How to Set Up a Dedicated Server for Conan Exiles

Launching your own Conan Exiles dedicated server gives you complete control over the multiplayer survival experience developed by Funcom. When you’re establishing a private PvE world, managing a PvP clan server, or hosting a modded sandbox environment, a dedicated setup improves performance, customization, and uptime reliability.

This guide walks you through every step, covering installation via the Conan Exiles Dedicated Server Launcher on Windows and a manual approach using SteamCMD on both Windows and Linux platforms. We’ll also cover advanced configuration settings in ServerSettings.ini and Engine.ini, port forwarding, mod integration (including the powerful Pippi mod), and compare self-hosting versus professional services like Host Havoc.

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💻 Section 2: System Requirements

Verify Your System Meets Conan Exiles Server Demands

To run a smooth and stable Conan Exiles server, you’ll need hardware and network resources tailored to your expected player count. Below are tiered recommendations for hosting environments, from casual private servers to high-capacity community hubs.

🧰 Recommended Hardware Specs

⚙️ Tip: The server process, ConanSandboxServer.exe, is resource intensive. Use SSDs for faster read/write performance, and isolate the server on a dedicated machine if possible.

🌐 Network & Connectivity Guidelines

🔐 Required Ports to Forward:

• Game Port: UDP 7777
• Query Port: UDP 27015
• RCON Port: TCP 25575

🧠 Note: For same machine hosting and playing, configure the -Multihome parameter in your server launch command to bind the server to your local IP and prevent NAT loopback conflicts.

⚙️ Installation Methods

How to Install a Conan Exiles Dedicated Server on Windows and Linux

Depending on your operating system and technical comfort level, you can set up a Conan Exiles dedicated server using the Dedicated Server Launcher (recommended for Windows) or a manual method via SteamCMD (ideal for both Windows and Linux environments). Below are fully detailed procedures for both approaches.

🪟 Option 1: Using the Official Dedicated Server Launcher (Windows Only)

The Dedicated Server Launcher is an official GUI-based tool from Funcom that simplifies server management, automates updates, and configures settings via a user-friendly interface.

🔽 Step-by-Step Setup

1. Download the Launcher: Visit the official Funcom forum page and download the latest version of the DedicatedServerLauncher.exe.
2. Launch and Configure Settings:
   • Server Name
   • Admin Password
   • Max Players
   • Region and MOTD
   • Map Selection (e.g., Exiled Lands, Isle of Siptah)
3. Start the Server: Click Start Server. The tool will download game files, handle port assignments, and start the ConanSandboxServer.exe.

🧠 Note: Settings are saved to ServerSettings.ini and Engine.ini under the ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer directory.

✅ Advantages:

• Auto-updates with SteamCMD integration.
• Built-in server monitoring and restart scheduling.
• Ideal for first-time hosts.

🖥️ Option 2: Manual Setup via SteamCMD (Windows & Linux)

Advanced users and Linux admins can manually install the Conan Exiles server using SteamCMD, the command-line tool provided by Valve.

🧾 Windows Setup with SteamCMD

1. Download SteamCMD for Windows: Get it from the official SteamCMD page.
2. Create a Server Directory: mkdir C:\ConanExilesServer
3. Install Conan Server Files:
   • Steamcmd
   • login anonymous
   • force_install_dir C:\ConanExilesServer
   • app_update 443030 validate
   • quit
4. Launch the Server:
   • cd C:\ConanExilesServer
   • start ConanSandboxServer.exe -log

🐧 Linux Setup Using SteamCMD + Wine

Since Conan Exiles uses a Windows based server executable, Linux hosts must use Wine to emulate Windows APIs.

Install SteamCMD and Wine:

• sudo apt install steamcmd wine64 screen

Run SteamCMD & Download Server:

• steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ./conanexiles_server +app_update 443030 validate +quit

Launch Server with Wine:

• cd ~/conanexiles_server
• screen -S conan
• wine ConanSandboxServer.exe -log

🔐 Tip: Verify ports 7777 UDP, 27015 UDP, and 25575 TCP are open in your firewall and router.

⚠️ Linux-Specific Warning: Conan Exiles servers on Linux are community supported and may experience occasional instability compared to Windows environments.

📂 Configuration Files Overview

Once installed, key configuration files reside in:

/ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/

  └── WindowsServer/

        ├── ServerSettings.ini

        ├── Engine.ini

        └── modlist.txt

Use ServerSettings.ini to define XP multipliers, PvP rules, and server password. Use modlist.txt to load custom mods.

🌐 Network Configuration

How to Properly Configure Your Network for a Conan Exiles Dedicated Server

Proper network configuration is required to open your Conan Exiles dedicated server to players outside your local network. This includes forwarding specific ports on your router, adjusting firewall rules, and correctly applying the Multihome parameter to avoid internal IP conflicts.

📡 Port Forwarding Setup

To allow external traffic to reach your Conan Exiles server, you must forward the following ports on your router:

🔧 Router Setup Tip: Log in to your router’s admin panel, locate the Port Forwarding or Virtual Server section, and assign the above ports to the local IP address of your server machine.

🔥 Firewall Rules

To verify your firewall doesn’t block game traffic:

• On Windows: Use Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security to create inbound rules for UDP 7777, UDP 27015, and TCP 25575.
• On Linux:
  
  • sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
  • sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
  • sudo ufw allow 25575/tcp

✅ Verification: Use tools like canyouseeme.org or netstat to verify ports are open and listening.

🏠 Multihome Configuration (For Same-PC Hosting)

If you're running the game client and server on the same machine, you may encounter NAT loopback issues. To resolve this, use the -Multihome parameter when launching your server.

✅ Example:

ConanSandboxServer.exe -log -Multihome=192.168.1.100

📌 What is Multihome? Multihome binds the server to a specific local IP address, preventing conflicts when hosting and playing from the same network node.

🛠 Common Networking Issues & Fixes

By correctly configuring your network stack, including port forwarding, firewall permissions, and Multihome binding, your Conan Exiles server is both discoverable and stable for all players.

🎮 Server Customization

How to Customize Gameplay, Install Mods, and Fine-Tune Your Conan Exiles Server

Customization transforms your Conan Exiles dedicated server from a default instance into a unique, community driven experience. By modifying game settings and adding powerful mods like Pippi, you can fine-tune everything from XP rates to UI enhancements and server rules.

🗂️ Core Configuration Files

All major server settings are managed through two key .ini files located in:

/ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/

 

✅ Common ServerSettings.ini Options:

• AdminPassword=your_admin_password
• MaxPlayers=40
• PlayerXPRateMultiplier=2.0
• PVPEnabled=True

🧠 Tip: Changes to ServerSettings.ini take effect after restarting the server.

🧩 Mod Installation & Management

Mods upgrade your server with new features, building assets, and administrative tools. One of the most used mods is the Pippi - User & Server Management mod, which adds a graphical interface for in-game server control, custom roles, and player management.

🛠 How to Install Mods:

1. Subscribe to Mods via Steam Workshop using your client.
2. Navigate to the Local Mod Folder:
   Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\440900
3. Copy .pak Files to your server’s Mods directory:
   /ConanSandbox/Mods/
4. Edit modlist.txt to load mods in order:

• • *Pippi.pak
  • *ImprovedQualityOfLife.pak

📌 Note: The order in modlist.txt affects load priority and compatibility.

💡 Recommended Mods for Admins

🔐 Reminder: Always match mod versions to the latest Conan Exiles server build to avoid crashes or conflicts.

🛡 Gameplay Tweaks & Advanced Customization

Use ServerSettings.ini to adjust:

• HarvestAmountMultiplier
• NightTimeSpeedScale
• DurabilityMultiplier
• FriendlyFireDamageMultiplier

Use Engine.ini to configure:

• Network parameters
• Garbage collection intervals
• Render distance / FPS caps

🧠 Advanced Users: For PvP servers, consider adjusting raid windows, offline raid protection, and decay timers.

💾 Section 6: Backup and Maintenance

How to Backup, Update, and Maintain Your Conan Exiles Dedicated Server

Consistent backups and timely maintenance are required for safeguarding your Conan Exiles dedicated server against data loss, mod conflicts, or game-breaking updates. This section outlines how to manually and automatically back up your server, and how to keep it updated using the Dedicated Server Launcher or SteamCMD.

📂 Backup Your Server Save File

All Conan Exiles server progress is stored in the game.db file, located in:

/ConanSandbox/Saved/

🔁 Manual Backup Instructions:

1. Stop the Server: Check no file locks during copy.
2. Navigate to Save Directory:
   /ConanSandbox/Saved/game.db
3. Copy to Backup Folder:
   cp game.db ~/ConanBackups/game_$(date +%Y%m%d).db

✅ Best Practice: Back up the entire Saved folder, including Logs, modlist.txt, and Config files.

🔧 Automate Backups (Linux & Windows)

🐧 Linux Cron Job Example:

• #!/bin/bash
• BACKUP_DIR="/home/youruser/ConanBackups"
• cp /home/youruser/conanexiles_server/ConanSandbox/Saved/game.db "$BACKUP_DIR/game_$(date +%F_%H-%M).db"
• Save as backup_conan.sh and add to cron:
  crontab -e
• 0 3 * * * /home/youruser/scripts/backup_conan.sh

🪟 Windows PowerShell Example:

• $source = "C:\ConanExilesServer\ConanSandbox\Saved\game.db"
• $dest = "D:\ConanBackups\game_$(Get-Date -Format yyyyMMddHHmm).db"
• Copy-Item $source -Destination $dest

📦 Pro Tip: Store backups on a separate drive or cloud folder (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) for disaster recovery.

🔄 Update Your Server

✅ Option 1: Using the Dedicated Server Launcher

• Automatically checks for updates via SteamCMD.
• Notifies and prompts for restart.

🔁 Option 2: Manual SteamCMD Update

1. Stop the server.
2. Run:

• steamcmd
• login anonymous
• force_install_dir ./conanexiles_server
• app_update 443030 validate
• quit

🔔 Reminder: Always update your server before clients update, especially after major Conan Exiles patches, to prevent version mismatches.

🧠 Maintenance Tips

With a robust backup and maintenance routine, including version aware updates and save-file redundancy, your Conan Exiles server remains reliable, crash resistant, and ready for player engagement.

🏢 Hosting Considerations

Self-Hosting vs. Professional Conan Exiles Server Hosting: What’s Right for You?

Choosing between self-hosting and using a professional Conan Exiles server hosting provider depends on your technical comfort level, desired uptime, and need for administrative flexibility.

🏠 Self-Hosting: Full Control, Higher Complexity

Hosting your own Conan Exiles server using the Dedicated Server Launcher or SteamCMD provides maximum customization, but it also comes with responsibilities:

✅ Pros:

• Total control over files, mods, and configurations.
• Zero monthly hosting fees.
• Full access to configuration files (ServerSettings.ini, Engine.ini).

⚠️ Cons:

• Requires knowledge of port forwarding, firewalls, and networking.
• Must manually update the server and maintain backups.
• Uptime depends on your local hardware and internet.
• 🚀 Professional Hosting: Streamlined and Scalable

For users who prefer convenience and uptime guarantees, a dedicated game hosting provider offers a fast, reliable alternative. One of the leading providers is Host Havoc.

🔗 Learn more: Conan Exiles server hosting by Host Havoc

🌟 Host Havoc Hosting Features:

📌 When to Choose Professional Hosting

You should consider using a professional host if:

• You need 24/7 server availability.
• You’re managing a public or large community server.
• You want easy mod installation and tech support.
• You prefer not to handle network configuration or hardware maintenance.

🏁 Launch Your Conan Exiles Dedicated Server with Confidence

Setting up a Conan Exiles dedicated server, through the Dedicated Server Launcher, SteamCMD, or a trusted provider like Host Havoc, equips you with the tools to shape your own survival experience. From fine-tuning ServerSettings.ini and managing mods like Pippi, to configuring network settings and automating backups, this guide has equipped you to confidently host a reliable, customized multiplayer world.

🚀 Summary of Key Benefits

🔗 Ready to go live? Choose Conan Exiles server hosting with Host Havoc for instant setup, mod support, and 24/7 monitoring.

📬 Still Have Questions?

Check the Official Conan Exiles Dedicated Server Guide or the Steam Community server tutorial for additional troubleshooting.

With the tools and steps outlined in this guide, you’re now prepared to host a stable, mod-friendly, and fully customizable Conan Exiles multiplayer server, if you self-host or use a high-performance provider.