How to Host a Rust Server: Setup, Wipes, Plugins and Admin

To host a Rust server, install the free Rust Dedicated Server (Steam app 258550) with SteamCMD, start RustDedicated with your map, port and RCON settings, open the game port (UDP 28015 by default), and add yourself as owner. Facepunch's own guide suggests about 12 GB of free RAM, with bigger maps needing more. After that, the ongoing work is wipes, plugins and moderation.

This guide walks through each step using Facepunch's official server documentation, then covers the problems that trip up most new admins.

What a Rust server needs

Facepunch's Creating a server page gives this baseline for a dedicated server:

Resource	Official guidance
Operating system	Windows, Linux or macOS
RAM	12 GB free RAM, and a 6k map "will use more"
Disk	15 GB free, SSD or NVMe strongly preferred
CPU	No fixed figure. The more players, the faster the CPU needs to be

The same page says these figures "are not fixed and highly depend on the use case and population of the server." In practice, two settings drive memory use:

Map size (server.worldsize): valid values run from 1000 to 6000. Facepunch notes that larger maps need more disk space and memory.
Player count (server.maxplayers): more players means more bases, entities and CPU load. Facepunch doesn't publish a per-player RAM number, so treat 12 GB as the planning figure for a normal server and add headroom for a large map or a busy population.

If you run the server on your own PC, that 12 GB is on top of whatever your desktop and the Rust client use. Most people who want the server up around the clock either use a spare machine or rent one. Our article on dedicated vs shared hosting covers the trade-offs.

How to install and start a Rust dedicated server

Install SteamCMD. Download it from Valve's SteamCMD page.
Download the server files. On Linux, Facepunch's guide uses:
```
./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ../rust +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit
```
On Windows, the equivalent is +force_install_dir C:\Rust\MyServer\ +login anonymous +app_update 258550 +quit.
Write a startup script. On Windows, create a .bat file next to RustDedicated.exe. On Linux, SteamCMD installs a basic runds.sh that you can edit to add the same options, then run with chmod +x runds.sh and ./runds.sh (Facepunch suggests running it inside screen).
Open the ports listed in the next section.
Start the server and wait for the console to finish generating the map and loading.
Connect. In the Rust client, press F1 and type connect your.ip:28015 (or connect localhost:28015 on the same machine).
Make yourself owner with ownerid (see the admin section below).

Here is a startup command based on Facepunch's example, with the query and Rust+ ports set explicitly so you know exactly what to open:

RustDedicated.exe -batchmode ^
  +server.port 28015 ^
  +server.queryport 28017 ^
  +rcon.port 28016 ^
  +rcon.password "change-this-to-something-long" ^
  +rcon.web 1 ^
  +app.port 28083 ^
  +server.level "Procedural Map" ^
  +server.seed 1234 ^
  +server.worldsize 4000 ^
  +server.maxplayers 50 ^
  +server.hostname "My Rust Server" ^
  +server.description "Monthly wipe, vanilla rates" ^
  +server.identity "server1" ^
  -logfile rustserverlog.txt

What each startup parameter does

Parameter	What it does
`-batchmode`	Runs the server without a graphical window
`+server.port`	Game port players connect to (UDP, default 28015)
`+server.queryport`	Port the server browser queries (UDP). Defaults to one above the higher of `server.port` and `rcon.port`, and must differ from `server.port`
`+rcon.port` / `+rcon.password`	Remote admin port (TCP) and its password. Never keep the example password
`+rcon.web 1`	Uses Facepunch's WebSocket RCON, the method the wiki recommends
`+app.port`	Rust+ companion app port (TCP). By default it's 67 above the higher of the game and RCON ports
`+server.level`	Map type. `"Procedural Map"` generates a map from the seed
`+server.seed`	Map seed, 0 to 2147483647. Same seed and size gives the same map
`+server.worldsize`	Map size, 1000 to 6000
`+server.maxplayers`	Maximum players online at once
`+server.hostname` / `+server.description`	Name in the server list and text on the connection screen
`+server.identity`	Folder name for this server's saves and config
`-logfile`	Writes console output to a file

Sources: Creating a server and Rust+ Server on the Facepunch wiki.

Ports to open

Facepunch lists four ports. Game and query use UDP; RCON and Rust+ use TCP. Their advice is to get the game port working first, since that's all you need to connect, then add the others. Avoid the "both" or "all" protocol option on your router.

Port (example above)	Protocol	Needed for
28015	UDP	Joining the game
28017	UDP	Appearing in the server browser
28016	TCP	RCON remote admin
28083	TCP	Rust+ companion app

The Rust+ port must be 10000 or higher, and the server needs outbound access to companion-rust.facepunch.com. If you don't want Rust+, Facepunch's documented way to turn it off is +app.port 1- (written that way because of a command-line parsing quirk).

Where your server files and settings live

Everything for one server sits in server/<identity>/. Facepunch's server folder guide explains the contents:

*.map: terrain and monuments.
*.sav: the world state, including every building and entity. The server keeps backups on each save.
player.blueprints: learned blueprints.
cfg/server.cfg: settings, written without the + prefix (for example server.maxplayers 50).
cfg/users.cfg: owners and moderators.

One detail catches people out: the server reads server.cfg at startup and it takes priority over the command line. If a change in your startup script seems to do nothing, check server.cfg for the same setting. You can save the current live settings to the cfg files with server.writecfg.

Forced wipes vs custom wipe schedules

Rust wipes are part of the game's design, and you need a plan for them from day one.

How the forced wipe works

Facepunch ships its monthly update on the first Thursday of the month, and that update forces a wipe on every server. The Server Wipe Timer page sets its defaults to 19:00 London time on Thursdays, which Facepunch says lines up with forced wipes. According to the server folder guide, save files carry a protocol number, which goes up at a forced wipe, so the updated server creates a fresh save instead of loading the old one. Facepunch says forced wipes usually reset only the map. Blueprints stay unless you delete the blueprints file yourself or a specific update says otherwise, so read the patch notes each month. As of October 12, 2026, the next first Thursday is November 5, 2026.

Don't try to dodge a forced wipe by renaming an old save to the new protocol number. Facepunch calls this dangerous and advises against it.

Custom wipe schedules

Between forced wipes, you choose your own rhythm. The usual choices match the wipe tags in the server browser:

Schedule	Server tag	Default timing on the wipe timer
Monthly	`monthly`	First Thursday of each month
Biweekly	`biweekly`	First and third Thursday
Weekly	`weekly`	Every Thursday

Set the tag with server.tags, for example server.tags monthly,vanilla,EU (comma separated, no spaces, one tag per group). The server browser tags page lists the options. The in-game wipe timer (shown on the Nuclear Missile Silo laptop, and used to schedule endgame events) reads that tag. You can shift it with wipetimer.wipeTimezone, wipetimer.wipeDayofWeek and wipetimer.wipeHourofDay, or set any cron expression with wipetimer.wipeCronOverride. Run PrintWipe to see the next ten wipe dates the server has calculated.

To wipe manually, stop the server, remove the map's save files from the identity folder, and change server.seed if you want a new map. For a blueprint wipe, also delete the blueprints file. Changing server.worldsize or the seed means a new map, so time those changes for a wipe.

A small friend group usually does fine with the monthly forced wipe alone. If you run a busier PvP server, a weekly or biweekly wipe gives new players a fresh start more often.

Oxide (uMod) vs Carbon plugins

Plugins come from community modding frameworks. The two that Facepunch's wiki documents are Oxide and Carbon, and you install one or the other, never both.

	Oxide	Carbon
Where to get it	Oxide.Rust releases on GitHub, with plugins listed on umod.org	Carbon releases on GitHub
Install	Stop the server and copy the release files over your server install	Unpack the release into the server root
Plugin folder	`oxide/plugins`	`carbon` folder with the same layout as Oxide
Oxide plugin support	Native	Aims to run existing Oxide plugins without patches
Console commands	`oxide.` / `o.` prefix	`c.` prefix
Docs	docs.oxidemod.com	carbonmod.gg

The plugins listed on umod.org are written for Oxide, and Carbon aims to run them unchanged. Carbon's porting guide says it loads hooks only when a plugin needs them and includes a built-in profiler and self-updating. If you want to switch, follow that guide: Carbon requires removing Oxide first, because running both breaks the server.

Two rules apply to either framework:

Update it after every Rust update. Oxide's install guide says "For every server update by Facepunch, there is an Oxide update." A SteamCMD update or validate restores the vanilla game files and removes the framework. If your startup script runs SteamCMD, it reverts those files on every boot, so either take SteamCMD out of the script or reinstall the framework after each update.
List your server honestly. Facepunch's guidance for servers using plugins says plugin servers belong in the Modded section, unless the plugins don't change gameplay or UI (admin tools, for example). Facepunch's community server guidelines also require that servers are fairly labelled, never called "official," and never give paid DLC to players who don't own it.

Admin basics: owners, moderators and RCON

Adding owners and moderators

From the server console:

users
ownerid 76561198000000000 "YourName"
moderatorid 76561198000000001 "FriendName"
server.writecfg

users lists online players with their SteamID64. ownerid grants the highest auth level (2) and moderatorid grants level 1. Reconnect after adding yourself. You can also stop the server and add lines to server/<identity>/cfg/users.cfg in this form:

ownerid 76561198000000000 "YourName" ""

Other everyday commands from Facepunch's useful commands list: kick, ban, banid (bans by SteamID even when the player is offline), unban, status and removeowner / removemoderator. From an admin client, prefix a server command with sv, for example sv say Wipe in 1 hour.

Using RCON

RCON lets you run console commands without being in game. With +rcon.web 1, the server speaks Facepunch's WebSocket RCON, and Facepunch publishes a browser-based RCON client in that same repository. Use a long, unique rcon.password. Anyone with it has full control of your server.

Common Rust server problems and fixes

Server doesn't show in the browser. Check that the query port is open on UDP and isn't the same as the game port. You can still test by connecting directly with connect ip:28015 in the F1 console.
Startup changes are ignored. server.cfg overrides the command line. Remove or change the setting there.
Plugins stopped loading after an update. Rust updated and the framework was overwritten or is out of date. Install the matching Oxide or Carbon release, then check the console for plugin errors and update any plugin that fails to load.
Players can't join after wipe day. The server is still on the old version. Run the SteamCMD update for app 258550, reinstall your framework if you use one, then restart.
Rust+ pairing doesn't work. Look for "Rust+ companion server connectivity test failed" in the log. The app port must be TCP, 10000 or higher, reachable from the internet, and the server needs outbound access to Facepunch's companion service. Use app.info to check the settings.
High memory use or lag late in the wipe. Bases and entities pile up over a wipe, and larger maps and higher populations need more RAM and CPU. Plan a smaller worldsize, a lower player cap, or a shorter wipe cycle, or move to more memory.

Hosting your Rust server with EZ Game Host

If you'd rather skip SteamCMD, port forwarding and update-day chores, EZ Game Host's Rust server hosting lists Oxide/uMod plugin support, automatic wipe scheduling, server config editing, full admin controls and DDoS protection, with 3 backup slots and 24/7 support on every plan and a 99.9% monthly uptime SLA. On RAM, Facepunch's guidance is about 12 GB free for a typical server, more for a 6k map. Pro's 16 GB meets that guidance for a typical server; choose Premium for large or 6k maps.

Plans as advertised on October 12, 2026 (allocations, not performance guarantees):

Plan	Price	RAM	CPU	Players	Storage
Pro	$48/mo	16 GB	4 threads	100	80 GB NVMe
Premium	$96/mo	32 GB	8 threads	200	160 GB NVMe

Both plans are listed as Oxide/uMod-ready with wipe scheduling, and Premium is listed for large and 6k maps. Quarterly and annual billing are also available; see selecting a plan for details. Compare the options on the Rust plans section, or start with our getting started guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM does a Rust server need?

Facepunch suggests 12 GB of free RAM, and says a 6k map uses more. They also note the figure depends heavily on how the server is used and how many people play, so a small private map can use less and a busy, heavily modded server can use more.

Is it free to host a Rust server?

The server software is free to download through SteamCMD (app 258550), and players need to own Rust to join. If you host at home, your costs are hardware and electricity. If you rent, you pay the host's monthly fee. Our hosting cost guide covers what drives that price.

When do Rust servers force wipe?

On the first Thursday of each month, when Facepunch releases its monthly update. The wipe timer defaults to 19:00 London time. Forced wipes usually reset the map but keep blueprints unless Facepunch announces otherwise.

Can I host a Rust server on my own PC?

Yes. RustDedicated runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. You need enough free RAM alongside everything else you run (Facepunch suggests 12 GB free), and you need to forward at least UDP 28015 so friends can connect.

Should I use Oxide or Carbon?

Either can work. Oxide is the framework the umod.org plugins are written for. Carbon aims to run those same plugins and adds tools like a built-in profiler. Pick one, keep it updated after every Rust update, and never install both on the same server.