# Setting Player Slots on Your Subnautica Nitrox Server (/docs/subnautica/player-slots)



import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';

Nitrox has no hard cap on player count -- the practical limit is your server's CPU and bandwidth. Most groups run 2-10 players. Subnautica was designed for single-player, and base building, vehicle physics, and creature sync get heavier with each connected player.

Recommended Player Counts [#recommended-player-counts]

| Players | Notes                                                                                 |
| ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 2-4     | Smooth on every plan. Recommended for most co-op runs.                                |
| 5-8     | Comfortable on mid-tier plans; some lag during heavy base construction.               |
| 9-15    | Possible but requires a beefier plan. Expect occasional desync events.                |
| 16+     | Not recommended. Even with strong hardware, sync gets noisy and saves get large fast. |

Changing the Limit [#changing-the-limit]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop the server [#stop-the-server]

    In the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com), click `Stop`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Edit the save config [#edit-the-save-config]

    Open `File Manager` and navigate to:

    ```
    .config/Nitrox/saves/My World/server.cfg
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Set MaxConnections [#set-maxconnections]

    Find the `MaxConnections` line and set your number:

    ```
    MaxConnections=8
    ```

    The default is `100`, which is essentially "no limit" for the realistic player range. Lower it if you want to enforce a cap.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Save and start [#save-and-start]

    Save the file and start the server.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Why You Might Lower the Cap [#why-you-might-lower-the-cap]

* **Keep the world quiet.** A four-player cap on a public-IP open server prevents random joiners from filling slots.
* **Match your plan.** If your hosting plan is sized for six players, capping at six avoids a tenth player joining and tanking everyone's experience.
* **Hardcore with a fixed roster.** In Hardcore mode, locking the slot count to your friend group keeps the experience tight.

Performance Tips for Larger Groups [#performance-tips-for-larger-groups]

* **Increase auto-save interval.** Frequent saves on a large world create stutter. Bump `SaveInterval` from `120000` (2 minutes) to `300000` (5 minutes) or higher. See [Configure Your Server](/docs/subnautica/configure-your-server).
* **Limit base size.** Multi-megabase setups multiply sync cost per player. Encourage smaller, distributed bases.
* **Keep the Nitrox version current.** Each release improves sync efficiency. See [Updating Nitrox](/docs/subnautica/update-nitrox).

Related [#related]

* [Configure Your Server](/docs/subnautica/configure-your-server) -- full settings reference
* [Troubleshooting](/docs/subnautica/troubleshooting) -- if connections fail after raising the cap