Docs › Game servers

How to start a Terraria, Factorio, Valheim or Palworld server

Set up an ESN game server: buy the game plan, wait for the install, set the server name and password in Startup, and join with the address from the panel.

ESN has a plan for each of these four games. The game is installed for you when the server is created, so there is nothing to upload.

Game	Plan	RAM	Runs
Terraria	Terraria	1.5 GB	TShock
Factorio	Factorio	2 GB	Factorio headless server
Valheim	Valheim	4 GB	Valheim dedicated server
Palworld	Palworld	8 GB	Palworld dedicated server

Prices are on Plans and billing.

1. Buy the game's plan

Sign in to the panel's Plans page. New here? Create an account first.
Choose Buy on the game's plan and pay on Stripe's checkout.
The server appears on your dashboard within a minute or two, and you get a "server ready" message.

2. Let it finish installing

The game downloads by itself the first time. Valheim and Palworld are big downloads, so this can take a few minutes. While it installs, the server page says so and the Start button waits. When it's done, press Start and watch the Console.

3. Set the name and password

Open the server's Startup tab. Each game has its own settings there, for example:

Terraria: World Name.
Factorio: Server Name, Server Description, Server password, Save Name and auto-save settings.
Valheim: Server Name, Server Password, World Name, Public Server and Enable Crossplay. ESN sets a random password for you on a new server; change it to one your friends can type. Valheim needs a password of at least 5 characters.
Palworld: Server Name, Server Description, Server Password, Admin Password, Max Players and Crossplay Platforms. ESN sets a random Admin Password for you.

Restart the server after changing a setting so it takes effect.

4. Join the server

Your connect address (IP and port, like 123.45.67.89:25570) is shown on the server's page in the panel. Then, in the game:

Terraria: Multiplayer → Join via IP. Enter the IP, then the port.
Factorio: Multiplayer → Connect to address, and enter IP:port.
Valheim: Start game → pick a character → Join game → Add server, and enter IP:port. Your server gets the two ports in a row that Valheim needs.
Palworld: Join Multiplayer Game (Dedicated Server). Type IP:port in the box at the bottom and choose Connect.

Can't connect? Check the Console says the server finished starting, that you used the port from the panel and not the game's default, and that your game is the same version as the server. More fixes are in Troubleshooting.

Keep your world safe

Stop the server before you download or replace world files. See Backups.

Still stuck? Use the live chat on the panel or ask in the ESN Hosting Discord. Last updated October 27, 2026.