Installing a TeamSpeak 3 Server on Linux: Step by Step Guide

Installing a TeamSpeak 3 Server on Linux

TeamSpeak 3 (TS3) is a popular voice communication platform for gaming communities and corporate teams alike. Running your own TeamSpeak server on a VDS gives you full control, low latency and a configuration tailored to your community. This guide walks through the TS3 server installation process on a Linux VDS.

TeamSpeak 3 Server System Requirements

TS3 server is a remarkably lightweight application:

💡 A TeamSpeak server consumes very few resources. The ENT-1 plan from White Bilişim’s Xeon Enterprise VDS line (2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 160 TRY/month) runs it comfortably. You can even host it alongside your game server on the same VDS.

Step 1: Connecting to the Server

Connect over SSH:

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 2: Creating a TeamSpeak User

For security, run TS3 under a dedicated user account:

# Create the TeamSpeak user
adduser --disabled-login teamspeak
 
# Set permissions
# (You can press Enter through the password and info prompts)

Step 3: Downloading and Installing TeamSpeak 3 Server

# Switch to the TeamSpeak user
su - teamspeak
 
# Go to the home directory
cd ~
 
# Download TeamSpeak 3 server (64-bit Linux)
wget https://files.teamspeak-services.com/releases/server/3.13.7/teamspeak3-server_linux_amd64-3.13.7.tar.bz2
 
# Extract the archive
tar -xvf teamspeak3-server_linux_amd64-3.13.7.tar.bz2
 
# Tidy up the folder name
mv teamspeak3-server_linux_amd64 ts3server
cd ts3server

⚠️ Note: The URL above changes with each release. Check the official TeamSpeak site for the current version.

Step 4: Accepting the License Agreement

Accept the license agreement before the first run:

# Create the license acceptance file
touch .ts3server_license_accepted

Step 5: Starting the Server for the First Time

# Start the server
./ts3server_startscript.sh start

The first startup prints critically important information to the console:

------------------------------------------------------------------
                      I M P O R T A N T
------------------------------------------------------------------
               Server Query Admin Account created
         loginname= "serveradmin"
         password=  "YOUR_PASSWORD_HERE"
         apikey=    "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE"

         ServerAdmin privilege key created, please use
         the privilege key below to gain serveradmin
         rights for your virtualserver.

         token=YOUR_TOKEN_HERE
------------------------------------------------------------------

⚠️ Save this information immediately. If you lose the token, you cannot claim admin rights on your own server.

Step 6: Firewall Configuration

Open the ports TeamSpeak 3 needs:

# Return to the root user
exit
 
# Open the ports with UFW
sudo ufw allow 9987/udp
sudo ufw allow 30033/tcp
sudo ufw allow 10011/tcp
 
# Enable the firewall if it is not already on
sudo ufw enable

Step 7: Connecting With the TeamSpeak Client

1. Download the TeamSpeak Client
2. Select Connections → Connect
3. Server Address: YOUR_SERVER_IP
4. Nickname: whatever name you like
5. Click Connect

Once you are connected:

1. Permissions → Use Privilege Key
2. Paste the token you saved in Step 5
3. You are now the server administrator.

Step 8: Automatic Startup (Systemd Service)

To bring TS3 back up automatically after a server reboot:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/ts3server.service

Paste the following:

[Unit]
Description=TeamSpeak 3 Server
After=network.target
 
[Service]
WorkingDirectory=/home/teamspeak/ts3server
User=teamspeak
Group=teamspeak
Type=forking
ExecStart=/home/teamspeak/ts3server/ts3server_startscript.sh start
ExecStop=/home/teamspeak/ts3server/ts3server_startscript.sh stop
PIDFile=/home/teamspeak/ts3server/ts3server.pid
RestartSec=15
Restart=always
 
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

# Enable the service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable ts3server
sudo systemctl start ts3server
 
# Check the status
sudo systemctl status ts3server

TeamSpeak Server Administration Tips

Changing the Server Name

From the TS3 Client:

1. Right click the server → Edit Virtual Server
2. Change the Server Name field

Creating a Channel

1. Right click the server → Create Channel
2. Set the channel name, password and options

Backups

# Back up the TS3 database
cp /home/teamspeak/ts3server/ts3server.sqlitedb /backup/ts3server_$(date +%Y%m%d).sqlitedb

Common Problems

Connection Timeout

• Verify that UDP port 9987 is open in the firewall
• Check the firewall in your VDS provider’s control panel as well

“Server is full” Error

The default license is limited to 32 slots. You need a TeamSpeak license to go beyond that.

Poor Voice Quality

• Raise the codec quality (Server Settings → Security → Codec Quality: 10)
• Check the ping between the server and your players
• Use a server in the Istanbul location to keep ping low for players in Turkey

Conclusion

Setting up a TeamSpeak 3 server is straightforward and inexpensive. A single VDS can comfortably run both your game server and your TS3 server at the same time. If you would rather skip the setup entirely, take a look at our TeamSpeak server plans.

👉 For TS3 plus a game server, see our Xeon Enterprise VDS plans, or Ryzen Premium VDS for higher capacity projects.