The complete guide · 5 min read
The Complete Guide to Euro Truck Simulator 2 Server Hosting
How Convoy and the dedicated server work, how to export and upload server packages, which settings in server_config.sii matter, and how to run a smooth session for your crew or virtual trucking company.
By Matthew Griffin, Owner, Gaming DeluxePublished · Updated
In this guide
- Convoy and the Dedicated Server
- Exporting and Uploading Server Packages
- The Settings in server_config.sii
- Adding a Steam Token
- Moderators and House Rules
- Keeping Up with Game Updates
- Troubleshooting
- What to Compare Before You Rent an ETS2 Server
- Euro Truck Simulator 2 Server Glossary
- Euro Truck Simulator 2 Server Help
Convoy and the Dedicated Server
Euro Truck Simulator 2 came out on 12 October 2012, and for most of its life multiplayer meant third-party solutions. That changed with update 1.41 in July 2021, when SCS Software released Convoy, its own native multiplayer mode. Convoy lets a player create and host an online session with up to 8 players, and the 8 player limit still applies today.
A normal Convoy session lives on the host's PC. When the host quits, the session ends for everyone. On 8 December 2022 SCS added the dedicated server tool, which changes that. As SCS put it in the announcement, a dedicated session keeps running even without any players online, so drivers can join to continue their job and leave again when they need to.
The dedicated server can run on a rented machine with no user interface, and it does not need game or DLC ownership. That is exactly what a hosted server does: it keeps your session on the road around the clock.
Exporting and Uploading Server Packages
The first start of a new server ends with a message that the server packages file was not found. That is expected. The server needs two files that only your game can create: server_packages.sii, with the map details, DLC and mods, and server_packages.dat, with internal map data. They mirror the setup of the game you export them from, and they are not linked to your account.
- Close the game, open config.cfg in its home folder and set uset g_console "1".
- Start the game, activate the mods you want in the Mod Manager and load into your save, so the map is loaded.
- Press the tilde key and run export_server_packages.
- Find server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat in the game's home folder, usually Documents, Euro Truck Simulator 2.
- Stop your server, open the File Manager, go to the Saves folder and upload both files.
- Start the server and check the log for errors.
The Settings in server_config.sii
The first launch also creates server_config.sii, which holds the session description, ports, logon token and moderator list. Open it from the Configuration Files button. These are the entries most crews change.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| lobby_name | Session name in the browser, up to 63 characters |
| description | A short description, up to 63 characters |
| welcome_message | Shown to drivers on joining, up to 127 characters |
| password | Session password, up to 63 characters |
| max_players | Players in the session; the limit is 8 |
| traffic | AI traffic on or off |
| player_damage | Whether players take damage from each other |
| force_speed_limiter | Forces the speed limiter for every driver |
| service_no_collision | No collisions in service areas |
| name_tags | Driver names above trucks |
| moderator_list | Steam IDs promoted to moderator on joining |
There are a few more: max_vehicles_total and the AI vehicle limits for traffic density, hide_in_company and hide_colliding for crowded depots, in_menu_ghosting to stop collisions while a driver is paused, timezones with values from 0 to 2, and mods_optioning to make optional mods truly optional.
Adding a Steam Token
Without a token, the server logs in anonymously and gets a new, temporary server ID each time. That breaks direct search between restarts. A logon token from Steam's game server account page gives the server a persistent identity.
- Create the token with the game's App ID, 227300, not the server's ID. SCS warns about this mix-up in its documentation.
- Stop the server and paste the token into server_config.sii from the Configuration Files button.
- Start the server again and check the log.
Moderators and House Rules
The dedicated server has no interface, so nobody can be promoted to moderator while it runs. Instead, list moderators in server_config.sii by Steam ID, with a count line first and one numbered entry per person. They are promoted automatically when they join.
Moderators can change the in-game time with /set_time followed by the hour, set the rain with /set_rain_factor and a value from 0 to 1, and see the commands with /help, all from the chat box.
Road rules come from the config. A relaxed crew might keep traffic on and player damage off, while a virtual trucking company may force the speed limiter and switch off collisions in service areas to avoid chaos at fuel stops.
Keeping Up with Game Updates
SCS updates ETS2 several times a year, and update 1.61 arrived on 17 September 2026. After each update, drivers update their game through Steam, and the server needs updating too. Use Steam Update in the panel, then export new server packages from the updated game and upload them.
Mods often need updates after a game release as well. If a mod is not ready for the new version, remove it from the Mod Manager before exporting, so the session starts cleanly. Open beta branches appear before most releases; keep server and drivers on the same branch.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Server stops with server packages not found | Upload server_packages.sii and .dat into the Saves folder |
| Drivers get a mod or DLC mismatch | They need the same mods and DLC as the exported packages |
| Session not in the browser | Search for the search ID from the server log |
| Server ID changes after restarts | Add a Steam token to server_config.sii |
| Cannot join after an update | Update the server and export fresh packages |
The server writes server.log.txt and, after a crash, server.crash.txt. Both are the first place to look, and our support team can read them with you.
What to Compare Before You Rent an ETS2 Server
Convoy has a fixed size, so look at what actually changes between hosts.
- Honest slot countsConvoy holds 8 players. Paying for more slots adds nothing.
- Easy package uploadsYou will upload new server packages often, so a simple file manager matters.
- Config editingserver_config.sii should be editable in the browser.
- European locationsMost crews are in Europe; check the ping from your drivers.
- Memory optionsLarge map and mod setups benefit from more RAM.
- Guides and supportStep-by-step help for exporting packages and adding a token saves time.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 Server Glossary
- Convoy
- ETS2's native multiplayer mode, added in update 1.41, for up to 8 players.
- Dedicated server
- SCS's server tool that keeps a Convoy session running without a host.
- server_packages
- The .sii and .dat files exported from your game that describe the map, DLC and mods.
- server_config.sii
- The file with the session name, password, rules, ports, token and moderators.
- export_server_packages
- The console command that creates the server packages.
- Logon token
- A Steam game server token that gives the server a persistent ID.
- Search ID
- The ID shown when the server starts, used to find it in the browser.
- Moderator
- A driver listed by Steam ID who can change time and rain from chat.
Euro Truck Simulator 2 Server Help
SCS Software's documentation and our step-by-step guides.
- SCS Modding Wiki: Dedicated ServerThe official reference for packages, ports, tokens and every config setting.
- How to set up your ETS2 dedicated serverOur four-step guide with videos.
- How to add mods to your ETS2 server
- Gaming Deluxe control panelHow the panel works and how to log in.
- Contact support24/7 help with packages and configs.
How this guide was made: researched from SCS Software's Modding Wiki, its Convoy and dedicated server announcements on Steam and the Steam store page, plus our own knowledge base, drafted with AI assistance, checked against our live order form for every plan, price and location, and reviewed by Matthew Griffin before publishing. Something out of date? Tell us.
Sources, checked 22 October 2026:
- Euro Truck Simulator 2 on Steam (developer, release date, platforms, Convoy)
- SCS Software Modding Wiki, Dedicated Server (8 player limit, packages, config, tokens, moderators)
- SCS Software, "Convoy: Dedicated Servers Support" (Steam, 8 December 2022)
- SCS Software, "Euro Truck Simulator 2: 1.41 Release" (Steam, 15 July 2021)
- SCS Software, "Euro Truck Simulator 2: 1.61 Update Release" (Steam, 17 September 2026)
- Gaming Deluxe knowledge base: ETS2 server setup, packages, Steam token and mods
- Gaming Deluxe order form, Euro Truck Simulator 2