Install and run a Conan Exiles dedicated server with Windows (native) or Linux (Wine)

Platform Support

Platform	Support	Notes
Windows	✅ Native	Recommended (official support)
Linux	⚠️ Wine/Proton	Requires compatibility layer, higher overhead

Conan Exiles

Conan Exiles is a survival MMO with official Windows support. This guide covers setting up both Windows (native) and Linux (Wine/Proton) dedicated servers.

Windows Server (Recommended)

Requirements

RAM: 8 GB minimum (10+ GB recommended)
CPU: 4 vCPU
Storage: 50 GB SSD
Bandwidth: 3-10 Mbps per player
OS: Windows Server 2016+ or Windows 10/11

Step 1: Download Server on Windows

steamcmd +force_install_dir "C:\ConanExiles-Server" +login anonymous +app_update 443030 validate +quit

Step 2: Configure Engine.ini

Create C:\ConanExiles-Server\ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Engine.ini:

[/Script/Engine.Engine]
Net.ServerTravelPause=False

[/Script/Engine.World]
bWorldGravityDisabled=False

Step 3: Configure ServerSettings.ini

Create C:\ConanExiles-Server\ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\ServerSettings.ini:

[/Script/ConanSandbox.ConanGameMode]
ServerName=My Conan Exiles Server
ServerPassword=your_server_password
MaxPlayers=40
ServerAdminPassword=your_admin_password
BattlepassEnabled=1

[/Script/ConanSandbox.ConanExilesGameMode]
ClanMaxMembers=15
ClanMaxTitles=25
PvPBlitzEnabled=0
KickUnresponsiveClients=1

[/Script/Engine.GameModeBase]
KillZ=-50000.0
MaxPlayers=40
NumSpectators=0

Step 4: Create Startup Batch

Create C:\ConanExiles-Server\start-server.bat:

@echo off
cd /d C:\ConanExiles-Server\ConanSandbox\Binaries\Win64
ConanSandboxServer-Win64-Shipping.exe -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015
pause

Step 5: Run as Service (Optional)

nssm install ConanServer "C:\ConanExiles-Server\ConanSandbox\Binaries\Win64\ConanSandboxServer-Win64-Shipping.exe" "-Port=7777"
nssm start ConanServer

Linux Server (Wine/Proton)

Requirements

RAM: 8 GB minimum (10+ GB recommended)
CPU: 4 vCPU
Storage: 50 GB SSD
Bandwidth: 3-10 Mbps per player
OS: Ubuntu 20.04+ or Debian 11+

Conan Exiles servers are resource-heavy. Wine adds additional overhead. Allocate at least 8 GB of RAM. Underprovisioned servers will crash under load.

Installation

1. Install Wine and dependencies

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wine wine32 wine64 winetricks

For better performance and compatibility, consider using Proton (Steam's Wine fork):

sudo apt install -y proton

2. Install SteamCMD

Install the native Linux SteamCMD:

sudo apt install -y steamcmd

3. Create a dedicated user

sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash conan
sudo su - conan

4. Download the server

Download the Conan Exiles server (AppID 443030) using native SteamCMD:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 443030 validate +quit

The server will install to ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox. Note this path.

The server will download to ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Binaries/Win64/ConanSandboxServer-Win64-Shipping.exe.

5. Set up Wine prefix

Create a Wine prefix for the Conan Exiles server:

export WINEPREFIX=~/.wine-conan
winecfg

A Wine configuration window will appear. Accept defaults and close it. This initializes the prefix.

Configuration

Server configuration files are located in:

~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/

Engine.ini

Create or edit Engine.ini:

[/Script/Engine.Engine]
Net.ServerTravelPause=False

[/Script/Engine.World]
bWorldGravityDisabled=False

[Core.System]
Paths=../../../Engine/Content
Paths=../../../Engine/Plugins

ServerSettings.ini

This is the main configuration file. Edit or create ServerSettings.ini:

[/Script/ConanSandbox.ConanGameMode]
ServerName=My Conan Exiles Server
ServerPassword=your_server_password
MaxPlayers=40
ServerAdminPassword=your_admin_password
BattlepassEnabled=1
AutomaticPlayerLocationReportEnabled=1

[/Script/ConanSandbox.ConanExilesGameMode]
ClanMaxMembers=15
ClanMaxTitles=25
PvPBlitzEnabled=0
KickUnresponsiveClients=1

[/Script/Engine.GameModeBase]
KillZ=-50000.0
MaxPlayers=40
NumSpectators=0

Key settings:

ServerName: Server name (appears in browser)
ServerPassword: Join password (empty = public)
MaxPlayers: Maximum concurrent players (40 typical)
ServerAdminPassword: Admin command password
BattlepassEnabled: Enable/disable battle pass

Ports

Ensure these ports are open:

Port	Protocol	Purpose
7777	UDP	Game traffic
7778	UDP	Game traffic
27015	UDP	Steam query

Open firewall:

sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
sudo ufw allow 7778/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
sudo ufw enable

Running the Server

Manual startup with Wine

export WINEPREFIX=~/.wine-conan
cd ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Binaries/Win64
wine ConanSandboxServer-Win64-Shipping.exe -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015

The server takes 30-60 seconds to initialize. Wait for the log to stabilize before connecting.

Systemd service (recommended)

Create /etc/systemd/system/conan-exiles.service:

[Unit]
Description=Conan Exiles Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=conan
WorkingDirectory=/home/conan/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Binaries/Win64
Environment="WINEPREFIX=/home/conan/.wine-conan"
Environment="WINEARCH=win64"
ExecStart=/usr/bin/wine ConanSandboxServer-Win64-Shipping.exe -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable conan-exiles
sudo systemctl start conan-exiles

Check status:

sudo systemctl status conan-exiles

View logs:

sudo journalctl -u conan-exiles -f

Mods

Conan Exiles supports mods. To install mods:

Subscribe to mods on Steam Workshop
SteamCMD will automatically download them
Copy mod files to the Mods folder:

cp -r ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/workshop/content/440900/* \
  ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Mods/

Mods are loaded automatically by the server.

Save Files and Backups

Wine-based servers are less stable than native implementations. Regular backups are essential.

Save files are located in:

~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Saved/

Backup regularly:

tar -czf conan-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).tar.gz \
  ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Saved/

Store backups externally.

Server Updates

To update the server:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 443030 validate +quit
sudo systemctl restart conan-exiles

Always back up your saves before updating.

Performance Optimization

Wine optimization flags

Add these environment variables to your systemd service:

Environment="DXVK_HUD=off"
Environment="VKD3D_CONFIG=dxr11"
Environment="STAGING_SHARED_MEMORY=1"

Monitor resource usage

# Check memory and CPU
top -p $(pgrep -f ConanSandboxServer)

# Check disk usage
du -sh ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/

Troubleshooting

Server crashes on startup:

Check Wine logs: ~/.wine-conan/drive_c/users/[user]/Local Settings/Application Data/
Ensure sufficient RAM: free -h
Try reinstalling dependencies: sudo apt install --reinstall wine64

Cannot connect to server:

Verify ports are open: sudo netstat -tuln | grep -E '7777|7778|27015'
Check firewall: sudo ufw status
Restart service: sudo systemctl restart conan-exiles

High CPU usage:

Wine emulation is CPU-intensive; this is expected
Reduce MaxPlayers if server is undersized
Consider upgrading to more vCPUs

Mods not loading:

Verify mod files are in the Mods folder
Check server logs for mod errors
Ensure mod compatibility with current server version

Tips & Tweaks

Engine.ini and Game.ini Tuning

Engine.ini parameters:

Parameter	Value	Impact
`Net.ServerTravelPause`	true/false	Pause game during map changes
`bUseFixedTimeStep`	true	Consistent frame rate (CPU intensive)
`FixedDeltaTime`	0.01667	Fixed timestep in seconds (60 FPS)
`bDumpViewportRenderTargetPool`	false	Disable to reduce memory

Game.ini performance settings:

[Conan.World]
LandclaimRadiusMultiplier=1.5
BuildingDamageMultiplier=1.0

Admin Panel Access

In-game admin panel (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+L):

Key Settings:

Server Settings: Max players, PvP rules, decay timers
Thralls: Thrall spawn rates and damage multipliers
Structures: Building health, decay rates
Economy: Loot drops, resource multipliers

Thrall Settings and Rates

Adjust thrall difficulty and availability:

Setting	Value	Impact
`ThrallSpawnRate`	1.0-2.0	Spawn frequency multiplier
`ThrallHealth`	0.5-2.0	Thrall HP multiplier
`ThrallAttackDamage`	0.5-2.0	Damage output modifier
`ThrallFollowerLimit`	5-50	Max thralls per player

Mod Installation via Mod Manager

Windows workflow:

Download mods from Nexus Mods
Use Vortex Mod Manager
Install to: C:\ConanExiles-Server\ConanSandbox\Mods\
Verify mod load order
Restart server

Linux workflow:

cp -r ~/downloaded-mods/* ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/ConanSandbox/ConanSandbox/Mods/
sudo systemctl restart conan-exiles

Popular mods:

Pippi: Admin tools and QoL improvements
Devious Desires: Building and decoration
Unlock Plus: Expanded building options
Better Thralls: Enhanced AI and customization

Next Steps

Configure admin panel settings for gameplay balance
Set up mod ecosystem with popular community additions
Plan thrall farming and loot economy
Configure clan size and PvP timers for your audience
Monitor server performance and adjust MaxPlayers accordingly

Conan Exiles

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