Installation

ServerGuard has two pieces — the server mod and a client companion. Both are required.

Server side (dedicated server only)

1. Make sure BepInEx is already installed on the dedicated server (denikson-BepInExPack_Valheim).
2. Install TaegukGaming-Valheim_ServerGuard through your usual workflow:
   • Manual: drop Valheim-ServerGuard.dll into BepInEx/plugins/.
   • Manager: install the Thunderstore package onto the server profile.
3. Start the server. First boot creates:
   • BepInEx/config/ServerGuard/conf/settings.yaml — main config, with a freshly-generated sharedSecret.
   • BepInEx/config/ServerGuard/conf/admins.yaml — empty list. Add your own SteamID to use admin commands.
   • BepInEx/config/ServerGuard/conf/allowed_mods.yaml — empty allowlist. You'll populate this in step 5.
4. Note the sharedSecret value printed in the server log on the first start:

   [Info] [ServerGuard] sharedSecret in use (copy to every client.yaml): yFJC+nCWfJdTAfCqlfNRluR0CAlzhRXdGhcFJPEEd38=
   

   You'll give this to every player. Treat it like a password — change it (and update all clients) if it leaks.
5. Build your allowlist — see Allowed Mods and Modset Fingerprint.

Client side (every player)

1. Install TaegukGaming-Valheim_ServerGuard_Client via your mod manager (r2modman / Thunderstore Mod Manager).
2. Launch Valheim once to the main menu, then close. The companion creates BepInEx/config/ServerGuard/client.yaml.
3. Open client.yaml. Paste in the sharedSecret your server host gave you:

   sharedSecret: "<the value from the server's settings.yaml>"
   

4. Save. Restart Valheim. Done — the next time you connect to the ServerGuard server, the companion handles the handshake automatically.

Self-test

After boot, the server runs a smoke test. If it passes silently, you're good. If it posts to your admin Discord, follow the listed fix. You can re-run on demand with sg selftest from the F5 console.

Updating

Server and client versions must match. When you update one, update the other in the same session.