Factorio Server Guide

📋 Quick Info

Server Specifications

Game: Factorio (Automation/Factory Building)
Platform: Windows, Linux, macOS
Default Port: 34197/UDP
Max Players: Unlimited (practical: 10-50 depending on hardware)
Control Protocol: RCON
Server Binary: factorio (headless)
Special Features: Mods, blueprints, trains, logistics, multiplayer scenarios

🔌 Ports & Firewall Configuration

Factorio servers require specific ports for proper operation:

Port	Protocol	Purpose	Required
34197 (configurable)	UDP	Game port	Yes
27015	TCP	RCON (if enabled)	Optional

Firewall Examples

UFW (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo ufw allow 34197/udp comment 'Factorio Game Port'
sudo ufw allow 27015/tcp comment 'Factorio RCON'

FirewallD (CentOS/RHEL):

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=34197/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=27015/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

iptables:

iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 34197 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 27015 -j ACCEPT

⚙️ Installation & Setup

System Requirements

OS: Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, Debian 9+, CentOS 7+), Windows Server 2012+
CPU: 2+ cores @ 3.0GHz recommended (single-threaded performance critical)
RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB+ recommended, 8GB+ for large multiplayer games
Disk: 2GB for base game, additional space for saves and mods
Network: Stable connection, 1Mbps+ per player

Installation (Linux - Manual Download)

Download Factorio headless server:
cd /home/factorio wget -O factorio.tar.xz https://www.factorio.com/get-download/latest/headless/linux64 tar -xf factorio.tar.xz
Create data directory:
mkdir -p ~/.factorio cd factorio
Generate new map (optional):
./bin/x64/factorio --create my-save

Installation (Windows)

Download headless server from factorio.com/download
Extract to C:\factorio\
Run factorio.exe --create my-save to generate map

📝 Configuration

Directory Structure

~/.factorio/                # Config directory (Linux)
%APPDATA%\Factorio\         # Config directory (Windows)
├── saves/                   # Save games
├── mods/                    # Installed mods
├── config/
│   ├── server-settings.json
│   ├── server-whitelist.json
│   ├── server-banlist.json
│   └── server-adminlist.json
└── script-output/           # Script output files

server-settings.json Example

{
  "name": "My Factorio Server",
  "description": "Vanilla cooperative factory building",
  "tags": ["game", "tags"],
  
  "_comment_max_players": "Maximum number of players allowed",
  "max_players": 0,
  
  "_comment_visibility": "public: Game will be published on the official Factorio matching server",
  "visibility": {
    "public": true,
    "lan": true
  },
  
  "username": "",
  "password": "",
  "token": "",
  "game_password": "",
  
  "require_user_verification": true,
  "max_upload_in_kilobytes_per_second": 0,
  "max_upload_slots": 5,
  
  "minimum_latency_in_ticks": 0,
  "ignore_player_limit_for_returning_players": false,
  "allow_commands": "admins-only",
  
  "autosave_interval": 10,
  "autosave_slots": 5,
  "afk_autokick_interval": 0,
  
  "auto_pause": true,
  "only_admins_can_pause_the_game": true,
  
  "autosave_only_on_server": true,
  "non_blocking_saving": false,
  
  "_comment_admins": "List of case insensitive usernames, that will be admins on the server",
  "admins": []
}

server-whitelist.json Example

[
  "player1",
  "player2",
  "player3"
]

server-adminlist.json Example

[
  "admin1",
  "admin2"
]

Map Generation Settings (map-gen-settings.json)

{
  "terrain_segmentation": "normal",
  "water": "normal",
  "width": 0,
  "height": 0,
  "starting_area": "normal",
  "peaceful_mode": false,
  "autoplace_controls": {
    "coal": {
      "frequency": "normal",
      "size": "normal",
      "richness": "normal"
    },
    "iron-ore": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "copper-ore": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "stone": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "crude-oil": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "uranium-ore": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "trees": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" },
    "enemy-base": { "frequency": "normal", "size": "normal", "richness": "normal" }
  },
  "cliff_settings": {
    "name": "cliff",
    "cliff_elevation_0": 10,
    "cliff_elevation_interval": 40,
    "richness": "normal"
  },
  "property_expression_names": {},
  "starting_points": [ { "x": 0, "y": 0 } ],
  "seed": null
}

🚀 Startup Parameters

Parameter	Description	Example
--start-server	Start multiplayer server with save file	--start-server my-save
--create	Create new map/save	--create my-save
--port	Network port to use	--port 34197
--bind	IP address to bind to	--bind 0.0.0.0
--server-settings	Path to server settings JSON	--server-settings settings.json
--server-whitelist	Path to whitelist JSON	--server-whitelist whitelist.json
--server-adminlist	Path to admin list JSON	--server-adminlist adminlist.json
--rcon-port	RCON port (requires password)	--rcon-port 27015
--rcon-password	RCON password	--rcon-password secret
--map-gen-settings	Map generation settings JSON	--map-gen-settings mapgen.json
--console-log	Path to write console log	--console-log server.log

Example Startup Command (Linux)

./bin/x64/factorio --start-server my-save --port 34197 --server-settings server-settings.json

Example Startup Command (Windows)

factorio.exe --start-server my-save --port 34197 --server-settings server-settings.json

Example Startup Script (Linux with RCON)

#!/bin/bash
cd /home/factorio/factorio
./bin/x64/factorio \
  --start-server saves/my-save.zip \
  --port 34197 \
  --server-settings config/server-settings.json \
  --server-adminlist config/server-adminlist.json \
  --rcon-port 27015 \
  --rcon-password "your_secure_password" \
  --console-log /var/log/factorio/server.log

🔧 Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Browser

Issue: Server not visible in public game list.

Solutions:

Verify UDP port 34197 is open in firewall
Ensure "visibility": {"public": true} in server-settings.json
Check that username and token are set (for public listing)
Try direct connect using IP:PORT
Review server console logs for matching server errors

Connection Issues

Issue: Players cannot connect or timeout.

Solutions:

Verify firewall allows UDP traffic on game port
Check game_password if server is password protected
Ensure server and clients are same Factorio version
Verify max_players is not exceeded (0 = unlimited)
Check whitelist if server-whitelist.json is used

High Latency/Desync Issues

Issue: Players experiencing lag or desyncs.

Solutions:

Increase minimum_latency_in_ticks for high-latency players
Reduce max_upload_slots if bandwidth limited
Enable non_blocking_saving to prevent save-related lag spikes
Check server CPU usage (Factorio is CPU-intensive)
Remove mods that cause performance issues

Save File Corruption

Issue: Save file won't load or crashes.

Solutions:

Try loading older autosave (autosave_slots keeps multiple backups)
Use --check-save parameter to validate save integrity
Disable problematic mods one at a time
Regular backups of saves/ directory recommended

Mod Loading Issues

Issue: Mods not loading or causing crashes.

Solutions:

Ensure all players have same mod versions
Check mods/ directory for corrupted downloads
Verify mod compatibility with Factorio version
Use mod-list.json to enable/disable mods
Check factorio-current.log for mod errors

Server Performance Issues

Issue: Server running slowly with many players.

Solutions:

Optimize factory design (reduce entity count)
Use more efficient designs (direct insertion vs belts)
Reduce autosave_interval frequency
Upgrade to faster CPU (single-thread performance matters)
Monitor UPS (updates per second) in game

🎮 Game Modes & Features

Multiplayer Modes

Cooperative: All players work together on one factory
PvP: Players can attack each other (requires mods/scenarios)
Scenario-based: Custom scenarios with specific objectives

Core Features

Automation: Build and optimize production lines
Research: Technology tree with hundreds of upgrades
Logistics: Trains, belts, robots, and logistics networks
Combat: Defend against alien biters with turrets and walls
Blueprints: Copy and paste factory designs
Multiplayer: Cooperative building with friends

Map Settings

Peaceful Mode: Biters don't attack unless provoked
Resource Settings: Adjust frequency, size, and richness of ores
Enemy Settings: Configure biter evolution and expansion
Starting Area: Size of safe starting zone

🔌 Mods & Mod Portal

Factorio has extensive mod support via the official Mod Portal:

Popular Mods

Bob's Mods: Adds complexity with new tiers of machines
Angel's Mods: Complete overhaul of production chains
Krastorio 2: Major gameplay overhaul and extension
Space Exploration: Adds space travel and new planets
Factorissimo: Allows building factories inside buildings
Quality of Life mods: Improved UI, automation helpers

Mod Installation

Download mods from mods.factorio.com
Place .zip files in ~/.factorio/mods/
Edit mod-list.json to enable/disable mods
Restart server with --mod-directory parameter if needed

Mod Synchronization

All players must have identical mod versions
Server can provide mod-list.json for easy sync
In-game mod portal downloads mods automatically

👤 Admin Commands

In-Game Commands

/admin                  # Open admin menu
/ban [player]             # Ban a player
/unban [player]           # Unban a player
/kick [player] [reason]   # Kick a player
/promote [player]         # Promote player to admin
/demote [player]          # Demote player from admin
/mute [player]            # Mute player's chat
/unmute [player]          # Unmute player
/whitelist add [player]   # Add to whitelist
/whitelist remove [player]# Remove from whitelist
/save                     # Manually save game

RCON Commands (via External Tools)

Use RCON to send console commands remotely when --rcon-port and --rcon-password are configured.

📚 Resources

Official Website: https://www.factorio.com/
Mod Portal: https://mods.factorio.com/
Wiki: https://wiki.factorio.com/
Reddit: r/factorio community
Forums: Official Factorio forums

Important Notes

Factorio is CPU-intensive - single-thread performance is critical
Unlimited players supported but practical limit depends on factory size and CPU
All players must have identical mod versions for multiplayer compatibility
Autosaves create regular backups - configure frequency and slot count
Use RCON for remote server administration
Token required for public server listing (free from factorio.com account)
Map generation is highly customizable - adjust resources and enemies
Regular backups of saves/ directory strongly recommended
Cooperative factory building with real-time shared control
The factory must grow!