Install it with SteamCMD
The dedicated server app ID is 294420. One line downloads or updates it:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "your\install\path" +login anonymous +app_update 294420 -validate +quit
Swap in -beta latest_experimental for the experimental build, or a named branch such as -beta a20.4 to pin an older version. On Windows the server needs the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables from 2022 onward, which is a dull dependency that produces a confusing failure if it is missing.
On Linux, SteamCMD is the documented way to install and maintain the server too. Check the start script points at the 64-bit build.
Copy the config file before you touch it
This is the single piece of advice that matters most. The server ships with serverconfig.xml, and the guidance is to never run the default file. Rename your copy to something unique, and point the start script at it by editing -configfile= to match. A game update can overwrite the shipped file. It will not overwrite myserver.xml.
Inside the file, change only what sits inside value=. Edit anything else in the line and the setting stops working.
The start script itself, startdedicated.bat, usually needs no editing. It writes a steam_appid.txt, launches the server with -quit -batchmode -nographics -configfile=serverconfig.xml -dedicated, waits, and then opens a connection to the service interface on port 8081. The -dedicated switch has to be the last option on the line.
The settings people actually change
| Property | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
ServerName | My Game Host | The name shown in the browser. |
ServerPassword | empty | Password required to enter. Leave blank for an open server. |
ServerPort | 26900 | Keep it in 26900 to 26905, or 27015 to 27020, if you want machines on the same network to find it as a local server. |
ServerVisibility | 2 | 2 public, 1 friends only, 0 not listed. The wiki notes that 1 is close to useless on a dedicated server, since nobody can be its friend. |
ServerMaxPlayerCount | 8 | 8 is the supported maximum. The wiki warns that anything over 30 corrupts save data. |
GameWorld | Navezgane | The handcrafted map, a shipped world such as PREGEN01, or RWG for a generated one. |
WorldGenSeed, WorldGenSize | asdf, 6144 | Seed and size for a generated world. Size must be a multiple of 2048, between 2048 and 16384. |
GameName | My Game | Sets the save game name and the seed used for placing scenery. |
GameDifficulty | 2 | 0 easiest to 5 hardest. |
DayNightLength | 60 | Real minutes per in-game day. |
BloodMoonFrequency | 7 | Days between blood moons. Set 0 to switch them off. |
Three settings carry warnings from the developers rather than opinions from a forum. MaxSpawnedZombies defaults to 64 and the note says anything over 90 will tank performance for the whole map. BloodMoonEnemyCount is per player on horde night and is called out as having a huge impact. And MaxUncoveredMapChunksPerPlayer, which governs how much map each player can reveal, will corrupt player data if you set it too large.
Networking has one setting worth understanding rather than copying. ServerDisabledNetworkProtocols ships with SteamNetworking disabled, which is right when your ports are forwarded properly, because Steam's relay routes traffic through its own network and adds delay. LiteNetLib is the primary protocol and should only be disabled while troubleshooting.
Ports
On the machine's own firewall, open TCP 26900, and 8080 to 8081 only if you plan to administer the server remotely on the default ports. On UDP, open 26900 to 26903.
On a router, forward 26900 TCP and 26900 to 26903 UDP. Some devices need a restart before the rule takes effect, which is worth ruling out before you assume the config is wrong.
The remote console is telnet, on port 8081 by default. One detail deserves attention: if TelnetPassword is empty the server only listens on the local loopback interface. That is a sensible default, and it also means a remote telnet connection that refuses you is probably telling you to set a password rather than open a port.
Saves, worlds and admins
Two settings in the config move your data, and both ship commented out. UserDataFolder overrides where the server keeps everything it generates, including generated worlds. SaveGameFolder overrides only the save path. The file itself carries the reminder that matters: uncomment the entry, or the override does nothing.
Admins live in serveradmin.xml, named by AdminFileName and found relative to the save game folder. Keep that list to people you would trust with the world, because that is what it is.
Some settings cannot be changed after a world has been created. Several of those can still be adjusted in-game with console commands, in the shape setgamepref BedrollDeadZoneSize 30. Decide your world size, seed and game name before the first launch rather than after.
Self-hosting or renting
If you have a machine that stays on, self-hosting 7 Days to Die is free and you keep every file. For a group of friends on one map, that is often the right answer and you should take it.
The honest costs are these. The world is the most demanding thing on the machine on horde night, which is exactly when you least want it to stumble, and it should not be the computer somebody is playing on. Many home connections cannot accept incoming connections at all, no matter how the router is configured. Updates, crashes and restarts are yours to catch. And the wiki's own warnings about corrupted save data are a reminder that this world can be lost, so keep copies somewhere off the machine.
Renting moves those chores rather than removing them. The map, the difficulty, the blood moon schedule and the admin list are still your decisions.
Where RadarHost fits
RadarHost rents 7 Days to Die servers hosted in Beauharnois, Quebec, Canada. There are three plans, Standard, Premium and Diamond, priced in Canadian dollars, with no setup fee and cancel any time. Renting changes who keeps the machine on, not how the game runs or how the settings above work. After payment, our team reviews the order and emails setup details or next steps within 24 hours. Current plans and prices are on the 7 Days to Die availability page.