Setting up a Rust server
The first start
A new Rust server downloads the game from Steam the first time it starts. That is around ten gigabytes, so the first boot takes several minutes. Then the server generates its map, which takes longer for bigger maps. Later starts skip the download and load the saved map, so they are much quicker.
Open the Console tab and watch it work. When the server has finished loading and connected to Steam, it shows up in the in-game server browser under its name. You can also join straight away with the F1 console in Rust:
client.connect your.server.address:port
The address and port are at the top of your server's page in the panel. Use the main port, not the RCON or query port.
Your server checks Steam for a new Rust build every time it starts. After a game update, restart the server and it updates itself. Players can't join a server running an older build than their game.
Name, description and player limit
Everything players see in the server browser is set on the Startup tab. Change a value, then restart the server for it to take effect.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Server Name | The name in the server browser. Keep it short and readable. |
| Description | The text players see when they click your server. Put your wipe schedule and rules here. |
| Max Players | How many players can be on at once. |
| Server Image | A link to a banner image shown in the browser. It must be a direct link to a JPG or PNG. |
| Server Logo | A link to a small square logo. |
| Server Tags | Tags players filter by, such as vanilla or pve. |
Your RCON password
RCON lets you run admin commands from outside the game, from tools such as RustAdmin or a web RCON panel. Anyone who knows the password can control your server, so it matters.
We give every new Rust server a random RCON password. You can see it, and change it to your own, on the Startup tab under RCON Password. RCON listens on its own port, which you can find on the Network tab.
The Rust setup we use ships with the password CHANGEME by default. We replace
it on new servers, but if you ever reset it, pick something long. Bots scan for open RCON
ports with common passwords.
Choosing your map
By default your server makes a Procedural Map, a random map built from a seed. Two settings on the Startup tab control it:
- World Size is the width of the map in metres, from about 1000 to 6000. A bigger map uses more memory and takes longer to generate. Around 3000 suits up to about 50 players.
- World Seed picks the layout. The same seed and size always give the same map, so you can preview a seed on a map site before you use it.
To use a custom map, put a direct download link to the .map file in
Custom Map URL. The server downloads it on start and ignores the seed. Some custom maps
need the RustEdit Extension turned on, and the map maker usually says so.
Adding plugins
Your server runs Carbon, a modding framework for Rust, so you can add plugins without
installing anything. Plugins are single .cs files. Most plugins written for Oxide
(from uMod) also work on Carbon.
- Download the plugin's
.csfile. - Open the File Manager and go to
carbon/plugins. - Upload the file. Carbon loads it within a few seconds, with no restart.
- Its settings file appears in
carbon/configsafter the first load.
After editing a plugin's config, reload it from the console:
c.reload PluginName
If you would rather use Oxide, change Modding Framework on the
Startup tab to oxide and restart. Plugins then go in
oxide/plugins and reload with oxide.reload PluginName. Set it to
vanilla to run with no plugins at all.
Facepunch's server rules ask servers that change gameplay (higher gather rates, kits, teleports) to list themselves as modded. Players also filter by it, so a modded server tagged as vanilla gets players who leave as soon as they notice.
Making yourself an admin
You need your SteamID64, the 17-digit number that starts with 7656. Steam
shows it under your account details, and sites like steamid.io find it from your profile link.
Then run this in the panel's console:
ownerid 76561198000000000 "YourName" server.writecfg
ownerid makes a full admin. Use moderatorid for a moderator.
server.writecfg saves the list so it survives a restart. Reconnect to the server
and you can use admin commands in your F1 console.
Wiping your server
A wipe resets progress so everyone starts fresh. There are two kinds, and you can do either or both. Stop the server first.
| Wipe | Resets | How |
|---|---|---|
| Map wipe | Bases, items and the map | Change the World Seed, or delete the .map and .sav files in server/rust |
| Blueprint wipe | What everyone has learned | Delete the player.blueprints files in server/rust |
rust in that path is your Server Identity from the Startup tab. If you
changed it, the folder name changes with it.
Facepunch releases a major update on the first Thursday of every month. That update forces a map wipe, because old map saves no longer load. Most servers plan their wipe schedule around it and announce it in the server description.
Troubleshooting
My server isn't in the server browser
New servers can take up to an hour to appear in the list. Join directly with
client.connect in the meantime. Also check the Modded or Community tab,
since which tab you appear on depends on your tags and plugins.
The server keeps running out of memory
Memory grows with the number of buildings on the map, so it climbs during a wipe. A smaller World Size helps, and so does a restart between wipes. If it keeps happening late in a wipe, move to a bigger plan.
A plugin won't load
The console prints the reason when a plugin fails to compile. The usual cause is a plugin that hasn't been updated since the last Rust update. Check the plugin page for a newer version.
