To check the status of your Valheim server service, run the following:<\/li>\n<\/ol>sudo systemctl status valheimserver.service<\/pre>Here’s an output example indicating your dedicated Valheim server is up and running:<\/p>
● valheimserver.service - Valheim Dedicated Server\n Loaded: loaded (\/etc\/systemd\/system\/valheimserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)\n Active: active (running) since Thu 2021-03-04 12:34:56 UTC; 1min 17s ago\nMain PID: 12345 (valheim_server)\n Status: \"Game server connected\"\n Tasks: 23 (limit: 4915)\n Memory: 300M\n CGroup: \/system.slice\/valheimserver.service\n └─12345 \/home\/valheim\/valheimserver\/valheim_server.x86_64 -nographics -batchmode -port 2456 -public 1 -name \"YourServerName\" -world \"YourWorldName\" -password \"YourPassword\"<\/pre>6. Connect to the Server<\/h3>
After completing the Valheim server setup, it’s time to invite your friends to join your newly established server. Here’s how players can connect:<\/p>
\n- Launch Valheim, select a character and click Start<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Navigate to Join Game → Join IP<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter the server’s IP address and port, then click Connect<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
If everything is configured correctly, they should be able to join the server and play Valheim without issues.<\/p>
Valheim Server Troubleshooting<\/strong><\/p>If players can’t access your server, consider these troubleshooting tips:<\/p>
\n- The server does not appear in the community server list.<\/strong> Make sure your server is set to public (-public 1<\/strong>) and verify that your firewall settings allow the necessary ports (2456-2458 UDP<\/strong>). The server might also take a while to appear on the list, so please be patient.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Connection timeouts or failures.<\/strong> Ensure the server’s external IP address is accurate, and that port forwarding is correctly set up on your router. Additionally, confirm that your firewall isn’t blocking incoming connections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Game server connection issues.<\/strong> If players can see the server but can’t connect, recheck the server’s IP and port forwarding configurations. Confirm that the server is running and not stuck during startup. Restarting the server might also help fix these issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
7. Maintain and Update Your Server<\/h3>
To ensure a stable and enjoyable experience on your Valheim server, you need to maintain and update it regularly. Follow these steps to keep your server in optimal condition:<\/p>
Safely Stopping the Server<\/strong><\/p>If you’re in a screen <\/strong>session or have the server running in a terminal, press Ctrl + C<\/strong> to carefully stop the server. If it’s running as a service, use:<\/p>sudo systemctl stop valheimserver.service<\/pre>To confirm that the server has shut down, run the status<\/strong> command:<\/p>sudo systemctl status valheimserver.service<\/pre>The output should indicate that the service is inactive (dead)<\/strong>. For example:<\/p>…\nActive: inactive (dead) since Thu 2021-03-04 12:34:56 UTC; 1min 17s ago\n…<\/pre>Backing Up Server Data<\/strong><\/p>To back up your Valheim world, execute the following commands, replacing ~\/ValheimBackups\/worlds<\/strong> with your preferred backup location:<\/p>cd ~\/.config\/unity3d\/IronGate\/Valheim\/worlds\nmkdir -p ~\/ValheimBackups\/worlds\ncp ~\/.config\/unity3d\/IronGate\/Valheim\/worlds\/*.{db,fwl} ~\/ValheimBackups\/worlds<\/pre>For character data backups, run these commands instead:<\/p>
cd ~\/.config\/unity3d\/IronGate\/Valheim\/characters\nmkdir -p ~\/ValheimBackups\/characters\ncp ~\/.config\/unity3d\/IronGate\/Valheim\/characters\/* ~\/ValheimBackups\/characters<\/pre>Updating the Valheim Server Software<\/strong><\/p>If your server receives an update from Valve, follow these steps to apply it:<\/p>
\n- Before updating, stop the server and back up your server files as described above.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Launch SteamCMD and update the server with this command:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
.\/steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir \/home\/valheim\/valheimserver +app_update 896660 validate +quit<\/pre>\n- Restart the server once the update is finished:<\/li>\n<\/ol>
sudo systemctl restart valheimserver.service<\/pre>Monitoring Server Performance<\/strong><\/p>Adopt these best practices to monitor the server’s performance:<\/p>
\n- Use tools like top<\/strong>, htop<\/strong>, or glances<\/strong> to observe server resource usage in real time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check server logs for any errors or warnings that might indicate performance issues. Logs are usually located within the server directory or a specified log file path.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Conclusion<\/h2>
In this guide, you’ve learned how to set up, configure, and maintain dedicated Valheim servers, ensuring a seamless multiplayer experience.<\/p>
As you become more familiar with server management, we encourage you to customize your own server further and explore the various mods that are available. These can enrich your Valheim gameplay, offering a unique experience for you and your fellow Vikings.<\/p>
Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop them in the comment box below!<\/p>
How to Set up a Valheim Dedicated Server FAQ<\/h2>
This section will answer the most common questions about creating Valheim dedicated servers.<\/p>
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