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Factorio

Headless Server on Proxmox (LXC)

Guest contribution by HiSch

This guide will walk you through creating a Proxmox LXC container and setting up a Factorio headless server inside it.

1. Create a New Proxmox LXC Container

  1. Download a CT template
    • In Proxmox, select your host → go to local (hostname) → click CT Templates.
    • Click Templates and download one.
    • For this guide, we’ll use: debian-12
  2. Create a new container
    • Right-click your Proxmox host → Create CT.
    • Hostname: choose a name (e.g. factorio).
    • Password: set root password. → Next
  3. Storage \& Template
    • Pick your storage.
    • Select the debian-12 CT template. → Next
  4. Disk Size
    • Recommended: 20 GB.
  5. CPU
    • 2 Cores should be fine (unless you expect very heavy loads).
  6. Memory
    • 4096 MB RAM + 4096 MB Swap is a good start.
    • You can always change later in Proxmox.
  7. Network
    • Enable DHCP (default works for most setups).
    • Advanced users can configure a custom network.
  8. DNS Settings
    • Default is fine.
  9. Finish
    • Click Finish → wait for container creation.

2. Initial Container Setup

  1. Click your new LXC container → Console/Shell.
  2. Log in as root (default).
  3. Update and install required dependencies:
apt update
apt install wget tar rsync -y
  1. Create a new user for Factorio:
adduser factorio

Set a password when prompted.

3. Install Factorio Headless

  1. Log in as the new user:
su - factorio
  1. Download Factorio server files:
wget https://factorio.com/get-download/stable/headless/linux64 -O ~/factorio_headless.tar.xz
  1. Extract and prepare files:
tar -xvf ~/factorio_headless.tar.xz -C ~/
rsync -au ~/factorio/ ~/server/
rm ~/factorio_headless.tar.xz
rm -R ~/factorio/
  1. Setup server config:
cp ~/server/data/server-settings.example.json ~/server/data/server-settings.json
nano ~/server/data/server-settings.json

(Edit settings as needed: server name, visibility, etc.) 5. Create your first map save:

~/server/bin/x64/factorio --create ~/server/my-save.zip
  1. Logout back to root:
exit

4. Setup Systemd Service

As root, create a new systemd service:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/factorio.service > /dev/null << 'EOL'
[Unit]
Description=Factorio Headless Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=factorio
WorkingDirectory=/home/factorio/server
ExecStart=/home/factorio/server/bin/x64/factorio --start-server /home/factorio/server/my-save.zip --server-settings /home/factorio/server/data/server-settings.json
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOL

Reload systemd:

systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl start factorio
systemctl enable factorio

5. Done

Your Factorio headless server should now be running automatically on boot.

  • To check status:
systemctl status factorio
  • To stop/start:
systemctl stop factorio
systemctl start factorio

You now have a dedicated Factorio server running inside a Proxmox LXC container!

Port Forwarding for Factorio Server

By default, Factorio uses port 34197/UDP. If you want people outside your LAN to join your server, you need to make this port reachable from the internet.

Port Forward on Your Router

On your home router/firewall:

  1. Log in to your router admin panel.
  2. Look for Port Forwarding / NAT / Virtual Server settings.
  3. Add a new rule:
    • Port: 34197
    • Protocol: UDP
    • Destination IP: IP address of your Factorio container (e.g., 192.168.1.50).
    • Forward To Port: 34197

Save and restart your router if necessary.

Test External Connectivity

  1. From outside your network (ask a friend, or use mobile hotspot):
    • Open Factorio → Multiplayer → Connect to your public IP.
    • Public IP can be found by searching “what is my IP” on Google.
  2. Make sure your local firewall (Proxmox host or container) is not blocking UDP traffic on port 34197.

Optional: Register with the Official Server List

Inside your ~/server/data/server-settings.json, you can configure:

  • "name": "My Awesome Factorio Server"
  • "description": "Hosted on Proxmox LXC"
  • "visibility": "public"

This will let your server appear in the official Factorio multiplayer browser. (Requires that port forwarding is working correctly.)

After completing this, you should be able to join by entering your public IP (and port 34197) in Factorio multiplayer.

Updating Factorio Server Automatically

Factorio releases updates often, so it’s a good idea to automate the update process. Below are steps to create a simple script that updates your server daily at 4 AM.

Create the Update Script

Log in as root in your Proxmox LXC container and create the script:

nano /root/update.sh

Paste the following contents:

#!/bin/bash

# Stop Factorio server before updating
service factorio stop

# Download latest Factorio headless version
sudo -u factorio wget https://factorio.com/get-download/stable/headless/linux64 -O /home/factorio/factorio_headless.tar.xz

# Extract files to the factorio home directory
sudo -u factorio tar -xvf /home/factorio/factorio_headless.tar.xz -C /home/factorio/

# Sync new files into server directory (preserves saves & configs)
sudo -u factorio rsync -au /home/factorio/factorio/ /home/factorio/server/

# Start the server again
service factorio start

# Cleanup temporary files
rm /home/factorio/factorio_headless.tar.xz
rm -R /home/factorio/factorio/

Save and exit (CTRL+O, then CTRL+X).

Make the Script Executable

chmod +x /root/update.sh

Schedule Daily Automatic Updates

Edit root’s crontab:

crontab -e

Add this line at the bottom to run the update daily at 4:00 AM:

0 4 * * * /root/update.sh > /dev/null 2>&1
  • 0 4 * * * → every day at 4:00 AM
  • > /dev/null 2>&1 → silences script output

Save and exit the crontab editor.

Verify Cron Setup

You can list cron jobs with:

crontab -l