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Rust server setup

Rust dedicated server install guide

Installing Rust yourself is a SteamCMD download and a batch script. Neither part is difficult, but the RAM requirement catches people out and the batch script has one line that decides whether your server restarts itself or stays down.

  • Rust guides
  • Updated
  • 9 min read
  • 7 GB RAM recommended
  • SteamCMD
  • Batch script explained
STEAMCMDsteamcmdforce_install_dir "c:\rustserver\"login anonymousapp_update 258550quit# 258550 is the Rust server app ID# anonymous login, no account needed

The short answer

Download SteamCMD, run it, then enter force_install_dir "c:\rustserver\", login anonymous, app_update 258550 and quit. Create a batch script to launch RustDedicated.exe with your server settings. Allow at least 7 GB of RAM per server.

Key points

  • App ID 258550, anonymous login, no Steam account needed.
  • 7 GB RAM per server. A 3 square km map alone can exceed 6 GB under load.
  • The batch script both updates and launches, which is why it is a loop.
  • goto start is what makes it restart automatically. Remove it if you do not want that.
  • Clock speed matters more than core count for Rust.

System requirements

Rust is demanding on the host. The figure that surprises people is memory rather than CPU.

RAM
A standard 3 square km map uses about 2 GB initially, rising to over 6 GB under load. Allocate at least 7 GB per server.
CPU
Clock speed above 3GHz. Unity's core functions are single threaded, so a fast core beats many slow ones. Extra cores help with AI and map work on higher population servers.
Storage
SSD. The install is large and map loading is disk-heavy.
Ports
The game port, 28015 by default, and the RCON port, 28016 by default, both reachable.

If you are sizing a machine to host more than one server, multiply the RAM figure rather than hoping they will share. Two Rust servers under load on 8 GB will not end well.

Installing SteamCMD

SteamCMD is the command-line tool for installing and updating Steam files, including the Rust server.

  1. Create a folder for SteamCMD

    For example c:\steamcmd.

  2. Create a folder for the Rust server

    For example c:\rustserver. Keeping them separate makes updates and backups considerably simpler later.

  3. Download SteamCMD for Windows

    From the official SteamCMD download.

  4. Extract it into the SteamCMD folder

    Then run steamcmd.exe. The first run downloads its own updates before giving you a prompt.

Installing the Rust server

Enter these commands in SteamCMD, one at a time:

force_install_dir "c:\rustserver\"
login anonymous
app_update 258550
quit

That installs the files for a vanilla server. login anonymous works because the Rust dedicated server is free to download and does not require an owned copy of the game.

Other branches

If you want the staging or prerelease branch instead of the release build, add the -beta flag to the update command: 

app_update 258550 -beta staging

app_update 258550 -beta prerelease

Our guide on installing a Rust staging server covers when that is worth doing and how to switch back.

The batch script

Create a file called RustServer.bat in your server install directory, then right click and edit it. This script does two jobs: it checks for updates, then it launches the server. 

echo off
:start
C:\steamcmd\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:\rustserver\ +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 "Your Server Name" +server.description "Your Server Description" +server.url "http://yourwebsite.com" +server.headerimage "http://yourwebsite.com/serverimage.jpg" +server.identity "server1" +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password yourpassword +rcon.web 1
goto start

Customise it for your own configuration before running it.

Change rcon.password to something long and unique before this ever touches the internet. RCON gives full administrative control of the server, and a default or guessable password on an open port is the most direct route to losing it.

What each line does

echo off
Stops the console printing each command as it runs. Cosmetic, but it makes the useful output readable.
:start
A label marking the top of the loop.
The SteamCMD line
Runs SteamCMD to check for server updates and apply them if needed, before every launch. This is what keeps you current without thinking about it.
The RustDedicated line
Launches the server with your configuration: port, map type, seed, world size, player limit, hostname, description, website, header image, identity and RCON settings.
goto start
Jumps back to :start, so the server updates and relaunches automatically after it stops. Remove this line if you do not want the server to restart itself.

The loop is the useful part of this script. Rust updates frequently, and without it every update means someone has to log into the machine and run SteamCMD by hand before the server will come back.

Or skip all of it

Doing this yourself is the right choice when the machine is the point: you want to run several servers, host other things alongside, or have full control of the environment.

If the game is the point rather than the machine, our Rust server hosting deploys a ready-to-play server in about a minute, with the control panel, RCON, one-click uMod and DDoS protection already set up.

If you would rather build it on your own hardware

Small server, tight budget
UK VPS hosting or NVMe VPS hosting. Look for NVMe storage and a good clock speed rather than the largest core count.
Medium to large
Ryzen 7950X3D VPS hosting or UK virtual dedicated servers on i9 11900K hardware.
Large communities
UK dedicated servers or gaming dedicated servers, where the whole machine is yours.

More guides for people running their own Rust server.

Rust

How to install a Rust staging server

The same script with one flag changed, to test updates early.

Read the guide Rust

How to improve Rust server performance

Clock speed, plugins and the convars that matter once it is running.

Read the guide Rust

Rust server admin commands

The full console reference for the server you just built.

Read the guide
Quick answers

Common questions

A standard 3 square km map uses about 2 GB initially and can rise to over 6 GB under load. Allocate at least 7 GB per server. Larger world sizes and higher player counts push that up further.

258550. It is used as app_update 258550 in SteamCMD, and no Steam account is needed because the server files install with an anonymous login.

Download SteamCMD, extract it, run steamcmd.exe, then enter force_install_dir "c:\rustserver\", login anonymous, app_update 258550 and quit. That installs a vanilla server.

It sends the script back to the :start label, so the server updates and relaunches automatically after it shuts down. Remove that line if you do not want the server to restart itself.

Yes. The game port, 28015 by default, and the RCON port, 28016 by default, both need to be reachable. The query port also matters if you want the server to appear in the browser.

Doing it yourself gives you full control of the machine and is the right call if you want to run several servers or other software alongside. A managed host gets you a running server in about a minute with the panel, RCON and DDoS protection already set up. It depends on whether the machine is the point or the game is.

Or have it running in about a minute

A ready-to-play Rust server on hardware chosen for clock speed, with the panel, RCON and DDoS protection already configured.

Rust server hosting Dedicated servers
  • UK data centre
  • High frequency CPUs
  • DDoS protection included