, ordinary folder such as
C:ExilesServer. Do not run the executable from Desktop or Downloads, a protected Windows location, or a path containing unusual characters. - Place the launcher executable in that folder and run it. If Windows presents a security prompt, verify that you obtained the file from the official Funcom source before allowing it.
- Open the launcher settings. Select the server installation directory, SteamCMD location if you installed it manually, branch, server name, passwords, player limit and network ports.
- Save the settings before starting. Saving first makes it easier to distinguish a configuration problem from a download problem.
- Press the large start button. The launcher installs or updates SteamCMD, downloads the Conan Exiles server, and downloads each numeric-ID mod you selected.
- Wait for the initial download and first world startup to finish. The console or log should show the server reaching its listening state; closing the launcher during this phase can interrupt installation.
- For a machine that should recover after a reboot, enable Start server if not running and Launch program on login. Test both options with a controlled reboot before relying on them.
Configure branch, identity, passwords and player capacity
Match the game branch
Set the launcher branch to the same branch and build that every player has installed. A server on a different branch can be online and reachable yet still reject players with a version-mismatch message. After an update, have at least one player confirm that the client version and server log agree before opening the server to everyone.
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- These expansions are contained in one box. The front cover features Queen of the Black Coast art and the back features Nemedian Chronicles art.
Choose a name and passwords
Use a descriptive server name that tells players whether the server is private, modded or part of a community. A server password is optional: leaving it empty allows anyone who can reach the server to attempt a connection. Set a separate admin password even on a private server; it is used with the in-game MakeMeAdmin command and should not be shared publicly.
Set a realistic player limit
The player-count setting is a capacity target, not a promise of smooth performance. More players increase simulation, save and network work, especially in busy areas or with large mod collections. Start below the maximum your host can sustain, then raise it only after observing CPU, memory, save times and player experience.
Open the correct ports
Players outside your home network need router forwarding and host-firewall rules. Forward each external port to the host computer’s fixed local IP, and allow the same traffic through Windows Firewall or another host firewall.
| Purpose | Default protocol and port | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | UDP 7777 | Main gameplay connection. |
| Pinger | UDP 7778 | Normally the game port plus one. |
| Server query | UDP 27015 | Used for discovery and query responses. |
| RCON | TCP 25575 | Remote administration; expose it only when needed and protect it with a strong password and network controls. |
Forward ports in the right order
- In the launcher, note the configured game, pinger and query ports. If you changed them, use those values instead of the defaults.
- Give the host a DHCP reservation or static local address, for example
192.168.1.50. - In the router’s port-forwarding page, create rules for the required UDP ports and send them to that local address. Add the TCP RCON rule only if you will use RCON.
- Create matching inbound firewall rules on the host. A router rule alone cannot overcome a blocked host firewall.
- Start the server and use the launcher’s reachability check. Test from outside your home network, such as a phone using mobile data; testing your public address from inside the same LAN can be affected by a router’s lack of NAT loopback.
Friends on the same LAN can connect using the host’s local IP or the Steam LAN server list. Friends on the Internet should use your external IP and the forwarded external ports. If your provider uses carrier-grade NAT, ordinary inbound forwarding may not work; the router can appear correctly configured while unsolicited Internet traffic never reaches it.
Using multiple servers or network adapters
Run each server in its own installation folder, assign distinct game, pinger, query and (when used) RCON ports, and create separate router mappings. If the host has multiple network interfaces, use the launcher’s adapter selection or the -MULTIHOME parameter so the server binds to the intended local address.
Add and maintain mods
Configure the Mod Manager
- Open Mod Manager in the launcher.
- Enter each Steam Workshop numeric ID, or add the full path to a local
.pakfile. - Save the mod list. At startup, the launcher checks and updates numeric Workshop IDs.
- Start the server and wait for downloads and mounting to finish before inviting players.
The launcher writes the resulting order to ConanSandboxModsmodlist.txt. Keep the order consistent with the client-side setup and change one mod at a time when diagnosing a failure. A local .pak path must be readable by the service account that launches the server and must remain at the same path after a reboot.
Verify that mods actually loaded
Look at the top of the server log for LogModManager mount messages. A Workshop ID appearing in the launcher is not proof that the server mounted it. If a mod is missing, check the numeric ID, download completion, file permissions, modlist.txt, and the mount lines before changing unrelated settings.
Disable Manage Mods only when another process or script deliberately maintains the mod list. Otherwise, the launcher may overwrite changes made elsewhere or leave the server running with a stale list.
Automate updates, restarts and backups
Automatic update checks
Auto-check can watch for server or mod updates. Configure notifications through RCON and Discord if your community uses them, and set a delayed restart so players receive warning time instead of being disconnected without notice. Schedule updates during the quietest period for your players and verify after the restart that the server branch and mods still match.
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Scheduled and crash-recovery restarts
Scheduled auto-restart can run at a chosen time, enforce a minimum uptime, restart after an unexpected stop, and run more than once per day. A minimum-uptime rule prevents a crash loop from repeatedly starting and stopping the process. Set a schedule that leaves enough time for world saves, backups and mod downloads before peak play.
Web status page
The launcher’s web status page can display status and provide start, stop and restart controls. Enable it, choose a web port and set a strong password. Do not expose the page directly to the Internet without appropriate firewall, router and access controls; a management interface is more sensitive than the game query port.
Backups after shutdown
The backup option copies the game database, last log, and the game, engine and server-settings INI files into timestamped folders after shutdown. Keep backups on a different physical disk or computer when possible, retain several known-good points, and occasionally restore a copy to a test folder so you know the files are usable before an emergency.
Manual SteamCMD fallback
If you need custom scripts or the launcher cannot start, install the server manually with SteamCMD. The Conan Exiles dedicated-server application ID is 443030. After SteamCMD finishes, launch ConanSandboxServer.exe -log. An optional parameter such as -MaxPlayers=16 sets a player limit for that process.
The manual route gives direct control over batch files, scheduled tasks and nonstandard automation, but you must build the surrounding controls yourself: update checks, mod downloads and ordering, port documentation, restart logic, log handling, notifications and backups. The launcher is the convenience layer; SteamCMD plus the executable is the appropriate fallback when you intentionally want to own that orchestration.
Troubleshoot the common failures
The server is not visible
- Confirm the launcher is listening on the configured UDP game and pinger ports and the UDP query port, not merely the defaults.
- Check inbound firewall rules on the host.
- Check that router forwarding points to the host’s current local IP.
- Use the external IP from an outside network and check for carrier-grade NAT or double-NAT conditions.
LAN works but friends cannot join
This usually indicates a forwarding or addressing problem rather than a game installation problem. Verify that the router forwards to the correct local address and that the external port is the one your friends are using. If your router has separate external and internal port fields, ensure the mapping is intentional and documented.
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Players receive a version mismatch
Put the launcher, server and every player’s installation on the same branch and build. Complete pending server updates before asking players to test again, and account for a client update that has not yet reached the server.
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Mods fail to load
Use numeric Workshop IDs or reachable local .pak paths, save the list, inspect ConanSandboxModsmodlist.txt, and search the log for LogModManager mount messages. Confirm that clients have compatible versions and the same required order. Remove the newest mod temporarily if one addition made the failure begin.
Steam DLL error dialogs appear
Close the regular Steam client and start through the launcher or the server executable/batch file. Running both can cause the DLL dialog described by Funcom.
A second server will not start
Give it a separate folder and unique ports, map those ports to the correct host address, and use -MULTIHOME when multiple interfaces require explicit binding. Check that the second process is not attempting to reuse the first server’s query or RCON port.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Confirm the launcher release and server branch before each major update.
- Keep the host on a fixed local IP and maintain enough disk space for server files, mods, logs and timestamped backups.
- Document game, pinger, query and RCON ports and who can access management interfaces.
- Test an outside-LAN connection after router or firewall changes.
- Review logs after every update and restart, especially the mod-mount lines.
- Test a backup restore periodically rather than assuming a copied file is recoverable.
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