12 KiB
Hytale F2P Server Guide
Play with friends online! This guide covers both easy in-game hosting and advanced dedicated server setup.
DOWNLOAD SERVER FILES HERE: https://discord.gg/MEyWUxt77m
Part 1: Playing with Friends (Online Play)
The easiest way to play with friends - no manual server setup required!
How It Works
- Start the game via F2P Launcher
- Click "Online Play" in the main menu
- Share the invite code with your friends
- Friends enter your invite code to join
The game automatically handles networking using UPnP/STUN/NAT traversal.
Network Requirements
For Online Play to work, you need:
- UPnP enabled on your router (most routers have this on by default)
- Public IP address from your ISP (not behind CGNAT)
Common Issues
"NAT Type: Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT)" Warning
If you see this message:
Connected via UPnP
NAT Type: Carrier-Grade NAT (CGNAT)
Warning: Your network configuration may prevent other players from connecting.
What this means: Your ISP doesn't give you a public IP address. Multiple customers share one public IP, which blocks incoming connections.
Solutions:
- Contact your ISP - Request a public/static IP address (may cost extra)
- Use a VPN with port forwarding - Services like Mullvad, PIA, or AirVPN offer this
- Use Radmin VPN or Playit.gg - Create a virtual LAN with friends (see below)
- Have a friend with public IP host instead
"UPnP Failed" or "Port Mapping Failed"
Check your router:
- Log into router admin panel (usually
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1) - Find UPnP settings (often under "Advanced" or "NAT")
- Enable UPnP if disabled
- Restart your router
If UPnP isn't available:
- Manually forward port 5520 UDP to your computer's local IP
- See "Port Forwarding" section below
"Strict NAT" or "Symmetric NAT"
Some routers have restrictive NAT that blocks peer connections.
Try:
- Enable "NAT Passthrough" or "NAT Filtering: Open" in router settings
- Put your device in router's DMZ (temporary test only)
- Use Radmin VPN as workaround
Workarounds for NAT/CGNAT Issues
Option 1: playit.gg (Recommended)
Free tunneling service - only the host needs to install it:
- Download playit.gg and run it - Connect your account from the terminal (do not close it when playing on the server)
- Add a tunnel - Select "UDP", tunnel description of "Hytale Server", port count
1, and local port5520 - Start the tunnel - You'll get a public address like
xx-xx.gl.at.ply.gg:5520 - Share the address - Friends connect directly using this address
Works with both Online Play and dedicated servers. No software needed for players joining.
Option 2: Radmin VPN
Creates a virtual LAN - all players need to install it:
- Download Radmin VPN - All players install it
- Create a network - One person creates, others join with network name/password
- Host via Online Play - Use your Radmin VPN IP instead
- Friends connect - They'll see you on the virtual LAN
Both options bypass all NAT/CGNAT issues.
Part 2: Dedicated Server (Advanced)
For 24/7 servers, custom configurations, or hosting on a VPS/dedicated machine.
Quick Start
Step 1: Get the Server JAR
The server scripts will automatically download the pre-patched server JAR if it's not present.
Option A: Let the scripts download automatically (requires HYTALE_SERVER_URL to be configured)
Option B: Manually place HytaleServer.jar (pre-patched for F2P) in the Server directory:
- Windows:
%localappdata%\HytaleF2P\release\package\game\latest\Server - macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/HytaleF2P/release/package/game/latest/Server - Linux:
~/.hytalef2p/release/package/game/latest/Server
If you have a custom install path, the Server folder is inside your custom location under HytaleF2P/release/package/game/latest/Server.
Step 2: Run the Server
Windows:
cd scripts
run_server.bat
macOS / Linux:
cd scripts
./run_server.sh
The scripts will:
- Find your game installation automatically
- Download the pre-patched server JAR if needed
- Fetch session tokens from the auth server
- Start the server
Step 3: Connect Players
Share your server IP address with players. They connect via the F2P Launcher's server browser or direct connect.
Network Setup (Dedicated Server)
Local Network (LAN)
If all players are on the same network:
- Find your local IP:
ipconfig(Windows) orifconfig(Mac/Linux) - Share this IP with players on your network
- Default port is
5520
Port Forwarding (Internet Play)
To allow direct internet connections:
- Forward port 5520 (UDP) in your router
- Find your public IP at whatismyip.com
- Share your public IP with players
Windows Firewall:
# Run as Administrator
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Hytale Server" dir=in action=allow protocol=UDP localport=5520
Configuration
Environment Variables
Set these before running to customize your server:
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
HYTALE_SERVER_URL |
(placeholder) | URL to download pre-patched server JAR |
HYTALE_AUTH_DOMAIN |
sanasol.ws |
Auth server domain |
HYTALE_BIND |
0.0.0.0:5520 |
Server IP and port |
HYTALE_AUTH_MODE |
authenticated |
Auth mode (see below) |
HYTALE_SERVER_NAME |
My Hytale Server |
Server display name |
HYTALE_GAME_PATH |
(auto-detected) | Override game location |
JVM_XMS |
2G |
Minimum Java memory |
JVM_XMX |
4G |
Maximum Java memory |
Example (Windows):
set HYTALE_SERVER_NAME=My Awesome Server
set JVM_XMX=8G
run_server.bat
Example (Linux/macOS):
HYTALE_SERVER_NAME="My Awesome Server" JVM_XMX=8G ./run_server.sh
Authentication Modes
| Mode | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
authenticated |
Players log in via F2P Launcher | Public servers |
unauthenticated |
No login required | LAN parties, testing |
singleplayer |
Local play only | Solo testing |
RAM Allocation Guide
Adjust memory based on your system:
| System RAM | Players | JVM_XMS | JVM_XMX |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 GB | 1-3 | 512M |
2G |
| 8 GB | 3-8 | 1G |
4G |
| 16 GB | 8-15 | 2G |
8G |
| 32 GB | 15+ | 4G |
12G |
Example for large server:
JVM_XMS=4G JVM_XMX=12G ./run_server.sh
Tips:
-Xms= minimum RAM (allocated at startup)-Xmx= maximum RAM (upper limit)- Never allocate all your system RAM - leave room for OS
- Start conservative and increase if needed
Server Commands
Once running, use these commands in the console:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
help |
Show all commands |
stop |
Stop server gracefully |
save |
Force world save |
list |
List online players |
op <player> |
Give operator status |
deop <player> |
Remove operator status |
kick <player> |
Kick a player |
ban <player> |
Ban a player |
unban <player> |
Unban a player |
tp <player> <x> <y> <z> |
Teleport player |
Command Line Options
Pass these when starting the server:
./run_server.sh [OPTIONS]
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
--bind <ip:port> |
Server address (default: 0.0.0.0:5520) |
--auth-mode <mode> |
Authentication mode |
--universe <path> |
Path to world data |
--mods <path> |
Path to mods folder |
--backup |
Enable automatic backups |
--backup-dir <path> |
Backup directory |
--backup-frequency <mins> |
Backup interval |
--owner-name <name> |
Server owner username |
--allow-op |
Allow op commands |
--disable-sentry |
Disable crash reporting |
--help |
Show all options |
Example:
./run_server.sh --backup --backup-frequency 30 --allow-op
File Structure
<game_path>/
├── Assets.zip # Game assets (required)
├── Client/ # Game client
└── Server/
├── HytaleServer.jar # Server executable (pre-patched)
├── HytaleServer.aot # AOT cache (faster startup)
├── universe/ # World data
│ ├── world/ # Default world
│ └── players/ # Player data
├── mods/ # Server mods (optional)
└── Licenses/ # License files
Backups
Automatic Backups
./run_server.sh --backup --backup-dir ./backups --backup-frequency 30
Manual Backup
- Use
savecommand or stop the server - Copy the
universe/folder - Store in a safe location
Restore
- Stop the server
- Delete/rename current
universe/ - Copy backup to
universe/ - Restart server
Troubleshooting
"Java not found" or "Java version too old"
Java 21 is REQUIRED (the server uses class file version 65.0).
Install Java 21:
- Windows:
winget install EclipseAdoptium.Temurin.21.JDK - macOS:
brew install openjdk@21 - Ubuntu:
sudo apt install openjdk-21-jdk - Fedora:
sudo dnf install java-21-openjdk - Arch:
sudo pacman -S jdk21-openjdk - Download: adoptium.net/temurin/releases/?version=21
macOS: Set Java 21 as default:
export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 21)
export PATH="$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH"
Add these lines to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile to make permanent.
"Game directory not found"
- Download game via F2P Launcher first
- Or set
HYTALE_GAME_PATHenvironment variable - Check custom install path in launcher settings
"Assets.zip not found"
Game files incomplete. Re-download via the launcher.
"Port already in use"
./run_server.sh --bind 0.0.0.0:5521
"Out of memory"
Increase JVM_XMX:
JVM_XMX=6G ./run_server.sh
Players can't connect
- Server shows "Server Ready"?
- Using F2P Launcher (not official)?
- Port 5520 open in firewall?
- Port forwarding configured (for internet)?
- Try
--auth-mode unauthenticatedfor testing
"Authentication failed"
- Ensure players use F2P Launcher
- Auth server may be temporarily down
- Test with
--auth-mode unauthenticated
Docker Deployment (Advanced)
For production servers, use Docker:
docker run -d \
--name hytale-server \
-p 5520:5520/udp \
-v ./data:/data \
-e HYTALE_AUTH_DOMAIN=sanasol.ws \
-e HYTALE_SERVER_NAME="My Server" \
-e JVM_XMX=8G \
ghcr.io/hybrowse/hytale-server-docker:latest
See Docker documentation for details.
Server Settings Summary
Minimal Setup
./run_server.sh
Custom Memory
JVM_XMS=2G JVM_XMX=8G ./run_server.sh
Custom Port
HYTALE_BIND=0.0.0.0:25565 ./run_server.sh
LAN Party (No Auth)
./run_server.sh --auth-mode unauthenticated
Full Custom Setup
HYTALE_SERVER_NAME="Epic Server" \
HYTALE_BIND=0.0.0.0:5520 \
JVM_XMS=2G \
JVM_XMX=8G \
./run_server.sh --backup --backup-frequency 15 --allow-op
Getting Help
- Check server console logs for errors
- Test with
--auth-mode unauthenticatedfirst - Ensure all players have F2P Launcher
- Join the community for support
Credits
- Hytale F2P Project
- Hybrowse Docker Image
- Auth Server: sanasol.ws