How to create a Rust server?

In this How To, we will create a Rust server and configure it. We will install a complete server: Oximode mod (and its plugins), custom map, how to make your server private, how to make a wipe, and more!

How to create Rust Server

Let's go. Before you start, know that the game can be resource-intensive (RAM / CPU). Just load your card (default 3 km2) will asked a lot of RAM. And every player who will join your server will also consume resources. The game is not multi-threaded, it must favor the CPU power to be able to accept a maximum of concurrent players on its parts.

For all these reasons, it is advisable to use a specialized hosting service to host a server, allowing you to ignore all hardware and networking constraints.

Not convinced yet ?! You can try for free our Rust Server Hosting services ;) You'll see, installing and configuring your server is greatly facilitated by the management panel.

Enough of talk, let's create our server:


And voila, our server is online! You can log in-game to make sure everything works properly. 

Now we can go to server configuration.

How to connect to a Rust server

You do not know how to connect to your own server? Do not panic!

  1. Launch the game.
  2. Click on F1 to open client console.
  3. To connect to your server, enter the command client.connect game-fr-01.mtxserv.com:28015.
    Remember to replace the address and port of the server.
  4. You are connected on your Rust server!

How to configure a Rust Server

It is time to configure the server. First, we will modify the general configuration of the server (server name, password, etc.). 

Then we will add the administrator rights to execute all the desired commands in the server console. Finally, we will install the mod Oxide and plugins.

General Configuration

The general configuration of the server is done in the file rust/server/mtxserv/cfg/server.cfg.

On a server hosted at mTxServ, you can modify the main parameters directly from the management panel, by clicking on Configuration and Advanced Configuration :

  • server.level
    Name of the map used on the server.
  • server.hostname
    Name of the server
  • server.description
    Server description.
  • rcon.password
    Administrator password.
  • server.url
    Website URL.
  • server.headerimage
    URL of the banner image.
  • server.radiation
    Enable/disable radiation on the server.
  • server.pve
    Enable/disable PVE.
  • server.stability
    Turns on / off stability structures.
  • server.globalchat
    Enable/disable global chat.
  • server.secure
    Turn on / off the anti-cheat.
  • server.seed
    The seed of the map (default: 50000).
  • server.worldsize
    Size of the map (default: 3000).
  • server.saveinterval
    Frequency between automated backups in seconds (default: 600).
To apply a change, you must restart your server.

You can find out the list of in-game commands and server configuration options here.

How to become administrator on Rust server

Our server is configured, it is time to add admin rights. For that we will use the ownerid command (you need to have your SteamID 64).

Go to your management panel. In the server console, you can enter the command ownerid <steamid64> <playerName>. 

For example:

ownerid 12345678901234567 Seb
Repeat to add more administrators to your server.

To add moderators (who will have lesser rights), you can use the command moderatorid <steamid64> <playerName>.

Save the changes with the command writecfg. Then, all you have to do is reconnect to your server to receive the new permissions.

The permissions owner and moderator are almost identical, except that a moderator can not modify/add an owner.

Need more information ? Check out our tutorial on managing admins and moderators.

How to use a custom Rust map

To use a custom map on Rust, you must:

  1. Upload your map (.map) on a web hosting (free on your server hosted on mTxServ).
    Then get the web link to the .map file that we will configure on the server.
    For example for a map newmap.map that I will have uploaded on my web hosting: https://mysite.mtxserv.com/newmap.map.
  2. Now we have to tell the server that it must recover our custom map with server.levelurl.
    The file server.cfg in folder  rust/server/mtxserv/cfg can be edited with the Web FTP in the control panel (click on Files & FTP).
    Add the following line in the file (this one will be detected by our startup script to add the parameter):
    server.levelurl "X"

    X: URL of your map. For example: https://mysite.mtxserv.com/newmap.map.
  3. Finally, you have to tell the server which map to use with server.level.
    During the creation of the map, its creator has configured a name that must be used in order to correctly configure the server.
    Get the name of the map and put it back in the file server.cfg :
    server.level "Y"
    Y = Name of the map
  4. Restart your Rust server to apply the changes.

How do a Rust server wipe?

It is common to take advantage of updates (usually at the beginning of the month) to perform a "wipe" of the data, to reset some progress data of the game to:

  • avoid possible bugs due to an update.

  • reset the state of your server and your players.

There are three types of wipe:

  • map
  • player data (inventories, blueprints, positions, etc.)
  • all data

Refer to the tutorial on the wipe of a Rust server ;)

Make your server private

There is no parameter in configuration to add a password to a Rust server. To filter player allowed to join :

  1. Add the parameter server.steamgroup <steamGroupId> in your configuration to restrict which can connect to your server. Before, you need to create a group on STEAM.
  2. Use a whitelist (with the Oxide mod), like https://umod.org/plugins/whitelist.

Oxide Mod

Oxide is a mod necessary to change the behavior of the game in depth, it has a plugin system to extend the functionality of the server. Without Oxide, customization of a server Rust is very limited.

If the mod is installed on your server, it will appear in "Modded Servers".

Install the Oxide mod

You can install the Oxide mod in one click from your management panel:

  1. Go to the management panel.
  2. Click on My Server and after on Plugins.
  3. Click on  Install.
  4. Confirm the installation.
  5. Restart server.
The mod is installed on your Rust server!

You can now install the Oxide plugins of your choice, to download on the website uMod.

Install an Oxide plugin

Before you begin the installation of all the plugins that you will fall by the hand a few recommendations:

  • Each plugin requires to be updated regularly.
  • After each update of the game, check the compatibility of your plugins. If this is not the case, then you must wait for an updated version, download it and install it.
  • Beware of an excessive number of plugins installed on your server which can add lag/bug.
An Oxide plugin comes in the form of a .py file, or .lua usually a .cs file.

To install a plugin:

  1. Go to the management panel of your server on mTxServ.
  2. Open the FTP Web by clicking Files & FTP.
  3. Go to rust/oxide/plugins. Your Oxide plugins must be added to this folder.
  4. Transfer your plugin to the folder rust/oxide/plugins/.
  5. To load the plugin, you can restart your server or use the reload command.
    To avoid annoying all your players with a reboot, simply type in the console: oxide.reload nameofplugin:
    oxide.reload Deathnotes, oxide.reload Skins
  6. If the plugin has worked, it can generate configuration files in the folder oxide/config.
    To check that your plugin is loaded, look in the console server, you must have a message such as:
    [RCON][xxx.xxx.xx.xx:xxxx] oxide.reload DeathNotes
Reload requested for plugin which is already loading: DeathNotes
DeathNotes was compiled successfully in 1703ms
Unloaded plugin Death Notes v5.2.12 by LaserHydra
Loaded plugin Death Notes v5.2.12 by LaserHydra

Plugins Oxide Rust

Here is a list of the most used plugins on Rust servers:

  • Whitelist
    https://umod.org/plugins/whitelist
    Restricts server access to whitelisted players with permission.
  • No Decay
    https://umod.org/plugins/no-decay
    With this plugin, foundations do not deteriorate when you're away.
  • Gather Manager
    https://umod.org/plugins/gather-manager
    Modify the occurrence of the resources (by a multiplier coefficient).
  • Stack Size Controller 
    https://umod.org/plugins/stack-size-controller
    Change the maximum number of objects per slot in your inventory (by type of object).
  • Death Notes
    https://umod.org/plugins/death-notes
    Announce the death of the players in the chat.
  • Day & Night System
    https://umod.org/plugins/time-of-day
    Configure the day/night cycle (duration).
  • Sign Artist
    https://umod.org/plugins/sign-artist
    Import your picture on panels.
  • Skip Night Vote
    https://umod.org/plugins/skip-night-vote
    Delete the night cycle (by a vote on the server).
  • Night Lantern
    https://umod.org/plugins/night-lantern
    The campfires and lanterns light up automatically at a time you have defined.
  • Rust:IO Clans
    https://umod.org/plugins/rustio-clans
    Create a clan. You will have the name of your clan in prefix of your nickname and you have a private chat.
  • Pets
    https://umod.org/plugins/pets
    Adopt a pet. Tame a Bear, he will protect you. But do not forget to feed him.
  • Info panel
    https://umod.org/plugins/info-panel
    A bar appears at the bottom of your screen, giving you some information about server.
  • No Fuel Requirements
    https://umod.org/plugins/no-fuel-requirements
    Cancel the need for fuel for certain elements.
  • Quick Smelt
    https://umod.org/plugins/quick-smelt
    Accelerates the cooking speed of your oven and allow to cook metals in a campfire.
  • Teleportation System
    https://umod.org/plugins/n-teleportation
    To teleport to your base or to your friends.
  • Zone Manager
    https://umod.org/plugins/zone-manager
    Set a dedicated property area.
  • Kit
    https://umod.org/plugins/rust-kits
    Allows to create kit for players or for bots.
  • Human NPC
    https://umod.org/plugins/human-npc
    Add NPC and equip them
  • Path finding
    https://umod.org/plugins/path-finding
    Create round paths for NPC.

Go further

Follow all our guides on how to set up a Rust server: