Watch the video:

0:00 - Intro/Explanation
0:00 - Intro/Explanation
0:35 - Download SteamCMD
1:02 - Creating Update & Start script file
2:05 - Downloading Enshrouded Dedicated Server
3:00 - Configuring server
3:45 - Firewall
4:38 - Port Forwarding
6:35 - Add server to favourites in Steam
7:38 - Joining your Enshrouded server

Which version is the dedicated server?

This guide is NOT made for the Enshrouded Dedicated Server included on Steam when you purchase the Enshrouded game.

If you’d like to set everything up using the Steam version, see the Steam Enshrouded Dedicated Server guide and video.

Is this really free?

Yes.

As long as your computer is on, running the server and connected to the internet: People should be able to join you over the internet if you’ve set everything up properly. It’s great.

Downloading Enshrouded Dedicated Server

While you can download Enshrouded Server on Steam and continue, skipping the rest of this step… The more “professional” way of doing this is SteamCMD. This uses less resources than running Steam, and doesn’t require an account.

Also, if you don’t own the game on Steam this is generally easier.

We’ll use SteamCMD to get the dedicated server files.

1. Download SteamCMD for Windows here.
2. Extract into a folder where you’ll install the server.
3. Copy the following command and save it into a file called start.bat. We will return to this later to start our server after auto-updating pre-launch. For now: Downloading the game server files
   start.bat

   
   

   1	steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 +quit

4. Run the file, and wait for the downloads to complete.

Preparing to launch server

If you downloaded with SteamCMD, edit your existing start.bat file and replace everything so it appears as follows:

start.bat

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@echo off echo Checking for updates... steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 +quit echo Launching server cd .\steamapps\common\EnshroudedServer start enshrouded_server.exe

Do make sure that the server launches at least once to generate a few more files. They should automatically be done at the end of the script. Once it’s done, you can closeout of it completely and continue configuring.

Generating files & Configuring server

Navigate into steamapps\common\EnshroudedServer and in here you’ll see enshrouded_server.json. Open this file with any text editor.

Make sure to swap out the text next to "name".

For the most part. That’s all the customization we need to do here. If you’re planning on running more than one server, make sure to change "gamePort" and "queryPort". And finally, if you’d like to change the number of plays allowed on your server, change "slotCount".

If you’re technically inclined and need to change the network adapter, the server is bound to simply change the "ip". Otherwise, leave it as the default of "0.0.0.0".

Launching server

Now that we’ve configured everything, you should be able to launch up your server.If you downloaded with SteamCMD, you head back a few folders and run start.bat. If you downloaded it with Steam and created a batch file, run start.bat, or, if you chose to use the launch options method on Steam, you can simply launch the Enshrouded Dedicated Server.

Letting others join your new Enshrouded server

This is simpler said than done. There are 2 sections and both need to be done to let friends over the internet play.

Open the server to LAN (Others on your local network)

To let someone on the same local network (router) as you play: You need to allow the Enshrouded server through your firewall.

We need to open ports 15636 and 15637. If you set a custom port above, then forward that.

If you’re using a third-party antivirus with a firewall; you’ll need to look into how to open the ports.

If you’re using Windows Firewall (by default) then run the following commands in an Administrator Powershell window.

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New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 15636,15637 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server" -Direction Outbound -LocalPort 15636,15637 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server" -Direction Outbound -LocalPort 15636,15637 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 15636,15637 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow

If you ever wish to remove your Firewall rules for this, run the command: Remove-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Enshrouded Server"

This will open all of the ports and allow people on the same local network as you to connect to your server while it’s running.

All you need is your local IP address.

To get your local IP:

• Run the following in a terminal/CMD/powershell window: ipconfig
• Find the way you’re connected to the internet, for example Ethernet adapter Ethernet
• Find the IPv4 address and copy it
• For example, your local IP is 192.168.1.10

Other devices can use this local IP address to connect to your server. Note: This is a LOCAL IP, and your server is not yet accessible over the internet or even routers outside of your own… That’s where we need to

Port Forward

Using your Local IP address we found above (and allowed ports through to) - We need to send traffic from these two ports to our computer.

If you’re using multiple routers in a chain before your computer reaches your fiber box/access box: You’ll need to port forward each router to the next until you finally port forward to your computer.

Port forwarding varies wildly from router to router, and you can look up guides specifically for your router. Essentially you’ll need to forward ports 15636 and 15637 for both TCP and UDP. If you have an option to choose both TCP/UDP it may be a good idea.

On some routers you can enter ports comma-seperated such as 15636,15637, and even select TCP/UDP instead of needing to create a rule for each type.

Let’s say you have just ONE router between you and the internet (Example: You’re connected directly to the fiber box), you’ll port forward as follows:

• Ports: 15636,15637
• Type: TCP/UDP
• Destination: 192.168.1.10

Now you’re done port forwarding.

Letting others join

At this point you’ve allowed local traffic and over the internet to reach your Enshrouded server. All you need to do is let others join by checking the Server Browser in-game, or by getting your external IP address by Google searching “What is my IP”.

Now, unfortunately, we can’t use an ip to directly connect to our server. However, there is a workaround we can add to our list if it’s not already showing. Usually it’ll take 5 to 15 minutes for it to show in the public server list, but to join immediately you’ll need to favor your own server in order to do so when it’s not actually showing just yet, we can do it through Steam.

In Steam, click View at the very top, followed by game servers. Then on the favorites tab, click the + in the extreme bottom right.

In the Address and port area you’ll be typing in 127.0.0.1:15637, (15637 being the query port) if you’re connecting on the same computer, you’re hosting the server on.

Otherwise you can enter in the local ip address if it’s on the same network, or the external ip address, if you connect into someone over the Internet.

It all depends on your current setup. When you click OK, it should be added to your list and you can select it followed by connect to launch up your game.

When you get in-game head across to the server browser and you should see it appear at the very top of the star next to it. You’re also able to search for it. This should happen even if your server isn’t registered on the public server list just yet, as we’ve manually added it and favorited it.

Now you can join and play as you like.

Have fun!