How to Host a RuneScape Dragonwilds Server (2026)

Short answer. You can host a RuneScape: Dragonwilds server yourself for free: install Steam app 4019830 with SteamCMD, put your Player ID in DedicatedServer.ini and open UDP port 7777. Or rent one and skip the networking.

Jagex's guidance is 2 GB of RAM plus 1 GB per player on 64-bit Windows or Linux, with up to 6 players per dedicated world.

Players find your server in Worlds, then the Public tab, by the exact, case-sensitive world name. There is no direct IP connect.

Accurate for game build 1.0.0.5 (25 September 2026), checked on 3 October 2026. Dragonwilds is patched often.

This guide sticks to what Jagex documents and what we can see in our own server data, and says where the two disagree. To skip to the rental route, go to Option 2.

What you need

The server software is a free Steam product called "RuneScape: Dragonwilds - Dedicated Servers". You pay for hardware, power and bandwidth, not the software.

Option 1: host it yourself

This works on a spare PC, a home server or a cloud virtual machine. The steps follow Jagex's guide and the community wiki's Linux page, tested on Debian 12. Windows differences are below.

Linux (Debian 12)

1. Get your Player ID. Open Dragonwilds, open the in-game Settings menu, scroll to the bottom and use the copy button next to your Player ID.
2. Install the libraries SteamCMD needs.

   sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install wget tar lib32gcc-s1 libc6:i386 libstdc++6:i386 -y

3. Create a dedicated user and folders.

   sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash -U dragonwilds
   sudo -u dragonwilds mkdir -p /home/dragonwilds/rs_server /home/dragonwilds/steamcmd

4. Install SteamCMD as that user.

   sudo su - dragonwilds
   cd ~/steamcmd
   wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
   tar -xf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
   ./steamcmd.sh

   Type quit at the Steam> prompt once it has updated itself.
5. Download the server.

   ~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/dragonwilds/rs_server +login anonymous +app_update 4019830 validate +quit
   chmod +x /home/dragonwilds/rs_server/RSDragonwildsServer.sh

   If SteamCMD ends with "Missing configuration" or leaves the folder empty, run it again. We see that error come and go on fresh installs. Check that steamapps/appmanifest_4019830.acf exists before assuming the install worked.
6. Start once to generate the config file.

   ~/rs_server/RSDragonwildsServer.sh -log -NewConsole -Port=7777

   Press Ctrl+C after startup finishes.
7. Stop the server, then edit the config. The file is RSDragonwilds/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/DedicatedServer.ini in the install folder. Jagex's main guide writes the folder as Linux and the wiki's Linux page writes LinuxServer, so use whichever folder the first run created. Edits made while the server is running are lost.

   [/Script/Dominion.DedicatedServerSettings]
   OwnerId=YOUR_PLAYER_ID
   ServerName=MyServer
   DefaultWorldName=MyWorld
   WorldPassword=
   AdminPassword=choose-a-password

8. Open the port. Allow UDP 7777 on the machine's firewall (for example sudo ufw allow 7777/udp), then forward UDP 7777 on your router to the machine. Jagex says all of the server's ports need UDP forwarding through firewalls, routers and your ISP. TCP is not mentioned.
9. Start the server for real with the same command as step 6, ideally under a service manager so it restarts after a crash. The wiki's Linux page has a systemd unit to copy.
10. Join it. In the game open Worlds, choose the Public tab and search for your world name exactly as you typed it.

Windows

Install the "RuneScape: Dragonwilds - Dedicated Servers" product from Steam, or use SteamCMD:

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\MyInstallFolder +login anonymous +app_update 4019830 +quit

Run the server executable in the install folder (Jagex's guide names it RSDragonwilds.exe) with the launch options -log -NewConsole for a console window. The config file is RSDragonwilds\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\DedicatedServer.ini and takes the same settings. Add an inbound Windows Firewall rule for UDP 7777 and forward the port on your router.

Where things are, and what to back up

• Logs: RSDragonwilds/Saved/Logs/RSDragonwilds.log
• Saves: RSDragonwilds/Saved/SaveGames on the server
• Config: DedicatedServer.ini as above

Copy the save folder and the ini file before every update.

Option 2: host it on PlayNHost

Renting removes port forwarding, firewall work and the update routine. You still set your Player ID and pick a world name people can type.

1. Pick a plan. Open the RuneScape: Dragonwilds server hosting page, compare the plans (BRONZE, STEEL and RUNE at the time of writing) and press Buy Now on one. Prices change, so check the plans on that page.
2. Go through the order window. It has four steps: Server Location (Europe is the location offered), Billing Cycle (Monthly, Quarterly or Annually), Configure Options (add-ons such as CPU Priority, Dedicated IP and Backup Storage, which you can leave at their defaults) and Review Order. Then press Checkout. New customers get the first month discount automatically.
3. Wait for the install. You get a "server ready" email and the server appears at panel.playnhost.com. Watch the Console tab: the panel counts the server as running when it prints CREATE SESSION - Advertise.
4. Open Settings, then Game Settings. Every setting lives here, so you do not edit a config file by hand. Each field saves as you change it.
5. Paste your Player ID into Owner Player ID. It is at the bottom of the in-game Settings menu. Our field accepts exactly 32 letters and digits.
6. Choose a World Name. Up to 16 characters: letters, numbers, spaces, dots, dashes and underscores. Friends search for this name. Set it before the first start if you can, because changing it later starts a new empty world.
7. Set Server Name and World Password. Server Name is the "Created By" line beside your world. World Password is optional, and empty means open. The panel refuses # ; " and a backtick in these fields because the game reads them wrongly.
8. Restart the server with the Restart button, wait for the ready line, then join from Worlds, Public by exact world name.
9. Make other people admins. As the owner, open the in-game Pause menu, go to Server Management and promote players from the player list.

Editing the key settings later

1. Open Settings, then Game Settings, and change the field. It saves immediately.
2. Press Restart when the "Saved. The server must restart before these take effect." notice appears.
3. Saves are in RSDragonwilds/Saved/SaveGames under Files. Take a backup from Backups before big changes. The Dragonwilds backup skips the game binaries, and one we measured was 25 MB.
4. For a fresh world, use World Reset under Quick Tasks. It deletes the saved world and keeps your settings.

Mods: single .pak files go in RSDragonwilds/Content/Paks/~mods and folder-style mods in RSDragonwilds/Mods. We have watched the server mount a test mod from each.

More detail is in our knowledge base: how to connect to your server, how to change your server settings and how to fix a server that will not start.

Self-hosting or renting: an honest comparison

Self-hosting suits you if a machine already runs all day and you are comfortable with networking. Renting suits you if you would rather not look after hardware.

Settings worth changing

About the admin password. Jagex's guide and wiki still describe an admin password that opens the Server Management tab. On build 1.0.0.5 our own checks showed the server deleting AdminPassword from the config shortly after boot, with no server code that checks one. So admin comes from OwnerId, and the owner promotes others from the in-game player list. If a patch brings the password back, follow Jagex's guide. Filling the field in does no harm.

On the owner ID: Jagex's guide lists it as mandatory. Our own notes for build 1.0.0.5 say the server starts without a real owner ID, but then nobody owns the world. Either way, set it before you share the address.

Crossplay: Jagex's 1.0 notes say dedicated servers have a crossplay option. The setting's name is not in Jagex's written guide, so on a self-hosted server look in the generated DedicatedServer.ini after the first run.

Updates

Jagex warns that mismatches are likely whenever an update or hotfix is released, and a server on an old build drops out of the browser for anyone who has updated. Build 1.0.0.5 followed the 15 September 2026 full release by ten days, so expect frequent patches.

Self-hosted. Stop the server, copy DedicatedServer.ini and SaveGames somewhere safe, rerun the SteamCMD command with +app_update 4019830 validate, check your settings and Owner ID are still in the ini (the wiki's Windows script backs the ini up and restores it for this reason), then start.

On PlayNHost. With Automatic Game Updates on, every start installs a new version before launching. After a patch, press Restart. Turn the field off only to stay on the current build for a while, and turn it back on.

Common problems and fixes

1. Friends cannot find the server

Cause: Only the world name is searchable, and search is case sensitive. The game also cuts the advertised name to 16 characters, so a longer name cannot be typed in full.

Fix: Keep the world name to 16 characters or fewer, copy it exactly and search in Worlds, Public. Jagex's 1.0.0.5 notes added a case-sensitive tooltip to the search bar.

2. The server is not in the list after a game update

Cause: The client is on a newer build than the server.

Fix: Restart with updates enabled, or run the SteamCMD update on a self-hosted machine, then search again.

3. A setting reverts to its old value

Cause: The config file was edited while the server was running. Jagex lists this as a known issue.

Fix: Stop the server, edit, start. On a rented server use the Game Settings fields, which the panel writes for you at start.

4. Nobody has admin rights

Cause: The owner ID is still a placeholder, or it is a Steam ID rather than your Dragonwilds Player ID.

Fix: Copy the Player ID from the bottom of the in-game Settings menu into OwnerId (Owner Player ID in the panel), restart and rejoin.

5. A new, empty world appeared

Cause: The world name was changed. A new name starts a new world. The old save stays on disk but is not loaded.

Fix: Set the old world name again and restart. The old world loads again. Look in RSDragonwilds/Saved/SaveGames to confirm both saves are still there.

6. The world password does not work, or the world is open when it should be locked

Cause: A #, ;, double quote or backtick in the password. We measured the game keeping backticks our daemon adds around such values, and reading a password with a backtick as empty.

Fix: Use letters, numbers and simple punctuation, with no leading or trailing space.

7. The panel says running but nobody can join

Cause: The process is up but the game session is still starting.

Fix: Wait for CREATE SESSION - Advertise in the console. If it never appears, read the console from the top of the last start for a config error.

8. Friends outside your home cannot connect to a self-hosted server

Cause: The UDP port is closed on the machine, router or ISP side, or forwarded as TCP.

Fix: Open and forward UDP 7777 (matching -Port on the launch line) and test from outside your network.

9. The install finishes but the server folder is empty

Cause: SteamCMD can answer "Missing configuration" yet report success.

Fix: Rerun the update and check that steamapps/appmanifest_4019830.acf exists.

10. Typing commands in the console does nothing

Cause: The game does not read typed commands, and there is no RCON.

Fix: Kick, ban and unban in game from Server Management in the Pause menu. Use the console to read the log. Steam invites also do not connect to dedicated servers, a known issue Jagex lists, so share the world name instead.

How much RAM do I need

Jagex's formula is 2 GB plus 1 GB per player. With 6 players as the cap, no server needs more than 8 GB by that rule, and there is no 8 to 16 player tier to plan for. Jagex plans to raise the cap later.

BRONZE (2 GB, 4 player slots) is our entry plan and sits below that formula even for one player. We held a Dragonwilds server for a quarter of an hour with nobody connected, sampling every 30 seconds, and it settled at 741 MB. That shows an empty world fits in 2 GB. It does not show what four people building and fighting will use, because we have no measurement of a loaded world. To stay inside Jagex's guidance, take STEEL for one or two players and RUNE for three or more. For two friends on a young world, BRONZE is a fair gamble: watch memory on the Overview tab and change plan from the My plan page if it climbs. Memory also grows as bases and stored items accumulate.

See the current plans for prices.

FAQ

How many players can join a Dragonwilds dedicated server?

Up to 6, according to Jagex. Our plans are 4, 5 and 6 player slots.

Can I host a Dragonwilds server for free?

The software is free, so you can run it on your own machine. You still pay for electricity, hardware and internet, and the machine must stay on.

Do I need to own the game to run the server?

Not to install it: the download uses an anonymous Steam login. Players need the game to join, and you need it to read your Player ID.

Why can my friend not see my server in the list?

Almost always the world name: search is case sensitive, there is no direct IP connect, the server name is not searchable and names over 16 characters are cut. Then check that client and server are on the same version.

Can console players join?

Jagex's 1.0 notes say dedicated servers have a crossplay option, and the game is on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2. Patch 1.0.0.5 fixed console saves being corrupted when joining a modded dedicated server.

Does the world keep running when nobody is online?

The world is saved on the server and stays available when you are offline.

Can I move my existing world onto a server?

With the server stopped, upload the .sav file to RSDragonwilds/Saved/SaveGames, start it, and check in Worlds, Public which world loaded. An uploaded world keeps its own name, and the World Password setting overrides any password stored in it. Back up first.

Can I run mods?

On our servers, yes: put .pak mods in RSDragonwilds/Content/Paks/~mods. A server running mods is flagged as modded in the game's list. If the server stops on start after you add one, remove it and restart.

What is likely to change

Jagex's guide dates from version 0.11 (March 2026). Expect changes to the admin password and owner ID rules, the crossplay setting, the player cap, the server browser and the config folder name. Check the dated pages on the official Dragonwilds wiki and Jagex's dedicated server guide before relying on any single detail here.