LANCommander – Self-Hosted Game Distribution for LAN Parties

TL;DR

TL;DR: LANCommander is an open-source, self-hostable game distribution platform that lets you run a private game library over a LAN — no internet required. Docker image available, MIT licensed.

Source and Accuracy Notes

⚠️ This section is MANDATORY. All links must be verified from actual source, not guessed.

• Project page: lancommander.app ← verified
• Source repository: github.com/LANCommander/LANCommander ← verified
• License: MIT ← verified via GitHub API
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48467068 (v2.1.0)
• Stars: 434 (GitHub API, 2026-07-25)
• Source last checked: 2026-07-25 (commit verified)

What Is LANCommander?

LANCommander is a self-hosted digital distribution platform for PC games, built primarily for LAN parties where internet access is unavailable. It consists of two parts:

1. Server — a web-based backend (ASP.NET Blazor) that hosts game files, metadata, and user accounts
2. Launcher — a cross-platform desktop client (Avalonia UI) that players use to browse, download, and launch games

From the README:

Self-hosted game distribution — no internet required. Host your own game library, distribute games across your local network, and let players browse and install from a polished desktop launcher.

Games are packaged as archives and uploaded to the server. The launcher downloads them over the LAN at local network speeds — orders of magnitude faster than downloading from the internet.

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Deploy the Server via Docker

The recommended way to run LANCommander is with Docker. A single docker-compose.yml gets you the server, web UI, and auto-discovery beacon:

services:
  lancommander:
    image: lancommander/lancommander:latest
    container_name: lancommander
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=Etc/UTC
      # Optional: install SteamCMD inside the container
      # - STEAMCMD=1
      # Optional: install WINE for Windows game compatibility layers
      # - WINE=1
    volumes:
      - /path/to/app/data:/app/Data
    ports:
      - 1337:1337/tcp   # Web interface
      - 35891:35891/udp # Beacon broadcast (auto-discovery)
      - 213:213/udp     # IPX relay
    restart: unless-stopped

All game archives and configuration live in /app/Data on the host.

Step 2: Connect the Launcher

Download the latest launcher for your OS from the Releases page. The launcher auto-discovers LANCommander servers on your network via UDP beacon — no IP address needed.

Windows:  LANCommander_x.x.x_x64-setup.exe
Linux:    LANCommander_x.x.x_x64.AppImage
macOS:    LANCommander_x.x.x_x64.dmg

Open the launcher, find your server in the depot, and start downloading games.

Step 3: Package Your Own Games

The Windows Packager tool walks you through creating a game package:

1. Search IGDB — auto-fills game title, genre, and cover art from the Internet Game Database
2. Capture registry — tracks installer-written keys
3. Monitor installer — records files written and changes made
4. Upload directly to your LANCommander server

For redistributable runtimes (Visual C++, .NET, DirectX), LANCommander can bundle and auto-install these alongside the game.

Deeper Analysis

Who Is This For?

LANCommander targets:

• LAN party organizers — who need to distribute games to dozens of machines without burning bandwidth
• Offline networks — military, remote sites, or events with restricted internet
• Home network gamers — who want a private Steam-like experience without sharing files publicly
• Retro gaming enthusiasts — preserving game libraries on closed networks

Architecture

The server is a self-contained ASP.NET Blazor application. No external database dependency — game metadata and user accounts are stored locally in SQLite (or a configurable provider).

The launcher is built with Avalonia UI, a cross-platform .NET UI framework similar to Qt. This gives it native performance on Windows, Linux, and macOS from a single codebase.

Auto-discovery uses a UDP broadcast on port 35891. The server sends periodic beacons; clients listen for them and add servers to their list automatically.

Feature Highlights

| Feature | Detail | |---|---| | Game distribution | Multi-part archive uploads with chunked transfer | | Metadata | IGDB + SteamGridDB for covers, icons, backgrounds | | Cloud saves | Automatic backup and restore of game save files | | User management | Registration approval, role-based access, OpenID Connect | | PowerShell hooks | Pre/post install and launch scripts with built-in editor | | RCON | Dedicated server remote console support | | Discord Rich Presence | Shows current game in Discord status | | SDK | Published on NuGet — build custom clients with .NET |

Platform Support

The server runs on Windows (x64, arm64), Linux (x64, arm64), and macOS (x64, arm64). The Packager tool only runs on Windows (x86).

The launcher is cross-platform but primarily tested on Windows. Linux and macOS builds are provided with limited functionality.

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• [ ] Docker installed on host machine
• [ ] Port 1337 (TCP) and 35891 (UDP) available on the host network
• [ ] Static IP assigned to server (for reliable auto-discovery)
• [ ] Games acquired as distributable archives (ISO, zip, etc.)
• [ ] IGDB API key for automatic metadata (optional, manual entry also works)
• [ ] OpenID provider configured if authentication is required (optional)

Security Notes

• Game archives are served over plain HTTP on the LAN — not HTTPS. Do not expose the server ports to the public internet without a reverse proxy with TLS termination.
• The Packager runs as a Windows desktop application with full filesystem access — only use it on trusted machines.
• User management supports approval workflows; enable registration approval if hosting for untrusted users.

FAQ

Q: Does this replace Steam or GOG? A: No. LANCommander does not distribute games — you must already own the game files. It is a distribution mechanism, not a storefront.

Q: Can it run games that need installation? A: Yes. The Packager captures registry changes and installer output. Installed games can be launched through LANCommander with optional pre/post launch hooks.

Q: How does auto-discovery work across subnets? A: UDP broadcast is limited to the local subnet. For multi-subnet LANs, you need to manually add the server IP address in the launcher.

Q: Does it support game saves? A: Yes. Cloud save backup and restore is built into the launcher.

Conclusion

LANCommander fills a specific niche — private, offline-capable game distribution — with a polished, well-thought-out toolchain. The Docker setup is trivial, the launcher looks solid, and the IGDB/SteamGridDB integration removes most of the manual metadata work.

If you run LAN parties or manage closed networks with gaming needs, LANCommander is purpose-built for exactly that. It is MIT licensed, actively maintained (latest release 2026-07), and has a working SDK for custom integrations.

• Project page: lancommander.app
• GitHub: LANCommander/LANCommander