Players may encounter an error on their Project Zomboid servers that causes them to be kicked, displaying a Malformed Packet error. This error originates from the server's anticheat protections and can be resolved by disabling the associated anti-cheat settings. By solving the error, players can stop worrying about impending disconnections and even explore various mods that may not be available with anticheat enabled.
Note: Disabling anticheat allows cheaters to play on the server.
Ensure the server is secured with a password or whitelist.
For legacy servers, see here.
1. Log in to the BisectHosting Starbase panel.
2. Stop the server.
3. Go to the Files tab.
4. Find the following directory: /home/container/.cache/server
5. Open the [SaveName].ini file.
6. Change all AntiCheat settings to 4.
7. Press Save.
8. Start the server.
How to Fix the Malformed Packet Error on a Project Zomboid Server (Legacy)
1. Log in to the BisectHosting Starbase panel.
2. Stop the server.
3. Go to the Files tab.
4. Find the following directory: /home/container/.cache/server
5. Open the [SaveName].ini file.
6. Change all AntiCheatProtection settings to false.
7. Press Save.
8. Start the server.