Rust Server Setup

Your first hour: from a new server to your first base

Your server is created automatically once payment clears, normally within 20 minutes. These steps turn the stock install into a server with your name on it, your map and you as its owner.

1. Sign in and stop itLog in to the game panel at cpdeluxe.com and stop the server. Rust reads its start line and config files at boot, so change things while it is stopped.
2. Open start.batUnder Configuration Files, open start.bat with its Easy Configurator. This is the server's launch line: it holds the RCON password, and a custom start line box at the bottom takes any extra setting written as +convar value.
3. Name it and size the mapSet the server name, map size and seed (convars server.hostname, server.worldsize and server.seed). The settings chapter lists the rest and where each one belongs.
4. Make yourself ownerOpen Users.cfg with its Easy Configurator, click new owner and add your SteamID64. Add trusted friends as moderators the same way, then save.
5. Start and give it timeStart the server. The first boot takes several minutes, and the console shows "Server startup complete" when it is ready.
6. JoinPress Steam Connect in the panel, or open the F1 console in Rust and type connect followed by the IP and port from the panel. Friends can also find it in the server browser once it has registered.

Around the panel: the buttons a Rust admin uses

Rust gets a few buttons other games do not have, mostly to make wipe day quicker. These are the ones our Rust guides rely on.

Files are in the File Manager or any SFTP client with your panel login, and plan changes (slots, memory, CPU priority) are made in the client area under Upgrade/Downgrade options. For a co-admin, a panel sub user with only the permissions you choose beats sharing your own login.

Server settings: start line, server.cfg and the convars that matter

Rust settings are convars: a name such as server.hostname followed by a value. On the start line they carry a + in front. Facepunch suggests keeping only the essentials there, such as ports and RCON, and putting the rest in server.cfg.

Identity and listing

The map and the player cap

Where each setting goes

Facepunch's preferred home for most convars is server.cfg in the server identity's cfg folder (server/<identity>/cfg/). Write one convar per line, without the + sign. The server reads it at start-up, its values win over the start line, and the game never edits it, so your changes survive. A few convars, such as the weather _chance values, only work once the server is running, so set those over RCON.

server.hostname "My Rust | Monthly"
server.description "Max group 4"
server.tags monthly,vanilla,EU
server.maxplayers 75

Facepunch adds new convars with most monthly updates. The October 2026 update, for one, added vehicle.padrepairsrequired for the new Bandit Camp helipad repair and population-scaled fuse decay at the Power Plant. Type find and a word into the server console to search every convar the current build knows.

The map: size, seed and custom maps

The map decides how quickly groups meet, how far you farm and how much memory the server needs. Most servers run a procedural map; communities with a signature look use a custom one.

Procedural maps

• Size: server.worldsize from 1000 to 6000. Small maps put people in each other's way; large maps suit high populations and long wipes.
• Seed: server.seed picks the layout. Keep the size, change the seed, and you get a different island of the same size.
• File name: a procedural map is saved as proceduralmap.<size>.<seed>.map in the identity folder, next to the save.

Custom maps by URL

A custom map loads from a link with server.levelurl. Remove server.worldsize and server.seed when you use one. The link must be a direct download that stays online around the clock, because each new player downloads the map from that address, not from your server.

1. Install uModOur custom map guide starts by installing Oxide/uMod from the Mod Manager.
2. Upload the mapPut the .map file on Dropbox and copy its share link, changing ?dl=0 at the end to ?dl=1 so it downloads directly.
3. Add the start lineIn the custom start line box at the bottom of the start.bat Easy Configurator, add +levelurl "your-link?dl=1", then save.
4. StartStart the server and watch the console while it downloads and loads the map.

You can also upload the map to the server's identity folder and point the start line at that file, but then every player has to download the map to their own Rust folder by hand before they can join, as our custom map guide explains. The URL method spares them that.

Custom map pitfalls

• World mismatch on connect: players still hold an older file with the same name. Give every new version of your map a new file name.
• Freezes while loading: the map has no open ocean for the Cargo Ship's route. Add sea around the island, or disable it with baseboat.generate_paths false and cargoship.event_enabled false.
• Download errors: the link is not a direct download. Test it in a browser: the file should start downloading straight away.

Rust Edit and Rust:IO Map are also in our Mod Manager; if you use them, press Update on each there after every monthly update.

Wipes: forced, scheduled and what each one resets

Wipes define a Rust server. Facepunch forces one every month, and on top of that you choose your own rhythm: weekly, every two weeks or monthly. Knowing what each kind clears saves a lot of angry Discord messages.

The monthly forced wipe

Facepunch releases its big update on the first Thursday of the month; the Livestock update arrived on 1 October 2026, Breach and Clear on 3 September and Power Trip on 6 August. A forced update raises the save's protocol number, so the server starts a new save and the map is wiped on every server. Going by that pattern the next one falls on Thursday 5 November 2026, but Facepunch confirms each date itself.

Blueprints are another matter. A forced wipe normally clears the map only, and players keep what they have learned unless you delete the blueprints file yourself. Facepunch has broken that rule before: on 6 November 2025 it wiped blueprints on every server, and said it might do so again. Read the update notes before each wipe day.

Wipe day on our panel

1. Stop the serverWait until the update is out on Steam.
2. Press Monthly Update and WipeIt updates the game and uMod and wipes the world in one go.
3. Update the restUpdate any plugins that need it, the same way you installed them, and press Update in the Mod Manager for Chaos Code, Discord, Rust Edit or Rust:IO Map if you use them.
4. Start and be patientThe first start after a wipe generates the new map and takes a while. If the server comes back on the old version, use Force Steam and Oxide Update under More and repeat the plugin step.

Your own wipe schedule

Between forced wipes, wipe whenever your community expects it. The Wipe Server button lets you pick what to clear. In the identity folder, the .sav file holds the map's buildings and entities, the .map file is the terrain, and player.blueprints holds what players have learned. Delete the save and map for a map wipe; delete the blueprints file as well for a full wipe.

Make the in-game wipe timer match

The countdown on the Missile Silo laptop shows players when your server wipes, and 24 hours before that the endgame events begin. By default it follows your wipe tag and points at 19:00 London time on Thursday. If you wipe at another time, set wipetimer.wipeDayofWeek (0 is Sunday, 4 Thursday) and wipetimer.wipeHourofDay (19 by default), or wipetimer.wipeTimezone. For an exact date, wipetimer.wipeUnixTimestampOverride takes a Unix timestamp.

uMod (Oxide) plugins, permissions and databases

Rust mods are server-side plugins, so players join a modded server without installing anything. uMod, the framework still widely known as Oxide, is the one our panel installs.

1. Install uModOpen the Mod Manager and install uMod (Oxide).
2. Start once, then stopStart the server so uMod can create all its files and folders, then stop it.
3. Add pluginsPress UMod Plugins Installer, search for the plugins you want and install them.
4. ConfigureEach plugin's settings appear in oxide/config or oxide/data after it first loads. Follow the plugin page for anything extra it needs.

Permissions

Most plugins do nothing for a player until they hold the right permission. Grant permissions from the F1 console in game or over RCON. The pattern is o.grant user <SteamID64> <permission>, for example o.grant user 76561198000000000 whitelist.allow; the permission names are listed on each plugin's page. Our permissions guide links the full command list.

Keeping plugins healthy

• Every Rust update needs a matching uMod update. Follow our update guide on patch days so the two stay in step.
• Add plugins in small batches. When the console shows errors after a change, the newest plugin is the first to check.
• Plugins use memory too: our order form estimates around 500MB for every 10 plugins.
• Before wipe day, check that your key plugins have been updated for the new build.

Plugins that need a database

Some plugins keep their data in a MySQL database. Install phpMyAdmin from the Mod Manager (it is under Tools), find your database login under Server Details or Database Details, and open the phpMyAdmin button. Prefer a desktop tool? Our Navicat guide connects with the same details.

Owners, moderators and RCON

Rust has two staff roles, owner and moderator, and two ways to grant either. Keep owner for yourself and the people who run the server with you.

Through the panel

Stop the server, open Users.cfg under Configuration Files with the Easy Configurator, click new owner and paste the SteamID64, then add moderators the same way, save and start. In the file itself each line reads like ownerid 76561198000000000 "Name" "".

Over RCON or the console

1. Find your SteamID64Run users in the server console to list connected players with their SteamIDs.
2. Grant the roleRun ownerid <SteamID64> "Name" or moderatorid <SteamID64> "Name".
3. ReconnectThe new auth level applies when that player reconnects. Facepunch saves the change automatically now; an extra server.writecfg does no harm.

RCON tools

RCON lets you manage the server from outside the game. The quickest route is the panel's Web Console: log in at the bottom with your RCON password. Desktop tools such as RustAdmin connect with the RCON details shown under Server Details. You change the RCON password in the start.bat Easy Configurator, and you should, the moment an admin leaves.

Keeping order

• Kicks and bans: the kick and ban commands; bans are stored with your admin list in the identity's cfg folder.
• One ban list for several servers: server.bansServerEndpoint points every server at your own ban API, which can also share mutes.
• Queue priority: global.skipqueueid <SteamID64> lets regulars skip the queue; the entries live in users.cfg like admins.
• A private server without plugins: set server.maxplayers 0 and give your players skip-queue entries. Admins and skip-queue players can still join.
• Streamers on the server: censorplayerlist true hides player names from tools that scrape server lists, and a key bound to client.connecthidden IP:PORT;console.clear joins without the address appearing on screen.

Getting found: browser tags, the master list and Rust+

Rust's server browser is crowded. Tags, a clean name and a working Rust+ pairing all help players find you and keep coming back.

Browser tags

Set server.tags to comma-separated values. Up to four show in the browser at once, and players filter by them. Use only one tag from each group: a server cannot wipe both weekly and monthly, and mixed tags stop it appearing in searches.

Missing from the master list?

• Make sure Rust and uMod are fully updated: an outdated server does not appear.
• Shorten the server name and take out special characters.
• Clear the Steam cache with Force Steam and Oxide Update under More.
• Give it a few minutes after start-up. Correct server.tags can also help a server surface in the browser.

Rust+ on your server

The Rust+ companion app connects players' phones to your server. To pair, a player joins, presses Esc, opens the Rust+ menu and chooses Pair with Server. The companion service listens on the game port plus 67 by default (28082 on a standard setup), and Facepunch requires that port to be 10000 or higher. Keep the companion.id file in the identity folder with your backups: delete it and every player has to pair again.

If pairing loads forever, have the player remove the server from the app and pair again; our Rust+ guide lists the other common fixes.

Facepunch's rules for community servers

• You may charge: Facepunch's Community Server and Hosting Guidelines allow entry fees or subscriptions, cosmetic items and effects, your own server currency, and adverts or sponsorships.
• DLC stays with its owners: players must always be able to use the Facepunch DLC they bought, and you must never unlock it for players who have not.
• Never look official: your server must be clearly unofficial, so leave "official" out of the name and the artwork.
• The penalty: servers that break the guidelines can be delisted from the server browser.

Memory, slots and performance on our Rust plans

In Rust, the map sets the baseline and every player and plugin adds to it. These figures come from our order form, checked on 16 October 2026.

• Slots: 50 to 1000 players: 50 to 100 in steps of ten, then 120 to 200 in steps of twenty, then 250, 300, 400, 500 and 1,000.
• Memory: 10GB included, with 12GB, 14GB, 16GB, 20GB, 24GB and 32GB on the order form. Our plan cards pair more memory with more slots.
• CPU: 5.0GHz included, 5.2GHz+ and 5.6GHz+ upgrades, and High or Realtime CPU priority.
• Storage: NVMe at 7,500MB/s with up to 100GB included; up to 200GB and a 14,000MB/s drive are available.

A quick way to size it

Our order form gives a rule of thumb. Before anyone joins, a 2000 to 3000 map uses around 8GB to 10GB and a 3000 to 6000 map around 10GB to 12GB. Each player adds about 100MB, roughly 1GB for every 10 online, and each plugin about 50MB. So a 4000 map with 60 players and 20 plugins lands around 17GB to 19GB on a busy night. Facepunch's own guide asks for 12GB of free memory for a server and more for a 6000 map, which tells the same story.

Keeping it smooth

• Pick the map for the population: a huge map on a quiet server costs memory and leaves players lonely.
• Restart on a schedule: at least twice a day, as our panel FAQ recommends, with warnings so nobody is mid-fight.
• Trim plugins: remove the ones nobody uses; each one costs memory.
• Clock speed: Facepunch notes that more players need a faster CPU, which is where our 5.2GHz+ and 5.6GHz+ upgrades and CPU priority come in.

Upgrades are made in the client area under Upgrade/Downgrade options. An upgrade raises an invoice for the difference, and a restart after payment applies it; the memory guide has the clicks.

Restarts, updates and backups

Outside wipe day, three routines keep a Rust server healthy: regular restarts with warnings, updates whenever Facepunch ships one, and backups you can actually restore.

Restart with Messages

1. Create the taskIn Scheduled Tasks, create a new task and choose Restart with Messages. Name it, for example 12 Hour Restart.
2. Set the first runPick the date and hour of the next restart. Tasks follow the machine's local time, shown under Server Details; matching your panel profile's time zone to it makes this easier.
3. Repeat itRecur every 1 day, tick Repeat task and repeat every 12 hours for 24 hours. Adjust the warning texts under Script Parameters, then save.

Players get warnings at 10, 5 and 2 minutes and a countdown through the final minute. The same task can be run by hand from the More button when you need an unplanned restart.

Mid-month updates

Not every update is a wipe. For an ordinary patch, stop the server, press Steam Update, update any plugins that need it, and start again. Facepunch has also announced a mandatory server and client update for 22 October 2026 at 18:00 BST, so plan a short stop that evening.

Backups

Backup Server takes a copy on demand and Scheduled Backup does it on a timer, stopping and restarting the server around it. Restore Server rolls back to a date you choose, and the Backup Manager lets you download copies with the password shown on its button. Before a risky change, copying the identity folder over SFTP is a sensible extra.

When it breaks: the Rust fixes we try first

Most Rust tickets we see come down to the same handful of causes. Start here before you reinstall anything.

• The server is not in the browserUpdate Rust and uMod, shorten the name, run Force Steam and Oxide Update under More, and give it a few minutes. Check your server.tags for clashing values.
• It stayed on the old version after an updateUse Force Steam and Oxide Update under More, then update your plugins and start again.
• Plugins stopped working after an updateuMod has to match the game build. Update it (the wipe button and the force update both do), then update the plugins themselves.
• A plugin does nothing for playersThey lack its permission. Grant it with o.grant user <SteamID64> <permission>.
• Players get a world mismatch error on a custom mapThey have an older map file with the same name. Rename the map file for every new version and update the link.
• The custom map will not downloadThe link is not a direct download. A Dropbox link must end in ?dl=1; test the link in a browser.
• Rust+ shows the server as offlineHave the player remove the server in the app and pair again. Do not delete or copy the server's companion.id file.
• Admin rights do not show upThe player has to reconnect after ownerid or moderatorid. Edits to Users.cfg need the server stopped.
• Config changes are ignoredThey were saved while the server was running, or the same convar is set differently in server.cfg, which wins over the start line.
• A .dll or .exe upload is refusedThose file types are blocked for security. Send the file to support and the team will place it.

Hosting Rust yourself or renting: an honest comparison

Facepunch makes the dedicated server free to download and runs a public wiki on hosting it, so self-hosting is a real option. The question is whether your hardware and your evenings can carry it.

Self-hosting means installing RustDedicated with SteamCMD (app 258550, no Steam account needed to download it) on Windows or Linux, then forwarding the game port (UDP 28015 by default), the query port that the browser needs (UDP, the higher of the game and RCON ports plus one unless you set it), RCON (TCP, 28016 in Facepunch's example) and the Rust+ port (TCP, 28082 by default). Facepunch asks for 12GB of free memory and 15GB of disk, preferably SSD or NVMe. On Linux the server console is not interactive, so you manage it over RCON, and each update means updating uMod again before plugins work.

For testing plugins or a server that only your group uses, a home server is fine. Once strangers join, your connection carries every wipe-night rush and your IP is public. Renting keeps both off your doorstep. Plans and prices are on our Rust Server Hosting page.