How to Set Up a Satisfactory Dedicated Server (Claim, Ports, Save)

What you need before you start

• Platform: Windows or Linux for the server. The wiki lists dedicated servers for players on the PC release.
• RAM: 8 GB is the stated minimum; 16 GB may be recommended for larger saves or to host more than 4 players.
• SteamCMD: the server is a free download from Steam, installed anonymously with app ID 1690800. On Linux, run it as a non-root user.
• Network: a public IP (or LAN IP for a home game) where you can open the ports below.

If you only want to play with friends occasionally, a normal in-game session is simpler. A dedicated server pays off when the factory should keep running or be reachable without the host being online.

Install and start the server

1. Install with SteamCMD

   Choose your own install folder; the wiki specifically warns against copy-pasting its example path.

   Copy

   steamcmd +force_install_dir ~/SatisfactoryDedicatedServer +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 validate +quit

2. Start the server

   On Windows, run the executable from the install folder. On Linux, use the shell script.

   Copy

   .\FactoryServer.exe -log -unattended
   ./FactoryServer.sh

3. Let it generate its files

   Run it once and stop it gracefully. Server ini files may not be written until it has been closed cleanly for the first time.

4. Update later

   Re-run the same app_update 1690800 validate command. Do this after game patches so the server stays current.

Useful launch options from the wiki: -Port=, -ReliablePort=, -ExternalReliablePort=, -DisableSeasonalEvents, and -ini:<INIFILE>:[<SECTION>]:<KEY>=<VALUE> for setting config values without editing files.

Satisfactory server ports and firewall rules

Two details catch people out. First, if 7777 is already taken the server tries the next higher port, but if the reliable port is unavailable the server fails to initialise. Second, host documentation points out that port redirection is not supported, so the external and internal port numbers must match: you cannot forward external 7000 to internal 7777.

On Linux with firewalld, the wiki shows adding each port permanently and reloading. For this server that is:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=7777/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=7777/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8888/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

On Windows, the wiki provides PowerShell New-NetFirewallRule commands for the default ports. On a home network, also forward the same three ports from your router to the server's local IP.

How to claim a Satisfactory dedicated server

A fresh server starts unclaimed. Hosting documentation advises claiming a publicly reachable server right after its first start, so nobody else can.

1. Open Server Manager

   Start Satisfactory and open Server Manager from the main menu.

2. Add the server

   Choose to add a server and enter its IP address with port 7777. Wait for the status to load.

3. Claim it

   Choose to claim the server, then set a server name and the Administrator Password. Use a strong, unique password; it is what gives control of the server.

4. Create or load a game

   Once claimed, you can create a new game or import an existing one.

Admin-only settings, including Player Password Protection, are in the same Server Manager screens once you are signed in as the administrator. The player password is a separate secret that lets friends in without giving them admin rights. It is off by default, and you turn it on with the Change Password button next to Player Password Protection.

Create a new session or upload your existing save

• New game: open the claimed server in Server Manager and create a game. You choose the starting area, a session name and the advanced game settings.
• Upload a local save: use the Manage Saves tab of the server in Server Manager to upload a save from your own game. Load it and start the session.
• Auto-load on restart: set Auto-Load Session Name so the server loads the most recent save of that session when it starts.

Save files live in a server folder inside the server's SaveGames directory, with blueprints in a blueprints folder beside it. On Windows that is %LocalAppData%\FactoryGame\Saved\SaveGames\ for a normal user; on Linux it is ~/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/SaveGames/. Services run under different profiles, so the path changes if you run the server as a Windows service.

Passwords: reset a forgotten admin password

Server settings, including the name, passwords and certificate, are stored in a ServerSettings.<port>.sav file next to the saves (for the default port, ServerSettings.7777.sav). It is a binary save file, not an ini, so do not hand-edit it.

Hosting documentation describes the recovery path for a lost admin password: stop the server, delete that file, then start the server and claim it again with a new password. Deleting it resets the server name, passwords and certificate but does not delete your factory saves. Back up the file first if you want to keep the option of putting it back.

Troubleshooting joins and claims

Hosting with ChicagoServers? The Satisfactory server hosting page lists what is included, such as free server backups and SFTP file access.

Frequently asked questions