How to set up a DayZ online game server

Why is it important to have a dedicated DayZ server?

Setting up a dedicated DayZ server for you Full control It covers game rules, mods, restart times, and player capacity. In this step-by-step guide, we'll cover SteamCMD installation, server downloads, configuration, network security, ping optimization, and mod management, with a focus on Linux servers. Practical examples include Linux commands, a systemd unit example, firewall rules, and hardware recommendations.

Prerequisites and hardware/location selection

Before you begin, prepare the following:

• Operating system: Ubuntu 20.04/22.04 Or Debian 11/12 (Recommended)
• Access root Or user with sudo
• 1 Gbps stable bandwidth (for servers >50 players)
• Disk NVMe SSD To reduce I/O latency
• Strong single-core CPU: For 20-60 players: 4-8 high-frequency cores; For <20 players: 2-4 cores are enough
• Memory: Minimum 8GB for 20 players, 16GB+ for 60 players and heavy modes
• Possibility Anti-DDoS and appropriate BGP/Peering from the provider

Choose a location

For the lowest ping, choose a data center close to the players and with good peering. Examples:

• EU: Frankfurt or Amsterdam
• NA: New Jersey or Los Angeles
• APAC: Singapore or Tokyo

Install SteamCMD and download the DayZ server files

The general method involves installing the prerequisites, creating a non-root user, running SteamCMD, and downloading the official DayZ server files.

1) Install prerequisites (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 steamcmd tmux wget ca-certificates curl

2) Create a non-root user to run the server

sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash dayz
sudo passwd dayz
sudo su - dayz

3) Install/Run SteamCMD as dayz user

mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
steamcmd

4) Download DayZ server with SteamCMD

Run the following commands in SteamCMD:

login anonymous
force_install_dir /home/dayz/dayzserver
app_update 223350 validate
quit

Important routes and mod downloads (Workshop)

For Workshop mods you can use workshop_download_item in SteamCMD or automated tools. Example:

steamcmd +login anonymous +workshop_download_item 221100 <workshop_id> +quit

To find workshop_id Visit the mod page on Steam Workshop.

Initial server settings and configuration file

The main configuration file is usually serverDZ.cfg or server.cfg in the server folder. The basic sample format (symbolic) is as follows:

hostname = "My DayZ Server";
password = "";            // player password (optional)
passwordAdmin = "Adm!nPass";
maxPlayers = 60;
verifySignatures = 2;     // for mods (Steam Workshop)
motd[] = {"Welcome to our server"};
voteThreshold = 0.33;

Then set permissions:

chown dayz:dayz /home/dayz/dayzserver -R
chmod -R 750 /home/dayz/dayzserver

Running a server with tmux or systemd

Manual execution (tmux)

tmux new -s dayz
cd /home/dayz/dayzserver
./DayZServer_x64 -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=./profiles -name=server_myname

To detach the terminal: Ctrl+B Then D.

Create a systemd unit (for automatic startup)

Run the following file as root or with sudo: /etc/systemd/system/dayz.service Create:

[Unit]
Description=DayZ Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=dayz
WorkingDirectory=/home/dayz/dayzserver
ExecStart=/home/dayz/dayzserver/DayZServer_x64 -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=./profiles -name=server_myname
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
LimitNOFILE=100000

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now dayz.service
sudo journalctl -u dayz -f

Firewall ports and rules

Popular DayZ ports (to be finalized):

• UDP 2302 (main game port)
• UDP 2303-2305 (if needed for multiple ports)
• UDP 27016 (Steam Query / Master)
• TCP/UDP 27015/27020 (in some configurations for RCON or Steam)

Sample UFW rules

sudo ufw allow 2302/udp
sudo ufw allow 27016/udp
sudo ufw allow 22/tcp     # SSH
sudo ufw enable

With iptables

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 2302 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27016 -j ACCEPT

Operating system settings to optimize performance and ping

A few network and system settings that are usually useful:

Increase UDP and TCP buffering

sudo sysctl -w net.core.rmem_max=12582912
sudo sysctl -w net.core.wmem_max=12582912
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.udp_rmem_min=8192
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.udp_wmem_min=8192

sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_tw_reuse=1
sudo sysctl -w net.ipv4.tcp_fin_timeout=15

To apply permanently, set the values in /etc/sysctl.conf Add.

IO & Scheduler

For NVMe/SSD you can set the scheduler to noop or mq-deadline:

echo noop | sudo tee /sys/block/nvme0n1/queue/scheduler

Make sure the block name is correct.

Manage mods, auto-updates, and scripts

Simple script example for updating the DayZ server:

#!/bin/bash
cd /home/dayz/steamcmd
./steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /home/dayz/dayzserver +app_update 223350 validate +quit
systemctl restart dayz

To run automatically with cron:

crontab -e
0 4 * * * /home/dayz/update_dayz.sh >> /home/dayz/update.log 2>&1

Download the Workshop mods and place them in the server profile, then add the mod parameters to the command line (e.g. mods=/path1;/path2 and -mod=@modname).

Monitoring, backup and maintenance

• Logs: from journalctl And use log files inside the server folder.
• Backup: Set up a daily script to back up the profiles folder and database and save it to Object Storage or an external location.
• Monitoring: Using tools such as Prometheus + Grafana Or Netdata Use to monitor CPU/IO/Network.
• Snapshot: Take a snapshot of the VM or volume before applying major updates.

Practical tips to reduce ping and increase player experience

• Choose a location Close to players; having multiple data centers (e.g. 85+ locations) is important for choosing the right location.
• Peering and CDN For static files, mods help to download faster and reduce network load.
• Limit disk I/O changes during peak hours; use NVMe and appropriate cache.
• Adjust the playback and packet sending rate (tickrate/heartbeat) according to the hardware power and number of players.
• Use Anti-DDoS servers and network configuration (BGP anycast) to prevent attacks.

Pre-publication preparation checklist

• [ ] Check ping from target areas (ping/iperf)
• [ ] Anti-DDoS and firewall enabled
• [ ] Login test and player profile storage
• [ ] Set up automatic backup & snapshot
• [ ] Document update and rollback steps
• [ ] Monitoring and alarms for CPU/Memory/Network

Summary and Conclusion

This guide covers the main steps from prerequisites, installing SteamCMD, downloading and running the server, configuration, security, system optimization, and ping reduction tips. For the best gaming experience, especially for public or competitive servers, choosing the right location, using NVMe SSD, a strong single-core CPU, sufficient memory, and Anti-DDoS services are essential.

Recommended services

Related services that can be useful in server implementation and maintenance:

• Access to 85+ global locations to choose the data center closest to your players
• High-performance VPS and cloud servers suitable for game servers
• Gaming servers and VPS for gaming with optimal configuration, Anti-DDoS and BGP network
• Ability to use dedicated servers and GPUs for specific mods or needs
• Hosting, domain, CDN for distributing mods and files, and 24/7 support

Frequently Asked Questions