Enshrouded Server Guide — Host, Join & Configure

Everything you need to know about Enshrouded multiplayer servers. Set up a dedicated server, host a game for friends, fix connection issues, and optimize your server settings.

Server Types

Max Players

16GB

RAM (Dedicated)

1.0

Cross-Play

🖥️ Server Types — Which Is Right for You?

Enshrouded supports three ways to play multiplayer. Choose based on your group size, budget, and technical comfort.

🏠 Peer-to-Peer (Co-op)

The host player runs the game and others join through Steam friends. Free — no separate server needed. World progress is tied to the host's save file. Best for 2-4 friends who always play together.

Max players: 4 (stable), up to 8
Cost: Free
Uptime: Host must be online

🖥️ Dedicated Server

Runs 24/7 on a separate machine (your PC or a cloud VPS). Players can join anytime — the host doesn't need to be online. World persists independently. Best for larger groups or communities.

Max players: 16
Cost: Your hardware or ~$15-30/mo for a VPS
Uptime: 24/7

☁️ Hosting Service

Pay a third-party provider to run the server for you. No setup required — they handle hardware, backups, and updates. Best for groups who want zero hassle. Providers like G-Portal and Nitrado support Enshrouded.

Max players: 16
Cost: $10-20/mo
Uptime: 24/7 with support

🔧 How to Set Up a Dedicated Server

Step-by-step guide to running your own Enshrouded dedicated server on Windows or Linux.

Hardware Requirements

	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	4 cores @ 3.0 GHz	6+ cores @ 3.5 GHz
RAM	8 GB	16 GB
Storage	20 GB SSD	50 GB NVMe SSD
Network	10 Mbps upload	25+ Mbps upload
OS	Windows 10 / Ubuntu 20.04	Windows Server 2022 / Ubuntu 22.04

RAM usage scales with player count. Budget ~1 GB per concurrent player. For a full 16-player server, 16 GB is strongly recommended.

Step 1: Download the Dedicated Server Tool

The Enshrouded Dedicated Server is a free tool available through SteamCMD (command-line) or the Steam Library (GUI).

Via Steam Library: Search "Enshrouded Dedicated Server" in your Steam Library tools section. Install like any other Steam tool — no game purchase required.
Via SteamCMD: steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2278520 validate +quit. App ID 2278520 is the Enshrouded Dedicated Server.

Step 2: Configure Your Server

After installation, find the server config file at <install_dir>/enshrouded_server.json. Key settings to configure on first launch:

name — Your server name as it appears in the server browser.
password — Set a password (or leave blank for public). Public servers attract randoms — use a password for friend groups.
saveDirectory — Where world data is stored. Use an SSD path for faster save/load times.
maxPlayers — 1 to 16. Lower values use less RAM.
port — Default 15636 (UDP). Must be port-forwarded on your router.

Step 3: Port Forwarding

For players outside your local network to connect, forward these ports on your router:

UDP 15636 — Game traffic (required)
UDP 15637 — Query port (required for server browser listing)
TCP 8080 — Optional: web-based admin panel (if configured)

If you're using a cloud VPS, open these ports in your VPS firewall instead.

Step 4: Launch and Verify

Run the server executable. You should see console output confirming the world loaded and the server is listening on the configured port. Ask a friend to search for your server name in the Enshrouded server browser to verify it's visible. First launch generates the world — this can take 2-5 minutes depending on hardware.

👥 How to Host a Game for Friends

The fastest way to play together — no extra software needed.

Launch Enshrouded and load your save or create a new world.
Open the pause menu → Multiplayer → Host Game.
Set your session to Friends Only or Invite Only (public means anyone on Steam can join — not recommended unless you want randoms).
Invite friends via the Steam overlay (Shift+Tab → right-click friend → Invite to Game).
Friends join via Steam or the in-game server browser under the "Friends" tab.

⚠️ Note: In peer-to-peer mode, world progress is saved on the host's machine only. If the host is offline, others cannot access the world. NPCs, base progress, and map exploration are all tied to the host's save. For persistent worlds accessible to everyone, use a dedicated server instead.

🚪 How to Join a Server

Four ways to connect to an Enshrouded server.

📋 Server Browser

From the main menu: Play → Join Game → Server Browser. Browse the public list or filter by Friends/Favorites. Click a server name to see details (players online, ping, map progress) before joining.

🔗 Direct Connect

If you have the server IP: Play → Join Game → Direct Connect. Enter the IP address and port (e.g., 192.168.1.100:15636). This bypasses the server browser — useful if the server isn't publicly listed.

👥 Steam Friends

If a friend is already in-game, right-click their name in Steam → Join Game. Enshrouded will launch and connect you directly. Works for both peer-to-peer and dedicated servers.

📝 Server IP List

Community-maintained server lists on Reddit and Discord often post IP addresses of public dedicated servers. Copy the IP and use Direct Connect. Always check the server's rules before joining.

⚙️ Server Configuration Settings

Key parameters in enshrouded_server.json — what they do and recommended values.

Setting	Default	Recommended	What It Does
`name`	"Enshrouded Server"	Choose a unique name	Displayed in the server browser
`password`	"" (empty)	Set for private groups	Empty = anyone can join. Set a password to restrict access.
`maxPlayers`	4	Match your group size	Max 16. Lower = less RAM usage.
`port`	15636	15636	Game port (UDP). Must match port forwarding rule.
`queryPort`	15637	15637	Server browser query port (UDP).
`saveInterval`	300	300 (5 min)	Seconds between auto-saves. Lower = safer but more disk I/O.
`maxIdleTime`	0 (unlimited)	1800 (30 min)	Seconds before kicking idle players. 0 = never kick.
`backupCount`	3	5	Number of auto-backup saves to keep. More = safer but more disk space.
`logLevel`	"info"	"info"	debug / info / warn / error. Debug generates large log files.

🔧 Common Connection Issues & Fixes

Server not showing up in the browser

The most common issue — your server is running but invisible to players.

Causes & fixes:

Query port not forwarded: Ensure UDP 15637 is forwarded/opened alongside UDP 15636. The browser uses the query port to discover servers.
Server just started: It can take 2-5 minutes for a newly launched server to appear in the browser. Wait and refresh.
Firewall blocking: Check Windows Firewall or iptables. Add an exception for the server executable and both UDP ports.
Wrong region filter: Players should check their server browser region filter isn't excluding your server's region.

"Connection timed out" when joining

Player can see the server but can't connect.

Fixes:

Verify the server's IP and port are correct (Direct Connect mode).
Check the server isn't full (maxPlayers reached).
If using a VPN, disable it — some VPNs interfere with UDP game traffic.
Server host should verify their router's NAT settings allow UDP traffic on port 15636.

High latency / rubberbanding

Players are connecting from far away or the server hardware is struggling.

Fixes:

Choose a server location geographically close to most players.
Reduce maxPlayers — each player adds CPU and network load.
Check the server's CPU usage. If it's hitting 100%, upgrade hardware or reduce the player cap.
For peer-to-peer: the host closing other applications can help. Enshrouded is CPU-intensive on the host machine.

World not saving / progress lost

Players reconnect to find their base or inventory reverted.

Fixes:

Check saveInterval in the config — default is 300 seconds (5 min). Reduce to 120 if you've had save losses.
Never kill the server process with task manager — always use the console quit or stop command to trigger a final save.
Ensure the saveDirectory path has write permissions. On Linux, the server user must own this directory.

❓ Server FAQ

Does Enshrouded have official servers?

No — Enshrouded does not provide official public servers. All multiplayer is either peer-to-peer hosting (one player hosts through their game) or player-run dedicated servers. Keen Games has not announced plans for official servers as of the 1.0 launch.

Can I transfer my single-player world to a dedicated server?

Yes. Copy your save file from %USERPROFILE%/Saved Games/Enshrouded/ to the dedicated server's saveDirectory path. The server will load your existing world data. Make a backup first — the save format must match the server version.

How much does an Enshrouded server cost?

Three options: Free (peer-to-peer hosting), $15-30/month (cloud VPS like AWS EC2 t3.medium or Hetzner CX22), or $10-20/month (managed hosting like G-Portal). A VPS with 4 vCPUs and 16 GB RAM is the sweet spot for a 10-12 player server.

Is there cross-play between Steam and console?

Yes — cross-play is confirmed for 1.0. PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S players can all play together on the same server. The server doesn't need special configuration — cross-play is handled automatically by the game client after the 1.0 update.

Related Guides

📖

Enshrouded Server Guide — Host, Join & Configure

🖥️ Server Types — Which Is Right for You?

🏠 Peer-to-Peer (Co-op)

🖥️ Dedicated Server

☁️ Hosting Service

🔧 How to Set Up a Dedicated Server

Hardware Requirements

Step 1: Download the Dedicated Server Tool

Step 2: Configure Your Server

Step 3: Port Forwarding

Step 4: Launch and Verify

👥 How to Host a Game for Friends

🚪 How to Join a Server

📋 Server Browser

🔗 Direct Connect

👥 Steam Friends

📝 Server IP List

⚙️ Server Configuration Settings

🔧 Common Connection Issues & Fixes

❓ Server FAQ

Related Guides

Beginner Guide

Build Guides

Updates & Roadmap