Satisfactory Dedicated Server: Complete Setup and Hosting Guide
Is your Satisfactory world pausing every time the host leaves, annoying you a lot? A dedicated server will keep your factory running uninterruptedly, whether you are playing solo, streaming, or in a community.
Essentially, a dedicated server in the game Satisfactory changes the way you interact with the game. It will enable the players to have persistent worlds without the necessity of leaving the game client open on a host machine. The very outstanding feature here is that it means your complicated factory belts, power networks, and endless production lines that run and consume resources will still be alive even when no player is online.
This elaborate 2025 guide on dedicated server setup includes information on the hardware and network requirements, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of self-hosting. It also points out the issues you might face when troubleshooting and explains that choosing a managed solution like UltaHost is the best way to ensure your game is always online, and you can play with others anytime you want.
Apart from these immediate benefits of continuous uptime, generally better performance, and truly shared progress that is not tied to a single user’s availability, a dedicated approach is indispensable for serious co-op with friends, managing large streamer communities, or sustaining complex, heavily modded playthroughs. Mainly, we compare two models: self-hosting (DIY), which is hands-on and high-maintenance, and provider-hosted, which is convenient and high-performance.
“The most effective means of keeping your Satisfactory factory going and stable is through a dedicated server, and a reliable host ensures that you spend more time building and less time troubleshooting.” – Game Hosting Expert, UltaHost.
Key Takeaways
- Keep your worlds alive in Satisfactory without the need to have your PC on.
- There are two ways to do it: by yourself or with managed hosting (like UltaHost).
- Recommended specs: 12 – 16 GB RAM (16+ if the game is heavy), quad-core CPU or higher, SSD/NVMe.
- Both Linux and Windows can be used.
- Steam and Epic users can play together.
- With managed hosting, you just enjoy the game while others take care of the setup and maintenance.
What Is a Satisfactory Dedicated Server?
You need to understand first how multiplayer in Satisfactory works.
Peer-to-Peer vs Dedicated Server
The main idea in a typical Satisfactory multiplayer is that one player’s PC becomes the host and the connection used is peer-to-peer. Though this method is easy to initiate, the disadvantages are pretty much clear: first of all, the world is only accessible to the players during the time when the host is playing, and secondly, because the host’s network and hardware are the ones to be used for processing, some latency and stability issues can emerge for other players.
On the other hand, a dedicated server is a different entity entirely, separate from the user’s PC and is either a machine or a server platform where the dedicated server application resides. The application itself is the one that has to run the game simulation, physics, and world state 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In fact, it is the only place or node that every player has to connect to.
Persistence and Performance
The greatest benefit of a dedicated server is without a doubt persistence. In fact, your factories are still running, belts are moving, miners are extracting, and power generators are producing energy even if there are no players logged in. Thus, there is no limit in terms of progression size and time anymore which is a huge advantage for those who want to build long-term and don’t want to be restricted by someone’s timetable.
Besides that, a dedicated server is mostly set up on hardware that is specifically built for longer periods of use and greater data throughput (VPS or even better, a Dedicated Server from UltaHost) and as a result, it brings not only more stability but also less ping/latency for all users who have connected to it, which in turn leads to a smoother and more immersive experience compared to a peer-hosted session. Furthermore, such stability is indispensable, especially in the case of large and complicated factories where there are numerous physics calculations involved.
System Requirements and Technical Basics
Satisfactory is very resource-consuming, especially when you are dealing with big factory builds. So, before you start any kind of setup, you should first know the hardware and network requirements that are needed.
Hardware Specifications
Though the official requirements cover a wide range, the community has come up with more realistic specifications depending on the size of the factory and the number of players online at the same time.
| Requirement | Minimum Spec (Small Group / Early Game) | Recommended Spec (4+ Players / Complex Worlds) |
| RAM | 12 GB | 16 GB (Absolutely required for larger worlds) |
| CPU | Strong single-core performance (e.g., Intel i5-3570 or equivalent) | Four or more cores (e.g., AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or equivalent) |
| Storage | 25 GB of free space on an SSD | NVMe SSD storage (Very important for quick saving and loading) |
| Network Ports | UDP 7777, 15777, 15000 | Same |
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 or a Major Linux Distribution (Ubuntu, Debian) | Same |
Basically, the high clock speeds and low-latency storage are what the server application mostly depends on. World loading and autosave times are significantly shortened by NVMe SSDs, and hence, the session is not interrupted by lag spikes when it crashes.
Network Configuration: Port Forwarding
In order for a dedicated server to function properly, certain UDP ports need to be open and forwarded through the network to the server machine, where players can connect from outside the local network. These are the ports: 7777, 15777, and 15000. If you are running the server at home, the hardest part of the whole process is setting up your home router’s port forwarding properly and ensuring that your operating system’s firewall is enabled. This is done automatically by managed hosting providers.
Server Latency and Location
The key to an optimum player experience is to keep latency as low as possible. You can achieve this by choosing a data center location close to where most of your players are located. With the multiple data center locations offered by UltaHost, your community will have the lowest ping possible, be it in the US, Europe, or any other part of the world.
DIY Setup – How to Host Your Own Satisfactory Server
On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who likes to get things done by yourself, then setting up the server on your own will give you absolute freedom, but at the same time, it will require a lot of technical work and resources.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
- Download the Server Files: The dedicated server application can be downloaded in the following two ways:
- SteamCMD (Recommended for Linux): It is a command-line client that is used for the installation of game files.
- Steam Tools (Recommended for Windows): One can get the server files by directly downloading them through the Steam library under the Tools section.
- Set up Ports and Firewall: Without this step, the external access will not work. To cater to access from outside the network, you have to make firewall rules that allow the incoming and outgoing traffic on UDP ports 7777, 15777, and 15000. Besides that, you must set up port forwarding on your home router to send the external traffic on these ports to the internal IP address of your server machine.
- New Launch and World Making: Run the server program. It will launch a console window on the server and ask for a name and password. Also, you may opt for loading the save file or creating a new world.
- Connect In-Game: By opening the Server Manager in Satisfactory, clicking “Add Server,” and entering the server’s public IP address and port, players can connect.
- Deal with Saves and Backups: The location where the server files reside is usually a folder specifically made for them. That is why you have to set up a certain method for saving files, autosaves, and daily backups that will be made to a different place (preferably off-site).
- Keep Up with Updates: After each game patch, you need to update the dedicated server application manually through SteamCMD or the Steam client to make sure that there are no version mismatch errors between the client and server.
Configuration Cheat-Sheet (Settings and Mods)
The server behavior depends mostly on config files, especially ServerSettings.ini.
| Setting | Function | Recommended Tweak |
| Autosave Interval | Time between automatic world save operations | 5-10 minutes (Lower for stability) |
| Max Player Count | Limits the number of concurrent connections | Adjust based on hardware capacity |
| Password | Protects the server from uninvited users | In case you list it publicly, use a strong password |
| Public/Private | Changes whether a server can be seen by other people in the official list or not | In case you are hosting only for your friends, use the private option. |
DIY Tip: In terms of stability, particularly when you are using moderate hardware, you should not let your autosave interval go over 10 minutes. Do not forget to save a copy of your world save folder in case you want to update the game or install mods.
Hosting Through a Provider – When to Go Managed
Even though DIY hosting gives you control, it usually comes at the cost of less reliability and convenience. The issues that a controlled hosting service, such as using a Game Server Host or a VPS from UltaHost that’s optimized for performance, solves are basically all the ones that trouble you if you are self-hosting.
Common Challenges with Self-Hosting
| Category | Pro | Con |
| DIY Hosting | One of the main advantages of the server environment is that it is under complete personal control. | To ensure 24/7 uptime, you are required to keep your personal PC running nonstop. |
Self-hosting introduces numerous headaches:
- Downtime and Reliability: Your home server can only run when your host computer is on. Any power outages or crashes of the system may result in downtime.
- Bandwidth Limits: As far as home internet connections are concerned, they usually have slow upload speeds and limits, which in turn cause lag when several players connect at the same time.
- Technical Complexity: Doing port forwarding at the router-level, dealing with local firewalls, and updating the OS is something that eats up your time, and you have to do it manually.
- Security: Home networks are not equipped with professional DDoS protection, hence they can be attacked easily, resulting in a session crash.
- Hidden Costs: Electricity consumption and the inevitable aging of your PC parts are some of the things that contribute to the harder-to-notice costs of self-hosting.
Benefits of Managed Hosting
Managed hosting offers hardware and software configurations of a professional infrastructure that is designed to provide a better gaming experience and longer uptime.
- Guaranteed 24/7 Uptime: The game will never have to stop because of your personal schedule, as factory running time is always ensured.
- High Performance Hardware: This includes things like NVMe SSD storage and CPU cores without competition, both optimized for low latency.
- Security and Stability: For security reasons, the server has a built-in system for countering DDoS attacks and can switch to a backup line in case of outage.
- Ease of Management: Easy management interfaces, scheduled backups, and quick reinstalling features.
Pros and Cons of Managed Hosting
| Category | Pros | Cons |
| Managed Hosting | It guarantees 24/7 uptime and offers professional-level performance. | The service comes with a recurring monthly fee. |
Managed hosting should be the number one option on the mind of any community, streamer, or player whose main concern is convenience, stability, and speed, rather than the financial and technical challenges of doing it themselves.
Cost Comparison – DIY vs Managed Hosting
In order to make a wise decision, it is necessary to financially compare the upfront, variable, and predictable costs.
| Cost Factor | DIY Self-Hosting Estimate | Managed VPS Estimate | Dedicated Host Estimate |
| Initial Hardware | At least US$100+ (PC or used machine) | US$0 | US$0 (Rental) |
| Monthly Cost | Electricity, Internet upload, Maintenance time | US$12.99–$30+ (Predictable) | US$60+ (Premium Predictable) |
| Maintenance Effort | High (manual setup, updates, troubleshooting) | Low (Control Panel, 24/7 Support) | Low (Managed services available) |
| Target Use | Solo play, small group, low uptime requirement | Small to medium groups (4–16 players), high uptime | Large communities (20+ players), heavy mods, maximum performance |
Though performing a DIY project only requires a small amount of money for the initial hardware, the hidden costs of maintenance, unreliable uptime, and power consumption often turn the predictable monthly fee of managed hosting into a better long-term investment.
How to Choose the Right Server Plan
It is of utmost importance to select the right hosting plan as it greatly impacts both performance and scalability. Consider these factors as a decision matrix:
- Player Count and Map Size: These two factors are the biggest contributors to CPU and RAM requirements. While a tiny group of 4 could be done with 12GB of RAM, a server that supports 50+ players or a highly complex, late-game industrial setup would require not only 16GB or 32GB but even more RAM, as well as a solid CPU.
- Location Proximity: It is always a good idea to go for a host that has a data center close to where your players are, so that the latency is low.
- Storage and Backups: Make sure that the host provides NVMe storage and that they are always ready to take care of the automated backups for large save files and mod data.
- Support Quality: A service with fast human live support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is what you should be aiming for when looking for a support provider
- Scalability: Opt for a platform (such as VPS) that allows you to upgrade your factory by simply adding more CPU and RAM as your demands increase and your factory grows.
How UltaHost Helps with Satisfactory Server Hosting
UltaHost’s Game Server Hosting solutions are specially designed to address issues that gamers usually face and to provide a premium, hassle-free Satisfactory experience.
- Optimised Hardware: UltaHost employs NVMe SSDs and high-core CPUs optimised for the intensive single-core performance Satisfactory game requires, all supported by a strict 99.9 percent uptime guarantee.
- Seamless Migration: Our free website migration service can help you to upload your current Satisfactory world or save file directly to our platform, thus reducing the inconvenience.
- Stable Gameplay: Stable sessions are achievable due to unlimited bandwidth, free daily backups, and enterprise-grade DDoS protection.
- Expert Support: Our 24/7 human support team is easily reachable via live chat and tickets for instant assistance, which is perfect for the time when you have an issue during a peak session or a stream and need to troubleshoot it.
- Low Risk Commitment: A 30-day money-back guarantee enables you to take a server hosting plan for Satisfactory for a spin without any risks. UltaHost is not just another vendor but is presented as a performance booster and a time-saver.
Server Maintenance Tips & Best Practices
After managed hosting, sticking to best practices will make sure that your server stays performant and will last a long time.
- Backup Schedule: Although hosts automate this, you should still check and know the schedule. In addition to this, always make copies of your world and config files and store them in a different location.
- Apply Updates Strategically: Update your server and mods when there is little to no traffic. If using mods, verify the compatibility of updates in a temporary staging world first.
- Monitor Resources: Frequently check CPU and RAM utilization. If autosave lag or general performance degradation is noticeable, it is definitely time you upgrade your resources (in most cases to 16 GB+).
- Community Management: Controlling a player base through rule enforcement and interacting with community members actively helps not only to build a strong server but also to retain its steadiness.
- Mod Management: Make sure that all mods are updated regularly and are compatible with the latest game version; if any mods conflict, disable the conflicting mods right away.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
It is very important to identify the causes of server problems in a short time to avoid the situation of “downtime”.
- Connectivity Errors: The DIY method that leads to the most common port-related problems has been a case of Port conflicts or firewall/NAT blocks. Verify that the three UDP ports (7777, 15777, 15000) for both forwarding and unblocking are correct.
- Desync and Crashes: These are typically the result of an outdated game/server build. Make sure to update your server application to match the latest client patch version.
- Save Corruption: When a save is not loading, you must immediately go through your backup chain to find the last stable point and load it.
- Performance Issues: Look at your server logs for recurring errors or signs of server overload (e.g., High CPU/RAM usage during autosaves).
If you have these problems with managed hosting, contacting the provider’s support is the easiest way to solve them; UltaHost’s 24/7 support can locate and repair such troubles quickly.
FAQs
How many players can join a Satisfactory dedicated server?
Generally, a maximum of 4–16 players can join with a hardware of medium performance without any major issues. For larger communities (50+), more RAM/CPU and a good dedicated hosting setup are needed.
Can I host a Satisfactory server for free?
You are allowed to self-host on your local machine, but there will be interruptions if you are offline, the electricity bill will be higher, and the whole process will take significantly more of your time.
Do Satisfactory servers support cross-play?
Yes, players from Steam and Epic Games can connect to the same dedicated server.
How do I back up my Satisfactory server?
If you are not doing it manually by copying the world-save folder and the config files, you can always rely on automated daily backups if you are using a managed host.
What’s the difference between VPS and dedicated server hosting for Satisfactory?
VPS is a physical hardware that is shared among different users, but each user (like a game) has its own independent resources (ideal for medium games); on the other hand, a dedicated server offers you full control over one piece of physical hardware only (which makes it better for large and modded worlds or a higher number of players).
