Dune Awakening Self-Hosted Server: Complete Setup Guide

You have been able to run a Dune Awakening self-hosted server since Update 1.4 (May 19, 2026). Your world runs as a Battlegroup inside a virtual machine on your PC, with your own rules for PvP, gathering rates and the sandworm. Since Update 1.5 on September 17, 2026, settings from the .ini files actually reach connected players, and characters can move from official servers to yours.

Getting there is more technical than in most survival games. This guide walks you through the whole process step by step, no prior knowledge needed. If you only want to play alone, you don't need a server at all since 1.5. More on that below.

New in Update 1.5 (September 17, 2026)

Update 1.5 (version 1.5.3.0) is the first update since self-hosted servers launched that touches the settings themselves. According to the official patch notes, this is what changes for hosts:

• .ini settings apply properly: private and self-hosted servers can change their settings through .ini files, and those values are now correctly passed on to connected players.
• Settings visible to everyone: the system menu has a new button for the server settings. Your players can see which values apply on your server, but they can't change anything. You still edit the values only through the .ini files.
• Password bug fixed: a wrong server password no longer triggers the misleading Q52 error about expired tokens, and a correct password is no longer requested over and over in game.
• Better feedback when connecting: if a world can't be reached, the connection dialog now shows a warning. Sietches no longer show up twice in the server browser, and the list no longer jumps back to the top when it refreshes.
• No more Funcom Launcher: on Steam the game has started directly since 1.5, without the launcher step.

The hotfixes after that added two more points for hosts. Hotfix 1.5.3.1 (September 19, 2026) added a new UserServerCustomSettings.ini file for self-hosted servers, which you find in the steamcmd download folder. Apply it to your UserSettings folder to activate the newly added custom settings. Hotfix 1.5.3.4 (September 24, 2026) fixed custom settings in ServerCustomSettings.ini not being applied on self-hosted servers. If your settings seemed to be ignored in the first days after 1.5, update your server.

Character transfers: characters from official servers can move to private or self-hosted servers, but not back.

Characters from private servers can move between private servers and to self-hosted servers, also one way only. Self-hosted characters move freely between self-hosted servers. Backed-up bases and vehicles come along, so back them up before you move.

Only playing solo? Then you don't need a server anymore

Many players set up their own server just to play undisturbed. Since Update 1.5 there is official single-player mode for that: no Hyper-V, no VM, no port forwarding.

There you set gathering rate, XP, sandworms, sandstorms, base decay and much more directly in game, and you can change the values any time. Which slider does what is covered in our guide to the single-player settings.

The catch: single-player characters stay in single-player mode and can't be moved to a server. If you want to keep playing on your own world with friends later, start on your own server right away.

New in Update 1.4.5.0 (June 10, 2026)

With the anniversary patch 1.4.5.0, Funcom noticeably improved the hosting tools. A lot can now be changed after setup instead of only during the first install:

• IP can be changed later: static IP or DHCP can now be switched after setup. Before, this was only possible during the initial setup.
• Advertised join IP: you can now set which IP your Battlegroup advertises for joining, and change it later. With a public IP, it updates automatically on start and restart, so you don't have to keep passing on a new address.
• More reliable start/stop: "Stop" only completes once the Battlegroup has fully shut down, and "Start" only once all services are ready. That matters because an IP change needs a VM restart.
• More server settings: Battlegroup editing now offers Director options such as "Minimum Servers" per map, and the values persist through restarts.
• DHCP fix: a bug where DHCP sometimes assigned a different IP despite a static setting, cutting connections, is fixed.

What is a self-hosted server?

Unlike Conan Exiles or Minecraft, where a server is a single executable, a Dune Awakening world consists of several servers at once. Funcom calls the whole thing a "Battlegroup". It is basically your complete game world, including Hagga Basin, the Deep Desert, the Overland Map, Arrakeen and Harko Village. All of these areas run as separate instances inside a virtual machine (VM) on your computer.

That sounds complicated, and honestly, it is. But with this guide you will get there.

Requirements

Hardware

Funcom keeps the minimum requirements deliberately low, but for a smooth experience you should plan bigger:

Minimum: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 20 GB RAM, 100 GB SSD. That lets you play alone or with 2–3 friends, but with noticeable performance limits.

CPU with AVX2: your processor must support the AVX2 instruction set. Practically every common CPU from recent years does (Intel from Haswell / 4th gen, AMD from Ryzen), and both CPUs above meet it easily. Very old or especially low-power CPUs can fail here.

Recommended: a modern 6-core CPU, 32–64 GB RAM and an NVMe SSD. That runs the Battlegroup smoothly for 4+ players. RAM is the main bottleneck, so more is better.

Important: if you want to play and host on the same PC, you need even more RAM. The game itself uses about 16 GB. Add a 20 GB VM and you are above 36 GB in total. Plan for at least 48 GB, better 64 GB. Tip: the swap memory option described below lowers the RAM requirement a lot.

Software

Windows 10 or 11 Pro (64-bit). The Pro edition is required because only Pro supports Hyper-V. Home is not enough. For a new server, use Windows 11 Pro: Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, and since then there are no security updates without paid extended support. For a machine sitting on the internet with open ports, that is an unnecessary risk. If your PC still runs Windows 10 Pro, Hyper-V technically keeps working, but upgrading to Windows 11 is the better choice.

Hyper-V: Microsoft's built-in hypervisor that creates and manages virtual machines. It has to be enabled (instructions below). Hardware virtualization in the BIOS must be on as well.

Steam: the server software is its own Steam product ("Dune: Awakening Self-Hosted Server") that you download through Steam. Funcom only names Steam; the community wiki and Funcom's Hotfix 1.5.3.1 notes assume the SteamCMD command-line tool (details in step 3).

Network

Port forwarding is required so other players can find your server. You need access to your router and have to open specific ports. Which ones is covered below.

Stable upload speed: at least 10 Mbit/s upload. More players need more bandwidth. Connections with 1–2 Mbit/s upload aren't enough for several players.

Step 1: Enable Hyper-V

Hyper-V is included in Windows Pro but has to be switched on. Your PC's hardware virtualization in the BIOS must also be active.

BIOS: turn on virtualization

Restart your PC and open the BIOS (usually by pressing Del, F2 or F10 during boot, depending on your motherboard). Look for one of these settings and set it to Enabled:

Intel: "Intel Virtualization Technology" (VT-x), often under Advanced → CPU Configuration.

AMD: "SVM Mode", often under Advanced → CPU Configuration.

Save and restart.

Windows: enable the Hyper-V features

Open Windows search and type "Turn Windows features on or off". In the window that opens, tick:

Hyper-V (including all sub-items: management tools and platform)

Windows Hypervisor Platform

After clicking "OK", Windows installs the features and restarts. That can take a few minutes.

Step 2: Generate a token

To run your server you need an authentication token from Funcom. It links your Battlegroup to your account.

Go to the official account page account.duneawakening.com, log in with your Funcom account and generate a token. Copy it and keep it safe, because you need it during setup. (The Public Test Client has a separate test environment with its own token. Live and PTC tokens are not interchangeable.)

Step 3: Download the server software through Steam

The server software is a separate Steam product called "Dune: Awakening Self-Hosted Server". Funcom's "Self Hosted Servers" page only says you download the product "on Steam". The community wiki awakening.wiki describes the download through the command-line tool SteamCMD (app_update 4754530 validate for the live server), and Funcom's Hotfix 1.5.3.1 notes also refer to the "steamcmd download folder". Funcom hasn't spelled out whether downloading through the regular Steam library works the same way. To be safe, use SteamCMD.

The download is several gigabytes. Once it finishes, the product's install folder contains a file called battlegroup.bat. This file controls the entire setup and operation of your Battlegroup.

Step 4: Set up the Battlegroup

Open a Command Prompt as administrator (right-click "cmd" → "Run as administrator") and go to the server folder. Run battlegroup.bat:

cd C:\path\to\server\folder
battlegroup.bat

On first launch, only the initial-setup option is available. Select it. The setup wizard prepares network and resources for the VM and sets up the Battlegroup. Along the way you make several decisions:

VM memory: how much RAM the VM gets depends on how many servers your Battlegroup should run. Solo and small groups need less, bigger worlds need more. If you play on the same PC, keep this value deliberately low.

Swap memory (important with little RAM): there is an experimental swap memory option that greatly reduces the memory each server needs, so servers can run with less than half of the original RAM requirement. If you pick less than 20 GB during setup, the wizard suggests enabling swap memory. For hosting on your gaming PC, this is the key setting.

Network configuration: setup creates a Hyper-V External Virtual Switch. Your network adapter may get renamed in the process, for example to "vEthernet (External Switch)". That looks alarming but is normal.

Enter the token: this is where you paste the token from step 2.

After setup, the VM is running and you get more options: start and stop the VM, change the password of the dune user inside the VM, and rotate the SSH key created during setup. Under the Battlegroup commands you can start and stop the Battlegroup, update it to the latest version and monitor its status.

Since Update 1.4.5.0 you can also change the static IP or DHCP setting and the advertised join IP later. Before, both were only available during the initial setup.

Because an IP change needs a VM restart, start and stop also became more reliable: "Stop" only counts as complete once the Battlegroup has fully shut down, and "Start" only once all services are ready.

Step 5: Set up port forwarding

For players outside your network to join, forward these ports in your router to the IP address of the VM (not your PC's):

7777–7810 UDP for the game servers.
31982 TCP for RMQ (the internal RabbitMQ message queue).

The Port and IGWPort options in the settings change the starting ports of the game servers. If you change them, adjust your port forwarding to match. For security, only open the ports you actually need, to keep the risk to the VM low.

Router tip: the menu is usually called "Port Forwarding", "Virtual Server" or "NAT". Enter the ports individually and always point them at the VM's IP, not at your Windows PC.

Step 6: Adjust server settings

The best part of your own server: you make the rules. There are two ways to change behavior: the configuration files (apply to all servers in the Battlegroup) and the Battlegroup editor (settings per map or server). Among other things, you can adjust:

Disable PvP completely: perfect for pure PvE groups who want to explore in peace.

Raise gathering rates: mine resources faster, less grind.

Disable the sandworm: no more sudden death by Shai-Hulud. Great for building and exploring.

Change building limits: allow bigger bases or cap the number of building pieces.

Item durability and base decay: set how fast gear wears out and whether, or how fast, abandoned bases decay.

Advanced Battlegroup settings (since 1.4.5.0): the Battlegroup editor now has extra Director options such as "Minimum Servers" per map. These values persist through Battlegroup restarts, so you don't have to set them again after every restart.

The configuration files live inside the VM (in the UserSettings folder) and can be edited through the file browser or via SSH. Settings that only affect individual servers (maps or dimensions) are set in the Battlegroup editor instead.

Until Update 1.4 there was no direct setting for XP rates. That changed with Update 1.5: according to Funcom's announcement "The New Dune: Awakening Is Here" of September 17, 2026, "in single-player and on self-hosted servers" you control the same rules, including sandstorms, security zones (Hagga Basin fully PvP or fully PvE), harvesting and XP multipliers, building piece limits, item durability, base decay, sandworm and Coriolis storm auto-spawn, what drops on death and maximum land claims. On rented private servers, which of these options are available depends on your provider. Funcom hasn't confirmed whether the solo-only changes, the Exchange acting as a vendor and the Landsraad simulating other guilds, also run on self-hosted servers. The help center adds that any exposed setting can be changed through your own .ini files and that every change needs a Battlegroup restart.

Step 7: Invite your friends

Once everything runs and the ports are open, give your friends your public IP address (any "what is my IP" website shows it). They enter that IP in game through the server browser or direct connect and can join your world.

Since Update 1.4.5.0, the Battlegroup can also advertise its join IP itself, and you can change the advertised IP later. If you choose a public IP, it is updated automatically on every start or restart of the Battlegroup. That saves you from passing on a new IP manually every time it changes.

If only players on the same network should join (LAN party), the VM's local IP is enough, without port forwarding.

Bring your characters: since Update 1.5, your friends can move their characters from official or private servers to your server, one way only. The exact rules are in the Update 1.5 section above.

Alternative: rent a server instead of hosting

If all this is too technical or your PC doesn't meet the requirements, you can rent a ready-made server from hosting providers such as Nitrado or G-Portal. They handle all the technology. You pay a monthly fee and get a finished Battlegroup with a web interface for management, without any of the setup work.

Hosting it yourself pays off mainly if you already have a powerful PC or a rented root server and enjoy tinkering.

Common problems and fixes

Hyper-V won't enable

Make sure hardware virtualization is on in the BIOS (Intel VT-x or AMD SVM). Without it, Hyper-V won't work even with Windows Pro installed.

Network drops after the VM starts

When setup creates an External Virtual Switch, the VM takes over the physical network adapter. Your Windows host then uses a virtual adapter called "vEthernet". That is normal, not a bug. If your internet stops working afterwards, check that the virtual switch is configured correctly: open Hyper-V Manager → Settings → Virtual Switches.

Players can't join

Check: are all ports forwarded to the VM's IP (not the host's)? Is the Windows Firewall open for those ports? Is your ISP using Carrier-Grade NAT (common with some cable and mobile providers), which blocks port forwarding? In that case, only a VPN tunnel or a provider with a real public IPv4 address helps.

About IP problems: if connections used to drop because DHCP suddenly assigned a different IP despite a static setting, that bug was fixed in Update 1.4.5.0. Make sure your server is up to date.

VM won't start or crashes

The most common cause is too little RAM. Close other programs and check in Task Manager that enough memory is free for the VM. If you picked little RAM and play at the same time, things get tight. In that case, enable the swap memory option (see step 4).

Token isn't accepted

Make sure you generated the token for the right version. Live and PTC have separate tokens and separate account pages. A PTC token doesn't work with the live server and vice versa.

❓ Frequently asked questions about a Dune Awakening self-hosted server

What is a Battlegroup?

The Battlegroup is your complete Dune Awakening world. It consists of several servers at once (Hagga Basin, Deep Desert, Overland Map, Arrakeen, Harko Village) running as separate instances in a virtual machine on your computer.

Do I really need Windows Pro?

Yes. Only Windows 10/11 Pro supports Hyper-V, which the VM needs. Home isn't enough. Hardware virtualization (Intel VT-x or AMD SVM) must also be enabled in the BIOS.

Which ports do I need to open?

7777–7810 UDP for the game servers and 31982 TCP for RMQ, each forwarded to the VM's IP, not your PC's.

Can I host and play on the same PC?

Yes, but you need a lot of RAM. The game itself takes about 16 GB, plus the VM. Plan for at least 48–64 GB and enable the swap memory option if memory is tight.

Why are my .ini settings ignored?

Before Update 1.5, .ini values weren't reliably passed to players, and Hotfix 1.5.3.4 fixed ServerCustomSettings.ini not applying on self-hosted servers. Update your server and restart the Battlegroup after every change.

Is renting better than hosting myself?

If setup is too technical or your PC too weak, rent a ready-made Battlegroup with web management from Nitrado or G-Portal for a monthly fee and skip the whole setup.

What you can do with your own server

A few ideas why the effort is worth it:

Solo world to explore: explore the whole map at your own pace, without pressure from the weekly reset or other players. Perfect for testing endgame content.

PvE guild without interruptions: your guild can farm, build and push Testing Stations together in a private world, without random griefers.

Roleplay server: your rules, your story, your community. Dune Awakening is a fantastic setting for RP servers.

Building sandbox: crank up gathering rates, switch off the worm and build the biggest fortress on Arrakis in peace. Our base building guide helps with location, power and water.

Tournament server: full PvP servers with custom rules for organized guild fights.

Summary

Self-hosted servers in Dune Awakening are a powerful feature, but not plug and play. You need Windows Pro, Hyper-V, an AVX2-capable CPU, enough RAM and some patience with the network setup. In return you get your own world with your own rules, from a solo adventure to a guild server.

With Update 1.4.5.0 (June 2026), Funcom improved the hosting tools, for example with IP settings you can change later and persistent server parameters, and announced plans to make them more accessible. Update 1.5 (September 2026) makes .ini settings reach players correctly and lets characters move to your server, and the hotfixes up to 1.5.3.4 added the new UserServerCustomSettings.ini and fixed custom settings on self-hosted servers.

As of October 11, 2026: Update 1.5 up to Hotfix 1.5.3.7 (October 9, 2026). Checked against the official patch notes for Update 1.5 (1.5.3.0) and Hotfixes 1.5.3.1 to 1.5.3.7, the 1.4.5.0 patch notes, Funcom's help center article "How to Self-Host a World?", Funcom's "Self Hosted Servers" page, the awakening.wiki Self-Hosted Server Guide, Funcom's announcement "The New Dune: Awakening Is Here" of September 17, 2026 and Microsoft's support page on the end of Windows 10 support.

More Dune Awakening guides: Spice farming guide · Specializations guide. All guides are on the Dune Awakening hub.