Your Valheim Server: Installation and Setup on a VPS/Dedicated Server

To run your own Valheim server, ensuring stable, lag-free gameplay for a group of friends or a large community, a VPS with 4-8 GB RAM, 2-4 vCPU, and an NVMe disk is optimal. This setup can accommodate 5 to 20 players and provides full control over the game world, its modifications, and rules. Valheim, a popular survival game with elements of Norse mythology, offers a unique exploration and building experience that is fully realized when playing with friends. However, standard client-side hosting or playing via Steam invites often suffer from instability, delays, and limitations related to the host computer's performance. Deploying your own dedicated Valheim server on reliable hosting becomes the solution to these problems.

In this article, we will delve into why your own Valheim server is the best solution, what technical requirements a Valheim dedicated server demands, how to install and configure it on a VPS or dedicated server, and how to ensure its stable operation and protection from external threats. We target users with experience in Linux systems and those ready to dive into the world of server administration to gain maximum control over their gaming experience.

Why Choose Your Own Valheim Server? Advantages of Dedicated Hosting

When it comes to comfortable and uninterrupted Valheim gameplay with friends, many encounter limitations inherent in built-in hosting mechanisms. The game by default allows any player to start a world and invite others, but this approach turns the host's computer into a server, burdening its resources and internet channel bandwidth. This leads to delays, desynchronization, and even disconnections, especially if the host leaves the game or has an unstable connection. This is where your own Valheim server comes to the rescue, offering a number of undeniable advantages.

Control and Stability: Why You Need a Valheim Dedicated Server?

24/7 Continuous Operation. The main advantage of a Valheim dedicated server is its ability to run around the clock, regardless of whether any players are online. Your Valheim world is always accessible, progress is saved, and constructions do not disappear, even if all players have exited the game. This is especially important for teams playing at different times or living in different time zones.

Client Independence. Unlike hosting through the game client, a dedicated server does not burden your personal computer. All calculations related to the world, physics, and creature activity occur on the remote server. This frees up your PC's resources, allowing you to enjoy the game with maximum performance and without additional delays caused by background server processes.

Stable Connection and Low Ping. VPS and dedicated servers are typically hosted in data centers with high-speed and stable internet channels. This ensures minimal ping for all players, regardless of their location (within a reasonable geographical distance to the data center), and reduces the likelihood of disconnections or lag caused by network issues.

Full Control Over World Saves. On your own server, you have complete control over the world saving process. You can create backups at any convenient time, revert to previous world versions in case of errors, crashes, or unwanted changes. This capability is critically important for protecting your progress and many hours of work in Valheim.

Scalability and Customization: Create Your Unique Valheim World

Increased Player Capacity. Your own Valheim server allows flexible configuration of the maximum number of concurrently connected players. While client-side hosting typically limits you to 4-6 players for comfortable gameplay, on a dedicated server, you can confidently host 10, 20, or more participants, provided sufficient server resources.

Freedom to Install Mods. Modifications significantly expand Valheim's gameplay, adding new items, mechanics, creatures, and possibilities. On a dedicated server, you gain complete freedom to install and configure any mods, allowing you to create a truly unique and personalized gaming experience for your team. You can experiment with various mod builds without worrying about the stability of your personal computer.

Flexible Gameplay Customization. Valheim server configuration files provide extensive options for fine-tuning gameplay: changing difficulty, resource growth rates, enemy parameters, and much more. This gives you full control over how your world will evolve and what the rules of survival will be for your Vikings.

Security and Administration. A dedicated server gives you full control over administration. You can assign administrators, ban offenders, control access with a password, and, most importantly, protect the server from DDoS attacks that might target gameplay. Valheim hosting on a VPS from Valebyte, for example, includes built-in protection against such threats.

What Requirements Does a Valheim Server Have for VPS or Dedicated Hosting?

Choosing the right VPS or dedicated server is a crucial step towards creating a stable and performant Valheim server. Valheim, despite its relatively simple graphics, can be quite resource-intensive, especially with a large number of players, active building, and mod usage. Let's look at the main components to consider.

Processor (CPU): The Heart of Your Valheim Server

A Valheim server heavily relies on single-core CPU performance, as much of its logic is not optimized for multi-threading. This means that a high clock speed (GHz) is more important than simply a large number of cores. However, having multiple cores is beneficial for the operating system and other background processes that may run on the same server.

• 2-5 players: Minimum 2 vCPU with a clock speed of 2.5 GHz or higher.
• 5-10 players: Optimally 2-4 vCPU with a clock speed of 2.8 GHz or higher. It is advisable to choose CPUs with good single-core performance (e.g., Intel Xeon E3/E5 latest generations or AMD EPYC equivalents).
• 10-20 players: Recommended 4 vCPU with a clock speed of 3.0 GHz or higher. Here, choosing more powerful processors may be justified.
• More than 20 players or a heavily modded server: A dedicated server with a high-performance CPU (e.g., Intel Core i7/i9 or latest generation Ryzen) with 4-6+ cores and a clock speed of 3.2 GHz or higher.

Note that "vCPU" on a VPS is not always equivalent to a physical core. Check with your provider about the processors used and their actual performance.

Random Access Memory (RAM): Key to Stability and Performance

A Valheim server consumes a significant amount of RAM, especially as the world grows and the number of connected players increases. The Valheim world is stored in RAM, and the larger it is, the more memory is required. Mods can also significantly increase RAM consumption.

• 2-5 players: Minimum 4 GB RAM. This is the baseline for stable operation.
• 5-10 players: Recommended 6-8 GB RAM. This will allow the server to run more smoothly without constant use of a swap file.
• 10-20 players: Optimally 8-12 GB RAM. With this many players, the world will be quite large, and additional mods may increase consumption.
• More than 20 players or a heavily modded server: 16+ GB RAM. For very large communities or heavily modified servers, 24-32 GB RAM will not be excessive.

Always leave a small reserve of RAM for the operating system and other background processes. Insufficient memory is one of the most common causes of Valheim server performance degradation.

Disk Subsystem (Storage): Load and Save Speed

Disk speed affects server startup time, world loading, and save progress speed. Valheim constantly writes world data to disk, so a slow disk can cause "freezes" or delays during gameplay.

• Disk Type: NVMe SSD is strongly recommended. This is the fastest disk type, ensuring minimal latency for I/O operations. SATA SSD is an acceptable minimum, but HDD is absolutely unsuitable for a Valheim server.
• Disk Space:
  • Minimum: 50 GB. This will suffice for the operating system, Valheim server files, and a small world.
  • Recommended: 75-150 GB. A Valheim world can grow to several gigabytes, and considering backups and system files, a larger volume will be beneficial.
  • With mods or for long-term use: 200+ GB. Mods, logs, and numerous backups can quickly fill the disk.

Valebyte offers VPS with NVMe SSD by default, which guarantees high-speed disk subsystem performance.

Network Connection: Minimal Latency for Comfortable Gaming

While Valheim is not the most bandwidth-intensive game, a stable and low-latency network connection is critically important for comfortable, lag-free, and synchronized gameplay. For a Valheim server, the following is required:

• Channel Speed: Minimum 100 Mbps symmetrical channel. For 10+ players and an active world, a 1 Gbps channel is recommended. Most modern data centers provide 1 Gbps ports, which is more than sufficient.
• Stability: Most important are connection stability and low jitter (latency fluctuations). VPS and dedicated server providers typically ensure high network stability.
• DDoS Protection: Highly desirable, especially if your server will be public. Valebyte provides built-in DDoS attack protection, which is a significant advantage.

Considering these factors, you will be able to choose the most suitable Valheim hosting that will ensure stable and enjoyable gameplay for you and your friends.

Choosing the Optimal Valebyte Plan for Your Valheim Server: Which Valheim Hosting is Right for You?

Valebyte offers a wide range of VPS and dedicated servers that are ideally suited for hosting a Valheim dedicated server. Our plans are designed to meet the needs of various projects, from small private servers to large gaming communities. All our VPS are equipped with fast NVMe SSDs, which is critically important for Valheim's performance, and include DDoS attack protection.

Below is a table with recommendations for choosing a Valebyte plan based on the estimated number of players on your Valheim server. Please note that these are general recommendations, and actual requirements may vary depending on mod usage, world complexity, and play style.

Number of Players	CPU (vCores/GHz)	RAM (GB)	Disk (GB NVMe)	Recommended Valebyte Plan (example)	Estimated Cost (USD/month)*
2-5 players (private)	2 vCPU / 2.5+ GHz	4	50	VPS-Lite	$5 - $10
5-10 players (small group)	2-4 vCPU / 2.8+ GHz	6-8	75-100	VPS-Standard	$10 - $20
10-20 players (active community)	4 vCPU / 3.0+ GHz	8-12	100-150	VPS-Pro	$20 - $40
20+ players (or with many mods)	6-8 vCPU / 3.2+ GHz (or dedicated)	16+	200+	VPS-Enterprise / Dedicated Server	$40+ (VPS), $80+ (Dedicated)

*The prices indicated are approximate and subject to change. Up-to-date information on plans and their costs can always be found on the Valebyte website.

When choosing a plan, it's always better to opt for slightly more resources than initially seems necessary. This provides a performance buffer for peak loads or the expansion of your gaming community. Furthermore, remember that you can always scale up VPS resources as your needs grow if you initially selected a more modest plan.

Installing Valheim Dedicated Server on Linux (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS): A Step-by-Step Guide

To install the Valheim dedicated server, we will use SteamCMD — a Steam console client that allows you to download and update game servers. We will choose Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS as the operating system, being one of the most popular and stable platforms for hosting.

Server Preparation: System Update and Installation of Required Packages

Before proceeding with Valheim installation, you need to update the system and install SteamCMD, along with a set of libraries required for its operation. Connect to your VPS via SSH.

1. System Update:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Required Libraries and Packages:
SteamCMD requires 32-bit libraries. We will also install archiving utilities and a file manager:

sudo apt install -y steamcmd lib32gcc-s1 curl wget screen unzip

If the steamcmd package is not directly available, you might need to add the multiverse repository and install it manually. Alternatively, you can download SteamCMD directly, as shown below.

3. Create a Separate User for the Valheim Server (Recommended):
Running the game server under a separate user enhances system security. Create a new user, for example, valheim:

sudo adduser valheim
sudo usermod -aG sudo valheim # Add to sudo group if required for administration
sudo su - valheim # Switch to the new user

Now, perform all subsequent actions as the valheim user.

Downloading and Installing SteamCMD and the Valheim Server

If you installed steamcmd via apt, it's already ready for use. If not, download it manually:

mkdir ~/steamcmd
cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
rm steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

Running SteamCMD and Installing Valheim Dedicated Server:
Launch SteamCMD. It will update on its first run.

./steamcmd.sh

Inside the SteamCMD console, execute the following commands:

login anonymous
force_install_dir /home/valheim/valheim_server
app_update 896660 validate
quit

• login anonymous: Log in without Steam credentials.
• force_install_dir /home/valheim/valheim_server: Specifies the server installation path.
• app_update 896660 validate: Downloads or updates the Valheim dedicated server (application ID 896660). validate checks file integrity.
• quit: Exit SteamCMD.

Now, the Valheim server files are located in the /home/valheim/valheim_server directory.

Configuring a System Service for Valheim

To ensure the Valheim server starts automatically at system boot and runs in the background, it is recommended to create a system service (systemd unit file). This will also simplify server management (start, stop, restart).

Exit the valheim user back to root or a user with sudo privileges:

exit # If you were logged in as valheim
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/valheim.service

Insert the following content into the valheim.service file:

[Unit]
Description=Valheim dedicated server
Wants=network-online.target
After=syslog.target network.target nss-lookup.target network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
TimeoutStartSec=300
ExecStartPre=/bin/sleep 10
ExecStart=/home/valheim/valheim_server/start_server.sh -name "MyValheimServer" -world "DedicatedWorld" -password "YourSecurePassword" -port 2456 -public 1
WorkingDirectory=/home/valheim/valheim_server
User=valheim
Group=valheim
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Be sure to change the following parameters in the ExecStart line:

• -name "MyValheimServer": The name of your server that will appear in the Steam list.
• -world "DedicatedWorld": The name of the world file (without extension). If a world with this name does not exist, it will be created.
• -password "YourSecurePassword": The password for connecting to the server. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SET A STRONG PASSWORD!
• -port 2456: The main server port. Valheim uses ports 2456, 2457, 2458.
• -public 1: Makes the server public (visible in the Steam server list). Set to 0 if you want the server to be visible only by IP.

Save the file (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Enable and Start the Service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable valheim.service
sudo systemctl start valheim.service

Check Server Status:

sudo systemctl status valheim.service

If everything is configured correctly, you will see "active (running)" status. To view server logs:

sudo journalctl -u valheim.service -f

Your Valheim dedicated server is now running and will automatically start upon VPS reboot.

Valheim Server Configuration: Ports, World, and Administrators

After installing the Valheim server, it's important to configure it correctly to ensure accessibility, security, and ease of management. This section covers the main aspects of configuration.

Opening Ports: Ensuring Valheim Server Accessibility

For players to connect to your Valheim server, you need to open the corresponding ports in your VPS firewall. Valheim uses three UDP ports:

• 2456: Main game port.
• 2457: Port for Steam queries.
• 2458: Port for Steam queries (additional).

If you are using ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall) on Ubuntu, the commands will be as follows:

sudo ufw allow 2456/udp
sudo ufw allow 2457/udp
sudo ufw allow 2458/udp
sudo ufw enable # If ufw is not yet enabled
sudo ufw status verbose

Ensure that these ports are also open in your hosting provider's control panel if they have their own network firewall (e.g., Security Groups or Firewall Rules in cloud services).

Configuration File start_server.sh and Launch Parameters

The main configuration of the Valheim server occurs through parameters passed to the start_server.sh script. In our case, these parameters were added to the systemd unit file. Let's examine them in more detail:

ExecStart=/home/valheim/valheim_server/start_server.sh -name "MyValheimServer" -world "DedicatedWorld" -password "YourSecurePassword" -port 2456 -public 1

• -name "MyValheimServer": Server Name. This name will appear in the Steam server list and in the game itself. Choose a unique and easily recognizable name.
• -world "DedicatedWorld": World Name. The server will look for a world file with this name (e.g., DedicatedWorld.db and DedicatedWorld.fwl) in the ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds/ directory. If the files are not found, a new world with this name will be created.
• -password "YourSecurePassword": Server Password. This is a mandatory parameter to protect your server from unwanted players. The password should be sufficiently strong. If no password is specified, the server will be accessible without one.
• -port 2456: Main Port. Typically 2456 is used. Do not change it unless there are compelling reasons.
• -public 1: Server Visibility. If set to 1, the server will appear in the public Steam server list. If 0, the server will be private and accessible only via direct IP address.

To change these parameters, edit the /etc/systemd/system/valheim.service file, then execute:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl restart valheim.service

This will restart the server with the new parameters.

World and Player Management: Progress Saving and Administration

World Saves:
Valheim world files are stored in the ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds/ directory relative to the home directory of the user running the server (in our case, /home/valheim/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds/). For each world, two files are created: [world_name].db (world database) and [world_name].fwl (world file with metadata).

Important: Regularly back up these files! You can set up a cron job to automatically archive this directory.

# Example manual backup (run as valheim user)
cd ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/worlds/
tar -czvf valheim_world_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S).tar.gz DedicatedWorld.db DedicatedWorld.fwl

Player Administration:
To manage players on the Valheim server, the adminlist.txt file is used, also located in the ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/ directory. To add a player to the administrator list, you need their SteamID64.

1. Obtaining SteamID64:
A player can find their SteamID64 by visiting sites like steamid.io and entering their Steam profile link.

2. Creating/Editing adminlist.txt:
Connect to the server as the valheim user and create or edit the file:

nano ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim/adminlist.txt

Insert the administrator's SteamID64 on each new line. For example:

76561198012345678
76561198087654321

Save the file. After restarting the server (sudo systemctl restart valheim.service), these players will have administrative rights, including the ability to use console commands (e.g., kick [player name], ban [player name], save).

Modifications (Mods) and Their Installation on a Valheim Dedicated Server

Modifications significantly expand Valheim's capabilities, adding new content, improving quality of life, or altering game mechanics. Installing mods on a Valheim dedicated server requires an understanding of the game's basic modding architecture.

Valheim Modding Essentials: BepInEx and Thunderstore Mod Manager

Most Valheim mods use BepInEx — a plugin framework that allows injecting code into the game without altering its original files. Thunderstore Mod Manager is a popular client-side tool for managing mods, which can also help in understanding what files are needed for server-side installation.

For server-side mod installation, you will typically need the following components:

1. BepInExPack Valheim: The core framework. This is a set of files that allows Valheim to load plugins.
2. Mods: The mod files themselves (usually .dll files), which are placed in the BepInEx plugins folder.

It's important to distinguish between mods that should be installed only on the server, only on the client, or on both. Always read the instructions for each mod.

Installing Mods on a Valheim Server: Step-by-Step

Suppose you want to install BepInEx and a few mods. These actions are performed as the valheim user in the server directory /home/valheim/valheim_server.

1. Installing BepInExPack Valheim:

Download the latest version of BepInExPack Valheim from GitHub or Thunderstore. Find the archive suitable for Linux (usually marked with .zip or .tar.gz).

# Example download (check for the actual version on GitHub/Thunderstore)
cd /home/valheim/valheim_server
wget https://github.com/Valheim-Modding/BepInEx/releases/download/5.4.2101/BepInEx_x64_5.4.2101.0.zip # Example link, replace with actual
unzip BepInEx_x64_5.4.2101.0.zip
rm BepInEx_x64_5.4.2101.0.zip

After unpacking, you should have new folders such as BepInEx, doorstop_config, and files like winhttp.dll, เข้าสู่ระบบ in the server's root directory.

2. Starting the Server to Initialize BepInEx:
The first server startup after installing BepInEx will create the necessary folder structures. Restart the server:

sudo systemctl restart valheim.service

Check the logs (sudo journalctl -u valheim.service -f) to ensure BepInEx has initialized successfully. You should see messages related to BepInEx.

3. Installing the Mods Themselves:
Most Valheim mods are .dll files that should be placed in the /home/valheim/valheim_server/BepInEx/plugins/ directory. Download the mod files (usually from Thunderstore or GitHub) and copy them there.

# Example: downloading a mod (replace with actual URL and filename)
cd /home/valheim/valheim_server/BepInEx/plugins/
wget https://example.com/some_mod.dll # Example link
# If the mod is in an archive, unpack it here
unzip some_mod_archive.zip

4. Restarting the Server:
After adding or removing mods, always restart the server for them to be loaded or unloaded:

sudo systemctl restart valheim.service

Important Notes:

• Compatibility: Ensure that the chosen mods are compatible with the current Valheim version and with each other.
• Dependencies: Some mods require other mods as dependencies. Make sure all dependencies are installed.
• Testing: Always test new mods on a test server or with a small number of players, before deploying them on the main server.
• Issues: If the server fails to start or runs unstably after installing mods, check the BepInEx logs (usually in /home/valheim/valheim_server/BepInEx/LogOutput.log) and try removing the last installed mod.

Protecting Your Valheim Server from DDoS Attacks and Performance Monitoring

Running a public game server always carries the risk of DDoS attacks, which can lead to your server becoming unavailable to players. Furthermore, it's crucial to constantly monitor performance to ensure an optimal gaming experience.

Valebyte's Built-in DDoS Protection

One of the key advantages of using Valebyte hosting for a Valheim dedicated server is its built-in DDoS attack protection. Our data centers are equipped with specialized systems that automatically detect and filter malicious traffic directed at your IP address. This means your Valheim server will be much more resilient to attacks compared to a typical home connection or a VPS without such protection.

Our protection system operates at the network level, analyzing incoming traffic and filtering out anomalies characteristic of DDoS attacks, while allowing legitimate game packets to pass through. This ensures the continuous availability of your Valheim server even during targeted attacks, minimizing downtime and maintaining comfort for your players.

Additional Security Measures and Monitoring

While Valebyte provides robust DDoS protection, there are additional measures you can take to enhance the overall security and stability of your Valheim server:

1. Strong Server Password: Ensure your Valheim server is protected with a complex and unique password. This will prevent unauthorized access and potential abuse.
2. SSH Security:
   • Disable Password Authentication: Use only SSH keys for server access. This is significantly more secure than passwords.
   • Change Default SSH Port (22): Move SSH to a non-standard port to reduce the number of automated bot attacks.
   • Fail2ban: Install and configure Fail2ban to automatically block IP addresses that attempt to brute-force SSH or other services.
3. Regular System Updates: Keep your VPS operating system up to date by regularly running sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. This closes known vulnerabilities.
4. Minimal Software Set: Install only the software that is absolutely necessary for Valheim to run. Less software means fewer potential vulnerabilities.
5. World Backups: As mentioned, regular backups of Valheim world files are critically important. Automate this process using cron jobs.
6. Resource Monitoring:
   • Standard Linux Utilities: Use htop, top, free -h, iotop for a quick overview of current CPU, RAM, disk, and network load.
   • System Logs: Regularly review server logs (sudo journalctl -u valheim.service -f) to identify errors or warnings.
   • Third-Party Monitoring Tools: For comprehensive monitoring of your VPS's status, including CPU load, RAM, and disk activity, you might consider installing customized dashboards such as Dashy on VPS or Homepage on VPS. These allow you to conveniently aggregate information about server operation and other services.
7. Remote Configuration Management: For more advanced administrators who require remote access to server configuration files and scripts, deploying code-server on VPS can be a convenient solution. This allows editing files directly from the browser, providing flexibility and responsiveness in management, especially when working with mods or writing scripts.
8. Community Building: If you plan to actively develop a community around your Valheim server, creating your own forum on a VPS can be an excellent solution. Platforms like Flarum on VPS or Discourse on VPS provide powerful tools for player communication, sharing experiences, and organizing joint events.

By applying these recommendations, you will not only protect your Valheim server from external threats but also ensure its stable and efficient operation, providing players with the best possible experience.

Conclusion

Running your own Valheim server on a VPS or dedicated hosting is the optimal solution for providing a stable, performant, and fully controlled gaming environment. Choosing the right hosting provider, such as Valebyte, with NVMe disks, sufficient RAM, powerful CPUs, and built-in DDoS protection, is critically important for the success of your project. By following the step-by-step instructions for installation, port configuration, world setup, and administration, as well as paying attention to security and monitoring, you will be able to create the ideal Valheim dedicated server for yourself and your friends.