VPS: Palworld Dedicated Server Windows Setup
This guide was created with the following products:
(Details may vary with products from different providers but the main concepts remain the same)
Introduction
Do you have a Windows VPS or root server and you want to install the Palworld Dedicated server service on it? You are in the right place. In this guide, we will explain the step by step process of installing this service on your server.
How To Setup Palworld Dedicated Server on Windows VPS!
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Preparation
To begin with, connect to your VPS or rootserver through Remote Desktop (RDP). Use our Initial Access (RDP) guide if you need help doing this.
Once you have accessed your server, you will need to setup SteamCMD in order to be able to download the necessary dedicated server files. SteamCMD is the command-line (CLI) version of the Steam client and is the tool which allows you to easily download a range of Steam workshop and dedicated server files. Download SteamCMD from the official Valve website or directly here.
Create a new folder somewhere on your server, in this scenario we will name it steamcmd. Head over to your Downloads folder, find the steamcmd.zip file which you just downloaded and place it into your steamcmd folder. Now you will have unzip the file by right-clicking and using Window's unzip functionality directly, or any range of applications such as .7zip or Winrar. This should result with a steamcmd.exe file being unzipped.
Simply run steamcmd.exe and await until the installation process is fully completed.
As soon as the message Loading Steam API.... OK is displayed, the process has been completed successfully and you can being with the installation of the Palworld dedicated server in the following section.
Installation
After the installation, you should be able to execute commands within the steamcmd.exe command prompt that you ran before. You need to login prior to being able to do anything, through the anonymous user, by using the command: login anonymous
Once logged in, you can now begin downloading the files.
Optional: You can set your preferred install directory by using the command force_install_dir [path], replacing [path] with the path that you wish to use for your server. For example:
force_install_dir C:\Palworld-Server
Now run the command app_update 2394010 which will begin the download. The App ID 2394010 is the Palworld application.
Please do not interrupt the process before it is completed to avoid mistakes. It may take a moment, but it's worth being patient! :)
Once successful, head over to the download directory where all of the server files have been downloaded. Here, you can use the PalServer.exe to start the server. However, we recommend port forwarding and configuring your server first.
Port Forwarding your server
In order to ensure that your server is accessible to the public, you must alter port forwarding rules for the ports that the dedicated server process is using. You can do this either through Powershell commands directly which is easier, or regularly through the Windows Defender Firewall page.
- Via Powershell
- Via Windows Defender
Open your Windows search box, and search for Powershell. Make sure to right-click and Run as Administrator so that permissions are accessible and everything works correctly.
Ensure you run your Powershell in Administrator mode, otherwise the settings may not apply correctly.
Next, copy and paste the following commands into your Powershell Prompt:
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Palworld Server" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 8211 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Palworld Server" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 8211 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Palworld Server" -Direction Outbound -LocalPort 8211 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Palworld Server" -Direction Outbound -LocalPort 8211 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow
These commands will automatically create firewall rules which are necessary for your Palworld server to be accessible to the public.
Use the search function on Windows to open up Windows Firewall Settings with Advanced Security. You may have to press Advanced Settings to open up the necessary window if you open up the base Windows Firewall page.
You must create new rules for your Palworld server. To do this, click on the incoming and outgoing rules as described below and add them for the following protocols and ports:
- TCP incoming and outgoing: 8211
- UDP incoming and outgoing: 8211
Please use our Port Forwarding (Firewall) guide if you need further assistance doing this.
Once you have added these rules, your server will now be accessible which means you will be able to connect to it through your server's IP address. You can do this by going to the server list browser and inputting your IP address and port into the search at the bottom. You should search for: [your_ip_address]:8211
We recommend that you configure your server settings first through the following section before accessing your server.
Configuration
By this stage, you have finished the setup for your Palworld server. You can perform further server configuration through a configuration file found within the directory of your server.
Firstly, navigate to the following directory:
../steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer
You will be able to find the PalWorldSettings.ini configuration file. Through this file, you can configure a wide selection of parameters for your server. See our Server Configuration to view all of the available options and what they each do.
If you do not see this file, please start your server at least once for this to be generated automatically. Alternatively, you can copy and use the default settings from the steamapps/common/PalServer/DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini path.
Enable Xbox Mode
Palworld dedicated servers now come with the ability to change and function as an Microsoft Store/Xbox dedicated server to allow Xbox players and Microsoft Store PC players to play on their own server together.
Cross-play between Steam & Microsoft Store/Xbox game versions is still not possible. Your server can either be set to work for Steam or for Microsoft Store/Xbox.
Navigate to the following directory and open the PalWorldSettings.ini file:
../steamapps/common/PalServer/Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
Into this file, add the following snippet to enable Xbox mode:
[/Script/Pal.PalGameWorldSettings]
OptionSettings=(AllowConnectPlatform=Xbox)
Save the file and the next time you launch the server it will be in Xbox mode.
On Xbox consoles, you cannot connect directly via the IP Address therefore if you plan to play on Xbox consoles, you will have to make your dedicated server public.
You can do this by creating a new StartServer.bat file in the root directory and populating it with: PalServer.exe -publiclobby. The special -publiclobby start up flag enables Community Server mode making it accessible in the server list.
You should also set a server name that can be easily found, view our Server Configuration guide on how to do this.
Starting & Connecting to your server
Now it is time to start your server. You may be required to install DirectX runtime if you do not have it already on your Windows VPS.
Head over to the base directory of your Palworld server and run PalServer.exe to begin the start up process. This will open the server's console in a command prompt and begin the startup process. If everthing occurs as expected, your server will be visible in the server list. Alternatively, you will be able to connect directly by using the bottom search bar on the server list and searching for: [your_ip_address]:8211.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have successfully installed and configured the Palworld server on your VPS! If you have any further questions or problems, please contact our support team, who are available to help you every day!