Enshrouded Dedicated Server Setup

Setting it up is simple once you understand the right steps. You’ll install the server package, open one UDP port (15637), and connect through Steam’s “Game Servers” tool.

This guide walks you through everything, from running it on Windows or Linux (with Wine) to fixing connection issues, managing backups, and updating with SteamCMD. 

By the end, you’ll have your own stable, always-on world that runs smoothly, saves progress safely, and doesn’t depend on your PC being active. 

Let’s get your Enshrouded dedicated server running the right way, without the common setup mistakes that stop most players.

Key Takeaways

• A dedicated server keeps your Enshrouded world online 24/7, even when you log off.
• You only need to open UDP 15637 for others to connect.
• Windows (SteamCMD) gives you full control; Linux (Wine) works with light setup.
• Add your server manually in Steam → View → Game Servers → Favorites → IP:15637.
• Always back up your save folder before updates.
• Plan ~2 Mbit/s upload per player for smooth performance.
• Automate updates and backups for long-term stability.
• Upgrade to a bare-metal host if RAM or bandwidth becomes a bottleneck.

Enshrouded Dedicated Server Requirements

Before you start, confirm that your system can handle a constant load. Server performance scales with connected players and world activity.

Recommended Specs

Player Count	CPU Cores	RAM	Storage	Notes
1–4 Players	4 cores	16 GB	30 GB SSD+	Local or small VPS works fine
5–8 Players	6–8 cores	16 GB	30 GB SSD+	Moderate activity worlds
9–16 Players	8+ cores	16–24 GB	30 GB SSD+	Use dedicated or bare-metal

Network & Upload

Plan ~2 Mbit/s upload per player to keep latency low. Servers with limited upstream bandwidth will struggle when multiple players connect.

Operating Systems

• Windows – Native build with full support.
• Linux – Works through Wine with SteamCMD and Windows binaries.
  

Required Ports

Label	Port	Protocol	Direction	Purpose / Notes
Query	15637	UDP	Inbound	Enables server discovery & Steam Favorites
Steam services	27015–27036	UDP/TCP	Outbound (also allow inbound if firewall is strict)	Steam client/backend connectivity per Valve guidance

Note: Open UDP 15637 inbound. If you use a strict firewall, also allow Steam’s required ports per Valve.

Make sure UDP 15637 is open in your firewall and forwarded on your router. Without these, your server will stay invisible to others.

Once your hardware and ports are ready, you can move to setup. Starting with the easiest route: panel hosting.

Lag-Free Hosting For Enshrouded

High-clock CPUs, unmetered bandwidth, and instant regions. Run stable, persistent worlds without limits.

Chat Now

Set Up Paths at a Glance

Once your system meets the requirements, you can choose how to host your world. The method you pick affects cost, control, and complexity.

1. Game-Panel Hosting (fastest): Ideal if you want a simple, managed experience. You choose the region and slots, and the host handles updates, ports, and uptime.
2. Windows (Steam Tools or SteamCMD): Best for users who want full control. Steam Tools gives a quick setup inside your Steam library. SteamCMD is the command-line path for faster updates and scripting.
3. Linux VPS (Wine + SteamCMD): Works if you prefer Linux environments or already manage VPS servers. It runs the Windows binary under Wine and allows more automation.
4. Docker (community): For experienced users who want isolated environments or automated builds. 

Each option can run the same world file and configuration. You can start with a managed panel and later migrate to your own hosting without losing progress.

Set up Path 1: Game-Panel Hosting (Fast Path)

If you want your server online in minutes without touching firewall rules or command lines, this is your path. Most game hosts use a visual panel with preconfigured settings.

Step 1: Choose region and player slots

Pick the data center nearest to you or your friends for minimal latency. Choose the slot plan that fits your player count: 4, 8, or 16 slots.

Step 2: Set passwords and roles

Define Admin, Friend, and Guest passwords in the panel.

• Admin – full control and build permissions.
• Friend – base access and shared play.
• Guest – limited explore-only access.

Step 3: Schedule restarts and backups

Enable daily restarts to clear memory leaks. Schedule hourly backups to protect your world from corruption.

Step 4: Connect through Steam Favorites

After setup, copy your public IP from the panel. In Steam, go to View → Game Servers → Favorites → Add a server → IP:15637. Once added, you can connect instantly from your in-game Join menu.

Step 5: Manage backup retention

Set backup rotation to automatically delete the oldest files after a set number of copies. This prevents disk space issues over time.

Panel hosting keeps the process painless, with no port forwarding, no command syntax, and no manual updates. Once you’re comfortable, you can move to Windows or Linux hosting for more customization and control.

Set up Path 2: Windows (Steam Tools or SteamCMD)

If you prefer direct control and reliable performance, hosting your server on Windows is the most stable choice. It gives you full access to configuration files, update control, and better monitoring tools. You can set it up in two ways: through Steam Tools for simplicity or SteamCMD for precision and automation.

Steam Tools

1. Install the server
   • Open your Steam library.
   • Switch the filter to Tools and search for Enshrouded Dedicated Server.
   • Click Install and wait for the download to finish.
2. Run the executable directly
   • Navigate to the install folder:
     Steam → Library → Tools → Enshrouded Dedicated Server → Manage → Browse Local Files.
   • Run enshrouded_server.exe manually instead of clicking Launch inside Steam.
   • Wait for Host_Online to appear in the console window.
3. Generate configuration files
   • After the first run, close the window.
   • This creates the enshrouded_server.json file inside your server folder.
   • You’ll edit it later to set the server name, userGroups (passwords & permissions), and player slots.

This path is simple for local testing or small-group play. But for larger servers or scripted updates, SteamCMD gives better flexibility.

SteamCMD (Recommended)

SteamCMD is the command-line method that lets you automate updates, backups, and restarts. It’s also faster than the Steam Tools interface.

        1. Install SteamCMD

• Download from Valve’s developer page and extract to a dedicated folder, e.g. C:\steamcmd.
  2. Run the install command

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir “C:\enshrouded-server” +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

• AppID 2278520 installs the official Enshrouded dedicated server.
• validate checks integrity after every patch.3. First launch and configuration

• Run enshrouded_server.exe once.
• Edit enshrouded_server.json to change:
  • name: server name
  • slotCount: player limit
  • userGroups: define Admin/Friend/Guest passwords & permissions
• Save changes and restart the server.5. Allow firewall ports (PowerShell)

Run as Administrator:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName “Enshrouded Query Port” -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 15637 -Action Allow

These rules make the server visible on your network and enable external connections.

Once you confirm the server shows Host_Online, add it to Steam Favorites using your local IP and query port (IP:15637). You can now connect and test before sharing it publicly.

Set up Path 3: Linux VPS (Wine)

For advanced users running a Linux VPS or bare-metal system, you can host the Windows build using Wine. This keeps resource use low while giving you full automation through systemd and SteamCMD.

1. Install dependencies

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y wine64 steamcmd screen

If SteamCMD isn’t in your PATH, the default install location on Ubuntu/Debian is /usr/games/steamcmd. Use that full path in all commands or your systemd unit.

2. Run SteamCMD with Windows flag

steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir ~/enshrouded-server +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

This tells SteamCMD to download the Windows binary and run it under Wine.

3. Create a systemd service

Save the following as /etc/systemd/system/enshrouded.service:

[Unit]

Description=Enshrouded Dedicated Server

After=network.target

[Service]

WorkingDirectory=/home/username/enshrouded-server

ExecStartPre=/usr/games/steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir /home/username/enshrouded-server +app_update 2278520 +quit

ExecStart=/usr/bin/wine64 /home/username/enshrouded-server/enshrouded_server.exe

Restart=on-failure

[Install]

WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start it:

sudo systemctl enable enshrouded

sudo systemctl start enshrouded

Tip: Replace username with the actual Linux user running the service. Avoid using root unless necessary.

Optional: if you want even tighter clarity, rename your code path from /home/username to /home/enshrouded or /srv/enshrouded.

1. Open the required port with UFW

sudo ufw allow 15637/udp

2. Check stability and logs

• Use journalctl -u enshrouded -f to monitor live output.
• Expect ~4–5 GB RAM idle usage and +100 MB per player.
• Restart the service if Wine crashes after updates.

Running the server through Wine is stable enough for small and mid-sized groups. If you prefer zero maintenance, you can migrate the same world folder later to a managed host.

Set up Path 4: Docker (Optional, Community)

If you already manage containers or use a homelab stack, Docker provides a clean, isolated way to run your servers. It’s not officially supported, but it works well for those familiar with containers. Docker automates updates, keeps configs portable, and lets you host multiple instances without dependency conflicts.

When to use Docker

Use it if you already run a container environment like Portainer, Unraid, or Docker Desktop. Avoid it if you’re new to containers; SteamCMD and Wine are simpler.

Minimal Docker Compose setup

Create a folder, e.g., enshrouded-docker, and add a docker-compose.yml file:

version: “3.8”

services:

  enshrouded:

    image: mornedhels/enshrouded-server:latest

    container_name: enshrouded-server

    restart: unless-stopped

    ports:

      – “15637:15637/udp”

    volumes:

      – ./data:/config

Run docker compose up -d to start the container.

Persistence and auto-update pattern

All world saves and JSON configs live in the ./data folder. To keep your world safe during image updates, back up this folder before pulling a new image:

docker compose down

docker compose pull

docker compose up -d

This approach isolates the server from OS changes and makes migration effortless. Once the container runs, the next step is configuration, editing your JSON settings to customize the experience.

Enshrouded Dedicated Server Settings (JSON)

After installing the server through any method, you’ll find the main configuration file named enshrouded_server.json inside your server directory or container volume. This file controls everything about your world, name, slots, difficulty, and permissions.

Key Configuration Fields

Key	Description
name	Display name of your server
queryPort	Steam query port (default 15637)
slotCount	Player slots (max 16)
saveDirectory	Path where world saves are stored
logDirectory	Path for logs
userGroups	Array of groups with name, password, permissions, and reservedSlots

Sample JSON (Minimal)

{

  “name”: “MyWorldServer”,

  “saveDirectory”: “./savegame”,

  “logDirectory”: “./logs”,

  “ip”: “0.0.0.0”,

  “queryPort”: 15637,

  “slotCount”: 16,

  “userGroups”: [

    { “name”: “Admin”,  “password”: “masterkey”,  “canKickBan”: true,  “canAccessInventories”: true, “canEditBase”: true, “canExtendBase”: true, “reservedSlots”: 1 },

    { “name”: “Friend”, “password”: “campfire”,   “canKickBan”: false, “canAccessInventories”: true, “canEditBase”: true, “canExtendBase”: true, “reservedSlots”: 0 },

    { “name”: “Guest”,  “password”: “wanderer”,  “canKickBan”: false, “canAccessInventories”: false,”canEditBase”: false,”canExtendBase”: false,”reservedSlots”: 0 }

  ]

}

Save your changes, then restart the server to apply them.

Difficulty Presets

The game includes multiple presets that control enemy strength, resource drop rates, and durability:

• Default – Standard balance for co-op play.
• Relaxed – Weaker enemies, slower tool wear.
• Hard – Higher damage and faster hunger drain.
• Survival – Permadeath and limited crafting.

Advanced users can fine-tune multipliers for XP gain, combat damage, and stamina usage directly in the JSON if exposed by future patches.

Roles and Reserved Slots

You can assign different access levels for friends and visitors:

“userGroups”: [

  { “name”: “Admin”,  “password”: “masterkey”, “reservedSlots”: 1 },

  { “name”: “Friend”, “password”: “campfire”,  “reservedSlots”: 0 },

  { “name”: “Guest”,  “password”: “wanderer”,  “reservedSlots”: 0 }

]

• Admin: Full control and build rights.
• Friend: Shared base and chest access.
• Guest: Limited exploration without editing privileges.

Well-structured permissions keep griefers out while letting trusted players manage your world.

Once your JSON file is complete and saved, restart the service or container. The server will load with the updated name, roles, and presets, ready for connection testing in Steam Favorites.

Networking and Port Forwarding

Once your enshrouded_server.json file is ready, the next step is to make your server reachable. Even a perfect setup won’t appear online unless your firewall and router allow the right traffic. This part ensures players can connect from both your local network and the wider internet.

1. Open UDP Ports on Your System Firewall

Enshrouded uses UDP 15637 as its query/connection port. Open it inbound on your OS firewall; allow Steam’s required ports if your firewall is strict.

Windows (PowerShell one-liners):

Run these as Administrator:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName “Enshrouded Query Port” -Direction Inbound -Protocol UDP -LocalPort 15637 -Action Allow

Linux (UFW commands):

sudo ufw allow 15637/udp

Check status with sudo ufw status numbered. If you’re using a third-party security suite, mirror these rules in its own firewall dashboard.

2. Forward Ports on Your Router

Routers block external traffic by default. Log in to your router’s admin page (often at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and look for Port Forwarding or Virtual Server.
Create new rule:

• 15637 UDP → local IP of your server

Save changes and restart your router if required.

To find your local IP, open Command Prompt and type:

ipconfig

Look under your active adapter for IPv4 Address. Enter this value in your router settings.

3. Fixing Double-NAT Issues

If you use multiple routers, like a fiber modem feeding a Wi-Fi router, you may need to forward ports at both layers. Without it, your server remains hidden behind NAT.

Three-step fix:

1. Log in to your main (ISP) modem and note its IP range.
2. Put your secondary router in bridge or DMZ mode.
3. Forward UDP 15637 again to your server’s IP.

After both routers pass the ports correctly, you can test visibility using an external port-checking tool or by asking a friend to connect via your public IP.

Once the ports are open, your world becomes visible and ready to join. The final step is to connect through Steam and confirm your server shows up in Favorites.

Connecting to Your Server

With networking sorted, you’re now ready to join your world. Enshrouded servers don’t always appear instantly in the public browser, so the Steam Favorites method guarantees a direct, reliable connection.

Add Your Server to Steam

1. Open Steam.
2. Go to View → Game Servers → Favorites.
3. Click the “Add a Server” button.
4. Enter your local or public IP followed by the query port:
   123.45.67.89:15637
   or for local testing:
   127.0.0.1:15637
5. Click Add This Address to Favorites, then Refresh.

Your server should appear in the list with its custom name. Right-click → Connect to launch the game directly.

Why the In-Game List Is Slow

The Enshrouded browser queries thousands of community servers at once. The in-game list can be slow or inconsistent. Adding the server via Steam Favorites is faster and more reliable, especially for new or password-protected worlds.

Share Access with Friends

Send them your public IP:15637 combination and the appropriate group password. They can add it to their Favorites tab using the same steps. Once saved, it stays pinned for future sessions.

After everyone connects successfully, your Enshrouded server is fully online, ready for continuous play and future updates. Next, you’ll handle updates, backups, and safe restart cycles to keep it running smoothly.

How to Update Your Enshrouded Dedicated Server

Keeping your server updated ensures compatibility with new game versions and bug fixes. Every Enshrouded patch changes internal assets, so your dedicated server must match the client version to stay joinable.

1. Stop the Server Before Updating

Never update while the server is running. Close the console window or stop the service first to prevent save corruption.

2. Run the Update Command

Use SteamCMD to pull the latest version:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir “C:\enshrouded-server” +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

• 2278520 is the Enshrouded dedicated server AppID.
• validate checks and replaces damaged files
  

Once it finishes, restart your server and confirm Host_Online appears.

3. Safe Update with a Quick Backup

Before each update, copy your savegame folder to a safe location:

C:\enshrouded-server\savegame

This protects player progress if a new build overwrites or corrupts data.

4. Automate Updates

• Windows: Create a Task Scheduler job that runs the SteamCMD command daily at off-hours.
• Linux: Add a systemd timer or cron entry to perform an update before restart:
  
  steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +login anonymous +force_install_dir ~/enshrouded-server +app_update 2278520 +quit

systemctl restart enshrouded

Automated updates keep your Enshrouded dedicated server setup aligned with the latest patches without manual checks.

Once updates are consistent, focus on backup routines and log management to keep the world safe from data loss.

Backups, Save Paths, Logs

Reliable backups are the backbone of a persistent world. Power cuts or crashes can corrupt data, so schedule frequent copies of your world files.

Default Paths

• Windows: C:\enshrouded-server\savegame
• Linux (Wine): ~/enshrouded-server/savegame
• Logs: Found in logs/ or /config/logs if using Docker.

Backup Frequency

• Hourly: Best for active servers. Captures all recent progress.
• Daily: Enough for smaller, private sessions.

Retention Policy

Keep the last 5–10 backups and delete older ones to prevent storage buildup.

Example rotation script (Windows PowerShell):

$src = “C:\enshrouded-server\savegame”

$dst = “D:\Backups\Enshrouded”

$time = Get-Date -Format “yyyyMMdd_HHmm”

Copy-Item $src “$dst\$time” -Recurse

Get-ChildItem $dst | Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending | Select-Object -Skip 10 | Remove-Item -Recurse

Linux equivalent (bash):

cp -r ~/enshrouded-server/savegame ~/backups/$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M)

ls -tp ~/backups | tail -n +11 | xargs -I {} rm -rf ~/backups/{}

Restore Checklist

1. Stop the server.
2. Replace the current savegame folder with the backup.
3. Restart and confirm world loads correctly.

With regular backups, your players never lose progress, even after major patches or crashes. 

When to Upgrade

Move from local hosting to bare metal if:

• Average CPU usage stays above 70%.
• Memory exceeds 80% of total capacity.
• Players report lag spikes or delayed world saves.

High player counts or modded setups benefit from dedicated infrastructure with faster NVMe storage and 1 Gbps+ network ports.

After tuning your performance and scaling properly, your server can run 24/7 without drops, ready for new players, patches, and the long-term worlds that make Enshrouded worth hosting.

Troubleshooting (Matrix)

Even with a correct setup, small mistakes can keep your Enshrouded dedicated server from running smoothly. Use this quick-fix matrix to diagnose and resolve common problems fast.

Issue	Likely Cause	One-Line Fix
Server not showing up	UDP 15637 closed, EXE not launched, CGNAT blocking	Open UDP 15637, run enshrouded_server.exe, and connect via Steam Favorites using IP:15637.
Join failed	Version mismatch or incorrect IP	Update both game and server via SteamCMD; confirm you’re using the correct public IP.
High ping on LAN	Double NAT or QoS throttling	Put router in bridge mode or disable QoS prioritization; test with Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
Crashes or restarts	Low RAM or corrupt world file	Add RAM or restore from last working backup in the save directory.
Config changes not applying	Edited wrong file or skipped restart	Always edit enshrouded_server.json in the root folder and restart the server afterward.
Steam Favorites not connecting	Wrong port or ISP port block	Ensure you’re using IP:15637, confirm ports open externally, and check for ISP restrictions.

These quick checks resolve 90% of startup and connection problems. Always start by confirming your firewall and router rules before changing system files.

Final Words

Running your own Enshrouded dedicated server gives you full control, your rules, your uptime, your world. Once the setup, networking, and backups are dialed in, your community can explore safely without downtime or lag. 

If your current hardware can’t handle a persistent world or you need better performance, consider hosting your server on high-speed bare-metal infrastructure built for real-time workloads. 

RedSwitches offer powerful CPUs, unmetered bandwidth, and instant global deployment, everything your Enshrouded world needs to stay online 24/7. Configure your perfect setup today and focus on gameplay, not server limits.

FAQs

Q. Does Enshrouded have dedicated servers?

Yes. Enshrouded supports official dedicated servers through SteamCMD or the Steam Tools library. You can host it locally or through a panel host. Dedicated servers let your world run 24/7, independent of your game client, so players can join anytime.

Q. Can you play Enshrouded on a private server?

Absolutely. Make your Enshrouded server private by defining passwords inside the userGroups array in enshrouded_server.json (e.g., Admin/Friend/Guest). Only players who know the password can join. You can also create separate passwords for Admin, Friend, and Guest roles to control access levels securely.

Q. How much is a server for Enshrouded?

Pricing depends on the host and player slots:

• 4-player plans: around $10–$15/month.
• 8-player plans: around $20–$25/month.
• 16-player dedicated setups: $30+, depending on region and performance.

 If you self-host on your own PC or VPS, costs depend only on your hardware and bandwidth.

Q. Enshrouded dedicated server not showing up, fix?

If your server doesn’t appear in the browser:

• Make sure UDP 15637 is open inbound.
• Run enshrouded_server.exe manually, not via the Steam launch button.
• Add your server manually in Steam → View → Game Servers → Favorites → IP:15637.
• Check if your ISP uses CGNAT; request a public or static IP if needed.

Q. How to update the Enshrouded dedicated server?

Stop the server first, then run this command in SteamCMD:

steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir “C:\enshrouded-server” +app_update 2278520 validate +quit

This downloads and validates the latest build. Always back up your save folder before updating, and use Task Scheduler or a systemd timer for automatic updates.

Q. Can you run an Enshrouded private server with passwords?

Yes. Define passwords inside the userGroups array, e.g.:

“userGroups”: [

  { “name”: “Admin”,  “password”: “masterkey” },

  { “name”: “Friend”, “password”: “campfire” }

]

This structure lets you secure access while giving trusted friends admin or build permissions.