Palworld Server on Second PC: Setup That Stays Online

A Palworld server on a second PC can keep your game machine free, but the spare box still needs enough memory, power, storage, and a network path your friends can use. Pocketpair lists 16 GB of memory for a dedicated server and recommends 4 or more CPU cores; 8 GB may boot, but has a higher out-of-memory crash risk. This guide helps you check the old desktop, install the separate server tool, keep the machine awake, and test a local connection before you spend time on router settings. A LAN join confirms one part of the setup; only a friend on another network can confirm outside access.

Check whether a Palworld server on a second PC fits the hardware#

Start with Pocketpair’s published requirements, then treat them as a checklist rather than a promise that a particular world will run smoothly. The official requirements list 16 GB of memory, recommend 4 or more CPU cores, and recommend a faster SSD. They also say that 8 GB can boot the server but increases the possibility of an out-of-memory crash.

The game publisher does not give a CPU model or clock-speed cutoff, a universal upload-speed target, or a player-count-to-memory formula. The Palworld requirements guide explains what those numbers do and do not tell you. An older processor is a reason to run a real test with your group’s world, not proof that it cannot work. Likewise, “the process started” only shows that the server launched; it does not show that a busy base will fit in memory or that an Internet connection is reachable.

If the spare PC has less than the listed 16 GB, a slow or failing drive, or unreliable Internet, keep those as open questions. Do not buy RAM or replace the PC until you know which limit affects your group. The next step is to install the server tool cleanly so you can test the machine without putting an existing world at risk.

Install the dedicated server on the spare PC#

The Palworld Dedicated Server is a separate free Steam tool with app ID 2394010. It runs independently of the game client, so the spare PC does not need to keep a Palworld game session open. The other players still need to own or access Palworld on their own platform.

Pocketpair documents three relevant Windows/Linux paths in its deployment guide: install the tool from the Steam Library on Windows, use SteamCMD on Windows, or use SteamCMD on Linux. For SteamCMD, the official command is:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

Run SteamCMD from the folder where you want it to install the app, or use your own SteamCMD install directory. When the command completes, open the steamapps/common/PalServer directory under that install location. The Windows executable is PalServer.exe; on Linux, run ./PalServer.sh from the server folder. A custom SteamCMD install path changes where these files appear.

1. Choose the platform

   Use 64-bit Windows if you want the simplest desktop setup, or 64-bit Linux if you are comfortable maintaining it from a terminal. The full Windows server installation guide walks through that path in more detail.

2. Install the server tool

   On Steam, find “Palworld Dedicated Server” in the Library and select the Tools filter if it is missing. With SteamCMD, run the anonymous install command above. It downloads the server app; it does not install another playable copy of Palworld.

3. Start the server once

   Run PalServer.exe on Windows or ./PalServer.sh on Linux and allow the first startup to finish. Keep the console open while you learn where the app writes its files. Stop it cleanly before changing settings or copying a world.

For more context on the alternatives, including hosting it on a gaming PC, Linux machine, or managed service, see the dedicated-server route comparison. This page keeps the job small: confirm the spare PC starts the official server software before you configure access for other people.

Confirm the server process before changing router settings#

Keep the first check local. Start the server and confirm the process remains open without an error, then look for its default game port, UDP 8211, in the server output or the operating system’s network tools. The official server requirements call out UDP 8211 as the default and say it can be changed. If you chose a different port, use that value consistently in the server configuration, firewall rule, router rule, and join address.

On Windows, you can look for the process in Task Manager and review the console window for startup errors. On Linux, check the terminal that launched the server and inspect the UDP endpoint with a tool such as ss. A bound local port is only a smoke check. It does not prove a Palworld client can join, that a router forwards traffic, or that the host can handle your world over a long session.

Leave extra ports closed unless the server feature you chose documents a reason to open them. In particular, do not add UDP 27015 just because an old guide lists it as a universal Palworld requirement; Pocketpair’s current requirements page specifies the default game port as UDP 8211. If the server process exits, fix the startup error first. Opening router ports cannot repair an app that is no longer running.

The next check is whether the computer stays available while you are away from its keyboard. A separate dedicated-server process frees the game client, but it does not keep the hardware powered on by itself.

Keep the second PC awake and manage it safely#

Disable automatic sleep while the PC is plugged in, and check the setting again after a Windows or firmware update. If the machine sleeps, hibernates, loses power, or disconnects from the network, your friends lose access even if the server was configured correctly. A wired connection can avoid Wi-Fi signal changes; it cannot fix an ISP outage or a router reboot.

You can leave a monitor attached or manage the spare PC remotely. Windows Remote Desktop can host incoming connections on Pro, Enterprise, Education, and Windows Server editions; Windows Home can connect to another RDP host but cannot act as one. If you use Remote Desktop, keep it on a trusted local network or behind a VPN with a strong password. Do not forward RDP to the public Internet. On Linux, SSH can provide terminal access; protect it with a strong authentication setup and keep administration private as well.

Palworld does not make an always-on PC start itself after a power cut. Automatic startup and crash recovery need separate checks before your group depends on them. For now, start the server manually and confirm that it stays running while the PC is awake. A server that works only while you are signed in is not yet an unattended setup.

Before opening the router, join from a second device on your own network. That separates a server or firewall problem from a home Internet routing problem.

Test a join from another device in the same house#

Use a second Palworld client on the same home network for the first join. The client must use a compatible game version and platform route. Steam and Mac players can enter a server address and port in the Join Multiplayer Game screen. Use the server PC’s local address, such as 192.168.x.x:8211, rather than your public Internet address for this first test.

The exact menu labels can shift between game updates, so follow Pocketpair’s connect instructions: choose Join Multiplayer Game and enter the IP address and port below the server list. If the client cannot connect, check that both devices are on the same network, the server process is still running, you entered the correct local address and port, and the host firewall permits the server on the private network. Do not turn off the firewall entirely; add a narrow rule for the server or UDP port you use.

Xbox and PS5 players have a different route. Pocketpair’s server overview says they need a Community server, which is a dedicated server registered in the in-game list. The official setup uses the -publiclobby launch argument for that listing. A successful local IP join from a Steam client does not verify that a console can find the server or that a community listing appears.

Write down the client platform, game version, server port, and whether the join worked. This simple note makes it easier to distinguish a later Internet-routing failure from an issue that was already present on the home network. It still says nothing about whether friends outside your home can reach the server.

Let friends connect from outside your home#

For a direct connection from outside, allow the game port through the host firewall and forward the same UDP port from your router to the spare PC’s reserved local address. With the default configuration, that is UDP 8211. Pocketpair’s requirements guide says router forwarding is needed; Windows server setups also require a separate Windows Firewall rule. Linux setups require router configuration and may need a host firewall rule, depending on the distribution. For router-specific troubleshooting, static LAN addresses and CGNAT checks, see Palworld port forwarding.

1. Allow the game on the server PC

   On Windows, allow the Palworld server app or the chosen UDP game port on the trusted private network. On Linux, use the firewall tool already enabled on the machine; if you use UFW, an example for the default port is sudo ufw allow 8211/udp. Do not disable the firewall to make the test pass.

2. Forward the port to the spare PC

   In the router’s port-forwarding page, create one UDP rule for the game port and set its destination to the PC’s reserved local IP. Router menus vary, so check the router’s own instructions and verify the rule points to the server, not the gaming PC.

3. Test from a separate Internet connection

   Give a friend your public address and port, then have them try while connected through a different home or mobile network. A second device still on your Wi-Fi tests the LAN again, not Internet reachability from outside.

If the LAN join works but the remote join does not, recheck the server address, UDP rule, host firewall, and router destination. Some routers or Internet providers use another layer of address translation that prevents inbound connections even when your own router rule looks right. Ask your provider whether inbound IPv4 connections are available before trying increasingly broad firewall changes. Do not put the server in a DMZ, expose Remote Desktop, or assume an untested tunnel will solve it.

The outside-network check must be completed by someone who can test from another connection. Until then, tell your group that local joining works and remote access is still unverified. If console players are joining, test the Community listing separately; an IP address is not their route.

Compare the always-on cost with a managed server#

Measure what the spare PC actually draws at the wall instead of guessing from its power-supply label. A plug-in watt meter can show average watts while the server and the rest of your normal services are running. Estimate monthly electricity with this calculation:

monthly kWh = average watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per day × days per month
monthly electricity cost = monthly kWh × your utility's price per kWh

Use your real electricity rate and the hours the computer will stay on. If the spare PC also runs a file server, that shared cost is part of the home setup; count the incremental draw if you want to compare only the Palworld workload. Electricity is only one part of the decision: the machine also uses space, adds heat and noise, needs updates and independent backups, and depends on your home connection and router.

If you would rather not leave a PC powered or manage home networking, compare that work with the Palworld plans. As checked on October 17, 2026, Squad lists 8 GB for $16.99 per month, with DDR5 memory, an integrated Palworld panel, and three free backup slots. That is a paid managed option, not an automatic way to save money: compare the current plan terms with your measured electricity cost and decide whether the time and upkeep are worth avoiding.

If your spare PC meets the published starting guidance, starts the dedicated process, and passes the LAN test, you have a useful home setup to evaluate. Keep the outside join marked unverified until a friend tests from another network. If the computer or upload is not a fit, choose between upgrading it, keeping the group on co-op, or paying for a managed server based on the cost and maintenance you are willing to take on.