How to Set Up a Game Server on Hostinger: Complete Guide

Hosting your own game server lets you play with friends on a server that you control. You can change server settings, install mods, manage players, create your own rules, and keep the game running even when your own PC is turned off.

Hostinger's Game Server Hosting is made for this type of setup. Its Game Panel supports more than 100 games and offers one-click installation for supported titles. You also get full root access, DDoS protection, automatic weekly backups, NVMe storage, and the option to host multiple games.

This guide explains how to set up a game server on Hostinger from the basic level to more advanced server management.

What You Need Before Starting

Before creating your server, prepare these things:

• A Hostinger account
• A Game Server Hosting plan
• The game you want to host
• A computer to manage your server
• A stable internet connection
• The game server files, if you are installing the game manually
• Basic knowledge of server commands for advanced setups

You do not need advanced Linux knowledge if your game is available through the Hostinger Game Panel.

Step 1: Choose a Hostinger Game Server Plan

Hostinger currently offers four Game Panel plans.

The current listed starting prices are ₹649, ₹849, ₹1,199, and ₹2,399 per month respectively when the displayed long-term plans are used. Renewal prices are higher, so check the current pricing before purchasing.

Which plan should you choose?

For a small private server, start with a lower plan if your game requirements are modest.

For larger games, more players, or heavy mods, choose a plan with more CPU and RAM.

For example:

• Small server: Game Panel 1
• Medium server: Game Panel 2
• Larger server: Game Panel 4
• Large community or multiple servers: Game Panel 8

Do not choose a plan only by the number of players. Check the game's CPU, RAM, storage, and network requirements too.

Step 2: Choose the Server Location

Server location can have a big effect on ping.

Choose a data center that is close to most of your players.

For example, if most players are in India, an India data center can be a better choice than a server located in Europe or North America.

Hostinger provides data centers across several regions, including India, Europe, North America, and South America.

Lower distance usually means lower network latency.

Step 3: Purchase the Game Server Plan

Open the official Hostinger Game Server Hosting page:

Hostinger Game Server Hosting

Choose your plan and complete the purchase.

After payment, open your Hostinger hPanel.

Go to:

VPS → Your Game Server → Manage

The exact names in the panel can change as Hostinger updates its interface.

Step 4: Open the Game Panel

Hostinger's Game Panel provides a graphical interface for creating and managing game servers.

According to Hostinger's current setup guide:

1. Log in to hPanel.
2. Open the VPS management page.
3. Find your Game Panel VPS.
4. Click Manage.
5. Open Manage Panel.

You can then create your first game server instance from the Game Panel.

This is the easiest method because you do not need to install everything manually through SSH.

Step 5: Create Your First Game Server

Inside Game Panel, look for an option such as:

Create Instance

Select it and choose the game you want to install.

Hostinger supports more than 100 games through its game server system. Supported examples include:

• Minecraft
• Counter-Strike 2
• Palworld
• Rust
• Terraria
• Valheim
• Enshrouded
• Hytale
• 7 Days to Die
• Satisfactory

The available game list can change, so check the current Game Panel list before purchasing a plan for a particular game.

Step 6: Configure Your Game

After selecting the game, you will normally see settings for your server.

Depending on the game, these can include:

• Server name
• Server password
• Maximum players
• Game mode
• Difficulty
• World name
• Server port
• Admin settings
• Save settings
• Mod settings

The available options depend on the game.

Save your configuration and start the server.

Step 7: Start the Server

Once the installation finishes, click:

Start

The Game Panel should show the server status.

Wait until the server reports that it is running.

You will normally need the server's:

• IP address
• Port

For example:

123.123.123.123:27015

The IP and port are only examples. Use the actual values shown by your server.

Step 8: Connect to Your Own Server

Open the game on your computer.

Go to the multiplayer or server section.

Choose the option to add or connect to a server.

Enter the IP address and port provided by your Game Panel.

For example:

Server IP: 123.123.123.123
Port: 27015

Then connect.

If everything is configured correctly, your game should connect to your own server.

Step 9: Give Your Friends the Server Address

Once your server works, your friends can connect using the same server address.

Send them something like:

Server: 123.123.123.123
Port: 27015
Password: your-password

Do not share administrator passwords or SSH credentials with other players.

Step 10: Configure Players and Admins

Most dedicated games have administrator controls.

You may be able to create:

• Admins
• Moderators
• Whitelisted players
• Banned players
• VIP players

Use the game's official server configuration method for these settings.

Keep administrator access limited to people you trust.

Step 11: Configure the Firewall

A game server needs network access to its game port.

Hostinger includes a built-in firewall and DDoS protection with its Game Server Hosting plans.

Only open the ports your game actually needs.

Do not open random ports just because an online tutorial tells you to.

For a Linux server using UFW, an example command may look like:

sudo ufw allow 27015/tcp

However, the correct port and protocol depend on your game.

Check the game's official server documentation before changing firewall rules.

Step 12: Use SSH for Advanced Server Management

If you want more control, you can manage your server through SSH.

SSH lets you work directly with the Linux server.

A typical connection looks like:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Replace YOUR_SERVER_IP with your actual server IP.

After connecting, you can inspect files, install packages, edit configuration files, and run server commands.

Important

Do not copy random Linux commands from the internet without understanding what they do.

A wrong command can delete files or break your server configuration.

Step 13: Install a Game Manually

The advanced method is useful when your game is not available through the one-click Game Panel installer.

The general process is:

1. Connect to the VPS using SSH.
2. Update the operating system.
3. Install required dependencies.
4. Create a separate game-server directory.
5. Download the official dedicated-server files.
6. Configure the server.
7. Configure the firewall.
8. Start the server.
9. Test the connection.
10. Create an automatic startup service.

For a Debian-based server, you might first run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

The exact commands after this depend on the game.

Step 14: Create a Separate Server User

For advanced setups, avoid running the game process as root when the game supports a normal Linux user.

Create a dedicated user:

sudo adduser gameserver

Then create a server directory:

sudo mkdir -p /opt/gameserver

Give the user access:

sudo chown -R gameserver:gameserver /opt/gameserver

Switch to that user:

sudo su - gameserver

Now the game files can run under the dedicated account.

This gives you better separation between the game and the rest of the server.

Step 15: Install the Game Server Files

The installation method depends on the game.

Some games provide:

• SteamCMD
• Official Linux server files
• Docker images
• Dedicated server packages
• Game-specific installers

Always download server software from the game's official source or a trusted distribution.

For games distributed through Steam, SteamCMD is commonly used for dedicated server installation.

The basic idea is:

SteamCMD
 ↓
Game server files
 ↓
Configuration
 ↓
Firewall
 ↓
Server startup
 ↓
Players connect

The exact Steam App ID and commands are different for each game.

Step 16: Configure Server Files

After installing the server, you will usually find configuration files inside the game directory.

Common settings include:

server_name
max_players
password
game_mode
difficulty
world_name
server_port

The names are different for every game.

Change only the settings supported by your game's documentation.

Step 17: Install Mods

One major advantage of owning your own server is customization.

Some games support:

• Mods
• Plugins
• Custom maps
• Custom rules
• Server-side scripts

Before installing a mod, check:

• Game version
• Server version
• Mod version
• Required dependencies
• RAM requirements
• CPU requirements

Keep a backup before adding major mods.

If a mod breaks the server, you can restore the previous version.

Step 18: Set Up Automatic Server Startup

You do not want to manually start your game every time the VPS restarts.

Linux systems can use systemd to automatically start services.

A simplified example looks like:

[Unit]
Description=Game Server
After=network.target
[Service]
User=gameserver
WorkingDirectory=/opt/gameserver
ExecStart=/opt/gameserver/start-server.sh
Restart=always
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Save the service file and enable it.

The exact service configuration depends on your game and startup script.

After configuration, the server can automatically start when the VPS boots.

Step 19: Monitor CPU and RAM

Game servers use different amounts of resources.

A server with too little RAM may crash or become unstable.

A server with too little CPU capacity may experience slow server ticks or lag.

You can monitor Linux resources using:

htop

You can also check memory with:

free -h

And disk space with:

df -h

Watch your resources when many players are online.

Step 20: Create Regular Backups

Game worlds and configuration files can be valuable.

A server failure should not mean losing everything.

Hostinger's Game Server Hosting includes automatic weekly backups, and Hostinger also supports snapshots for recovery before major changes.

Still, it is smart to keep important game data in another safe location when the game allows it.

Back up:

• World files
• Save files
• Server configuration
• Admin lists
• Whitelists
• Important mods
• Custom maps

Always make a backup before major updates.

Step 21: Update the Game Server

Game developers regularly release updates.

Before updating:

1. Stop the server.
2. Create a backup.
3. Check whether your mods support the new version.
4. Update the server.
5. Start the server.
6. Test the game.
7. Check the logs.

Do not update a modded server blindly.

A new game version can make older mods incompatible.

Step 22: Secure Your VPS

Security is important when your server is connected to the internet.

Follow these basic rules:

• Use strong passwords.
• Keep Linux updated.
• Keep game software updated.
• Use a firewall.
• Do not share your root password.
• Use SSH keys when possible.
• Give admin access only to trusted people.
• Remove unused software.
• Keep backups.
• Check server logs for unusual activity.

Hostinger's Game Server Hosting includes DDoS protection and a built-in firewall.

Step 23: Use a Domain Name for Your Server

You do not always need to give players a long IP address.

You can create a domain or subdomain such as:

play.example.com

Then configure the required DNS record.

Depending on the game, you may also need an SRV record if you want players to connect without entering a custom port.

The exact DNS setup depends on the game.

Step 24: Improve Server Performance

Once your server is working, you can improve performance.

Start with the basics:

Reduce unnecessary mods

Every mod can add CPU, RAM, disk, or network load.

Remove mods you do not need.

Reduce excessive view distance

Some games allow server-side view or simulation distance settings.

Lower values can reduce server load.

Control player limits

Do not allow more players than your hardware can handle.

Use NVMe storage

Fast storage helps with world loading and file operations.

Hostinger's Game Server Hosting uses NVMe storage across its listed plans.

Upgrade the VPS

If CPU or RAM stays high during normal gameplay, consider moving to a larger plan.

Hostinger says Game Panel plans can be upgraded as your resource needs grow.

Step 25: Host Multiple Games

One useful feature of Hostinger's Game Panel is the ability to host multiple games.

You can create separate game instances when your plan has enough resources.

For example:

Game Panel VPS
│
├── Minecraft Server
├── Terraria Server
└── Valheim Server

Remember that all instances share the resources available on your VPS.

Running several demanding games at the same time may require a larger plan.

Step 26: Troubleshoot Connection Problems

If players cannot connect, check these items first.

Check 1: Is the server running?

Open Game Panel and check the server status.

Check 2: Is the IP correct?

Make sure players are using the correct IP.

Check 3: Is the port correct?

Check the game server configuration.

Check 4: Is the firewall allowing the port?

Make sure the required port is open.

Check 5: Is the server listening?

On Linux, you can inspect listening ports with:

sudo ss -tulpn

Check 6: Check the server logs

Look for:

• Startup errors
• Missing files
• Permission errors
• Port conflicts
• Mod errors
• Authentication problems

Check 7: Check the game version

The client and server may need compatible versions.

Step 27: Troubleshoot Lag

If players report lag, first find out whether it is network lag or server performance.

Check:

• Player ping
• CPU usage
• RAM usage
• Disk usage
• Network usage
• Server tick rate
• Number of players
• Mods
• World size

If CPU or RAM is constantly near its limit, consider reducing server load or upgrading the VPS.

If server resources look normal but players have high ping, the issue may be related to network distance or the player's own connection.

Step 28: Use Logs to Find Problems

Logs are one of the most useful tools for server administrators.

When something stops working, do not immediately reinstall the server.

First check the logs.

Look for words such as:

ERROR
WARNING
FAILED
TIMEOUT
CONNECTION
PERMISSION

The log often tells you which file, plugin, mod, or setting caused the problem.

Step 29: Test Everything Before Inviting Players

Before sharing your server with everyone, test it yourself.

Use this checklist:

• Server starts correctly

• Players can connect

• Game saves correctly

• Server restarts correctly

• Firewall works

• Admin account works

• Backup works

• Mods work

• Server logs show no major errors

• CPU and RAM usage are acceptable

After testing, invite a few friends first.

This helps you find problems before the server gets busy.

Easy vs Advanced Game Server Setup

There are two main ways to run your own game server on Hostinger.

Which Method Should You Use?

If you are new to game servers, start with Hostinger Game Panel.

It handles much of the setup for you and provides a graphical interface for creating game instances. Hostinger's current Game Panel documentation is designed around this workflow.

Use the manual VPS method when you need more control over:

• Server files
• Linux packages
• Custom startup scripts
• Advanced mods
• Plugins
• Automation
• Custom configurations

Complete Game Server Setup Flow

The whole process can be simplified into this:

Choose Game
 ↓
Choose Hostinger Game Plan
 ↓
Choose Server Location
 ↓
Create VPS
 ↓
Open Game Panel
 ↓
Install Game
 ↓
Configure Server
 ↓
Start Server
 ↓
Configure Firewall
 ↓
Test Connection
 ↓
Add Admins / Mods
 ↓
Create Backups
 ↓
Invite Players
 ↓
Monitor Server
 ↓
Upgrade When Needed

Final Thoughts

Setting up your own game server may look complicated at first, but it does not have to be.

For beginners, Hostinger's Game Panel provides the simplest route. You can create a game instance, configure it, and start playing without manually installing every server component. Hostinger currently supports 100+ games through its Game Panel and includes features such as full root access, DDoS protection, backups, and one-click installation.

Once you understand the basics, you can move to manual VPS management. This gives you much more control over server files, mods, plugins, startup services, firewall rules, backups, and performance.

Start small, test your server, keep backups, and upgrade the VPS when your player base grows.