Nothing kills an Enshrouded co-op session faster than laggy public servers, random players griefing your carefully built base, or getting kicked mid-quest because the host lost connection. If you’re tired of dealing with those headaches, you’re probably looking for how to host Enshrouded server that’s only for you and your friends. I set up my first private server last month for a group of 7 gaming buddies, and I’m breaking down exactly what worked, what didn’t, and what you don’t need to waste time on to get your server running in under 30 minutes.
What You Need Before You Start Hosting Your Enshrouded Server
You don’t need a fancy tech degree to set this up, but you do need to check a few boxes first to avoid crashes or connection issues down the line. CPU is the most critical component for Enshrouded servers, because the game’s voxel world runs constant simulations for building, enemy spawns, and shroud dynamics, so a weak CPU will lead to lag even if your internet is perfect.
You also need a solid internet connection, especially upload speed, since you’ll be sending world data to every connected player. Upload speed of at least 10 Mbps is recommended for 8 players, and you’ll want to add 1 Mbps per extra player if you’re hosting a larger group. If your home internet can’t hit that, you might want to skip self-hosting and go for a rented server instead, we’ll cover that later.
Here’s the full list of non-negotiable pre-requisites to get started:
- A Windows 10/11 or Linux PC (or dedicated server rental) with at least 16GB RAM and 4-core CPU for 4-8 players
- A stable internet connection with minimum 5 Mbps upload speed for small groups, 15+ Mbps for 10+ players
- The latest version of Enshrouded installed, plus access to the free SteamCMD tool for dedicated server files
- Port forwarding access to your router, or a LAN VPN tool if you can’t adjust router settings
I tried cutting corners at first by hosting on my old 8GB RAM work laptop, and it crashed every 20 minutes when 3 friends joined. Don’t make that mistake, double check your specs before you start the setup process.
Step-by-Step Setup for a Self-Hosted Enshrouded Server
Once you’ve confirmed you meet the requirements, the actual setup process is surprisingly straightforward. First, download and install SteamCMD, the free tool Valve provides for running dedicated game servers. You don’t need a separate Steam account for this, you can log in with your existing account that owns Enshrouded.
Next, use SteamCMD to download the Enshrouded dedicated server files, which take up around 10GB of storage space. Once the files are downloaded, open the server configuration file to adjust your settings. You can change the server name, max player count, toggle PvP on or off, adjust the shroud duration, and set a custom world seed if you want a specific spawn location.
Always set a strong admin password and a separate server access password before you launch the server. I forgot the server password the first time I launched mine, and a random player joined within 10 minutes and started breaking our crafting tables. It only takes 10 seconds to add a password, and it saves you a ton of hassle later.
The last step is port forwarding. You’ll need to log into your router settings and forward port 15636 (both UDP and TCP) to the local IP address of the PC running the server. If you don’t do this, your friends won’t be able to connect from outside your home Wi-Fi network. If you can’t access your router settings (like if you live in student housing with shared internet), you can use a LAN VPN tool as a workaround, though it may add a small amount of lag for players far from your location.
Common Enshrouded Server Issues and Quick Fixes
Even if you follow every step perfectly, you’ll probably run into a small issue or two when you first launch your server. These are the most common problems I ran into, and the fixes that worked for me and other server hosts I’ve talked to in the Enshrouded community.
The most frequent issue is friends being unable to connect. First, double check that your port forwarding settings are correct, and that your firewall isn’t blocking the Enshrouded server files. You should also make sure you’re giving your friends your public IP address, not your local one, and that they’re entering the server password correctly if you set one.
If you’re dealing with constant rubberbanding or lag, lower the max player count or turn off background apps on the host device to free up RAM and CPU. I was streaming on the same PC I was using to host at first, and we had constant lag until I closed my streaming software and all my browser tabs. If that doesn’t work, try lowering the view distance in the server config file to reduce the amount of data the server has to send to players.
Another scary issue is world save corruption. This usually happens if the server crashes mid-save, usually from a power cut or unexpected shutdown. Enable automatic local or cloud backups every 30 minutes to avoid losing hours of progress. I lost 6 hours of base building when my power cut out the first week I hosted, and now I have auto-backups set up that have saved my group’s progress twice already.
Should You Rent an Enshrouded Server Instead of Self-Hosting?
Self-hosting is totally free and gives you full control over every server setting, but it’s not the right fit for everyone. There are a few cases where renting a server from a game hosting provider is a much better option, even if you have the hardware to self-host.
Renting is a good call if you don’t want to leave your personal PC on 24/7 so your friends can play when you’re offline, if your home internet has slow upload speeds, or if you don’t want to deal with troubleshooting technical issues on your own. Most hosting providers offer one-click Enshrouded server setup, so you can get a server running in 5 minutes without touching any config files or port forwarding settings.
Rented servers usually cost between $5 and $15 a month, depending on how many player slots you need. The main downsides are the recurring cost, and the fact that some cheap providers limit your access to advanced config settings, or take a day or two to update server files after a new Enshrouded patch drops. I switched to a rented server for our group of 10 after a month of self-hosting, because my PC kept overheating when I left it on overnight, and it’s been worth the small monthly cost for zero interruptions.
At the end of the day, learning how to host Enshrouded server is way simpler than most new players assume, even if you don’t have much experience with game servers. If you have the right hardware and internet, self-hosting is a great free option that lets you customize every part of your playthrough. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of running a server on your own PC, a cheap rented server will give you a smooth, low-effort experience for you and your friends. Either way, you’ll get to skip the chaos of public servers and enjoy the game exactly the way you and your group want to play it.