Install a Space Engineers server

Step-by-step installation

1. 1

   Check the requirements (CPU, RAM, disk) and choose the host: Windows PC, VPS or dedicated server.

2. 2

   Install SteamCMD and download the server (Steam app 298740).

3. 3

   On Linux create a non-root user and a dedicated folder; on Windows use a simple folder (e.g. C:\server).

4. 4

   Start the server once to generate its configuration files, then stop it cleanly.

5. 5

   Configure name, password and slot count (see our Space Engineers tools to generate the files).

6. 6

   Open ports 27016/UDP, 8766/UDP in the system and provider firewalls; forward them on your router if you host at home.

7. 7

   Test locally (127.0.0.1), then from a connection outside your network.

8. 8

   Create a systemd service (Linux) or a scheduled task (Windows) for automatic startup.

9. 9

   Schedule server backups and updates.

10. 10

    Add your server on game-rank.com/jeux/space-engineers to get it known.

Requirements

• System: Windows (Linux possible through Wine, unofficial).
• Hardware (official source): RAM 6 GB min. / 10 GB rec.; disk 8 GB.
• Steam account: per the official site, at least one Steam account must hold a valid game license to obtain the server files.
• Network: a public IP (or port forwarding) with ports 27016/UDP, 8766/UDP open.
• Access: SSH (Linux) or Remote Desktop (Windows Server); an SSD is recommended.

Local installation (Windows)

Install SteamCMD (steamcmd.exe) in a dedicated folder, then run the commands below in a command prompt. Then start the server and join it from the game on 127.0.0.1.

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\SEDS +login anonymous +app_update 298740 validate +quit
cd C:\SEDS\DedicatedServer64
SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe -console -path "C:\SEDS\Instance1"

Linux server through Wine (unofficial) or Windows Server

This server is built for Windows: the developer does not document a Linux version. On Linux, hosts and the community run it with Wine, with no guarantee or official support; Windows Server remains the most reliable option. Test before going live.

Create a dedicated user without root rights, install the 32-bit dependencies required by SteamCMD, then download the server. Adapt the user name and folders to your habits.

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl tar lib32gcc-s1 wine wine64 xvfb
sudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" seds
# then, as the seds user (sudo -iu seds):
mkdir -p ~/steamcmd ~/SEDS && cd ~/steamcmd
curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -
./steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +force_install_dir ~/SEDS +login anonymous +app_update 298740 validate +quit
# first start (foreground test):
cd ~/SEDS
/usr/bin/wine64 DedicatedServer64/SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe -console -path ./Instance1

Ports to open

Default values; traffic direction is inbound (towards the server).

To change a port, edit it in the server configuration or launch line (SpaceEngineers-Dedicated.cfg: ServerPort, SteamPort), then adapt the firewall.

• 27016/UDP — game traffic
• 8766/UDP — Steam queries / server list
• 8080/TCP — remote API (optional, disabled by default in the template file)

Linux firewall (ufw), provider and router

Allow SSH first so you do not lock yourself out, then the game ports. Ports are only reachable if they are also open in the provider firewall (OVH, Hetzner, Scaleway…: "security group" or the panel's network rules).

Hosting at home: create a port forward (NAT) on your router to the server's fixed local IP, for the same ports and protocols. If your ISP uses CGNAT (no public IPv4), forwarding is impossible: ask for a public IP or rent a VPS.

Testing: UDP cannot be tested with a simple web port checker; verify by joining from the game on an outside network (a mobile hotspot, for example) and check the server logs.

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
sudo ufw allow 27016/udp
sudo ufw allow 8766/udp
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status verbose

Windows firewall (netsh)

Run these commands in a command prompt started as administrator. When hosting at home, also add the port forward on your router.

netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Space Engineers 27016 UDP" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=27016
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Space Engineers 8766 UDP" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=8766

Automatic start on Linux (systemd)

The service restarts the server after a crash and when the machine boots. Enable it with the commands shown in the block.

[Unit]
Description=Space Engineers dedicated server (Wine, unofficial)
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
User=seds
WorkingDirectory=/home/seds/SEDS
Environment=WINEDEBUG=-all
ExecStart=/usr/bin/wine64 DedicatedServer64/SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe -console -path ./Instance1
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
KillSignal=SIGINT
TimeoutStopSec=90

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

# sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/seds.service
# sudo systemctl daemon-reload && sudo systemctl enable --now seds
# journalctl -u seds -f

Automatic start on Windows (scheduled task)

Create a task that runs the start script when Windows boots, under a dedicated account if possible. Adapt the script path.

schtasks /Create /TN "Space Engineers Server" /TR "C:\SEDS\DedicatedServer64\start-seds.bat" /SC ONSTART /RU SYSTEM /RL HIGHEST
schtasks /Run /TN "Space Engineers Server"
schtasks /End /TN "Space Engineers Server"

Updates, backups and restarts

Stop the server before any update, back up the data, then restart. Schedule backups with cron (Linux) or Task Scheduler (Windows), and a daily restart if the game leaks memory.

sudo systemctl stop seds
/home/seds/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows +force_install_dir /home/seds/SEDS +login anonymous +app_update 298740 validate +quit
sudo systemctl start seds
# Windows: steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\SEDS +login anonymous +app_update 298740 validate +quit
# Windows clean stop: taskkill /IM SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe   (without /f)

mkdir -p ~/backups
tar czf ~/backups/seds-$(date +%F).tar.gz -C ~/SEDS Instance1
find ~/backups -name 'seds-*.tar.gz' -mtime +14 -delete
# crontab -e   ->   30 4 * * * <the two lines above, as a script>

Listing and finding your server

Once the server is stable, add it on game-rank.com/jeux/space-engineers (the website of the owner of these tools) with its connection address, slots, language and version. Direct connection address to share: <IP>:27016 (depending on the game version). Never publish an admin password.

Troubleshooting

• The server does not appear in the list — cause: query ports closed or server not listed. Fix: open 27016/UDP, 8766/UDP, check name/password and wait a few minutes; join directly by IP to test.
• Cannot connect from the Internet but fine locally — cause: system/provider firewall, missing port forward or CGNAT. Fix: check all three levels (ufw/Windows, provider, router) and the protocol (UDP/TCP).
• The server exits at startup or runs out of memory — cause: not enough RAM, missing libraries or wrong working directory. Fix: run it in the foreground, read the logs, add RAM or swap.
• Players see an incompatible version after a game update — cause: server not updated. Fix: stop it, update it (see the Updates section), then restart.
• Configuration changes are ignored or overwritten — cause: file edited while the server runs, wrong folder or syntax error. Fix: stop the server, edit the right file, validate the syntax (JSON/XML) and restart.

Frequently asked questions

What machine do I need for a Space Engineers server?

Hardware (official source): RAM 6 GB min. / 10 GB rec.; disk 8 GB.

Which ports should I open?

Open 27016/UDP, 8766/UDP inbound, in the system firewall, at the provider and on your router if needed. These are the default values and can be changed in the server configuration.

Do I need to own the game to host?

Steam account: per the official site, at least one Steam account must hold a valid game license to obtain the server files.

How do I update the server?

Stop the server, re-run the SteamCMD command +app_update 298740 validate (see the Updates section), then restart. For a beta branch, add -beta <name>.

Can I host at home?

Yes, if your connection has a public IP and you can forward ports on your router. With CGNAT or a weak upload, prefer a VPS or dedicated server.