How to create a Rust server

Interested in making your own Rust server? Hosting a Rust server privately is an ideal way to create a closed community just for you and your friends to take on wild boars, bears, and even each other without unwanted interruption. This might seem intimidating at first, but if you’ve survived a night naked and alone on an island, setting up a Rust server should be no big deal.

Follow these steps and you’ll have your own dedicated Rust server up and running in no time.

Why set up your own Rust server?

There are plenty of official servers on Rust for you to join, but you won’t be able to choose who you play with and how your game is run. So, if you want full control over your gaming experience, you’ll need to create a gaming server of your own.

Over time, many community servers managed by players have cropped up on Rust. One of the main reasons players choose to host a Rust server themselves is that it allows them to install mods, customise maps, and control gameplay, along with choosing who to invite onto the server.

Another benefit of hosting a Rust server privately is the option to turn it into a paid community or donor-supported server. By offering unique features in your server, you’ll create an exclusive gaming community that players will pay to access.

Running a Rust server isn’t a one-off task. You’ll need to plan for updates, wipes, backups, and occasional performance tuning, particularly as your player base grows. Wipes reset the game world at set intervals, which helps keep gameplay balanced.

Rust server requirements (minimum specs)

To make sure your Rust server runs smoothly, you’ll need the right balance of RAM, CPU power, and network performance. Although 4GB of RAM is the minimum, starting with 8GB will give you more reliable performance, especially if you expect more players to join. For larger servers, 10GB is a safer option.

When it comes to processing power, a CPU running at around 3.4GHz is suitable for smaller servers, while higher player counts and larger maps benefit from clocks closer to 4.0GHz. And a good internet connection is a must.

Player numbers and mods have a direct impact on performance. Modded Rust servers, larger maps, and frequent wipes increase memory and CPU usage, which is why many admins start small and scale their Rust server hosting as the community grows.

Get the right specs, and you’ll host epic gaming sessions in no time. But which server is best for Rust?

Which server model is best for Rust?

Now it’s time to choose the right Rust server hosting setup for your player count and mod requirements. If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t worry – we’ve done all the hard work for you by putting together a few recommended models.

VPS hosting works well for smaller Rust servers and testing environments. As player numbers rise or mod usage increases, a cloud or dedicated Rust server offers more consistent performance and fewer resource limits:

How to set up a Rust server (Windows VPS)

As we mentioned, setting up and managing a Rust server on a VPS is easier than you might expect. Follow the steps below to create your own on a Windows VPS. This setup uses SteamCMD to install and update RustDedicated automatically. It’s suitable if you want full control over configuration files, mods, and server updates, rather than relying on a managed control panel.

1. Head to ‘This PC’ and click on ‘Local Disk (C:)’.
2. Create a folder called ‘SteamCMD’.
3. Download SteamCMD for Windows.
4. Extract the contents of the ZIP folder into the ‘SteamCMD’ folder you just made.
5. Click ‘steamcmd’ and run it. SteamCMD should update automatically.
6. Type ‘force_install_dir c:\rust_server\’ in the command to log in, followed by ‘login anonymous’ and ‘app_update 258550’.
7. Once installed, head to the ‘rust_server’ folder.
8. Create a new file named ‘start_server.bat’ and copy and paste the following:

echo off

:start

C:\SteamCMD\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:\rust_server\ +app_update 258550 +quit

RustDedicated.exe -batchmode +server.port 28015 +server.level "Procedural Map" +server.seed 1234 +server.worldsize 4000 +server.maxplayers 10 +server.hostname "Name of Server as Shown on the Client Server List" +server.description "Description shown on server connection window." +server.url "http://yourwebsite.com" +server.headerimage "http://yourwebsite.com/serverimage.jpg" +server.identity "server1" +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password letmein +rcon.web 1

goto start

9. Now adjust the numbers to your liking (for example, the world size, max number of players, and server hostname).
10. Next, you’ll need to make sure to open port 28015 TCP within any external firewalls connected to your server. For Fasthosts Dedicated and VPS servers you can do this following our firewall policy help guide.

11. Hit the Windows key and search for ‘Allow an app through Windows Firewall’.
12. Click on ‘Allow another app…’.
13. Click ‘Browse’ then find the ‘C:/rust_server’ file.
14. Click ‘RustDedicated.exe’ and hit ‘Open’.
15. Press the ‘Add’ button then hit ‘OK’ to make sure the server runs.
16. Head to ‘C:/rust_server’ on your computer and click ‘start_server.bat’.

You’re ready to start playing Rust!

Need support for your Rust server?

Still unsure how to set up a server for Rust? Our Rust server hosting options include VPS and dedicated servers, with 24/7 support to help you get up and running.

Looking for a dedicated server for Rust? Our Game Server Hosting packages give you the flexibility to customise your setup, with high uptime and built-in security features. Get in touch with us on 0800 640 8584 for more information.