How to Host a Vintage Story Dedicated Server
Vintage Story's deep survival mechanics are best enjoyed in a persistent multiplayer environment. This guide covers the installation of the specialized Vintage Story dedicated server software on Windows and Linux.
Managed Hosting
Pros: 1-click mod installs, NVMe storage, nightly backups.
Cons: Monthly cost.
View VS Server Plans →
Self-Hosted
Pros: Free, unlimited RAM (system dependent).
Cons: Requires .NET 7 runtime, port forwarding.
Requirements
- Runtime: .NET 7.0 (Desktop Runtime or ASP.NET Core Runtime).
- RAM: 4GB for vanilla, 8GB+ for heavily modded worlds.
- Storage: SSD highly recommended for chunk generation speed.
Installation (Windows)
1. Download Server Files
Log in to the Vintage Story downloads page (requires game purchase). Download the "VsServer" package (not the full game client).
2. Install .NET 7
Ensure you have the .NET 7.0 Runtime installed. Without it, the server will crash instantly on launch.
3. Launch
Extract the files and run VintagestoryServer.exe. A console window will appear and begin generating the world.
Installation (Linux)
Vintage Story runs natively on Linux using the dotnet runtime.
# Install Dotnet 7 (Ubuntu example)
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y dotnet-sdk-7.0
# Download VS Server (Check version!)
wget https://cdn.vintagestory.at/gamefiles/vs_server_linux-x64_1.18.8.tar.gz
# Extract and Run
tar -xzf vs_server_linux*.tar.gz
dotnet VintagestoryServer.dllPort Forwarding
To allow players to connect, forward the following port on your router:
- Port: 42420
- Protocol: TCP and UDP (Dual protocol is required for v1.18+)
VPN and home-network connection issues (refreshed 2026-05)
A common 2026 report: "I set up my server using a VPN, but players outside the VPN can't connect." The root cause is usually one of three things:
- The VPN binds the server to a virtual IP that's only routable inside the VPN. Verify your server's listening interface in
serverconfig.json— if it's a 10.x.x.x or 192.168.x.x address, only LAN/VPN clients can reach it. Change to0.0.0.0to bind all interfaces. - Your home ISP is using CGNAT. Your "public" IP isn't actually internet-routable. Players hit an upstream NAT box and never reach you. Solution: switch to a real public IP (paid ISP upgrade), use a tunnel service (Cloudflare Tunnel, ngrok, etc.), or move to a VPS.
- Port 42420 is open on the VPN but not on the real router. Double-check port forwarding actually maps to the right LAN IP.
For CGNAT users specifically, see our "unable to connect" troubleshooting which covers the tunnel and VPS workarounds in detail.
1.22 server requirements update
The 1.22 release (rivers, boats, fishing overhaul, forge changes) increases the per-tick simulation cost compared to 1.21. If your server was running comfortably on 4GB RAM in 1.21, expect 5-6GB use under similar load in 1.22. The river physics simulation in particular has higher CPU cost than measured during pre-release testing.
Rough updated sizing:
| Player count + load | 1.21 RAM | 1.22 RAM | CPU recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 players, vanilla | 4GB | 6GB | 3.5GHz+ single-thread |
| 5-10 players, vanilla | 8GB | 10-12GB | 4.0GHz+ single-thread |
| 10-20 players, modded | 16GB | 20GB | 4.5GHz+ single-thread |
| 20+ players or heavy mods | 32GB | 32-48GB | 4.5GHz+ Ryzen 9 / i9 |
See our buyer's checklist for the full hardware decision framework.
Next Steps
Once your server is running, proceed to our Optimization Guide to configure RAM limits, view distance, and admin permissions.
No time for Linux terminals? Rent a Vintage Story server and start playing in minutes.