SuperTuxKartHow to Host a SuperTuxKart Server (LAN and WAN Setup 2026)
Host a SuperTuxKart server with --server-config and --lan-server or --wan-server, open UDP 2759, use the network console, and join with Enter server address.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 6 min read
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To host a SuperTuxKart server, run the normal game binary in server mode: supertuxkart --server-config=myserver.xml --lan-server=MyServer --network-console starts a server that friends join from Online > Enter server address with your IP and port. For a server listed publicly under Global networking, log in once with supertuxkart --init-user --login=name --password=pass and start it with --wan-server=MyServer instead. Either way the server uses UDP port 2759, writes its settings to the XML file you named, and needs no copy of anything beyond the free game.
The steps below follow the official NETWORKING.md from the SuperTuxKart repository and apply to version 1.5.
LAN server or WAN server
SuperTuxKart has two server types, and choosing the right one up front avoids most later confusion.
LAN server (--lan-server) |
WAN server (--wan-server) |
|
|---|---|---|
| STK online account | Not needed | Required, with a saved login |
| Shows in Global networking | No | Yes |
| Shows in Local networking | Yes, to players on the same network | Not needed, it is listed globally |
| Join by Enter server address | Yes | Yes |
| Player validation | Off | On by default |
| Ranked play possible | No | With permission from the STK team |
A LAN server is not limited to your house. The official docs say a LAN server "can be connected too by typing your server public address (with port) in Enter server address dialog without relying on stk-addons." That makes it the simplest choice for a private group: no account, no listing, only people with the address get in.
Step 1: get the game
There is no separate server download. Grab SuperTuxKart for Linux, Windows or macOS from the official download page and unpack or install it. On Linux, the archive has the binary at bin/supertuxkart. When you pass a server config or a server name, the game starts without graphics or sound, so a headless VPS works. Developers can also compile with -DSERVER_ONLY=ON for a smaller GUI-less binary.
Step 2: start a LAN server
From the game folder:
./bin/supertuxkart --server-config=myserver.xml --lan-server="Friday Karts" --network-console
On Windows, open a command prompt in the install folder and run supertuxkart.exe with the same options.
If myserver.xml does not exist, the server creates it in the current folder with every default value, and logs Could not read server config file '...'. A new file will be created. That file is where voting, passwords, time limits and the rest live; every option is walked through in SuperTuxKart server config.xml explained.
Useful command line options, which override the XML each time you start:
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
--port=2759 |
Server port |
--max-players=8 |
Player limit |
--difficulty=0 |
0 Beginner, 1 Intermediate, 2 Expert, 3 SuperTux |
--mode=0 |
0 normal race, 1 time trial, 2 battle, 3 soccer, 5 capture the flag |
--motd="Welcome" |
Lobby message, or the name of a .txt file |
--server-password=secret |
Private server |
--owner-less |
Games start automatically, nobody can kick |
Step 3 (optional): make it a WAN server
For a server anyone can find, you need a free account from online.supertuxkart.net. Save the login on the server machine once:
./bin/supertuxkart --init-user --login=your_name --password=your_password
It should print Done saving user, leaving. Then start with --wan-server:
./bin/supertuxkart --server-config=myserver.xml --wan-server="Friday Karts" --network-console
When registration works, the log shows Server <number> is now online. If it shows No saved online player session to create or connect to a wan server., run the --init-user step again. The STK team asks that servers meant to stay on around the clock are reachable directly (port forwarded) rather than relying on NAT punching, and they remove listed servers that are not.
Step 4: open the ports
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 2759 | UDP | Server port, the one players connect to |
| 2757 | UDP | Server discovery for LAN and localhost |
| 2758 | UDP | Client port, only on the player side |
On a Linux VPS with ufw: sudo ufw allow 2759/udp. At home, forward UDP 2759 to the server machine (port forwarding walkthrough). WAN servers try STUN to get through a router without a forward, but a LAN server does no NAT traversal, so the port must be reachable directly. If 2759 is already in use, STK quietly switches to a random port, so check the log for the port it actually bound.
Step 5: join from the game
- Start SuperTuxKart and pick Online.
- Choose Enter server address.
- Type the address followed by a colon and the port, for example
203.0.113.25:2759, and confirm with Join. - In the lobby, the first player in becomes the owner (unless the server is owner-less) and can pick settings and start the race.
The dialog keeps a history of addresses, so next time you only pick it from the list. Everyone must run a compatible version; a mismatch shows Connection refused: Game data is incompatible. If the server is not where you expect it, the troubleshooting guide goes through each cause.
Step 6: run it from the network console
--network-console lets you type commands into the server's terminal:
| Command | Does |
|---|---|
listpeers |
Lists connected players with host ID and IP |
kick 3 |
Kicks peer number 3 |
kickban 3 |
Kicks and bans that IP |
listban |
Shows the IP ban list |
kickall |
Empties the server |
speedstats |
Upload and download speed |
quit |
Shuts the server down |
The docs warn not to use --network-console when running the server as a systemd service. In that case set enable-console in the XML or leave the console off.
How much power it needs
Very little. The SuperTuxKart team measured about 60% of one core and around 60 MB of memory on a Raspberry Pi 3 B+ with 8 players on heavy tracks like Cocoa Temple. The config file itself warns that more than 8 players can cause performance problems, and races feel best at 8 to 12 karts, while soccer and battle cope with more.
Skip the setup
Running it at home ties the lobby to your PC being on and your router being forwarded. A GamezServers SuperTuxKart server is live with its own address within about a minute of paying. Server Name, Mode, Difficulty, Max Players (up to 24) and Message of the Day are set in the panel, and the server's XML file is in the file manager for everything else. It runs as a LAN server, so it stays off the public list and only people you give the address to can join with Enter server address. Plans start small since the game needs so little, and families or classes can split the bill (see our split the bill page).
FAQ
What port does a SuperTuxKart server use?
UDP 2759 for players connecting, plus UDP 2757 for discovery on a local network. Change the server port with --port or server-port in the XML.
Do I need an STK account to host?
Only for a WAN server listed online. A LAN server needs no account and still accepts players over the internet by address.
Can Android players join a PC server?
Yes, if they run a compatible version. The Android build leaves out some official tracks, which is why the default official-tracks-threshold is 0.7 rather than 1.
Can I play on the same PC that runs the server?
Yes. Start the server in one window and the game in another, then join 127.0.0.1:2759 with Enter server address.
Does the server need the add-on tracks too?
Yes. A track can only be played if the server has it installed, and each player needs the same add-on from the in game add-ons menu.
Skip the setup. Your own SuperTuxKart server.
Then $2.99/mo. Just trying it? $0.75 for 3 days
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