LANCommander – Self-Hosted Game Distribution Over LAN

TL;DR

TL;DR: LANCommander is an open-source, self-hosted game distribution platform that lets you host a private game library and serve games over your local network—no internet connection needed. Built with .NET, cross-platform, and MIT licensed.

Source and Accuracy Notes

• Project page: lancommander.app
• Source repository: github.com/LANCommander/LANCommander
• License: MIT (verified via GitHub API license.spdx_id)
• Latest release: v2.1.8 (verified via git ls-remote --tags)
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39461825

What Is LANCommander?

LANCommander is an open-source, self-hostable digital game distribution platform. Host your own game library on a server, distribute games across your local network, and let players browse and install from a polished desktop launcher.

The core use case is LAN parties where internet access is unavailable or unreliable. But the platform works anywhere you want a private, self-controlled game distribution system—offices, homes with bandwidth caps, or self-hosted game museums.

The project describes itself as:

Self-hosted game distribution - no internet required.

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Deploy the Server

The server component runs on Windows, Linux, or macOS (x64 and arm64).

Linux/macOS (recommended):

# Download the latest release
wget https://github.com/LANCommander/LANCommander/releases/latest/download/LANCommander.Server-linux-x64.tar.gz
tar -xzf LANCommander.Server-linux-x64.tar.gz
cd LANCommander.Server

# Run (requires SQLite database created on first start)
./LANCommander.Server

Windows:

Download the latest release from the releases page, extract, and run LANCommander.Server.exe.

Step 2: Configure the Admin Dashboard

Once the server is running, open the web-based admin dashboard (default: http://localhost:8080 or configure the port).

From the dashboard you can:

• Add games by uploading game packages or using the Packager tool
• Manage users with registration, approval workflows, and role-based access
• Configure IGDB and SteamGridDB integration for automatic metadata and cover art
• Set up OpenID Connect authentication if you want SSO

Step 3: Set Up the Desktop Launcher (Players)

Players install the LANCommander Launcher on their machine. The launcher auto-discovers servers on the network via UDP beacon—no manual IP entry needed.

# Download the launcher for your OS
# Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS

From the launcher, players can:

• Browse the game depot (popular, genres, new releases)
• Search and filter the library
• Download and install games with progress tracking
• Launch games directly from the launcher
• Sync cloud saves automatically

Step 4: Package a Game (Optional)

To add a game to the server, use the dedicated Packager tool (Windows only):

1. Run the Packager wizard
2. Point it to the game’s installer or executable
3. It monitors the installation, captures registry keys, and auto-fetches metadata from IGDB
4. Upload the package to your LANCommander server

For redistributable runtimes (Visual C++, .NET, DirectX), the packager can bundle them into the game package for automatic installation.

Deeper Analysis

Architecture

LANCommander uses a client-server model where the server stores games and metadata, and clients connect over the local network. All game assets are served locally—no CDN or internet dependency for game downloads.

The server is built on ASP.NET Blazor (web UI) with a SQLite backend. The desktop launcher is a separate .NET application with its own game browsing, download management, and launch integration.

Key Features

Game Distribution:

• Self-hosted library served over LAN
• Multi-part archive uploads with chunked transfer for large games
• Automatic metadata from IGDB and SteamGridDB (covers, icons, backgrounds)
• Bundled runtime redistributable installation

Desktop Launcher:

• Depot storefront, library shelf, and search/filtering
• Download queue with progress tracking
• Cloud saves (automatic backup and restore)
• UDP auto-discovery of servers on the network
• Discord Rich Presence integration
• Offline mode support

Server Administration:

• Web-based dashboard
• User management with roles and approval workflows
• OpenID Connect authentication
• PowerShell scripting hooks (pre/post install, pre/post launch)
• RCON support for dedicated server management
• Play session tracking and statistics

Developer SDK:

• Published on NuGet as LANCommander.SDK
• Build custom clients and tools with full API access via dependency injection

Platform Support

| Component | Windows | Linux | macOS | |-----------|:-------:|:-----:|:-----:| | Server | x64, arm64 | x64, arm64 | x64, arm64 | | Launcher | x64, arm64 | x64, arm64 | x64, arm64 | | Packager | x86 | - | - |

The launcher is primarily tested on Windows. Linux and macOS builds are provided but may have limited functionality.

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• [ ] Server starts without errors on Linux
• [ ] Admin dashboard accessible on local network
• [ ] Game packages upload and register correctly
• [ ] Launcher auto-discovers server via UDP
• [ ] Game downloads work without internet connection
• [ ] Cloud saves sync between sessions
• [ ] PowerShell hooks fire correctly

Security Notes

• User registration can require admin approval—enforce this for untrusted networks
• OpenID Connect is available for SSO environments
• All game assets served over LAN only—review your network segmentation if hosting on a shared network
• PowerShell hooks run with the server’s permissions—treat game packages as semi-trusted input

FAQ

Q: Does this replace Steam or other launchers? A: No. LANCommander is for private, offline game distribution. It does not integrate with Steam, Epic, or other stores. You manually package games you already own.

Q: Can I use this without any internet connection at all? A: Yes. Once the server and launcher are installed, all game distribution happens entirely over LAN. No internet required for downloads or updates.

Q: What happens to cloud saves? A: LANCommander has built-in cloud save sync. Save files are backed up to the server and restored on re-install, keeping progress intact across machines.

Q: Is there a way to require authentication before accessing games? A: Yes. The server supports user management with registration approval and role-based access. OpenID Connect is also available for SSO setups.

Q: Can I run it on a Raspberry Pi? A: The server runs on Linux arm64, so it works on a Raspberry Pi 4 or later. Performance for serving large game files depends on your network and storage speed.

Conclusion

LANCommander fills a specific niche: private, offline game distribution for LAN parties, offices, or bandwidth-constrained homes. It is not a general game store—it requires you to bring your own game files. But if you need to share a large game library across machines without touching the internet, it handles the entire workflow from packaging to launching.

The project is actively maintained (latest release v2.1.8, pushed July 2026), MIT licensed, and has a solid feature set including cloud saves, auto-discovery, and a cross-platform server. The Windows-only packager is the main limitation if you are on Linux or macOS.

Source: github.com/LANCommander/LANCommander · lancommander.app