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    Game Server Guide

    Valheim Dedicated Server

    Host your own Viking survival world on RamNode VPS. Full control over your game world, mods, and player experience.

    Ubuntu 22.04 / Debian 12
    Multiplayer
    ⏱️ 20-30 minutes

    Prerequisites & VPS Selection

    Valheim is a popular survival and exploration game that supports dedicated server hosting for multiplayer gameplay. Running your own server gives you complete control over the game world.

    Before starting, ensure you have:

    • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12
    • Root or sudo access
    • Basic familiarity with Linux command line
    • Your server name and password decided

    Minimum

    • • 4GB RAM
    • • 2 CPU cores
    • • 10GB SSD
    → View Plans

    Recommended

    • • 6GB+ RAM
    • • 2+ CPU cores
    • • Large worlds
    → Recommended

    Premium

    • • 8GB+ RAM
    • • 4+ CPU cores
    • • Heavy mods
    → Premium VPS
    2

    Initial Server Setup

    Connect to your VPS via SSH and update the system:

    Update System
    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
    Install Dependencies
    sudo apt install -y curl wget tar lib32gcc-s1 software-properties-common

    Create Dedicated User

    Never run game servers as root:

    Create Valheim User
    sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash valheim
sudo passwd valheim  # Set a password
    3

    Install SteamCMD

    SteamCMD is required to download and update the Valheim dedicated server files.

    Install SteamCMD
    sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y steamcmd
    4

    Install Valheim Server

    Switch to Valheim User
    sudo su - valheim
    Create Directory Structure
    mkdir -p ~/valheim-server ~/valheim-data
cd ~/valheim-server
    Download Valheim Server
    steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType linux +force_install_dir ~/valheim-server +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit

    💡 Note: The Valheim dedicated server App ID is 896660. Download takes several minutes depending on your connection speed.

    5

    Configure the Server

    Create a startup script with your server configuration:

    Create Startup Script
    nano ~/start_valheim.sh
    start_valheim.sh
    #!/bin/bash
export templdpath=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./linux64:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export SteamAppId=892970

# Server Configuration
SERVER_NAME="RamNode Valheim Server"
WORLD_NAME="Dedicated"
SERVER_PASSWORD="YourSecurePassword123"
SERVER_PORT=2456

# Start the server
./valheim_server.x86_64 \
  -name "$SERVER_NAME" \
  -port $SERVER_PORT \
  -world "$WORLD_NAME" \
  -password "$SERVER_PASSWORD" \
  -public 1 \
  -savedir ~/valheim-data

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$templdpath

    Configuration Parameters

    -name: Server name in browser
    -port: Main port (uses 2456-2458)
    -world: World save file name
    -password: Min 5 characters
    -public: 1=public, 0=private
    -savedir: World saves location
    Make Executable
    chmod +x ~/start_valheim.sh
    6

    Configure Firewall

    Exit the valheim user and configure firewall rules:

    Configure UFW
    exit  # Return to root

sudo ufw allow 2456:2458/udp
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp  # Ensure SSH remains accessible
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw status

    Port Requirements

    • 2456/UDP: Main game port
    • 2457/UDP: Query port
    • 2458/UDP: Steam server list port
    7

    Systemd Service

    Create Service File
    sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/valheim.service
    valheim.service
    [Unit]
Description=Valheim Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=valheim
WorkingDirectory=/home/valheim/valheim-server
ExecStart=/home/valheim/start_valheim.sh
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
    Enable and Start
    sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable valheim
sudo systemctl start valheim
    Check Status
    sudo systemctl status valheim

# View logs
sudo journalctl -u valheim -f
    8

    Server Management

    Management Commands
    # Start server
sudo systemctl start valheim

# Stop server
sudo systemctl stop valheim

# Restart server
sudo systemctl restart valheim

# View status
sudo systemctl status valheim

    Update Server

    Update Valheim
    sudo systemctl stop valheim
sudo su - valheim
steamcmd +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType linux +force_install_dir ~/valheim-server +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit
exit
sudo systemctl start valheim
    9

    Backup Strategy

    Create Backup Script
    sudo su - valheim
mkdir -p ~/backups
nano ~/backup_valheim.sh
    backup_valheim.sh
    #!/bin/bash
BACKUP_DIR=~/backups
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)

tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/valheim_backup_$DATE.tar.gz ~/valheim-data/

# Keep only last 7 days of backups
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "valheim_backup_*.tar.gz" -mtime +7 -delete
    Schedule Daily Backups
    chmod +x ~/backup_valheim.sh
crontab -e

# Add this line for daily backup at 4 AM:
0 4 * * * /home/valheim/backup_valheim.sh
    10

    Performance Optimization

    CPU Affinity

    Pin to CPU Cores
    sudo systemctl edit valheim

# Add:
[Service]
CPUAffinity=0-1

    Network Optimization

    Adjust Network Buffers
    sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

# Add:
net.core.rmem_max=16777216
net.core.wmem_max=16777216

# Apply changes:
sudo sysctl -p

    Monitor Resources

    Install Monitoring Tools
    sudo apt install -y htop iotop nethogs

# Monitor in real-time:
# htop - CPU and memory usage
# iotop - Disk I/O
# nethogs - Network bandwidth per process
    11

    Mods & Admin Configuration

    Admin Privileges

    Add Admin Players
    sudo su - valheim
nano ~/valheim-data/adminlist.txt

# Add Steam64 IDs of admin players (one per line)

    BepInEx Mod Support

    Popular Valheim mods require BepInEx:

    1. Download BepInExPack for Valheim from Thunderstore
    2. Extract to the server directory
    3. Place mod DLLs in BepInEx/plugins/
    4. Restart the server

    Connecting to Your Server

    Method 1: Server Browser

    1. Open Valheim
    2. Click "Join Game"
    3. Search for your server name
    4. Enter the password

    Method 2: Direct Connection

    1. Press F2 in server browser
    2. Enter: your-server-ip:2456
    3. Click "Connect"

    Troubleshooting

    Security Best Practices

    • • Strong Passwords: Minimum 8 characters with mixed case, numbers, and symbols
    • • Keep System Updated: Regular security patches
    • • Limit SSH Access: Use SSH keys and disable password authentication
    • • Monitor Server Activity: Review logs regularly
    • • Regular Backups: Automate world backups to prevent data loss

    Additional Resources

    Valheim Wiki

    Game documentation

    NexusMods

    Mods & plugins

    RamNode Support

    Get help from our team