Server Installation
The installation of SmartFoxServer 3 is a simple operation that requires only a few steps. We recommend reviewing the system requirements and proceed with the installation for the OS of your choice.
System Requirements
SmartFoxServer 3 is written in Java and supports all major operating systems:
- Linux (any distribution)
- macOS ("Ventura" or higher)
- Windows (10/11/Server)
- Other Unix derivatives (FreeBSD, AIX, Solaris)
It also comes with a bundled Java runtime, so no extra dependencies are needed.
The minimum hardware specs required for SmartFoxServer are as follows:
| Resource | Dev/Testing | Production |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Dual core | default core 2.0Ghz or higher |
| Free RAM | 128 MB | 1GB or more |
| Free HD Space | 300 MB | 8GB or more (mostly for logs and local storage) |
| Network | Any | Fast, large capacity Gigabit network |
Installation
Post installation tasks
After you have started the server you can test everything is in order by pointing your browser to http://localhost:8088/admin If you're testing a public server, then replace localhost with the IP address or domain name of your server.
This will bring up the AdminTool login page. The initial default credentials are:
- login: sfsadmin
- password: sfsadmin
Change the default password
If you're installing on a public server (staging or production) don't forget to change the default Admin password using a secure value.
Local firewall settings
This is a list of TCP and UDP ports used by SmartFoxServer 3. If you're using a firewall make sure to open the following ports:
| Protocol | Port | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TCP | 9977 | Used for TCP clients |
| UDP | 9977 | Used for UDP traffic |
| TCP | 8088 | Used for HTTP traffic, WebSocket clients |
| TCP | 8843 | Used for HTTPS traffic and WSS (WebSocket w/ SSL) clients |
Exposing the server to the outside world
If you're running SmartFoxServer from your home/office and you want to expose the server to the internet you will need activate port-forwarding on your router. This service is also known as NAT (Network address translation).
A step-by-step guide on how to configure your router cannot be provided here since each router brand/model works in slightly different ways. We recommend to refer to the documentation coming with your router and following their directions. Typically the operation takes only a few steps to complete.
To learn more about port forwarding we also suggest this external resource.