Your Astroneer server: installation and setup on VPS/dedicated

To install and set up your Astroneer server on a VPS or dedicated server, you will need a Windows Server operating system, a minimum of 4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU, and a 20 GB NVMe disk, as well as SteamCMD for deploying the game server. These resources will ensure stable server operation for a small group of players, and CPU and RAM can be increased when scaling.

Astroneer is a popular adventure survival game set in space with sandbox elements, where players explore planets, build bases, and extract resources. If you've ever encountered the limitations of public servers or wanted to gain full control over the game world, setting up your own Astroneer server is the perfect solution. In this article, we will detail how to deploy and configure your Astroneer server on a VPS or dedicated server, discuss the necessary hosting requirements, and provide practical recommendations.

Why do you need your own Astroneer server? Advantages of dedicated hosting

Many Astroneer players start with co-op play using Steam's built-in features, but over time, they encounter limitations. Your own Astroneer server, hosted on a VPS or dedicated server, offers several significant advantages that greatly enhance the gaming experience and control over it.

Control over gameplay and community

The main advantage of your own server is complete control. You decide who can join the game, what rules apply, and when the server operates. This is especially important for private communities of friends or guilds who want to play without strangers, with individual difficulty settings, building rules, or resource extraction rates. You can configure the server to your preferences, for example, change resource spawn rates, remove inventory limits, or even integrate your own modifications, which we will discuss later. This level of customization is not possible on public servers.

Stability and performance

When playing via a P2P (peer-to-peer) connection, server performance directly depends on the host's computer and internet connection. If the host leaves the game, the session ends. A dedicated Astroneer server, hosted in a data center, operates 24/7 regardless of who is online. This ensures stable access to the game world at any time of day for all connected players. Furthermore, quality Astroneer hosting provides high-speed internet connectivity and powerful hardware, minimizing latency (lag) and ensuring smooth gameplay even with a large number of players or complex constructions. Unlike home internet, which often has asymmetrical speeds (high download, low upload), data center servers have symmetrical channels with high bandwidth, which is critically important for multiplayer games.

Hardware requirements for Astroneer dedicated server

Choosing the right hardware for your Astroneer server is a key step to ensuring stable and comfortable gameplay. Astroneer, like many other sandbox games, can be quite resource-intensive, especially as the game world grows and the number of connected players increases. Let's break down the main components.

Processor (CPU): how many cores and what frequency?

Astroneer, like most game servers, prefers high core clock speed over core count. The Astroneer server is not optimized for a large number of threads, so it's better to have fewer cores but with a higher frequency. For a small server (up to 4-6 players), 2 vCPU with a frequency of 3.0 GHz or higher will be sufficient. If you plan to host Astroneer for 8-10+ players or want the server to handle large-scale bases and complex automations, it is recommended to choose 4 vCPU with a frequency of 3.5 GHz and higher. Intel Xeon E3/E5 processors or modern AMD Ryzen/EPYC with high single-thread performance will be an excellent choice for a dedicated server.

Random Access Memory (RAM): from minimum to scale

RAM is one of the most critical resources for Astroneer. The game actively uses RAM to store the state of the game world, objects, player inventories, and other data. The minimum requirements to run an Astroneer server are about 4 GB RAM. However, this is only for starting and 1-2 players. For comfortable gameplay with 4-6 people and a moderately developed base, 8 GB RAM will be needed. If you plan hosting for a larger community, for example, 8-12 players, or expect players to build huge automated complexes on different planets, it is recommended to allocate 16 GB RAM. Free RAM is also important for the operating system and other background processes.

Disk subsystem: HDD, SSD, or NVMe?

The speed of the disk subsystem affects server load times, game world saving, and the processing of a large number of small files that Astroneer operates with. Although the game itself does not require a huge amount of disk space (installation size is about 15 GB, plus saves), data access speed matters. The minimum disk space for installing the Astroneer server and a few saves is 20-30 GB. However, it is highly recommended to use an NVMe SSD. NVMe drives provide significantly higher read/write speeds compared to regular SSDs, and even more so compared to HDDs. This will reduce world load times, minimize "freezes" during autosaves, and improve overall server responsiveness. Using an HDD for a game server, especially for sandbox games, is highly undesirable due to low performance when working with small files.

Network connection and bandwidth

For an Astroneer game server, not only a fast but also a stable network connection is important. Most VPS and dedicated servers offer ports with a speed of 1 Gbps, which is more than sufficient for Astroneer. The main thing is to ensure that the hosting provider offers low latency (ping) to your players and stable bandwidth without restrictions. For most regions of Europe and North America, a 100 Mbps symmetrical channel will be sufficient, but 1 Gbps is the standard that guarantees no "bottlenecks" on the network side. Check with your provider about DDoS protection, as game servers are often targets.

Choosing an operating system and preparing your VPS/dedicated server

The correct choice of operating system and its basic configuration are fundamental for the stable operation of your Astroneer server.

Windows Server: the optimal choice

Astroneer Dedicated Server officially supports only Windows operating systems. Therefore, for your VPS or dedicated server, Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022 will be the optimal choice. These versions provide the necessary compatibility, stability, and a set of tools for server management. While it's theoretically possible to try running the server via Wine on Linux, it's not recommended due to potential performance issues, instability, and configuration complexity. A dedicated server on Windows also provides a familiar graphical interface, which simplifies work for those not very familiar with the Linux command line.

Initial setup and security

After deploying Windows Server on your VPS or dedicated server, follow these steps:

1. System Update: First, install all available Windows updates. This is critically important for security and stability.

   sconfig

   Use the sconfig command in PowerShell for convenient access to basic settings, including updates.

2. Windows Firewall Configuration: Disable the firewall completely or configure rules to open the necessary ports. Astroneer requires ports 8888 UDP and 8889 UDP.

   netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Astroneer Server UDP 8888" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=8888
   netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Astroneer Server UDP 8889" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=8889

   If you plan to use RCON or other management utilities, additional ports may be required.

3. .NET Framework Installation: Ensure that the latest version of .NET Framework is installed, as some server components may rely on it. It is usually already present in Windows Server, but it's worth checking.
4. Create a separate user: It is recommended to create a separate user with limited privileges to run the game server, instead of using the Administrator account. This enhances security.
5. Install SteamCMD: SteamCMD is a command-line utility for installing and updating Steam game servers. It will be used to download Astroneer server files. Create a folder on the disk, for example, C:\SteamCMD.

You will use RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) to access the server. Make sure the RDP port (default 3389) is open in the firewall and, if possible, change it to a non-standard port for increased security. It is also highly recommended to use strong passwords for accounts.

Installing Astroneer dedicated server via SteamCMD

Now that your VPS or dedicated server is prepared, you can proceed with installing the Astroneer game server itself.

Installing SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD from the official Valve website. https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD

Extract the archive contents to the previously created folder, for example, C:\SteamCMD. Run steamcmd.exe. On the first launch, the utility will update and create the necessary files. After that, you will see the Steam> command prompt.

Steam> login anonymous

This command allows you to log in to SteamCMD anonymously, which is sufficient for downloading most game servers, including Astroneer.

Downloading Astroneer server files

To download Astroneer server files, use the app_update command with the corresponding application ID. The ID for Astroneer Dedicated Server is 728470.

First, specify the path where the server files will be installed. Create a folder, for example, C:\AstroneerServer.

Steam> force_install_dir C:\AstroneerServer\
Steam> app_update 728470 validate
Steam> quit

• force_install_dir C:\AstroneerServer\: Specifies where SteamCMD should install the server files.
• app_update 728470 validate: Initiates the download or update process for the Astroneer server (ID 728470). The keyword validate verifies file integrity after download.
• quit: Exits SteamCMD.

The download process may take some time depending on your internet connection speed. Once completed, all server files will be located in the C:\AstroneerServer\Astro\Binaries\Win64\ folder.

Configuring files and launching the Astroneer server

After installing the server files, you need to perform its basic configuration and launch it.

Main server parameters (AstroServerSettings.ini)

The Astroneer server configuration file is called AstroServerSettings.ini. You need to create it manually or copy it from the example in the C:\AstroneerServer\Astro\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\ folder. If it doesn't exist, create a new file at this path and open it in a text editor (e.g., Notepad++). Here's an example of a basic configuration file:

[/Script/Astro.AstroServerSettings]
ServerName="Valebyte Astroneer Server"
OwnerName="YourName"
OwnerGuid="00000000000000000" ; Your SteamID64
MaxPlayers=8
ServerPassword="YourSecurePassword" ; Optional
PvePlayerDamage=True
PveFriendlyFire=False
PveDamageToObjects=True
AutosaveInterval=300 ; Autosave interval in seconds (5 minutes)
PublicServer=True ; Is the server visible in the public server list
ServerReservedSlots=0
ServerReservedSlotsPassword=""
PopulateStartingPlanet=True
DisableStartingShelter=False
DisableStartingResources=False
OrbitCameraEnabled=True
GameDifficulty=0 ; 0 = Normal, 1 = Hard

[AstroServerSettings]
bHasPassword=True ; If using a password, set to True
ServerPassword="YourSecurePassword"

[/Script/Astro.AstroSessionSettings]
MissionsEnabled=True
ResearchPointsEnabled=True
TerrainDeformationEnabled=True
PowerSystemEnabled=True
CraftingEnabled=True
OxygenSystemEnabled=True
HazardsEnabled=True
CreativeModeEnabled=False ; Enable creative mode (caution, may change gameplay)
RespawnOnDeath=True
StartingPlanet="Sylva" ; Starting planet
StartingPlanetSeed=0 ; Seed for initial planet generation
StartingPlanetGenerationOptions=

[/Script/Engine.GameSession]
MaxPlayers=8

Important parameters:

• ServerName: The name of your server, which will be visible in the server list.
• OwnerName: Your name as the owner.
• OwnerGuid: Your SteamID64. You can find it on websites like steamid.io. This is important for administration.
• MaxPlayers: Maximum number of players. Ensure this parameter matches in the [/Script/Astro.AstroServerSettings] and [/Script/Engine.GameSession] sections.
• ServerPassword: Password for server access. If you want to make the server private, set a password and bHasPassword=True.
• AutosaveInterval: Frequency of autosaves in seconds. 300 seconds = 5 minutes.
• PublicServer: Set to True if you want your server to be visible in the public Astroneer server list. If False, players will only be able to connect via direct IP.

Save the changes to the AstroServerSettings.ini file.

Opening network ports

For the Astroneer server to function correctly, the following ports must be opened in the Windows firewall (if you haven't done so already) and, possibly, in your hosting provider's control panel:

• UDP 8888: Main port for game traffic.
• UDP 8889: Additional port for game traffic and query service.

If you are using a third-party firewall on your VPS, ensure these ports are also open. At the hosting provider level, there is often its own DDoS protection, which may block traffic by default. Check with technical support if you need to open ports on their side.

Launching the server

To launch the Astroneer server, you need to create a simple .bat file in the C:\AstroneerServer\ folder. Name it, for example, start_server.bat.

@echo off
cd C:\AstroneerServer\Astro\Binaries\Win64
start AstroServer.exe -log -Port=8888 -QueryPort=8889
exit

Save the file and run it by double-clicking. A console window will open, displaying server logs. After a successful launch, you will see messages about world initialization. Players can connect to your server through the in-game menu, using your VPS/dedicated server's IP address and, if set, the password.

For automatic server startup upon OS reboot, you can use Windows Task Scheduler. Create a new task that will run your start_server.bat file at system startup.

Modifications and plugins for Astroneer: expanding possibilities

Modifications (mods) can significantly expand the functionality of your Astroneer server, adding new items, mechanics, or altering existing ones. However, it's important to approach their installation cautiously, as not all mods are compatible with dedicated servers or may cause conflicts.

Installing and managing mods

There is no official mod support for Astroneer via Steam Workshop. The community uses third-party tools such as Astroneer Mod Loader (AML) or directly modifies game files. The mod installation process usually looks like this:

1. Download Mod Loader: Find the latest version of Astroneer Mod Loader on community websites (e.g., Nexus Mods).
2. Install Mod Loader on the server: This usually involves copying AML files to the game folder on the server (e.g., C:\AstroneerServer\Astro\Binaries\Win64\).
3. Download mods: Download the desired mods that are compatible with the server. Most mods are .pak or .dll files.
4. Place mods: Put the mod files into the appropriate folder created by the Mod Loader (often a Mods folder within the game directory).
5. Configure mods: Some mods require additional configuration via their own configuration files.
6. Launch the server: Restart the server for the mods to take effect.

It is important to note that many mods require installation on player clients as well for them to display and function correctly. Always check mod compatibility with the current game and server version. Remember to regularly back up server files and the game world before installing new mods.

Popular mods for Astroneer

The Astroneer community actively develops mods for various purposes:

• Quality of Life (QoL) mods: Improve the interface, add convenient features, such as faster crafting, improved inventory filters.
• Content mods: Add new resources, items, planets, or game mechanics.
• Balance mods: Alter economy, survival difficulty, or vehicle characteristics.
• Visual mods: Enhance graphics or add new effects (be cautious with performance).

When choosing mods for your Astroneer server, always read descriptions, reviews, and ensure the mod is actively maintained and compatible with the server-side of the game. For example, for games like Valheim or Palworld, where mods also play a significant role, it's important to follow the mod developers' instructions.

Protecting Astroneer server from DDoS attacks and monitoring

Game servers, especially popular ones, often become targets for DDoS attacks. Effective protection and continuous monitoring are critically important to ensure the uninterrupted operation of your Astroneer dedicated server.

Built-in and external protection measures

DDoS protection is a multi-layered process:

1. Provider-level protection: Most reliable hosting providers, such as Valebyte.com, offer built-in DDoS protection at the network level. This is the first and most important barrier. Clarify what level of protection is provided (e.g., L3/L4 or L7) and what types of attacks they can mitigate. This protection filters malicious traffic before it even reaches your server.
2. Windows Firewall: As mentioned, a properly configured Windows Server firewall blocks unwanted connections, leaving open only the necessary ports (8888, 8889 UDP for Astroneer).
3. Changing default ports (optional): Although Astroneer uses fixed ports, for other services on the server (e.g., RDP), it is recommended to change default ports to reduce the risk of automated attacks.
4. Updates: Regular updates of the operating system and game server software close known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
5. Access restriction: Use strong passwords for server access, RDP, and SteamCMD. Never use the Administrator account for daily tasks.

For more advanced scenarios or very popular servers, specialized proxy services for game servers can be considered, which provide even more powerful application-level DDoS protection.

Monitoring server performance

Continuous monitoring of server resources allows identifying "bottlenecks," preventing failures, and optimizing performance. Key metrics for monitoring include:

• CPU Usage: High CPU usage can indicate insufficient processing power or unoptimized server/mod code.
• RAM Usage: If RAM is consistently close to 100%, the server will start using the swap file on disk, which will significantly slow down operations. This is a clear sign of needing to increase RAM.
• Disk Activity (I/O): High disk activity, especially for HDDs, can cause delays, particularly during autosaves.
• Network Traffic: Unusually high incoming traffic can be a sign of a DDoS attack.
• Ping and Latency: Monitoring ping to the server from different parts of the world will help assess the quality of the network connection.

In Windows Server, you can use built-in tools such as Task Manager and Resource Monitor for monitoring. For more detailed and long-term analysis, you can install specialized monitoring agents that will collect data and send it to cloud systems (e.g., Prometheus + Grafana, Zabbix, or solutions from your hosting provider). Some managed hosting providers offer comprehensive solutions for monitoring and administration.

Which VPS/dedicated server config to choose for your Astroneer server?

Choosing the optimal VPS or dedicated server configuration depends on your needs: the number of players, the size of the game world, and plans for mod installation. We offer a table with recommended configurations and approximate prices.

Table of recommended configurations and prices

Notes on the table:

• CPU: The recommended frequency for each core is indicated. Higher frequency is better.
• RAM: Astroneer can be quite memory-intensive, especially during long sessions and with large bases. It's always better to have a small reserve.
• NVMe SSD: This is critical for performance. Do not skimp on disk.
• Bandwidth: Most providers offer a 1 Gbps port, but the actual guaranteed bandwidth may vary. For Astroneer, stability is more important than peak speed.
• Approximate cost: Prices are for VPS. Dedicated servers for 12+ players usually start from $100-150 per month, offering more powerful processors and larger RAM/disk capacity. Valebyte.com offers various plans that can be adapted to these requirements. For example, hosting other demanding games, such as 7 Days to Die, also requires powerful hardware.

When choosing hosting, pay attention to the data center location. Choose one that is geographically closer to most of your players to minimize latency (ping). If your players are scattered, consider options in major hubs such as Ashburn (US-East) or Los Angeles (US-West/Asia).

Conclusion

Deploying your own Astroneer server on a VPS or dedicated server is an excellent way to gain full control over the gameplay, ensure stability, and high performance for your community. Careful selection of hardware resources, proper configuration of the operating system and game server, as well as adequate DDoS protection, guarantee comfortable and uninterrupted gameplay. Valebyte.com offers reliable VPS and dedicated servers that are ideal for Astroneer hosting, providing the necessary power and protection.