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

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)

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:

Server — a web-based backend (ASP.NET Blazor) that hosts game files, metadata, and user accounts
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
```bash

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](https://github.com/LANCommander/LANCommander/releases). The launcher auto-discovers LANCommander servers on your network via UDP beacon — no IP address needed.

```yaml
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:

Search IGDB — auto-fills game title, genre, and cover art from the Internet Game Database
Capture registry — tracks installer-written keys
Monitor installer — records files written and changes made
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

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