Factorio Server Settings Explained: The Best Config for Your Group

For a small private Factorio group, start with a password-protected server, private or LAN visibility, admin-only commands and pausing, regular server-side autosaves, and auto-pause enabled. Use server-settings.json for those multiplayer and operational controls; use map-gen-settings and map-settings before creating a world for terrain, resources, enemies, pollution and other simulation rules. Factorio servers use UDP port 34197 unless you deliberately configure another port. Every client and the server must run exactly the same game version and mod set.

The stable version listed by Wube is Factorio 2.1.23. Recheck the version after updates, because a server and its players cannot safely mix incompatible versions or mods.

What should I put in Factorio server-settings.json?

server-settings.json is the multiplayer policy file. It controls how the server is presented, who can find or join it, and what connected players are allowed to do. It does not define the terrain or resource layout of a new planet.

The documented options include:

• Identity and discovery: server name, description and tags, plus public, LAN or private visibility.
• Access: password, user verification requirements, player limit, whitelist and ban administration.
• Permissions: whether console commands are available to everyone or administrators only, and who may pause the game.
• Persistence: autosave interval, whether autosaves are written only on the server, and related save behavior.
• Runtime limits: upload limits and other controls that affect how the multiplayer process operates.

Copy the example settings file supplied with the Factorio server and edit a working copy. Keeping the template untouched gives you a clean reference when an update adds or changes an option. Make one deliberate change at a time, restart when the option requires it, and keep a note of the value your group agreed to. That record makes it easier to restore a known configuration after a failed edit or a version update.

What is the difference between server-settings.json, map-gen-settings and map-settings?

The three files are applied at different layers. A server-settings change can alter multiplayer behavior, but it cannot regenerate terrain that has already been created or explored.

File	Controls	When it is used
server-settings.json	Server name and description, tags, visibility, password, verification, player limit, command and pause permissions, autosaves and operational limits	When the multiplayer server starts; some values can also be changed by an administrator while it is running
map-gen-settings	Terrain, water, starting area, resource frequency, size and richness, enemy bases and peaceful mode	When a new map is created, a scenario starts, or a map preview is generated
map-settings	Simulation rules such as pollution behavior, enemy expansion and evolution	When a world or scenario is created; it governs the simulation rather than the server listing

Think of map-generation settings as the planet’s blueprint and map settings as the rules that operate on that planet. Once chunks exist, editing a generation file does not redraw them. For an existing save, concentrate on server-settings controls unless you intentionally start a new world or scenario.

What are the best Factorio settings for friends?

A private-group baseline should minimize unwanted joins and accidental commands while allowing the factory to remain available when people play at different times. These are practical recommendations based on the documented controls, not claims about Factorio’s factory defaults.

Control	Recommended starting choice	Why
Visibility	Private, or LAN for a household network	Keeps a friends-only game out of public discovery. Switch to public only when you have a moderation plan.
Password	Set a shared password and distribute it privately	Adds a second gate even if an address or listing is exposed.
Commands	Administrators only	Prevents ordinary players from running destructive or disruptive console commands.
Pause permission	Administrators only	Avoids one player repeatedly stopping a shared session.
Auto-pause	Enabled	The simulation pauses with no connected players, preserving the factory while nobody is present.
Player limit	Set it to the size of your group	Prevents surprise joins and keeps the process within the machine’s capacity. Leave it open only for an intentionally community-facing server.
Autosaves	Keep regular autosaves and server-side saves enabled	Provides recovery points if a mod, update or human mistake damages the current state.
Versions and mods	Publish one exact game version and locked mod list	Every participant must match the server exactly.

Agree in advance whether the factory should keep running when nobody is online. If players have different schedules, auto-pause avoids unattended progression; if the group deliberately wants an always-running production line, disable auto-pause only after discussing the effect on power, pollution, enemy activity and resource consumption.

Set a player limit even when you trust everyone. It is a simple guard against a shared password being forwarded accidentally, and it gives the host a clear capacity target. If the group grows, raise the limit deliberately after checking performance rather than leaving an unrestricted setting by accident.

Which settings affect a new Factorio map?

Choose world-generation and simulation values before creating the save. Changing server-settings.json later changes the server’s multiplayer behavior, not the terrain already generated.

Terrain, resources and enemies

Put terrain shape, water, starting area, resource frequency, resource size, resource richness, enemy-base generation and peaceful mode in map-gen-settings. Use these values when invoking map creation, scenario startup or map preview generation. A richer-resource setting helps a new world, but it does not refill ore fields that have already been generated in an existing save.

Pollution, evolution and expansion

Put pollution behavior, enemy evolution and enemy expansion in map-settings. These are simulation rules: they govern what happens as the factory runs rather than how the initial land and deposits are laid out. Supply the file at world creation or scenario start so the save is born with the intended rules.

Existing saves

For an established factory, changing map-generation inputs will not regenerate explored chunks. Treat the save as the source of truth, back it up, and make only server-policy changes unless you understand the consequences of editing simulation data for that world.

How do I start a headless Factorio server?

A headless server needs either an existing save or instructions to create a new map. The server process must also be pointed at the multiplayer settings file.

1. Match software first. Install the exact Factorio version intended for the group and install the same mod files and versions on the server and every client. The game requires exact version and mod matching.
2. Prepare the world. For a new game, create a save with --create and provide the map-generation and map-settings files as appropriate. For an existing game, place the save where the server can read it.
3. Prepare server policy. Copy the example server settings file, save your edited working copy, and set the name, visibility, password, permissions, autosave behavior and player limit.
4. Launch the save. Start it with --start-server <save>. To load the newest save automatically, use --start-server-load-latest --server-settings <file>. Include the path to your edited settings file rather than relying on an unedited template.
5. Open the network path. Allow the configured UDP port through the host firewall and router. The documented default is UDP 34197; if you choose another port, forward that port and tell clients to use the same value.
6. Test in two stages. Join from the same local network first. Then test the external address from outside that network, because a successful LAN connection does not prove that internet forwarding or firewall rules are correct.

Keep the administrator list, whitelist, ban list and password out of public documentation. Store backups of the save and settings file separately from the live process so a failed edit does not remove your recovery path. Before an update, make a deliberate save, record the running version and confirm that your mod files are available for rollback.

What port does a Factorio server use?

Factorio’s documented multiplayer port is UDP 34197. Hosting over the internet normally requires forwarding that UDP port from the router to the machine running the server and allowing it through the machine’s firewall.

You may deliberately configure a different port, for example when several servers share one public address. In that case, the router rule, firewall rule, server configuration and client connection details must all use the same chosen port. A TCP-only rule will not substitute for the required UDP forwarding.

For multiple servers, give each process its own port and its own save and settings file. Label the ports in your group’s connection instructions so players do not accidentally join the wrong world. If the host’s local address changes, update the router’s forwarding destination or reserve a local address for that machine.

How do I stop the server pausing when nobody is online?

Factorio pauses while no players are connected unless the no-auto-pause option in server-settings.json overrides that behavior. Auto-pause is a sensible default for a friends-only world because it stops unattended production and enemy activity. Disable it only when the group explicitly wants an always-on simulation.

An always-running server needs an operational decision, not just a switch. Decide who watches the machine, how often saves are checked, what happens if a mod causes a crash, and whether players accept factories consuming power or resources between sessions. Keep regular server-side saves so you can roll back to a known state. Explain the policy in the server description or group chat: players should know whether a factory can progress while they are offline.

How do administrators manage a running server?

The /config command opens the server configuration interface for administrators. It can get or set controls such as player limit, password, visibility, autosave interval, pause permissions and command permissions without requiring you to hand-edit the JSON for every routine change.

Common administrative commands include:

• /admin for administrator access management.
• /promote to grant a trusted player administrator status.
• /ban to prevent a player from joining.
• /mute to stop a player’s chat messages.
• /server-save to write a deliberate save before maintenance or a risky change.

Use the smallest practical administrator group. A shared password is not a substitute for named moderation authority, because anyone who learns it may be able to join but should not automatically receive command access. Remove administrator access when someone no longer helps run the server, and keep a second trusted administrator available for emergencies.

Self-hosting or managed Factorio hosting?

Self-hosting gives you direct control over the machine, port, files, backups and update schedule. It can be the simplest choice when one group already has a spare computer and someone is comfortable maintaining a firewall, router forwarding and a headless process. The tradeoff is your time: you are responsible for uptime, version changes, mod distribution, save recovery and troubleshooting.

A managed provider rents a preconfigured Factorio server and handles much of the machine and network setup. Nitrado, for example, publishes a Factorio-specific FAQ and prepaid server rental. A rental is a recurring expense rather than a one-time purchase, and the exact price, limits and features depend on the plan and current offer. Verify those details directly before signing up; do not assume a provider’s player limit or backup policy matches your group’s needs.

Whichever route you choose, the game-level rules remain the same: match versions and mods, protect the password, choose the correct visibility, use the configured UDP port, and maintain recoverable saves. Managed hosting reduces infrastructure work; it does not remove the need to decide whether the world pauses, who has admin rights or how the community is moderated.

How should an always-on community server be configured?

Public visibility is appropriate only when the server has a description that sets expectations and people who can moderate it. Assign administrators, maintain admin and ban lists, decide whether returning players may bypass the player limit, and document whether the factory continues while empty.

Moderation plan

Before opening the listing, decide who handles griefing, chat abuse, accidental command use and appeals. Keep a current admin list and a tested ban process. Restrict commands and pausing to administrators unless the community has a reason to broaden them.

Capacity and persistence

The platform can support up to 500 players in one multiplayer game according to Wube’s current FAQ, but that is a capability figure, not a recommendation for an unmanaged server. Set the player limit to what the host hardware, connection and moderation team can actually support. Regular server saves and a rollback procedure matter more as the number of participants grows.

Public information

Use the server name, description and tags to state the rules, mod set, expected play schedule and whether the world is persistent. Keep private credentials and administrative lists out of that public text. State whether peaceful mode is enabled, whether new players may join an established save and how often maintenance may interrupt play.

What should I check when players cannot join?

• Version mismatch: compare the exact game version shown by every client and the server. The stable release listed by Wube is 2.1.23, but all installations still need to match the version actually running.
• Mod mismatch: compare names and versions, not just the number of mods. A missing or different mod prevents a reliable connection.
• Wrong port: confirm that the client is using the configured port and that UDP, not only TCP, is forwarded and allowed through the firewall.
• LAN works, internet fails: recheck the router’s destination address, host firewall rule and external test. A local connection does not validate internet routing.
• Password or visibility issue: verify the current value through /config or the working JSON file. A private server will not appear like a public listing, and a wrong password produces the same practical result as a blocked join.
• Server starts without the intended policy: inspect the launch command and confirm it points to the edited settings file. Loading a save alone does not guarantee that the server used your custom JSON.
• Save or scenario mismatch: confirm that the process is loading the intended save and that map-generation files were supplied during creation, not merely placed beside an existing save afterward.

What is the safest launch checklist?

1. Choose whether the world is new or an existing save.
2. Lock one Factorio version and one mod set for everyone.
3. For a new world, prepare map-gen-settings and map-settings before creation.
4. Copy and edit a working server-settings.json.
5. Set visibility, password, player limit, command permissions, pause permissions and autosave behavior.
6. Create the map with --create, or identify the save to load.
7. Launch with --start-server <save> or --start-server-load-latest --server-settings <file>.
8. Forward and allow UDP 34197, unless every component is configured for another port.
9. Test a local join, then an external join.
10. Verify that an administrator can use /config, save the server and moderate players.
11. Back up the save, settings file, admin list and mod list before inviting the full group.
12. Write down the chosen port, server address, version, mod set and pause policy so every player has the same connection instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change resource richness after the map has already been explored?

Not by editing the server settings file. Resource frequency, size and richness belong to map generation, so changes affect newly created terrain rather than chunks that already exist in the save.

Can players with different Factorio versions join the same server?

No. Factorio requires the server and every client to use exactly matching game versions and mods. Update or roll back the outlier before troubleshooting ports or passwords.

Should I make a friends-only server public so it is easier to find?

Usually no. Private or LAN visibility plus a shared password limits accidental joins; public visibility is better reserved for a staffed community with clear rules and moderation.

How many players can one Factorio multiplayer game support?

Wube lists a capability of up to 500 players in one multiplayer game. That figure does not tell you what an unmanaged home server, connection or moderation team can sustain, so set a practical player limit for your group.

Is UDP 34197 mandatory?

It is the documented default port, not an unchangeable requirement. You can configure another port, but the server, firewall, router forwarding and every client connection must use that same value and protocol.

Will changing server-settings.json alter an existing map?

It changes multiplayer and operational behavior, such as visibility, permissions or autosaves. It does not regenerate terrain or refill existing ore fields; those choices belong to map-generation settings used when the world is created.

Why did my server pause overnight?

Factorio auto-pauses when no players are connected unless the no-auto-pause option overrides it. Check the current setting with the administrator configuration interface and decide whether unattended simulation is actually wanted.

Do I need to buy special hardware for a headless server?

No specific product is required by these settings. You can run the process on a suitable machine you maintain or rent a managed Factorio server; the practical choice depends on your budget, availability requirements and willingness to handle updates, networking and backups.

Can I use a managed host and still control these settings?

A managed host generally provides access to the same game-level choices, but the provider’s panel, file access, backup policy and limits vary. Confirm those details and retain your own copy of the save, mod list and settings where possible.

The Bottom Line

For most friend groups, the best Factorio configuration is private or LAN visibility, a shared password, admin-only commands and pausing, regular server-side autosaves, and auto-pause enabled. Keep world creation in map-gen-settings and map-settings, launch the intended save with your edited server-settings.json, forward UDP 34197, and lock the exact game version and mod list. Move to public visibility or no-auto-pause only when your group has agreed on moderation, persistence and recovery responsibilities.