How to Set Up a Rust Server

- Originally “How to Set Up a Rust Experimental Server” -

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This tutorial is meant for Windows-based hosting.

All files and instructions will follow procedures meant for Windows operations.

What you’ll need:

● Steam CMD: SteamCMD.zip
● Server Installer- MistaD's Server Installer.zip
○ (Update July 17th: I had no idea the link wasn’t working. All good now!)
● Virus scan of the Server Installer - VirusTotal Scan
● 7-Zip or WinRar to open ZIP files - 7-Zip or WinRar

Installing SteamCMD:
1. Create a folder for SteamCMD.
2. Download SteamCMD.zip.
3. Extract the contents of the zip file into the folder just created.
4. Run steamcmd.exe to install the rest of the needed files.

Obtaining Rust Experimental Server Files:

1. Download MistaD’s Server Installer.zip.
2. Extract the contents of the zip file into the SteamCMD folder we created earlier..
3. Now open up rust_installer.txt and look for the line saying “force_install_dir”.
4. Change “C:\Rust Server” to your desired location.
a. There’s an error in this line. If your file path contains spaces, you must surround the path
with quotes! Example:

5. After you have edited “force_install_dir,” save the file.

6. Run MistaD’s Server Installer.bat and let it do its magic.

7. If successful, it should look like this on the inside of the folder you installed to:
Running your new server:
1. Create a new .bat file in your Rust Server folder (How to make a .bat file). Name it start.bat.
2. Put this inside of it:

3. Change SERVER_NAME, SERVER_PORT, and MAX_PLAYERS to what you desire.

4. All server.* console variable commands work here as well.
5. Save it, run it.
6. Your server will take some time to start up, but that’s normal.

How to connect by IP:

1. Once in Rust, hit F1 on your keyboard to open the console.
2. Type connect [IP]:[PORT], replacing [IP] and [PORT] with the information of your server.
3. If you’re hosting this on your local machine, it should be connect 127.0.0.1:[PORT].
4. Finally, you can disconnect if something goes wrong through the console: disconnect.

Adding more startup parameters:

1. Edit start.bat with Notepad.
2. Refer to this link for a list of proper startup commands.
a. Here is an example command line:
RustDedicated.exe -batchmode +server.hostname "My Rust Server" +server.maxplayers 100 +server.description "This server has
not set a description." +server.headerimage "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/Rust_videogame_logo.png"
+server.identity "my_server_identity" +server.worldsize 4000 +server.level "Procedural Map"
3. Choose the command you want.
4. Following the appropriate syntax, append “+[command] [parameters]” to the end of the line.
5. Save and run.

Other notes:
1. If your server doesn’t show up in the server list, here are two reasons (among many) that could be
the cause:
a. Your ports are not open/forwarded.
i. In this case, simply open UDP ports 28015-28016 on your Windows Firewall and through
your network’s panel.
b. The server list simply isn’t displaying your server yet. Wait a bit.
2. Add server.seed [SEED] to your start.bat to change your seed. Looking for a good seed? Check this
out.
3. RustDedicated.exe has been known to fail at closing when you force exit the console window too
soon during start up. Make sure you terminate the process if it still appears to be running in the
background.
List of known RCon/Console commands:
Note: UID stands for User ID - this refers to someone’s SteamID64 key.
Note 2: Do not execute the commands in red. They either won’t do anything, aren’t complete, or will break something on your server.
Note 3: If you send a command that can have parameters, but you do not specify any parameters, the command may still work but will substitute
that missing parameter with a default value.
Note 4: Wow more notes. Remember that these commands can be entered using the server’s console window or RCon (when that comes around).
Note 5: Lol, I don’t think this ends. Also know that parameters with quotes require quotes and ones with braces can just be the
number/boolean/whatever itself.
Note 6: Some commands don’t work completely or aren’t fully implemented.

kick <UID> “Player name” “Reason”

kickall <Invalid parameter, just put “”> “Reason”
ban “Player name” “Reason”
banid <UID> “Player name” “Reason”
status ; Print out information of all currently connected clients.
say ”Message” ; Sends a message in chat.
users ; Show user info for players on server.
banlist ; List of banned users.
banlistex ; List of banned users - shows reasons and usernames.
listid ; List of banned users, by UID.
`
event.run ; Sends an airdrop from a random direction to drop crates at (0,0,0).

[It’s best if you set this stuff through the command line and not through the console.]
server.port <Number (Default 28015)> ; Sets the connection port of the server.
server.maxplayers <Number (Default 500)> ; Sets the maximum amount of players that can join.
server.hostname “Server name” ; Sets the server name.
server.identity “Identity” ; Sets the server’s identity; this is used for the folder name of the server data.
server.level “Map name” ; Sets the server’s map.
server.seed <Number (Default 123456)> ; Sets the server’s map generation seed.
[This stuff you can execute as normal.]
server.saveinterval <Number (Default 60)> ; Sets the server’s the auto-save interval.
server.secure <true/false (Default true)> ; If true, EAC will kick banned or unregistered users upon joining.
server.tickrate <Number (Default 30)> ; Uhh… sets the tick rate?
server.start ; Uhh… starts your server? Wait, isn’t it already running?
server.stop “Reason” ; Stops yours server with a specified reason.
server.writecfg ; Creates a server.cfg in your server’s \<identity>\cfg\ folder… but know that these cfgs
don’t actually load.

inventory.give “Item name” <Amount> ; Gives yourself an item. Only works on RCon?

gc.collect ; Recollects unused memory and unloads unused assets.

construct.frameminutes ; How many minutes before a placed frame gets destroyed.

chat.enabled <true/false (Default true)> ; Enables/disables chat.

chat.serverlog <true/false (Default true)> ; If true, chat will be logged to the console.

effects.aa <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets anti-aliasing.

effects.ao <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets ambient occlusion.
effects.lensdirt <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets lens dirt.
effects.motionblur <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets motion blur.
effects.shafts <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets light shafts.
effects.vignet <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets vignet (??).
effects.color <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets visibility of color (??).
effects.reflect <true/false (Default true)> ; Sets water reflection (??).
fps.graph <true/false (Default true)> ; Displays the fps graph on screen.

terrain.quality <Number (Default 1)> ; Sets the terrain quality.

objects ; Lists all objects in the world.

wakeup ; Forces your avatar to wakeup.
textures ; Lists all loaded textures.
spectate ; Kills your avatar and goes into spectator mode.
sleep ; Forces your avatar to go to sleep.
quit ; Writes the cfg file, and stops the server/game.
colliders ; Displays how many colliders exist in the world separated by enabled and disabled ones.
kill ; Commits suicide.
(List provided by Ignitas at Facepunch and modified by myself, MistaD)

Please visit http://forum.rustessentials.com/ if you have any questions or concerns.