CaitsithXIA FINAL FANTASY XI PRIVATE SERVERServer statusUnknownBegin your journey
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SETUP GUIDE

Your adventure starts here.

Install the game, prepare xiloader, then choose one launcher. Ashita v3 is our recommended route.

Start with Ashita v3.
It is our recommended launcher for CaitsithXI, with a graphical profile editor. Complete steps 1 and 2, then follow one launcher path below. Ashita v4 and Windower 4 are alternatives; you do not need all three. Keep each launcher in a separate folder outside the game installation.
STEP 01 / SHARED BY ALL LAUNCHERS

Install the game & prerequisites

Get the Windows client directly from Square Enix. Save all five download parts together, run FFXIFullSetup_US.part1.exe to extract them, then run FFXISetup.exe. A fresh installation needs the game, PlayOnline Viewer, and the offered DirectX components.

Official FFXI download ↗

Update PlayOnline, then update FFXI through the official retail or trial route described in the LandSandBoat client guide. The installer alone is not a fully updated client. Open FINAL FANTASY XI Config, choose display settings, and save.

For DirectPlay, use Control Panel → Programs → Turn Windows features on or off → Legacy Components → DirectPlay.

Microsoft runtime downloads

Use the x86 Visual C++ packages, even on 64-bit Windows. The current x86 runtime is needed by current xiloader; Ashita v3 also lists the older runtimes below.

Sources: Ashita v3 requirements, Ashita v4 requirements, and Microsoft’s download pages.

STEP 02 / SHARED BY ALL LAUNCHERS

Prepare xiloader

Get the Windows xiloader.exe asset from the LandSandBoat release page. Use a version compatible with CaitsithXI; a source-code ZIP is not the executable.

xiloader releases ↗
LauncherSuggested xiloader locationProfile setting
Ashita v3C:\Ashita3\ffxi-bootmod\xiloader.exeGUI File field
Ashita v4C:\Ashita4\bootloader\xiloader.exeINI file field
Windower 4C:\Windower4\xiloader.exeXML executable field

Using the renamed pol.exe method

You may keep the name xiloader.exe and point the profile directly to it. If an existing profile expects pol.exe, first back up the bundled loader as pol-original.exe, then rename a copy of the new xiloader to pol.exe.

  • Ashita v3: the bundled loader is normally under ffxi-bootmod. Point the GUI File field to C:\Ashita3\ffxi-bootmod\pol.exe.
  • Ashita v4: the bundled loader is under bootloader. Use file = .\bootloader\pol.exe in the boot INI.
  • Windower: no rename is needed; point its XML executable field directly to your xiloader.

Show file name extensions in File Explorer to avoid pol.exe.exe. These are files inside your launcher folder; leave the real PlayOnline installation alone. After a launcher update, check that the profile still points to the intended loader.

Your first account connection

First put --server caitsithxi.com in your launcher profile’s server-command field:

  • Ashita v3: open the profile editor (pencil icon) → Boot → Command.
  • Ashita v4: edit C:\Ashita4\config\boot\caitsithxi.ini → [ashita.boot] → command.
  • Windower 4: edit the CaitsithXI profile in settings.xml → <args>.

Follow your chosen launcher section below to save and launch that profile. Keep user/password arguments out for this first connection.

In the loader menu, choose Create new account (usually 2) if offered, enter a unique server username/password, then choose Login (usually 1). Follow the actual prompts if they differ. If registration is unavailable, use the contact page. Website registration is not connected yet.

Sources: xiloader and LandSandBoat launcher configuration.

STEP 03A / HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR CAITSITHXI

Ashita v3 · Graphical UI Setup

Use the graphical launcher to create and save your profile.

Download Ashita v3 ↗Official v3 guide ↗
  1. Put Ashita.exe in C:\Ashita3. Run it and let it finish downloading its files.
  2. Place the new xiloader in ffxi-bootmod as described in step 2.
  3. Click + to make a configuration called CaitsithXI. In the editor, use File to browse to C:\Ashita3\ffxi-bootmod\xiloader.exe, or your renamed pol.exe.
  4. Set Command to the line below. Keep the normal default script. Choose a resolution/window mode in Window, then click the Save icon.

These are official reference screenshots. Their sample server name and address are not CaitsithXI. Use CaitsithXI as the profile name, your xiloader path in File, and --server caitsithxi.com in Command, as shown in the copyable line below.

Ashita v3 launcher with create, edit, launch and shortcut icons
Use + at bottom left to create a profile, the pencil to edit, the profile’s red arrow to launch, and the chain icon at bottom right for a desktop shortcut. Official screenshot source ↗ · Select image to enlarge.
Ashita v3 Boot editor showing File, Command, Script and Save
In the Boot tab, File selects xiloader and Command holds the server arguments. The bottom Save icon is marked 4. Official screenshot source ↗ · Select image to enlarge.
--server caitsithxi.com

Launch & create your account

Select CaitsithXI and press the launcher’s play arrow. Complete the first-account prompts above. Once login works, select the profile and use the launcher’s desktop-shortcut icon to create a shortcut.

The screenshots below are historical bootloader references from another installation. Your path, loader version, available options, and connection messages may differ. Follow the menu labels in your own window.

LandSandBoat xiloader console showing Login as option 1, Create New Account as option 2, and Change Account Password as option 3
1 · The bootloader opened from Ashita. At Enter a selection, type 2 and press Enter to create an account, if offered. Follow the username and password prompts. For an existing account, choose 1 instead.
Older xiloader console showing the Login and Create New Account menu options, with Enter a selection prompt
2 · An older bootloader menu. The same choices are 1 · Login and 2 · Create New Account. After registration, choose Login and enter the credentials you just created. The same xiloader menu can also appear when launching through Windower.

Reference screenshots: FinalSanctum’s connection guide ↗. These show other installations and older loader versions; paths, extra options, and messages may differ. Keep your own profile set to --server caitsithxi.com. The certificate message in the first reference is not a live CaitsithXI status check.

Optional saved login

Edit the same profile with the pencil icon. Replace its Command field with the following, substituting your server credentials locally, and save:

--server caitsithxi.com --user YOUR_USERNAME --pass YOUR_PASSWORD

Saved credentials are readable in the local profile. Use a unique server password and keep the file private. Leave out --user and --pass for manual login.

Source: Ashita v3 launcher and profile editor documentation.

STEP 03B / OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVE

Ashita v4 · INI setup

This path uses an INI and the command-line launcher. Keep it separate from v3 in C:\Ashita4.

Download Ashita v4 ZIP ↗Official v4 guide ↗
  1. Extract the package contents into C:\Ashita4. Confirm ashita-cli.exe sits beside config and bootloader.
  2. Put your new xiloader.exe in C:\Ashita4\bootloader.
  3. In config\boot, copy example-privateserver.ini to caitsithxi.ini. Replace the existing [ashita.boot] section with the block below; keep other sections.
Windows File Explorer showing Ashita v4 bootloader and config folders
The official Explorer screenshot uses C:\Ashita; this guide uses C:\Ashita4. In your folder, put xiloader inside bootloader, then open config → boot to create caitsithxi.ini. Official screenshot source ↗ · Select image to enlarge.
[ashita.boot]
file        = .\bootloader\xiloader.exe
command     = --server caitsithxi.com
gamemodule  = ffximain.dll
script      = default.txt
args        =

If you used the pol.exe rename method, change only the file value to .\bootloader\pol.exe.

First launch & shortcut

Create a Windows shortcut to ashita-cli.exe. Set Target as below and Start in to C:\Ashita4. Launch it and follow the first-account prompts.

Windows shortcut properties showing the Target and Start in fields
The screenshot shows another example profile. For CaitsithXI, use the exact Target line below and set Start in to C:\Ashita4. Official screenshot source ↗ · Select image to enlarge.
"C:\Ashita4\ashita-cli.exe" caitsithxi.ini

Optional saved login

After successful login, replace the INI’s command line with:

command = --server caitsithxi.com --user YOUR_USERNAME --pass YOUR_PASSWORD

Save it and use the same desktop shortcut. The password is readable in the INI; remove the user/pass arguments for manual login.

Sources: v4 boot configurations and v4 shortcuts.

STEP 03C / OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVE

Windower 4

Download Windower ↗Profile documentation ↗
  1. Install Windower in a separate folder, such as C:\Windower4, run it once, and let it update.
  2. Use the Profiles tab’s + icon to make a profile named CaitsithXI. Set resolution, region, and window mode, then close Windower.
  3. Copy xiloader.exe into C:\Windower4. Back up settings.xml in the Windower folder.
  4. Edit the existing CaitsithXI profile inside settings.xml. Add or replace its args and executable entries as shown. Preserve the rest of the XML and its enclosing settings element; do not add a second profile with the same name.
<profile name="CaitsithXI">
  <args>--server caitsithxi.com</args>
  <executable>C:\Windower4\xiloader.exe</executable>
  <!-- Keep your other existing profile settings here. -->
</profile>

First launch & shortcut

Reopen Windower, select CaitsithXI, and press its launch arrow or double-click the profile. Follow the first-account prompts. Select the profile and use pin to desktop for a shortcut.

Optional saved login

After login works, change the existing profile’s args entry to:

<args>--server caitsithxi.com --user YOUR_USERNAME --pass YOUR_PASSWORD</args>

Save before reopening Windower. In XML, replace & in credentials with &amp;, < with &lt;, and > with &gt;. Credentials are readable in this file; keep it private. Manual login is the simplest choice if command-line punctuation causes problems.

Sources: Windower profiles, executable/argument reference, and private-server XML example.

If something fails, first check your xiloader path, then the server status page and FAQ. Use Report an issue to prepare troubleshooting details.

Documentation checked October 17, 2026. The supported client build and loader version still need validation against the running server. These instructions do not test your connection.