How to Make a Space Engineers Server: Step-by-Step Setup Guide

The most reliable way to make a Space Engineers server is to install Keen Software House’s free dedicated-server software on a Windows PC, configure a world, and forward its UDP port to the machine. A dedicated server runs as its own persistent process, so the world remains available after the host player disconnects and it does not render graphics or play audio. You can run it in a foreground window for a quick test, install it as a Windows service for automatic startup, or rent a platform-matched host if you do not want to maintain Windows, router and firewall settings.

This guide covers the hardware and software requirements, Steam and SteamCMD installation, world migration, public networking, administrators, mods, crossplay, automatic recovery and the fixes for common connection failures.

What do you need before setting up a Space Engineers server?

Keen’s documented dedicated-server path uses Windows. Prepare the operating system, runtime components, network connection and storage before installing the server so that later troubleshooting is not confused with missing prerequisites.

Hardware and bandwidth requirements

Resource	Minimum baseline	Keen’s recommendation	What the figure means
CPU	3.2 GHz	4.5 GHz	Clock speed for the host processor; both figures specify three logical cores.
Logical cores	3	3	Available logical cores for the server process and Windows.
Memory	6 GB RAM	10 GB RAM	The recommended figure leaves more headroom for larger worlds, players, logs and other services.
Internet upload capacity	5 Mbps	Not separately stated	Use the minimum as a baseline for the server’s network traffic, not as a guaranteed player-capacity figure.
Disk space	About 8 GB for the server software	Additional free space required	Saves, logs and downloaded mods consume space beyond the installation itself.

The CPU and RAM figures are Keen Software House’s published minimum and recommendation, accessed in 2026. The roughly 8 GB storage estimate comes from the Space Engineers Wiki; leave substantially more free space if you expect several worlds or a large mod collection. No canonical source publishes a reliable player-count benchmark, so do not infer capacity from these requirements alone.

Windows components

• Use a supported Windows installation for the official host path.
• Install .NET Framework 4.8 or later.
• Install the Visual C++ redistributables listed in Keen’s dedicated-server documentation.
• Use an account with administrator rights when creating a Windows service or changing firewall rules.
• Reserve a fixed local IP address for the host on your router, or create a DHCP reservation, so port forwarding does not break after a reboot.

Should you self-host or rent a server?

Self-hosting is best when you want direct control of files, save backups, configuration and mods and can maintain a Windows machine and router. Renting trades that control for a managed location that avoids local installation and port-forwarding work. Keen currently identifies GTX Gaming as its official host for the PC version and Nitrado as its official host for the Xbox version; verify current plans and prices with the provider because the documented sources do not publish them.

Consideration	Self-hosted PC	Rented host
Upfront and recurring cost	You provide the PC, electricity, connection and storage; the dedicated-server software is free to owners.	Recurring fee; current prices and promotions are not established here.
Windows and runtime maintenance	You install updates, .NET, redistributables and backups.	The provider generally handles the operating environment.
Router and firewall	You configure a static public address, UDP forwarding and an inbound rule.	Usually handled through the provider’s control panel or support process.
Files, saves and mods	Full access to the installation and data paths.	Access depends on the host’s file manager and supported mod workflow.
Restart and updates	You configure a service, recovery action or script.	Often exposed as a control-panel option, but confirm the exact behavior.
Platform target	Windows PC hosting; crossplay requires compatible content and settings.	Choose a plan that explicitly supports PC, Xbox or mixed play.
Latency	Depends on your home connection and geographic location.	You can usually select a data-center region closer to players.

How do you install the dedicated-server software?

The software is free for people who own Space Engineers. You do not need a second Steam account, although at least one licensed Steam account is required to obtain the files.

Install through Steam

1. Open Steam and select Library.
2. Change the library filter to Tools.
3. Find Space Engineers Dedicated Server and select Install.
4. Note the installation directory; it contains SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe, the executable you will launch later.

This route is easiest when Steam is already installed on the intended host. Steam can also keep the tool updated through the normal library interface.

Install with SteamCMD

SteamCMD is useful for a headless machine or a separate installation directory. Download SteamCMD from Valve, open a command prompt in its folder, and run the documented anonymous-install command, replacing the path if needed:

steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir "D:SEDS" +app_update 298740 +quit

App ID 298740 is the dedicated-server package. After the command completes, open the chosen directory and confirm that SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe exists. Keep the install path and save-data path recorded; they are needed when moving worlds or diagnosing a missing save.

How do you start a simple foreground server?

A foreground instance is the fastest way to prove that the installation and world work. It remains attached to a visible process, so somebody must relaunch it after a reboot or accidental closure.

1. Run SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe.
2. Choose Local/Console.
3. Select Continue to server configuration.
4. Enter a server name and world name, then choose a scenario or saved world.
5. Set the listen IP, port, access restrictions, users, mods and message of the day as required.
6. Select Save & start.

Use this mode for a private test, a short co-op session or a host where a player can restart the process manually. Watch the console for startup errors before asking friends to connect.

How do you run the server as a Windows service?

A service runs in the background and can start with Windows, making it preferable for a persistent community server or for multiple instances. Each instance must have its own listen port.

1. Start the dedicated-server manager with Run as administrator.
2. Select Add new instance.
3. Give the service a unique system-wide name; do not reuse a name already registered in Windows.
4. Select the new instance, open its configuration and choose the world, port and access settings.
5. Save the configuration and start the service. Test it locally before opening the port to the internet.

Characteristic	Foreground process	Windows service
Reboot persistence	Someone must launch it again.	Can start automatically with Windows.
Administrator rights	Usually unnecessary after installation.	Required when creating or managing the service.
Multiple instances	Possible, but manual windows and ports are easy to mix up.	Designed for named instances; assign a different port to each.
Troubleshooting	Console output is immediately visible.	Check service status, logs and Windows recovery settings.

How do you choose a world and configure access?

The configuration tool lets you create a new scenario or load an existing world. It also exposes the listen IP, port, server and world names, Steam Group ID, password, user list, mods, message of the day and maintenance controls.

Private, group and public access

• Use a password for a small group whose members you can manage directly.
• Use a Steam Group restriction when membership should control access without publishing a password.
• For a public server, leave authentication open only after you have tested administrator permissions, backups and moderation rules.
• A listen IP of 0.0.0.0 is a common default that binds on all local interfaces; change it only when your network design requires a specific address.

Move an existing local world

Stop the local game and dedicated server before copying files. Copy the world from the Space Engineers save directory into the dedicated-server save directory identified by the official documentation and your installation. The exact data location can vary with the installation method, so confirm the destination in the server manager rather than guessing. Keep the original save untouched until the copied world loads successfully.

What ports and router settings make the server public?

LAN play needs no internet port forwarding. Public play requires a stable public address, a router rule that forwards the server’s UDP port to the host, and a matching inbound Windows Firewall rule.

1. Assign the host a fixed local address, such as a DHCP reservation.
2. In the server configuration, note the listen port. The documented default is UDP 27016; use your custom value if you changed it.
3. In the router, create an inbound UDP port-forward from that external port to the host’s local IP and the same internal port.
4. In Windows Defender Firewall, allow inbound UDP traffic on that port for the server executable or an explicitly scoped rule.
5. Give players your current public IP address and port, or use a stable hostname maintained by a separate dynamic-DNS service if your ISP changes the address.
6. Test from a device outside your home network. A connection from the same LAN can succeed even when the public forwarding rule is wrong.

Keen support documentation repeats the UDP-forwarding requirement. Opening a TCP rule instead, forwarding to an old local IP, or testing only from inside the LAN are common reasons a server appears invisible.

How do you add administrators?

Start the server and connect with Dedicated Server Manager or VRage Remote Client. The promotion is performed from the player list rather than by editing a text file.

1. Open Admin Tools.
2. Choose Chat and Players, then Online.
3. Select the player account that should receive privileges.
4. Choose Promote.

The promoted player can then use the in-game admin menu. Give this role only to trusted accounts, and remove it before handing a save to an unfamiliar host.

How do mods and PC–Xbox crossplay work?

Decide the platform mix before building the mod list. Steam Workshop content is appropriate for PC-only play, while Xbox-only and mixed PC/Xbox servers should use mods hosted through Mod.io.

Server audience	Mod source to plan for	Important detail
PC only	Subscribed Steam Workshop mods	Use the subscribed-mods tab and verify that every player can download the same collection.
Xbox only	Mod.io-hosted mods	Workshop-only items are not the correct dependency for an Xbox server.
Mixed PC/Xbox	Mod.io-hosted, cross-platform-compatible mods	Check compatibility before committing to a world; a PC-only Workshop dependency can block console players.

The configuration accepts documented identifiers in the form Steam:Mod ID or mod.io:Mod ID. Add mods through the subscribed-mods controls, restart the server and have a client test the full load order. Keep a clean backup before changing mods because removing a block or script dependency can make a save fail to load.

How do you automate restarts, updates and backups?

The dedicated-server GUI includes auto-restart and auto-update controls. A service can also use Windows’ Recovery settings to restart after a failure. A foreground process needs an external script or scheduled task if you want equivalent behavior.

• Schedule maintenance when players are offline and announce it in the server’s message of the day.
• Copy world saves to a separate drive or host before major game updates and before adding or removing mods.
• Retain several dated backups so you can roll back beyond the most recent save.
• Test a backup by loading it on a temporary instance; a file that merely exists is not proof that it can be restored.
• For multiple service instances, give each one a distinct service name, save location and listen port.

How do you fix the most common setup problems?

The server is not visible outside the home network

• Confirm the configured port, including whether you changed it from UDP 27016.
• Check that the router forwards UDP, not only TCP, to the host’s current local IP.
• Confirm that Windows Firewall allows the same UDP port and that the rule applies to the active network profile.
• Verify the public IP shown to friends is current; a changing ISP address can invalidate an old bookmark.
• Test from a genuinely external connection rather than relying on a same-LAN test.

The Windows service will not start

• Run the manager as administrator and confirm the service name is unique.
• Check whether another server instance already owns the configured port.
• Launch the same configuration in foreground mode; visible console errors often identify a bad path, missing runtime or inaccessible save.
• Review the service’s Windows Recovery settings after correcting the underlying error.

The world does not appear in the server list

• Stop the server before copying or replacing save files.
• Verify that the world was copied into the dedicated-server data path used by this installation method.
• Check spelling and folder nesting; copying a folder inside an extra folder level can hide the save from the selector.
• Restore the last known-good backup if a mod change preceded the disappearance.

Crossplay players cannot join after mods were added

• Remove Workshop-only dependencies from Xbox or mixed-platform configurations.
• Replace them with Mod.io versions that explicitly support the target platforms.
• Make every client restart and download the same mod set before reconnecting.
• Test an unmodded world to separate a network problem from a content-compatibility problem.

The server performs poorly

• Compare the host with Keen’s 3.2 GHz, three-logical-core and 6 GB minimum, then with the 4.5 GHz and 10 GB recommendation.
• Close unrelated workloads and leave memory for Windows, logs and save operations.
• Check free disk space; the software’s roughly 8 GB footprint does not include accumulated saves, logs or mods.
• Do not promise a player limit based solely on the published requirements; no canonical benchmark establishes one.

What does a Space Engineers server cost?

The official dedicated-server software itself is free for owners, and no extra Steam account is required. Self-hosting still has indirect costs: a suitable Windows PC, electricity, storage, a stable upload connection and time spent on maintenance. Rental pricing, uptime guarantees and promotions change by provider and are not specified in Keen’s documentation, so obtain a current quote before choosing a plan.

Which setup should you choose?

• Quick private test: install through Steam, run a foreground instance, keep the default port on the LAN and use a password.
• Persistent PC community: use the recommended hardware range where possible, install a Windows service, reserve a local IP, forward UDP 27016 and schedule backups.
• Several worlds on one machine: create separate named service instances, save locations and listen ports, then document which port belongs to each world.
• Xbox or mixed PC/Xbox group: choose a host and configuration that explicitly support the target platforms, and select Mod.io-compatible content before starting the long-term world.
• No router or Windows administration: use a platform-matched rental host, confirming whether the plan targets PC, Xbox or crossplay and what restart, update and file controls it provides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a dedicated-server world back to single-player?

Yes. Stop the server, make a backup, and copy the world folder into the local Space Engineers save location used by your client. Keep the dedicated copy unchanged until the local version opens and saves successfully.

Why can players on my Wi-Fi join while friends on the internet cannot?

That pattern usually means the game is working locally but the public route is not. Recheck the host’s reserved LAN address, the router’s UDP forwarding destination and the Windows inbound rule, then test from a mobile connection or another outside network.

Can two Space Engineers servers share one public port?

No. Each process needs its own listen port, and every additional port needs a corresponding firewall rule and router-forwarding entry. Use separate service instances and record the port assigned to each world.

Do all players need identical mod files installed manually?

Players normally receive subscribed content through the game, but every client must be able to access the same platform-compatible mod identifiers. A Workshop-only dependency can prevent Xbox or mixed-platform clients from completing the connection even when PC clients succeed.