Starbound Server Settings Explained: The Best Config for Your Group

For a small private Starbound group, start by editing storage/starbound_server.config after the dedicated server has generated it. Set maxPlayers to your expected peak plus a modest cushion, choose a maxTeamSize that matches how your friends actually play, require named accounts, and keep administrator powers limited to trusted users. Use port 21025 only when your router or hosting panel has assigned and forwarded it; managed hosts frequently provide a different port.

The safest baseline is a recognizable serverName, allowAnonymousConnections set to false, named entries in serverUsers, allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone set to false, and anonymousConnectionsAreAdmin set to false. Leave RCON off unless you genuinely need remote administration.

What are the best Starbound server settings for a small group?

Use the following as a policy baseline rather than a performance promise. The practical limit still depends on the machine, mods, world state, and network conditions.

Setting	Starting value	Why it matters
serverName	A recognizable group name	Identifies the server in a browser or list.
maxPlayers	Expected simultaneous players plus a small cushion	The documented default is 8; size it for your real peak instead of copying the default blindly.
maxTeamSize	The largest party your group wants	The Linux guide lists 4 as the default; a smaller value can enforce compact parties.
allowAnonymousConnections	false	Requires users to authenticate with serverUsers.
serverUsers	One account per person, or a non-admin guest account plus a separate admin account	Accounts carry an administrator flag, so privileges can be limited.
allowAdminCommands	Enabled only when trusted administrators need commands	Controls whether admin commands are available at all.
allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone	false	Prevents every connected player from receiving command access.
anonymousConnectionsAreAdmin	false	Ensures anonymous connections cannot receive administrator rights.
gameServerPort	21025 only when that port is actually forwarded or allocated	21025 is the commonly documented stock value, not a guarantee on a managed host.
runRconServer	false unless remote administration is needed	Leaving RCON off removes an additional remote-control surface.
rconServerPassword	A unique strong password when RCON is enabled	Protects remote console access.
safeScripts	true	Restricts mod scripts; change it only for a trusted, known-compatible mod stack.
bannedIPs and bannedUuids	Use only for concrete moderation cases	Both list types are supported for removing specific offenders.
tutorialMessages	Enabled for new players	Disable it only when everyone already knows the game.

The figures of eight maximum players and four maximum team members are documented defaults in the Starbounder reference accessed in 2026. They are defaults, not tested capacity targets.

Which settings control the actual group experience?

How should I choose maxPlayers?

Count the largest number of people who may connect at the same time, then add a small cushion for an occasional late joiner. Do not raise the limit simply because the server accepts a larger number: simulation load, mod behavior, storage speed, and upload capacity can make a nominally valid value unpleasant to play.

What does maxTeamSize change?

It limits the size of a team, not the total number of people who may connect. Set it to the largest party your group wants to share; a four-person party is the documented default, but a smaller friend group may prefer a lower cap to keep progression and ship access organized.

Why set a recognizable serverName?

A descriptive name lets friends distinguish your instance from public listings or an old test server. Include the group or campaign name, but do not put passwords, addresses, or personal information in the name because it may be visible to anyone who can browse the server list.

How do I configure starbound_server.config safely?

1. Generate the file. Launch the dedicated server once. It creates storage/starbound_server.config; if the file does not exist yet, this first run is the prerequisite documented by hosting guides.
2. Stop the server completely. Never edit while the process is writing settings. On a hosted service, use the panel’s Stop control before opening its configuration editor or connecting by FTP.
3. Edit only the needed keys. Preserve valid JSON syntax, commas, braces, and quotation marks. Keep a copy of the last working file before saving a change.
4. Save, restart, and test. Start the server again and have one group member connect before distributing the address to everyone. This catches a bad port, password, or malformed value while the audience is still small.

A syntax error does not merely ignore your edit: the Linux configuration guide says Starbound renames the old file and creates a default configuration. If your custom settings suddenly disappear, inspect the storage directory for the renamed copy, restore the valid content, and correct the malformed JSON before restarting again.

Illustrative private-group configuration

The following excerpt shows the policy, not a complete replacement for every generated file. Keep keys that your installation or mods add, and retain the structure produced by your server version.

{"serverName":"Aurora Friends","maxPlayers":6,"maxTeamSize":4,"allowAnonymousConnections":false,"allowAdminCommands":true,"allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone":false,"anonymousConnectionsAreAdmin":false,"gameServerPort":21025,"runRconServer":false,"safeScripts":true,"tutorialMessages":true}

Replace the player count, team limit, name, and port with values that match your group and network. The example intentionally leaves account data out so credentials are not accidentally copied into a public guide or chat message.

What port does a Starbound server use?

The commonly documented stock game port is 21025. Self-hosters must make the port reachable through the router and host firewall. Documentation differs on transport: the multiplayer guide describes allowing TCP 21025, while the Linux guide describes Starbound as using TCP and UDP 21025 by default. Follow the transport requirements of your installed server and host rather than assuming one universal rule.

Self-hosting port checklist

• Set gameServerPort to the port you actually intend to expose.
• Forward that port from the router to the machine running the dedicated server.
• Allow the required transport in the operating-system firewall, following your installation’s TCP or TCP-and-UDP guidance.
• Test from outside your home network; a local connection can succeed even when internet forwarding is wrong.

Why a managed host may not use 21025

Hosting panels commonly allocate ports from a provider-controlled range. Copy the game port shown in the panel’s Network section into gameServerPort instead of replacing it with the stock number. Setting 21025 on a managed plan can point Starbound at an unallocated endpoint, leaving the server unreachable even though the process is running.

How do I password-protect a Starbound server?

Set allowAnonymousConnections to false and create named entries in serverUsers. The official configuration announcement explains that when anonymous connections are enabled, anyone can connect without a username or password; with the setting disabled, players are prompted for credentials.

Choose an account model

• One account per person: Best for a persistent group because you can remove or change one person’s access without affecting everyone else.
• Shared non-admin guest account plus a separate admin account: Simpler for a casual group, provided the shared account never has administrator status.
• Named administrator account: Give admin: true only to trusted operators who need commands.

Use unique passwords for server accounts and do not reuse an email, Steam, or hosting password. Players are prompted for a username and password on connect when anonymous access is disabled, so distribute credentials through a private channel.

How should I restrict admin commands?

Keep allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone and anonymousConnectionsAreAdmin set to false. Leave allowAdminCommands enabled only when a trusted operator actually needs command access, and mark only that person’s named account as an administrator.

This three-layer approach matters because a server can have command functionality available while still refusing to grant it to ordinary or anonymous players. Review the account list whenever someone leaves the group, and remove stale administrator entries rather than relying on secrecy.

Should I enable RCON?

RCON is optional remote administration. Leave runRconServer set to false unless you need to issue commands without joining the game. If you enable it, set a unique rconServerPassword and use an rconServerPort that your router or hosting provider has actually allocated.

On managed hosting, RCON may require a separate network allocation before it will answer. Treat that allocation as distinct from the game connection and do not assume that changing the game port automatically creates an RCON endpoint. Disable RCON again when the maintenance task is finished if you do not need a permanent remote console.

What do safeScripts, ban lists, and tutorial messages do?

safeScripts

Keep safeScripts enabled for an ordinary private server. The setting restricts mod scripts; change it only when you trust the entire mod stack and a specific, known-compatible mod requires different behavior. This is a security posture, not a claim that one value guarantees performance.

bannedIPs and bannedUuids

Use the IP list or UUID list for concrete moderation cases, not as a substitute for authentication. A UUID targets a game identity, while an IP targets a network address that may be shared or change over time; choose the list that matches the incident and keep records of why an entry was added.

tutorialMessages

Leave tutorial messages enabled when new players are joining. Disable them only for an experienced group that finds the prompts distracting; this setting does not increase player capacity or alter networking.

Is self-hosting or managed hosting better for a group?

Neither option changes the Starbound keys themselves, but it changes who handles the machine and network around them.

Decision factor	Self-hosting	Managed hosting
Control	Direct access to the machine, files, and operating system.	Control panel access abstracts the file and system behind provider tools.
Networking	You administer router forwarding and the host firewall.	The provider supplies an allocated network endpoint; you must use its assigned ports.
Authentication and RCON	You can expose the Starbound keys directly and choose your own firewall rules.	The same keys are available, but port ranges and RCON allocations may be constrained.
Maintenance	You own updates, restarts, backups, monitoring, and recovery.	The provider supplies infrastructure and a panel, subject to its terms and support scope.
Cost and control trade-off	No hosting subscription, but your time and hardware are the cost.	Subscription pricing, uptime, mod support, and backup policy are provider-specific and must be checked before purchase.

Choose self-hosting when

• You control the router and firewall and are comfortable forwarding ports.
• You want direct access to files, logs, mods, and recovery copies.
• Your group can tolerate an operator handling restarts and updates.

Choose managed hosting when

• You cannot configure the household router or want to avoid exposing it.
• You prefer a panel for starts, stops, and file editing.
• You accept provider-specific port allocations, policies, and support limits.

What should I check when the server does not work?

The server starts with defaults instead of my edits

Stop the process and inspect storage/starbound_server.config. A malformed comma, quote, or brace can cause Starbound to rename the old file and generate a default one. Recover the renamed copy, fix the JSON, and restart before changing anything else.

Friends cannot connect from the internet

Confirm that gameServerPort matches the forwarded or panel-assigned port. On a self-hosted machine, check the router destination and firewall transport; on a managed host, copy the Network-tab allocation rather than assuming the stock value. Test from an external network because local loopback tests do not verify forwarding.

Players connect without being asked for credentials

Check that allowAnonymousConnections is exactly false and that the server was restarted after saving. Verify that the connecting address reaches this instance rather than an old server using a different configuration.

Every player can use admin commands

Set allowAdminCommandsFromAnyone to false, ensure anonymousConnectionsAreAdmin is false, and inspect each serverUsers entry for an unintended administrator flag. Remove stale accounts and restart after saving.

RCON never answers

Confirm that runRconServer is enabled, the password is set, and the RCON port has its own reachable allocation. A managed plan may require the provider to assign that port separately; enabling the key alone cannot create an endpoint the host has not reserved.

What is a sensible maintenance routine?

• Stop the server before every configuration edit.
• Keep a dated copy of the last known-good configuration.
• Change one setting at a time and restart so a problem has an identifiable cause.
• Have one player test login, team behavior, and administrator access before inviting the full group.
• Review named accounts and ban lists when the membership changes.
• Recheck managed-host port allocations after migrations, plan changes, or reinstallations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the game port and the RCON port?

The game port accepts normal Starbound connections, while the RCON port accepts remote console commands. They are separate settings and may require separate allocations on a managed host, so a working game connection does not prove that RCON is reachable.

Can I use an IP ban instead of a UUID ban?

Yes, both lists are supported, but they identify different things. An IP can be shared or change over time, whereas a UUID is tied to the game identity; choose the list that best matches the abuse you are addressing and document the reason.

Why did Starbound create a new default config after I edited the file?

That behavior usually indicates invalid JSON. Starbound renames the previous file and writes a default configuration, allowing the process to start but discarding the malformed version until you repair it.

Do I need a separate account for every player?

Separate accounts provide the cleanest control because you can revoke one person’s access independently. A shared non-admin guest account is workable for a very small, trusted group, but keep administrator access on a separate named account.