How to Make a Barotrauma Server: Step-by-Step Setup Guide

To make a Barotrauma server, choose either in-game client hosting for a short session or a dedicated server process for an always-available world. A dedicated installation can run without the full game client: on Windows, launch DedicatedServer.exe; with SteamCMD, install app 1026340, run app_update 1026340 validate, then start it with app_run 1026340. Configure serversettings.xml, expose UDP ports 27015 (players) and 27016 (Steam queries), and restart after file changes. Linux hosts need additional library and Steam-authentication checks. This guide covers the complete vanilla or modded setup, router configuration, permissions, and first-line fixes for Windows and Linux.

Which Barotrauma hosting method should you use?

Client hosting is the quickest option: start Barotrauma, create or load a campaign, and invite other players. It is appropriate when the host will remain in the game for the whole session. A dedicated server is a separate command-line process with no graphical interface, so it uses fewer resources than hosting through the full game and can continue running after the host closes the client.

Choice	Game-client requirement	Best use	Trade-off
Client host	The host must keep the game running	One-off or short cooperative sessions	World availability ends when the host leaves
Bundled dedicated executable	No full game client after installation	A direct Windows setup with minimal tooling	You manage the process and configuration files yourself
SteamCMD dedicated installation	No graphical client	Repeatable installs, scripted updates, or a remote machine	Requires SteamCMD commands and a separate install directory

Use a dedicated process if players need to join while you are not playing, if the machine will be managed remotely, or if you want predictable server-side mod and permission files. The built-in executable is simpler for a single Windows machine; SteamCMD is more convenient when you will reinstall or update the server repeatedly.

What do you need before installing?

• A Barotrauma installation or a machine on which SteamCMD can install the dedicated app.
• Administrator access to the host computer and router if players will connect from outside your local network.
• A stable local IPv4 address for the host, preferably reserved in the router’s DHCP settings so forwarding rules do not break after a reboot.
• Two available UDP ports. The documented defaults are 27015 for player traffic and 27016 for Steam queries.
• Matching game and mod versions for everyone who will join.

The official hosting documentation lists game version 1.13.4.0 while noting that parts of the page may be outdated and were last updated for 0.18.15.0. Treat version-sensitive Linux dependencies and paths as checks to perform against the build you actually install.

How do you install and start a dedicated server on Windows?

Windows offers two supported routes. The bundled executable is fastest when Barotrauma is already installed; SteamCMD is better for a clean, repeatable server installation.

Option 1: Run the bundled executable

1. Open the Barotrauma installation directory, the folder containing the game executable.
2. Locate and run DedicatedServer.exe. A console window opens; this process is the server, not the normal game launcher.
3. Leave the console open and wait until it reports that the server has started before attempting to connect.
4. Stop it cleanly from the server console when performing configuration or file maintenance, then launch it again after changes.

Starting the executable from the installation directory helps it find the adjacent data and configuration files. If you have multiple installations, confirm which directory contains the executable you intend to operate.

Option 2: Install with SteamCMD

1. Install SteamCMD and open its command prompt.
2. Log in with the anonymous account by entering login anonymous.
3. Install or update the Barotrauma dedicated app with app_update 1026340 validate. The app ID is 1026340.
4. When the update finishes, launch the server with app_run 1026340.
5. Wait for the server-start message in the console before testing from another machine.

SteamCMD’s validation step checks the installed files and is useful after an interrupted update. Do not close the SteamCMD or server process while an update is still writing files.

How should you configure serversettings.xml?

serversettings.xml is the central server configuration file. It is in the Barotrauma root directory next to the game or dedicated-server executable. Edit it with a plain-text editor while the server is stopped, then restart the process so the new values are read.

Settings that matter for a first launch

Setting	Purpose	Documented default or guidance
name	The name shown to players in the server browser	Choose a descriptive name that identifies your group or campaign
password	Restricts entry to players who know the password	Use a strong password for a private server; leave it appropriate to your intended visibility
port	Player connection port	UDP 27015
queryport	Steam server-query port used for discovery and status	UDP 27016
enableupnp	Attempts automatic router port mapping	Enable only if your router supports UPnP and you accept its automatic mapping behavior
Game-mode and player-limit values	Controls the type and size of sessions	Set in the file or adjust several values later in the lobby

Preserve the XML structure and quotation marks when changing a value. A malformed file can prevent the intended settings from loading. File edits apply on restart; changing a value while the process is running does not immediately reconfigure an active server, and some lobby controls can override file defaults for the current session.

Choose a safe network identity

Give the server a name that makes its region, campaign, or community clear without publishing personal information. For a private group, combine a non-obvious password with the server’s permission controls rather than relying on an obscure name.

Which ports do you forward for Barotrauma?

Forward both documented UDP ports to the host computer: UDP 27015 for player connections and UDP 27016 for Steam queries. Create two rules in the router’s port-forwarding or virtual-server page, select UDP (not only TCP), and enter the host machine’s local IPv4 address as the destination for both rules.

1. Reserve or note the host’s local IPv4 address.
2. Create a UDP rule for external and internal port 27015 pointing to that address.
3. Create a second UDP rule for external and internal port 27016 pointing to the same address.
4. Save the router configuration and restart the Barotrauma server.
5. Test from a different network, such as a friend’s connection or a mobile hotspot, rather than relying only on a test from inside your LAN.

If you change port or queryport in serversettings.xml, change the matching router rules too. A rule aimed at an old address or old port can make a correctly running server appear offline.

Can UPnP replace manual forwarding?

Set enableupnp in serversettings.xml if you want the server to ask a compatible router to create mappings automatically. UPnP is convenient but depends on router support and policy; if discovery remains unreliable, disable the automatic attempt and use explicit UDP forwarding instead.

How do you set permissions and administer players?

Server permissions are stored in Data/clientpermissions.xml. Use this file to assign permission presets or individual capabilities. The related data files—bannedplayers.txt, karmasettings.xml, and permissionpresets.xml—should remain with the server’s Data directory when you move or back up the installation.

Granting an administrator in the console

The official administration guide documents the giverank console command for granting admin access. Apply the command only to trusted accounts, and use the XML permissions file when you need a repeatable set of roles rather than a one-time change.

Moving a server safely

1. Stop the server process.
2. Back up serversettings.xml, the Data directory, and the campaign save files.
3. Copy the files to the replacement machine while preserving the directory structure.
4. Verify that the new host’s local address and forwarded ports are correct.
5. Start the process and confirm that names, bans, permissions, and campaign data load as expected.

How do you install Barotrauma server mods?

A dedicated server needs the mod files locally and the corresponding content-package entries in config_player.xml. Subscribing to a Workshop item on one client does not automatically make its files available to a separate server machine.

1. Subscribe to each required Workshop item on a Barotrauma client.
2. Locate the installed mod folders using the platform-specific Workshop locations documented by the official mod guide.
3. Copy the required mod folders to the dedicated server. Keep their directory names intact so the configuration can resolve them.
4. Add matching content-package entries to the server’s config_player.xml.
5. Use the same mod set and load order on the server and every client.
6. Stop and restart the server after editing the configuration, then watch the console for loading errors.

Mod synchronization is exacting: a missing folder, mismatched version, or different load order can prevent a client from joining or cause content to be absent in-game. When troubleshooting, first verify that the server copy exists, then verify the XML entries, and only then investigate client-side subscriptions.

What is different about hosting on Linux?

Linux can run the dedicated process efficiently, but the official instructions include extra dependency and Steam-authentication caveats. Because those notes are release-sensitive, check them against your distribution and installed Barotrauma build before applying package changes.

Linux installation and data locations

• Some distributions may require a compatible older OpenSSL development library.
• Barotrauma user data is stored under ~/.local/share/Daedalic Entertainment GmbH/Barotrauma/.
• With SteamCMD, change to the dedicated-server directory and run ./DedicatedServer.

Fix Steam authentication failures

If the Linux server cannot authenticate with Steam, the official workaround is to create ~/.steam/sdk64 and copy steamclient.so into that directory, then restart the server. Confirm that the file belongs to the Steam installation used by the server account and that the process has permission to read it.

Keep the process alive after disconnecting

Run the server inside screen or another process manager when it must survive a closed SSH session. Reattach to the session for console administration, and stop the server cleanly before maintenance or updates.

How do you verify that the server is reachable?

1. Start the dedicated process and wait for its explicit started state.
2. Read the loaded configuration and confirm the intended name, player port, query port, and password.
3. Check the host firewall for rules allowing the server executable to receive UDP traffic.
4. Confirm that the router forwards both configured UDP ports to the current local IPv4 address.
5. Have a player outside your local network search for the server or connect using the server address and port.
6. If the test fails, change one variable at a time—first the process state, then firewall, then router forwarding—so the cause is identifiable.

A successful local connection does not prove that internet players can reach the server; it can bypass the router’s inbound path. Test from an external network before sharing the address broadly.

What should you check when the server does not appear?

The console never reaches a started state

Stop the process and verify that you launched the intended executable or SteamCMD app. Check that the installation is complete, that the process can read its data directory, and that serversettings.xml is valid XML.

The process runs but nobody can find it

Confirm that the server is reading the expected serversettings.xml, then verify both configured UDP ports and the host’s current local address. If UPnP was enabled, inspect the router’s mappings; if it did not create them, use manual UDP rules.

Players connect locally but not over the internet

Review the operating-system firewall and router rules together. Make sure the rules target UDP and the current host address, and test from a separate network to avoid a router’s loopback limitations.

Linux players cannot authenticate

Apply the documented steamclient.so placement in ~/.steam/sdk64, check file permissions, and restart the dedicated process. If the problem began after an update, recheck the distribution and game-build requirements because the Linux notes are version-sensitive.

Mods are missing or clients cannot join

Verify that every required mod folder was copied to the server, that each matching entry exists in config_player.xml, and that the server was restarted after the edit. Compare client and server load order as well as versions.

Configuration changes appear to be ignored

File changes are read at startup, so stop and restart the server. Also check whether the lobby has overridden a setting for the current session; lobby values can supersede several file defaults.

How do Windows and Linux compare for a long-running server?

Consideration	Windows	Linux
Initial launch	Run DedicatedServer.exe from the Barotrauma folder or install through SteamCMD	Run ./DedicatedServer from the SteamCMD dedicated-server directory
Dependencies	Usually centered on the installed game files and firewall rules	May require OpenSSL compatibility work and Steam library handling
Steam authentication	No special workaround is documented in this guide	May require steamclient.so in ~/.steam/sdk64
Remote persistence	Use a service or keep the process running on the host	screen or another process manager keeps it alive after shell disconnect
User data	Stored within the Barotrauma installation/data structure	Includes ~/.local/share/Daedalic Entertainment GmbH/Barotrauma/

Choose the operating system you can update and monitor confidently. Linux is a good fit for an unattended remote machine when you are comfortable with its dependency and process-management requirements; Windows is generally the shorter path for a desktop owner already running Barotrauma there.

What is the safest routine for updates and backups?

1. Announce maintenance and stop the server cleanly.
2. Back up serversettings.xml, the Data directory, campaign saves, permissions, bans, and mod configuration.
3. Update the game files through SteamCMD with app_update 1026340 validate, or update the bundled installation through its normal game distribution.
4. Check that mods remain present and that config_player.xml still references the intended versions.
5. Start the server, wait for the started message, and perform an external connection test.

Keep at least one pre-update backup until the campaign and mod set have been tested. This makes it possible to restore the previous files if a game or mod update changes compatibility.

Can you run a private, modded campaign continuously?

Yes. A dedicated process can remain online independently of the full game client, while a password in serversettings.xml, permission presets, and matching mod files provide access and content control. Continuous operation still depends on the host machine, network connection, router forwarding, and a process manager or service that restarts the server when required.

For a reliable private campaign, reserve the host’s local address, forward both UDP ports, keep the server and clients on the same mod load order, back up the Data directory, and schedule restarts after configuration or mod changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play Barotrauma on the same computer that runs the dedicated server?

Yes, provided the machine has enough CPU, memory, and network capacity for both processes. The dedicated server has no graphical interface, so it avoids rendering the game world; launch the normal client separately and connect to the dedicated instance.

Does a Barotrauma server need a public IPv4 address?

Players outside your home network generally need an internet-reachable address and inbound UDP forwarding. If your internet service uses carrier-grade NAT, router rules may not be sufficient; ask the provider whether a public address or an alternative hosting arrangement is available.

Where should I keep campaign saves when moving the server?

Stop the process and copy the campaign save files together with the server’s Data directory and configuration files. Preserve the directory structure on the new host, then verify that the campaign appears before allowing players to continue.

Why do some players see a different submarine or item set after joining?

That usually indicates a mod-set or load-order mismatch rather than a port problem. Compare the server’s copied mod folders and config_player.xml entries with the clients, then restart after correcting the order.