If you’ve ever spent 20 minutes waiting for your Enshrouded co-op lobby to load, only to get kicked mid-fight with a Shroud Wraith, you know how frustrating public or peer-to-peer lobbies can be. Learning how to host Enshrouded dedicated server fixes almost all of these issues, letting you set custom rules, keep your world saved 24/7, and play with up to 16 friends without the host’s PC dragging performance down for everyone. I’ve set up three of these servers for my own friend group over the last few months, so I’ve worked out all the kinks that most generic guides skip over.
What You Need Before You Start to Host Enshrouded Dedicated Server
First, you’ll need to decide if you want to self-host the server on your own hardware, or pay for a third-party game server hosting plan. Self-hosting is free, but requires a bit of technical work and a reliable internet connection. Third-party hosting costs $5 to $15 a month depending on player count, but handles all the technical setup and security for you. No matter which option you pick, you’ll need a few core things to get started.
- 64-bit operating system (Windows 10/11 or Ubuntu 22.04+ are recommended)
- Minimum 16GB of RAM, with 4GB allocated exclusively to the Enshrouded server
- Static IP address for your hosting device, or a dynamic DNS service if your IP changes regularly
- Port forwarding access to your router, if you are hosting from your home network
- Valid Steam account (you don't need to own Enshrouded on the hosting account, but you do need Steam access)
You don’t need to purchase a second copy of Enshrouded to run the server, which is a common misconception that wastes a lot of people money. The server files are available for free through Steam for any user, even if they don’t own the base game. Minimum hardware specs are non-negotiable here: if you try to run the server on a device with less than 16GB of RAM, you’ll deal with constant crashes and lag even for small groups of players.
Step-by-Step Setup for Self-Hosted Enshrouded Servers
If you’re opting to self-host, the first step is to install SteamCMD, the lightweight command-line version of Steam built specifically for running game servers. I know typing command line code sounds intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but you can just copy and paste the update command from official Enshrouded resources, you don’t have to write any code yourself. Create a dedicated folder for your server files first, name it something simple like “EnshroudedServer” so you can find it easily later.
Once you’ve downloaded the server files via SteamCMD, open the enshrouded_server.json configuration file in a basic text editor like Notepad. There are a few key settings you should adjust before you launch the server for the first time. Set a unique server name so your friends can find it easily in the public browser, add a secure password to keep random strangers from joining and griefing your base, and set a max player count that matches your hardware and internet speed. Most home internet connections can handle 8 players comfortably, but you’ll need 20Mbps+ upload speed for 16 players.
Next, you’ll need to forward ports 15636 UDP and TCP on your router to the local IP address of your hosting device. Be careful when adjusting router settings, as opening ports can create security risks if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you’re worried about unauthorized access, you can have your friends connect via a group VPN instead of opening ports publicly. Once ports are forwarded, run the server executable, wait 2 to 3 minutes for the world to load fully, then search for your server name in the Enshrouded multiplayer browser to connect. I forgot to set a password the first time I set up my server, and a random player joined and destroyed half our base before we noticed, so don’t skip that step.
How to Optimize Your Enshrouded Dedicated Server for No Lag
Even if you meet all the minimum hardware requirements, you might still run into lag if you don’t adjust a few settings. Don’t run other heavy apps on the same device while the server is running – things like video editing software, other game servers, or even live streaming will eat up RAM and CPU that the server needs to run smoothly. If you’re using a home PC to host, try to run the server when you’re not using the device for gaming, or use a separate old laptop or desktop as a dedicated hosting device.
Lowering the server’s view distance is one of the easiest ways to cut down on resource usage with almost no noticeable impact on gameplay. The default view distance is 10, but dropping it to 6 or 7 reduces server load by almost 30%, and most players won’t even notice the difference. If you regularly play with more than 8 people, you’ll probably want to upgrade to a third-party hosting plan, as most home internet upload speeds can’t handle more than 8 concurrent players without lag spikes during busy events like base raids or large Shroud exploration runs.
Make sure you’re storing your server files on an SSD, not a HDD. I made this mistake on my first server, and we had crashes every 2 hours and 3x longer load times until I moved the files to an SSD. Also, restart the server once every 2 to 3 days even if it’s running fine. Enshrouded’s server software still has small memory leaks that build up over time, and a 2 minute restart prevents unexpected crashes during long play sessions. The server creates automatic backup saves every 15 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about losing progress when you restart.
Common Enshrouded Dedicated Server Issues and Quick Fixes
The most common issue people run into is their friends can’t find the server in the multiplayer browser. 9 times out of 10, this is because port forwarding is set up incorrectly, or your firewall is blocking the server ports. Double check that both UDP and TCP 15636 are open on your router and your hosting device’s firewall, and make sure your server is fully loaded before you try to search for it – it can take 3 minutes for the server to show up in the browser after launch.
If your server crashes when you load into a large base, that’s almost always a RAM issue. Bump the allocated RAM from 4GB to 8GB in your server launch settings, and that will fix almost all base-related crashes. If you’re running other apps in the background, close them first to free up extra RAM for the server.
Another common issue is lost player progress or builds after a server restart. This happens if you shut down the server by closing the window directly instead of using the stop command in the server console. Always use the “stop” command before closing the server window, so it has time to save all world data properly. If you do lose progress, you can restore from the automatic backup saves stored in the saves folder of your server directory.
If you’re dealing with lag even with good hardware, check for glitched build pieces or overstuffed chests on your server. Floating blocks, clipping terrain, or chests with more than 100 different items can cause unexpected performance hits. Ask your players to spread items across multiple chests, and remove any glitched blocks you find around the map to smooth out performance.
At the end of the day, putting in the work to host Enshrouded dedicated server is 100% worth it if you play co-op regularly. You get full control over your world, no random host disconnections mid-raid, and the ability to tweak rules to fit your group’s playstyle, whether you want a casual building server or a hardmode survival challenge. If you don’t want to deal with port forwarding and hardware upgrades, even a cheap third-party game server plan costs less than a coffee a month, and takes 5 minutes to set up with no technical work required. Once you’ve played on a dedicated server, you’ll never want to go back to peer-to-peer lobbies again.