How to create a DayZ server

1What you need

A PC or server with Windows 10/11 (64-bit) or Linux, about 8 GB of free RAM for the server itself (more with mods and large maps) and a CPU with strong single-core performance – a DayZ server is mostly limited by one thread.

A Steam account that owns DayZ (the server is downloaded with an account that has the game), a stable connection with a public IP address and access to port forwarding on your router. Without that you can rent a server from a host – the files are configured the same way.

2Download DayZ Server with SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD, unpack it e.g. to C:\steamcmd and run the command below. 223350 is the DayZ Server app ID. Run the same command after every game patch to update the server.

If you own the game, you can also install “DayZ Server” from your Steam library (Tools section).

steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\DayZServer +login YOUR_STEAM_LOGIN +app_update 223350 validate +quit

3Configure serverDZ.cfg

The server folder contains serverDZ.cfg. The key options: the server name shown in the list, admin password, player limit, Steam query port and the mission (map). dayzOffline.chernarusplus is Chernarus, dayzOffline.enoch is Livonia, dayzOffline.sakhal is Sakhal.

hostname = "My DayZ server | PvP";
password = "";              // join password (empty = public)
passwordAdmin = "CHANGE_ME";
maxPlayers = 60;
verifySignatures = 2;         // signed mods only
disable3rdPerson = 0;
serverTime = "SystemTime";
serverTimeAcceleration = 4;
serverNightTimeAcceleration = 8;
steamQueryPort = 27016;

class Missions
{
    class DayZ { template = "dayzOffline.chernarusplus"; };
};

4Open the ports

On your router forward UDP 2302–2305 (game port and helper ports) and UDP 27016 (Steam query port – it makes the server visible in the launcher list) to the server PC. In Windows Firewall add an allow rule for DayZServer_x64.exe.

If you use a game port other than 2302, the whole range shifts. After starting, check from another network (e.g. a phone on mobile data) that the server shows up in DZSA Launcher.

5The start.bat script

Create start.bat in the server folder. -profiles points to the folder for logs and mod settings, -mod is a semicolon-separated mod list (remove it if you run vanilla).

@echo off
cd /d "C:\DayZServer"
start "DayZ Server" /min "DayZServer_x64.exe" -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck "-mod=@CF;@VPPAdminTools"

6Mods and keys

Mods come from the Steam Workshop (subscribe in the launcher or use steamcmd +workshop_download_item 221100 MOD_ID). Copy each mod into the server folder as @ModName and its .bikey file from the mod's keys folder into the server's keys folder – without the key players get kicked with verifySignatures = 2.

Server-side mods go into -serverMod= instead of -mod=. Load order matters: libraries (e.g. CF) always first.

7Mission files: loot, events, spawns and weather

The actual gameplay lives in mpmissions\dayzOffline.chernarusplus. This is where you set how much of each item spawns, what zombies drop, where helicopter crashes and vehicles appear, what players start with and the weather. You can edit each of these files with the free DayZ tools below – they run in your browser and your files are never uploaded.

db\types.xml – loot amounts and lifetime · db\events.xml – zombies, animals, vehicles, heli crashes · db\globals.xml – limits and cleanup · cfgspawnabletypes.xml – zombie drops and vehicle contents · cfgplayerspawnpoints.xml – player spawns · init.c – starting loadout · cfgweather.xml – weather.

8Admin, restarts and wipes

World progress (bases, stashes, characters) is saved in mpmissions\…\storage_1. Deleting that folder while the server is stopped is a full wipe. You can view and fix the character database players.db in the player database editor.

For in-game management use an admin mod (e.g. VPPAdminTools), and for remote commands BattlEye RCon (password in battleye\beserver_x64.cfg). A restart every 3–4 hours keeps the server smooth; schedule it with Windows Task Scheduler or an RCon tool.

9List your server in the ranking

Once your server is running, show it to players: add it to the DayZ server ranking. Entries with map, game mode, Discord and live player count are reviewed by the staff.

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