How to create a DayZ dedicated server on Windows

This guide is for anyone who already has (or just ordered) a Windows machine with RDP and wants DayZ dedicated online. By the end you will have the folder C:\DayZServer, an edited serverDZ.cfg, open ports and DayZServer_x64.exe running. Friends join via Direct Connect on IP:2302.

This is not the Minecraft panel. This is not SSH on Linux. It is Remote Desktop, SteamCMD and a folder on disk. Hosting delivers the machine; you install the game.

What you need

• A Windows machine with RDP (IP, username and password from the delivery email).
• A Steam account that owns DayZ.
• SteamCMD on the machine disk.
• Updated Visual C++ Redistributable (the server will not start without it).

1. Connect with RDP

1. On your PC, open Remote Desktop Connection.
2. Paste the machine IP, username and password from the email.
3. If Windows asks for updates, install and reboot before downloading the game.

2. Install SteamCMD and the server

Download SteamCMD from the official Valve site (steamcmd.zip), extract to C:\steamcmd and open steamcmd.exe. On first launch it updates itself.

In the SteamCMD console, replace YOUR_USER with your Steam login. If Steam Guard asks for a code, paste it and continue.

login YOUR_USER
force_install_dir C:\DayZServer
app_update 223350 validate

3. What appears in the folder

When the download finishes, open C:\DayZServer in Explorer. You should see, among other things:

• DayZServer_x64.exe — the dedicated process.
• mpmissions — maps (chernarusplus, enoch, sakhal).
• keys — .bikey keys (vanilla and, later, mods).
• serverDZ.cfg — you create or edit it in the next step.

If the folder is almost empty or app_update failed, do not continue. Run validate again in SteamCMD.

4. Edit serverDZ.cfg

In C:\DayZServer open or create serverDZ.cfg in Notepad. The field names are these. Each line ends with a semicolon.

hostname = "My DayZ server";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "change-this-password";
maxPlayers = 40;
steamQueryPort = 27016;
verifySignatures = 2;
forceSameBuild = 1;

• hostname: name on the list.
• password: join password. Empty = open.
• passwordAdmin: admin password (not the join one).
• maxPlayers: player cap. Do not set more than the RAM can take.

5. Open the ports in Windows Firewall

Without this the server starts and nobody joins. On the server: Control Panel → Windows Firewall → Advanced settings → Inbound rules → New rule → Port.

• UDP 2302 to 2305: game and services around the default port.
• UDP 27016: Steam list query (steamQueryPort).

Create one rule for the 2302-2305 UDP range and another for 27016 UDP. Allow the connection.

6. Start the server

Open Command Prompt, enter the folder and run the executable. Leave the window open. If it closes, the server goes down.

cd /d C:\DayZServer
DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog

How to verify it worked

1. The DayZServer_x64.exe window stays open without closing by itself.
2. In the DayZ client: Direct Connect with the machine IP and port 2302.
3. If it does not show on the public list, query 27016 may still be closed. Direct Connect should still work if 2302 is open.

If it failed

• SteamCMD: No subscription → left anonymous; use an account with DayZ.
• Server closes immediately → Visual C++ Redistributable; check the log in profiles.
• Nobody joins → firewall UDP 2302–2305; test Direct Connect, not only the list.
• cfg rejected → line without ; or unclosed quotes in serverDZ.cfg.

7. After it is online

With vanilla stable, use the guides below. Each one changes one thing only.

• Join password → /blog/senha-servidor-dayz
• Name on the list → /blog/nome-servidor-dayz
• Player limit → /blog/max-players-servidor-dayz
• Admin and RCon → /blog/tornar-admin-servidor-dayz
• Kick and ban → /blog/comandos-admin-servidor-dayz
• Loot (types.xml) → /blog/alterar-loot-servidor-dayz
• Map (Chernarus, Livonia, Sakhal) → /blog/mudar-mapa-servidor-dayz
• Whitelist → /blog/whitelist-servidor-dayz
• Workshop mods → /blog/mods-workshop-servidor-dayz