Your Satisfactory Server: Installation and Configuration on VPS/Dedicated

For a comfortable Satisfactory experience with friends on your own server, the optimal solution is to host a satisfactory dedicated server on a VPS or dedicated server. This ensures stability, performance, and full control over the gameplay. It helps avoid lag, dependence on the host, and keeps the world active 24/7, even when no one is playing.

Why your own Satisfactory server is the optimal choice?

Satisfactory, the iconic factory-building and automation game, offers players a vast open world to explore and conquer. However, playing cooperatively with friends can be marred by a number of issues if you rely on standard in-game sessions or third-party services. A Satisfactory server of your own on a VPS or dedicated server solves these problems, providing undeniable advantages.

Advantages of self-hosting Satisfactory

Hosting a Satisfactory server on your own hardware or a rented VPS/dedicated server unlocks several key capabilities:

• 24/7 Availability: Your Satisfactory world will run 24/7, allowing players to connect at any convenient time, regardless of whether the main host is online. This is critically important for progress in a game like Satisfactory, where production runs continuously.
• Stability and Performance: Game sessions launched on a client PC often suffer from resource shortages and an unstable internet connection from the host. A dedicated satisfactory dedicated server receives guaranteed CPU, RAM resources, and a stable communication channel, which minimizes lag and desynchronization, especially with a large number of built objects.
• Full Control: You get full administrative access to the server. This allows you to flexibly configure game parameters, install mods, create world backups, and manage the player list without restrictions.
• Independence from the game client: Running the server does not require one of the players to keep the game running on their computer, freeing up their resources and internet channel.
• DDoS Protection: Reliable hosting providers, such as Valebyte.com, offer built-in DDoS protection, which is crucial for maintaining stable server operation and preventing malicious downtime.

Limitations and risks of public servers

While public Satisfactory servers exist, they often come with compromises:

• Unpredictable performance: Resources on such servers can be overloaded, leading to delays and FPS drops.
• Lack of control: You cannot influence server settings, install desired mods, or create backups.
• Risk of progress loss: Public server administrators can shut them down at any time, or your progress may be wiped without warning.
• Undesirable players: Public servers have a higher chance of encountering griefing or undesirable behavior.

Creating your own Satisfactory server is an investment in a comfortable and controlled gaming experience for you and your team.

What are the hardware requirements for a Satisfactory dedicated server?

Satisfactory is a game that can be quite demanding on server resources, especially as your factory grows. Choosing the right hardware for your satisfactory dedicated server is critical to ensuring a smooth gameplay experience. It's important to understand that server requirements differ from client computer requirements.

CPU: Clock speed matters more than cores

Satisfactory, like many games, relies heavily on single-core CPU performance rather than the total number of cores. The game server processes world logic (production, conveyor movement, creature AI) primarily in one or a few threads, but does not distribute the load evenly across dozens of cores. Therefore, for Satisfactory hosting, processors with a high clock speed (3.0-3.5 GHz and above) per core are preferred, even if there are few cores.

• Minimum (1-4 players, small factory): 2 vCPU with a clock speed of 3.0+ GHz (e.g., Intel Xeon E3/E5 with high frequency or modern AMD Ryzen).
• Recommended (4-8 players, medium factory): 4 vCPU with a clock speed of 3.5+ GHz (e.g., Intel Xeon E-21xx/22xx/16xx or AMD Ryzen 3000/5000 series).
• Optimal (8+ players, huge factory): 4-6+ vCPU with a clock speed of 4.0+ GHz (e.g., Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9).

Note that virtual cores (vCPU) on a VPS may be less performant than physical cores on a dedicated server. For maximum performance, it's better to choose dedicated servers with processors optimized for single-thread performance.

RAM: How much memory is needed for Satisfactory?

The RAM consumption of a Satisfactory server directly depends on the size and complexity of your factory, as well as the number of active players. The more objects built, the more complex the logistics, and the longer the server runs, the more RAM will be required.

• Minimum (1-4 players, small factory): 8 GB RAM. This is enough for a start and a small world.
• Recommended (4-8 players, medium factory): 16 GB RAM. Will ensure comfortable gameplay and room for growth.
• Optimal (8+ players, huge factory): 32 GB RAM and more. For the most ambitious projects and a large number of players.

Also, keep in mind that the operating system (Linux) and other background processes also consume some RAM. It's always better to have a small reserve.

Disk: NVMe speed and volume

The speed of the disk subsystem affects server loading time, game world saving, and overall responsiveness. Satisfactory constantly writes and reads world data.

• Disk type: NVMe SSD is strongly recommended. This is significantly faster than SATA SSD or HDD, which is critical for games with frequent I/O operations.
• Volume: The Satisfactory server itself takes up about 10-15 GB. World save files can reach several gigabytes. Taking into account the operating system, backups, and potential mods:
  • Minimum: 100-120 GB NVMe SSD.
  • Recommended: 200-240 GB NVMe SSD.

Network: Bandwidth and stability

While Satisfactory doesn't require extremely high network bandwidth, stability and low latency (ping) are paramount.

• Bandwidth: Usually 100 Mbps symmetric channel is sufficient for most scenarios. For very large servers with dozens of players, 1 Gbps may be required.
• Ping: Choose a data center located geographically close to most of your players to minimize latency. For example, for players from Europe and Russia, data centers in Germany or the Netherlands are suitable. If your audience is in North America, consider options in the USA, such as a dedicated server in Ashburn.
• Stability: Make sure your provider offers a reliable channel without frequent packet loss.

Platform choice: VPS or dedicated server for Satisfactory?

Having determined the necessary characteristics, the next step is to choose between a Virtual Private Server (VPS) and a dedicated server. Both options allow you to host your own Satisfactory server, but have their own peculiarities.

Comparison of VPS and dedicated servers for Satisfactory

The choice between a VPS and a dedicated server depends on your budget, the expected number of players, and the required performance level.

• VPS (Virtual Private Server):
  • Pros: More affordable price, scaling flexibility (often easy to increase resources), fast deployment.
  • Cons: Resources are virtualized and can be subject to "noisy neighbor" effects (if other VPS on the same physical host intensively use resources), vCPU performance may be lower than physical cores.
  • Suitable for: Small teams (1-8 players), testing, limited budget.
• Dedicated Server:
  • Pros: Maximum performance and stability, all physical resources are available only to you, full control over hardware (in the case of bare-metal). No "noisy neighbor" effect.
  • Cons: Higher cost, less flexible scaling (requires hardware replacement), longer deployment.
  • Suitable for: Large communities (8+ players), huge factories, professional hosting, when maximum reliability and performance are required.

Valebyte.com recommendations for Satisfactory hosting selection

Valebyte.com offers various VPS and dedicated server configurations that are ideal for hosting a Satisfactory server. Below is a table with approximate configurations and recommendations.

*The prices indicated are approximate and may vary depending on the specific provider, data center location, and current promotions. For actual prices and configurations, please check the Valebyte.com website.

For other popular games, such as Project Zomboid or ARK Survival Ascended, requirements may differ, but the general principles of hardware selection remain similar.

Step-by-step Satisfactory server installation on Linux (Ubuntu)

Installing a satisfactory dedicated server on a Linux operating system, such as Ubuntu, is the most common and efficient method. This provides better performance and stability compared to Windows Server for most game servers. We will use SteamCMD to download the server files.

Operating system preparation

Before installing the server, you need to update the system and install the necessary dependencies.

1. Connect to your VPS/dedicated server: Use an SSH client (e.g., PuTTY for Windows or the built-in terminal for Linux/macOS).
2. Update the system:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade -y

3. Install necessary packages:

   sudo apt install -y steamcmd lib32gcc-s1 screen

   • steamcmd: Tool for installing and updating Steam game servers.
   • lib32gcc-s1: 32-bit libraries required for SteamCMD and some game servers.
   • screen: Allows you to run processes in the background so the server continues to run even after disconnecting the SSH session.
4. Create a separate user for the server (recommended):

   sudo adduser satisfactory
   sudo usermod -aG sudo satisfactory
   su - satisfactory

   This enhances security by isolating the server from system processes. All subsequent commands will be executed as the satisfactory user.

SteamCMD installation

We have already installed SteamCMD in the previous step. Now we need to make sure it's ready for use.

1. Create a directory for SteamCMD:

   mkdir ~/steamcmd
   cd ~/steamcmd

2. Run SteamCMD (if not installed via apt):

   If you did not use apt install steamcmd, then you need to download it:

   wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
   tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
   ./steamcmd.sh

   If you installed it via apt, just make sure it works:

   steamcmd

   After the first launch, SteamCMD will update and the Steam> prompt will appear. Type quit to exit.

Downloading Satisfactory Dedicated Server files

Now we use SteamCMD to download the Satisfactory game server files.

1. Create a directory for the Satisfactory server:

   mkdir ~/SatisfactoryServer
   cd ~/steamcmd

2. Run SteamCMD and download the server:

   steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 validate +quit

   • login anonymous: Login without a Steam account.
   • app_update 1690800: Command to update/install application with ID 1690800 (this is the Satisfactory Dedicated Server ID).
   • validate: Checks file integrity.
   • quit: Exits SteamCMD.

   The server files will be downloaded to the ~/steamcmd/steamapps/common/SatisfactoryDedicatedServer directory. Move them to a more convenient location:

   mv ~/steamcmd/steamapps/common/SatisfactoryDedicatedServer/* ~/SatisfactoryServer/

Starting the Satisfactory server

We will use screen to start the server.

1. Navigate to the server directory:

   cd ~/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Binaries/Linux/

2. Create a script to start the server:

   nano start_server.sh

   Insert the following code:

   #!/bin/bash
   export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:$(pwd)
   ./FactoryGameServer.sh -log -Port=7777 -BeaconPort=15000 -QueryPort=27015 -SteamQueryPort=27016 -Multihome=0.0.0.0

   Save (Ctrl+O) and exit (Ctrl+X).

   • -Port: Game port (default 7777).
   • -BeaconPort: Port for server discovery (default 15000).
   • -QueryPort: Port for querying server information (default 27015).
   • -SteamQueryPort: Port for Steam client queries (default 27016).
   • -Multihome: Specifies the IP address to listen on. 0.0.0.0 means all available network interfaces. If you have multiple IPs, you can specify a particular one.
3. Make the script executable:

   chmod +x start_server.sh

4. Start the server in a screen session:

   screen -S satisfactory_server ./start_server.sh

   The server will start loading. You can detach from the screen session by pressing Ctrl+A, then D. The server will continue to run in the background.

5. To reattach to the session:

   screen -r satisfactory_server

6. To stop the server: Attach to the screen session and press Ctrl+C.

Satisfactory dedicated server configuration: settings and ports

After installing your satisfactory dedicated server, you need to perform basic configuration to meet your needs. This includes changing configuration parameters and opening necessary ports in the firewall.

Basic configuration parameters

The main Satisfactory server settings are stored in configuration files. The most important file is Game.ini, located in the ~/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/ directory.

You can edit this file using a text editor, for example, nano:

nano ~/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini

Example Game.ini content:

[/Script/FactoryGame.FGGameSession]
SessionName=MyAwesomeSatisfactoryServer
MaxPlayers=8
AdminPassword=YourSecureAdminPassword
ServerPassword=YourSecureServerPassword
PauseGameWhenEmpty=False
ShouldSave=True
SaveInterval=300
AllowCheats=False
PreventNativization=True
DisableSeasonalEvents=False

[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=8

Explanation of parameters:

• SessionName: The name of your server that will appear in the server list.
• MaxPlayers: The maximum number of players who can be on the server simultaneously. Make sure this value matches your hardware capabilities.
• AdminPassword: Password for the server administrator. Allows executing admin commands in-game.
• ServerPassword: Password for connecting to the server (optional, if the server is public).
• PauseGameWhenEmpty: If True, the game will pause when there are no players on the server. Recommended False for continuous production.
• ShouldSave: Whether the server should save the game. Always True.
• SaveInterval: Autosave interval in seconds (e.g., 300 seconds = 5 minutes).
• AllowCheats: Whether to allow cheat codes on the server.
• PreventNativization: Recommended True for server stability.
• DisableSeasonalEvents: Disables seasonal events.

After making changes to Game.ini, don't forget to restart the server for them to take effect.

Opening ports in the firewall

For players to connect to your satisfactory dedicated server, you need to open the corresponding ports in your VPS/dedicated server's firewall. If you are using Ubuntu, you most likely have UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) installed.

1. Check UFW status:

   sudo ufw status verbose

2. Allow SSH (if not already done):

   sudo ufw allow ssh

3. Allow Satisfactory ports:

   By default, Satisfactory uses the following ports (UDP):

   • 7777: Game port.
   • 15000: Beacon port (for server discovery).
   • 27015: Query port (for server information requests).
   • 27016: Steam Query port (for Steam client).

   Open them:

   sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
   sudo ufw allow 15000/udp
   sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
   sudo ufw allow 27016/udp

4. Enable UFW (if it's not active):

   sudo ufw enable

   Confirm the action by typing y.

5. Check that the ports are open:

   sudo ufw status verbose

   You should see rules allowing traffic on the specified ports.

Server management: commands and automation

For more convenient server management, you can create additional scripts.

• Script to stop the server:

  nano stop_server.sh

  Insert:

  #!/bin/bash
  screen -S satisfactory_server -X quit

  Make executable: chmod +x stop_server.sh

• Script to update the server:

  nano update_server.sh

  Insert:

  #!/bin/bash
  cd ~/steamcmd
  steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 1690800 validate +quit
  cd ~/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Binaries/Linux/

  Make executable: chmod +x update_server.sh

  After updating the server, you always need to restart the game process.

• Automatic startup on reboot:

  To automatically start the server when the VPS/dedicated server reboots, you can use systemd. Create a service file:

  sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/satisfactory.service

  Insert the following code, replacing satisfactory with your username if it's different:

  [Unit]
  Description=Satisfactory Dedicated Server
  After=network.target
  
  [Service]
  User=satisfactory
  Group=satisfactory
  WorkingDirectory=/home/satisfactory/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Binaries/Linux
  ExecStart=/usr/bin/screen -DmS satisfactory_server /home/satisfactory/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Binaries/Linux/start_server.sh
  ExecStop=/usr/bin/screen -S satisfactory_server -X quit
  Restart=always
  
  [Install]
  WantedBy=multi-user.target

  Save and exit. Then enable and start the service:

  sudo systemctl daemon-reload
  sudo systemctl enable satisfactory
  sudo systemctl start satisfactory

  You can check the status with the command: sudo systemctl status satisfactory.

Mods and plugins for Satisfactory: how to install?

Modifications can significantly enhance the Satisfactory gameplay experience, adding new items, buildings, mechanics, or improving quality of life. Installing mods on a satisfactory dedicated server requires a bit more effort than on the client side, but it is quite feasible.

Mod managers and their integration

The primary way to install mods for Satisfactory is by using the Satisfactory Mod Manager (SMM) on the client side. For the server, there are several approaches:

1. SML (Satisfactory Mod Loader) for the server: Some mods require a server-side SML. You will need to download SML and install it on the server. This is usually done by copying SML files to the server directory and running a special script or executable. Detailed instructions are always provided by SML and mod developers.
2. Manual mod installation: Most server-side mods (or client-side mods that need to be synchronized with the server) are installed by copying their files (usually .pak files) to a special directory on the server.
   • Mod directory: This is usually ~/SatisfactoryServer/FactoryGame/Content/Paks/mods/. If the mods folder does not exist, create it.
   • Downloading mods: Download mods from the ficsit.app website (the official Satisfactory mod repository). Make sure you download a version compatible with the current game and server version.
   • Copying files: Use scp or sftp to upload the mod's .pak files to your server in the appropriate directory.
3. Server configuration for mods: Some mods require additional settings in the server configuration files (e.g., Game.ini or ServerSettings.ini). Always read the documentation for each mod.

Important: Make sure that the mod versions on the server and for all players match. Desynchronization of mod versions can lead to connection errors or game crashes. After installing or removing mods, always restart your satisfactory dedicated server.

Recommendations for choosing popular mods

The choice of mods depends on your preferences, but there are several categories and examples that significantly improve gameplay:

• QoL (Quality of Life) mods:
  • Smart! Mod: Greatly simplifies building large factories, allowing you to quickly place many buildings.
  • Pak Utility Mod: Adds many useful tools, such as an infinite fuel jetpack, flight mode, quick demolition of structures.
• Production mods:
  • Area Actions: Allows you to copy, paste, and delete large sections of a factory.
  • More Milestones: Expands the technology tree, adding new tiers and items.
• Interface mods:
  • Permaday: Sets permanent daylight on the server, eliminating darkness.
  • No Fall Damage: Disables fall damage.

Before installing any mod, always check its compatibility with the current version of Satisfactory and read reviews from other users. Installing too many mods or unoptimized mods can negatively impact the performance of your Satisfactory server.

Protecting your Satisfactory server from DDoS attacks

DDoS attacks (Distributed Denial of Service attacks) can severely disrupt the operation of your satisfactory dedicated server, making it inaccessible to players. This is especially relevant for public servers or those that attract a lot of attention. Effective protection requires a multi-layered approach.

Basic security measures

Even without specialized solutions, you can take several steps to improve your server's security:

1. Strong administrator password: Use a long, complex, and unique AdminPassword for the server. Never use simple passwords or passwords you use elsewhere.
2. Using SSH keys: Always use SSH keys instead of a password for accessing your VPS/dedicated server. This is significantly more secure. Disable password login for SSH after setting up keys.
3. Restricting SSH access: Change the standard SSH port (22) to another one (e.g., 2222) and/or restrict access by IP addresses from which you will connect.

   sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
   # Change Port 22 to Port 2222
   # Add AllowUsers your_user
   sudo systemctl restart sshd

4. Firewall configuration (UFW): As we discussed, UFW is the first line of defense. Only open ports that are absolutely necessary for the Satisfactory server to function (7777, 15000, 27015, 27016 UDP) and SSH. Close all other ports by default.
5. Regular updates: Keep your operating system and SteamCMD up to date. Updates often contain vulnerability fixes.
6. Backups: Regularly create backups of your game world. This won't prevent a DDoS, but it will help you recover from any incident.

The role of the hosting provider in protection

The most effective protection against DDoS attacks is provided at the network infrastructure level of the hosting provider. Large and reliable providers, such as Valebyte.com, invest in specialized hardware and software for detecting and filtering malicious traffic.

• Automatic traffic filtering: Modern DDoS protection systems analyze incoming traffic in real-time and automatically filter out attacks without affecting legitimate requests.
• High bandwidth: Providers with high network bandwidth are capable of absorbing significant volumes of attacking traffic, preventing your server from being overloaded.
• Geographically distributed data centers: Hosting servers in different regions (e.g., in Los Angeles for an Asian audience or in Miami for Latin America) can help distribute risks and provide better connectivity for different player groups.
• Monitoring and support: A reliable provider offers 24/7 network monitoring and prompt support in case of attack-related issues.

When choosing Satisfactory hosting, be sure to clarify the availability and level of DDoS protection provided. This is one of the key factors for the uninterrupted operation of your server.

Which VPS/dedicated server config to choose for different numbers of players?

Choosing the optimal configuration for your own Satisfactory server directly depends on the expected number of players and the scale of your future factory. Satisfactory can be very demanding on CPU and RAM, especially when the world is heavily built up. Here are specific recommendations.

Scaling recommendations

1. For 1-2 players (testing, small world):
   • VPS: 2 vCPU (3.0+ GHz), 8 GB RAM, 100 GB NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: $20-30/month.
   • Justification: Minimum requirements to run the server. Allows you to evaluate performance and get used to management. Lag may start if the factory grows significantly.
2. For 3-6 players (medium world, active construction):
   • VPS: 4 vCPU (3.5+ GHz), 16 GB RAM, 200 GB NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: $35-50/month.
   • Justification: Optimal balance of price and performance for most friendly groups. Provides a good resource buffer for factory growth and stable operation. Remember that the quality of vCPUs can vary between providers.
3. For 7-12 players (large world, complex logistics, possible mods):
   • VPS (High-End) or Entry-level Dedicated Server: 4-6 physical cores (3.8+ GHz), 32 GB RAM, 400 GB NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: $60-120/month.
   • Justification: At this stage, the "noisy neighbor" effect on a VPS can become noticeable. A dedicated server guarantees all resources solely to you, providing better single-thread CPU performance, which is critical for Satisfactory. Additional RAM will allow the game to cache more world data.
4. For 12+ players (huge world, complex mods, constant activity):
   • Dedicated Server: 6-8+ physical cores (4.0+ GHz), 64 GB RAM, 800 GB+ NVMe SSD.
   • Approximate cost: $120-250+/month.
   • Justification: These are top-tier configurations needed for maximum performance and stability even in the most complex scenarios. Such servers can be comparable in power to high-performance gaming PCs. Here, not only frequency but also CPU architecture (e.g., Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9) is important.

Remember that these recommendations are general. Actual resource consumption may vary depending on game optimization in a specific version, mods used, and your factory's building style. It's always better to have a small resource buffer to avoid problems in the future. For comparison, server requirements for Valheim or Conan Exiles also depend on the world scale and number of players, but Satisfactory stands out for its high dependence on single-thread CPU performance with large factories.

Conclusion

Setting up your own Satisfactory server on a VPS or dedicated server is the optimal path to a stable, performant, and fully controlled gaming experience for you and your friends. Choosing the right server configuration, based on the number of players and the scale of your future factory, as well as proper setup and protection, will ensure the uninterrupted operation of your world 24/7. Valebyte.com offers reliable VPS and dedicated servers with excellent DDoS protection, ideally suited for hosting a satisfactory dedicated server of any complexity.