Set up a Rust dedicated server

Rust is a multiplayer survival game where players compete to gather resources, build bases, and survive against other players and the environment. A dedicated server gives you full control over the world and ruleset.

Prerequisites

• A Linux VPS (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later recommended)
• SteamCMD installed (see Install SteamCMD on Linux for setup)
• At least 25 GB of free disk space
• Ports 28015 (UDP/TCP) and 28016 (TCP) open in your firewall/security group

Step 1: Download Rust server files

Log in as the steam user and download the server binaries. Rust Dedicated Server app ID is 258550:

su - steam
cd ~/steamcmd
./steamcmd.sh +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit

Wait for the download to complete (around 2–3 GB). You'll see "Success!" when finished.

Step 2: Verify the installation

Check that the server files exist:

ls -la ~/Steam/steamapps/common/RustDedicated/

You should see RustDedicated executable, along with binary and configuration directories.

Step 3: Create server configuration

Rust uses a configuration file to set server properties. Create the directory and config:

mkdir -p ~/rust_server
nano ~/rust_server/server.cfg

Paste a basic configuration:

server.hostname "My Rust Server"
server.description "A fun Rust server for friends"
server.maxplayers 50
server.worldsize 3000
server.seed 1234567890
rcon.port 28016
rcon.password "your_rcon_password"
server.saveinterval 600

Save with Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter.

Step 4: Open firewall ports

Open the required ports from your main user account:

sudo ufw allow 28015/udp
sudo ufw allow 28015/tcp
sudo ufw allow 28016/tcp
sudo ufw reload

For cloud providers (AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean), add inbound rules for TCP and UDP on ports 28015–28016 from 0.0.0.0/0.

Step 5: Start the server

From the steam user account, launch the server:

su - steam
cd ~/Steam/steamapps/common/RustDedicated
./RustDedicated -batchmode -nographics \
  +server.hostname "My Rust Server" \
  +server.description "A fun Rust server for friends" \
  +server.maxplayers 50 \
  +server.worldsize 3000 \
  +server.seed 1234567890 \
  +server.saveinterval 600 \
  +rcon.port 28016 \
  +rcon.password "your_rcon_password"

You'll see startup messages and eventually "Server is listening on 0.0.0.0:28015". The server is now live.

Step 6: Connect and test

In Rust on your PC:
1. Click Play
2. Go to Community Servers or Friends servers
3. Paste your server IP (your-server-ip:28015) in the search box
4. Click Join Server

Running the server in the background

Use screen to keep it running after you disconnect:

su - steam
screen -S rust-server
cd ~/Steam/steamapps/common/RustDedicated
./RustDedicated -batchmode -nographics +server.hostname "My Rust Server" +server.maxplayers 50 +server.seed 1234567890 +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password "your_rcon_password"

Detach with Ctrl+A, then D. Reattach later with screen -r rust-server.

Step 7: Update the server

Periodically check for and apply updates:

su - steam
cd ~/steamcmd
./steamcmd.sh +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit

Stop the running server, apply the update, and restart it.

Remote Console (RCON) for server management

Use RCON to manage your server remotely without SSH:

# From your PC, use a tool like Rusty (or another RCON client)
# Connect to: your-server-ip:28016
# Password: your_rcon_password
# Then issue commands like:
# server.say "Welcome to the server!"
# server.restart
# banid <user-id>

Or SSH in and use Rust's command interface to issue in-game commands.

Tips and Notes

• World size: Larger worlds (4000–4500) require more server resources (4+ GB RAM). Start with 3000 and increase if needed.
• Max players: Each player uses ~10–20 MB of memory. A 50-player server typically needs 2–4 GB RAM and significant CPU.
• Seed: The world seed determines terrain generation. Use a consistent seed to preserve the map across restarts.
• Save interval: 600 seconds (10 minutes) is safe. Shorter intervals stress disk I/O; longer ones risk data loss on crash.
• Wipes: Rust community conventions include monthly wipes. Use the seed value to reset the world when you wipe.
• Performance: Monitor RAM and CPU. Heavily-built areas and many players can spike resource usage significantly.
• Plugins: Advanced servers use Oxide mods (uMod), but those require separate setup—start with vanilla first.