Troubleshooting
The most common problems on a RuneScape: Dragonwilds server, and how to fix them. In every case, the panel Console is your first tool: read the last lines shown before the stop or the error. The full server log is also available in RSDragonwilds/Saved/Logs/ (file RSDragonwilds.log).
The server won't start
The owner's ID is missing or wrong
This is the most common cause on a new server: according to Jagex's official guide, without a valid Owner ID, the server won't start (Jagex has announced this requirement will become optional, but don't count on it).
- Check that you pasted your Player ID (shown at the bottom of the game's Settings menu), not your SteamID, your username or a sample value
- If the Startup tab has a variable for the owner's ID, that is the one that counts: a value entered only in the file may be ignored
- Check that there are no extra spaces or quotes around the ID
See Configure the server. If the problem persists, contact support with the last lines of the console.
A required setting is empty
The server name, the world name and the admin password must also be set. Check them in the Startup tab and in DedicatedServer.ini.
My changes disappear
DedicatedServer.ini was edited while the server was running: the server rewrote the file. Stop the server, make the change again, then start it. If a value still comes back, it's probably defined in the Startup tab, which takes precedence over the file.
The first start takes a while
On the first launch, or after a game update, the server may need a few minutes before it's ready. Let the console finish before restarting.
Not enough memory
If the server stops abruptly without a clear error, or if RAM is constantly maxed out in the panel, your plan may be too tight for the number of players. Plan for about 2 GB as a base plus 1 GB per player. See Choosing a plan.
The server doesn't show up in the search
The server is running in the panel, but nobody can find it in the game's Public tab. Check in this order:
| Probable cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Version mismatch after a game update | Restart the server so it syncs. Compare the version shown at startup in the console with the game's version |
| Searching for the server name instead of the world name | Search for the world name |
| Different capital letters or spaces | The search is case-sensitive: copy-paste the exact name |
| The server loaded a different world than expected | The server loads the most recent save: check in the console which world is loaded (see Backups) |
| The server hasn't finished starting | Wait for loading to finish in the console |
| Missing required setting | See The server won't start |
Dragonwilds gets frequent updates and hotfixes. A server still on an older version than the players' disappears from the search. A simple restart is often enough. Schedule a daily automatic restart from the Schedules tab to limit this problem. If the server stays on the old version after a restart, contact support.
Players can't join
| Symptom | Probable cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Password requested or refused | World password set or changed | Share the world password (not the admin password). Restart after any change |
| Refused for version mismatch | Game and server not on the same version | Update the game and restart the server (see Game updates) |
| Server full | 6 players already connected | Limit set by the game: it can't be raised |
| Player refused even though everything is correct | Player banned | Only the owner can unban (see Server administration) |
| Steam invite does nothing | Steam invites may not work with dedicated servers | Search for the world name in the Public tab |
| Player on console (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2) | Crossplay option disabled on the server, or a different game version on console | Check that crossplay is enabled and that everyone is on the same version. Jagex hasn't detailed every condition for consoles joining dedicated servers: contact support to check |
On the player's side, the usual checks still help: restart the router, prefer a wired connection over Wi-Fi, disable any VPN.
Opening the required ports is handled by YorkHost. Do not change the server port: it must listen on the port assigned by the panel. See Are all ports open? and Unable to connect to the server.
Lag and desync
The Dragonwilds dedicated server is lightweight, but it can slow down if its resources are saturated.
- Check RAM and CPU in the panel while players are connected. If RAM is constantly maxed out, upgrade to the next plan
- Restart the server regularly, for example every night, with an automatic restart
- Check the players' connection: if only one player lags, the cause is probably on their side (Wi-Fi, VPN, distance)
To analyze resource usage, see also Performance debugging.
The world is gone or it's the wrong one
- An imported world keeps the name it had on your PC: search for that name
- If other, more recent
.savfiles are in the save folder, the server loads them first - If a save is corrupted after an update, restore a backup from the Backups tab
See Backups and importing a world.
Don't replace the server files
Don't replace the dedicated server files with files from your game installation or any other source: your server runs the official Linux build of the dedicated server, installed and updated by the panel. If files are damaged, contact support.
Still stuck?
Contact support 7 days a week on Discord or through your client area, including:
- your server name
- what you changed right before the problem
- the last lines of the console when the error occurred