Project Zomboid: connect to and set up your server

Here's how to connect to your Project Zomboid server and adjust the most important settings.

Connecting

1. Open the server page in the client area and click Start.
2. Wait until the status shows “running”. You can follow the progress in the Console tab.
3. Copy the address (IP:Port) at the top of the server page.
4. Connect in-game via the multiplayer menu or direct connect using this address.

Important settings

In the Startup variables tab:

• Server name (SERVER_NAME) – internal name for save and configuration files.
• Admin username (ADMIN_USER) – name of the admin account.
• Admin password (ADMIN_PASSWORD) – password of the admin account.
• Beta branch (SRCDS_BETAID) – e.g. b41multiplayer; switching requires a reinstall – afterwards click Reinstall under Manage on the server page (create a backup first).
• Automatic update (AUTO_UPDATE) – 1 = on, 0 = off.

Changes in the Startup variables tab take effect on the next restart.

Where are the settings and the save?

Everything is in the Files tab in the .cache folder:

• .cache/Server/<servername>.ini – server settings such as password, PvP, player count and mods
• .cache/Server/<servername>_SandboxVars.lua – the game world: zombie count, loot amount, day length and more
• .cache/Saves/Multiplayer/<servername>/ – the save

<servername> is the internal server name from the startup variables. Stop the server before editing these files.

The most important entries in the .ini

• Password= – server password, empty = open
• PVP=true or false – whether players can attack each other
• MaxPlayers= – maximum number of players
• Open=false – only whitelisted players may join
• PublicName= – name in the server list; Public=true shows the server there

Installing Workshop mods

1. Stop the server and open .cache/Server/<servername>.ini.
2. Enter the Workshop IDs under WorkshopItems= (the number in the mod's Steam address).
3. Enter the mod IDs under Mods= (shown on the Workshop page as "Mod ID").
4. Separate multiple entries with semicolons, for example WorkshopItems=1111111111;2222222222.
5. Start the server. The mods are downloaded on start – this can take a few minutes.

Your friends download the mods automatically when joining.

Admin commands

Log in to the game with the admin account (user and password from the startup variables). Commands such as /setaccesslevel playername admin, /kick playername or /save are then available in chat. The same commands without the slash also work in the Console tab, for example save before a restart.

How much memory?

The base configuration with 4 GB is enough to start. The more players play at the same time and the more mods run, the more memory the server needs – with many mods or from about 8 players we recommend 6 to 8 GB. Your server automatically sets Java to about three quarters of the booked memory, so you do not need to change anything by hand.

Good to know

• The portal generates the admin password (user admin) automatically. It is shown once at the top of the server page – please make a note of it. To change it: Startup variables tab (ADMIN_PASSWORD).
• If you change the server name, the server creates new save and configuration files.
• The first start takes longer because the server files are downloaded and set up.