Rust Server¶

In this article

• Rust Server. Key Features
• Deployment Features
• Getting Started After Rust Server Deployment
• Users and Directories
• Server Configuration
• RCON Setup (Remote Administration)
• Installing Oxide/uMod (Modifications and Plugins)
• Connecting to the Server
• Updating the Server
• Ordering Rust Server via API

Rust Server. Key Features¶

• Full control over rules: you can adjust rates (resource gathering speed), map size, loot amount, day and night duration.
• Modifications and plugins: you can install plugins (via Oxide/uMod) that add new features: shops, custom events, anti-cheat protection, clan systems.
• Performance: a dedicated server runs more stable than official developer servers, especially with a large number of players. Less lag and lower latency (ping).
• Community: you create your own community. You can make a server just for friends (PVE), a hardcore PvP server, or a roleplay server (RP).
• Wipes: you decide when to reset server progress (full wipe or map-only wipe) to keep players interested.

Deployment Features¶

• Minimum VM requirements: 8 GB RAM (12 GB recommended), 4+ vCPU, SSD, 15 GB free disk space
• Memory consumption at worldsize 4500: 6–8 GB

Getting Started After Rust Server Deployment¶

After you pay for your order, you will receive a notification to the email you registered with, notifying you that your server is ready to work. It will contain the VPS IP address, as well as a login and password for connecting. Our company's clients manage hardware in the servers and API control panel — Invapi.

Authorization data that can be found in the Info >> Tags tab of the server control panel or in the email can be found:

• Login and Password for server access (SSH): sent to your email when the server is ready after software deployment.

The server is delivered already running and ready to play. Players can connect immediately after deployment. Further actions depend on your needs:

1. Connect to the server via SSH to configure settings (name, map size, player count, etc.).
2. Connect via RCON (web console) for real-time game server administration: player management, chat, commands.
3. (Optional) Install Oxide/uMod for plugin support.
4. Connect to the server from the game and verify everything works.

Users and Directories¶

File Locations

Here <identity> is your server name defined by the server.identity parameter in the startup script (by default it matches the hostname, e.g. de-vmmedium).

Ports

Systemd

Check server status:

systemctl status rust

View logs in real time:

journalctl -u rust -f

Restart the server:

systemctl restart rust

Server Configuration¶

The main world and server parameters are passed through the startup script runds.sh. After any changes, restart the server with systemctl restart rust.

Editing Startup Parameters¶

Open the startup script in a text editor:

nano /home/rust/rust/runds.sh

Make the necessary changes, save the file (Ctrl+O → Enter → Ctrl+X) and restart the server:

systemctl restart rust

To view current parameters without editing:

cat /home/rust/rust/runds.sh

Main Startup Parameters (runds.sh)¶

Example runds.sh contents:

#!/bin/bash
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:`dirname $0`/RustDedicated_Data/Plugins:`dirname $0`/RustDedicated_Data/Plugins/x86_64

./RustDedicated \
-batchmode \
-nographics \
+server.identity "de-vmmedium" \
+server.port 28015 \
+server.queryport 28017 \
+server.hostname "de-vmmedium Rust Server" \
+server.description "Hosted on de-vmmedium" \
+server.url "" \
+server.headerimage "" \
+server.level "Procedural Map" \
+server.seed 1337 \
+server.worldsize 4500 \
+server.maxplayers 50 \
+rcon.ip 0.0.0.0 \
+rcon.port 28016 \
+rcon.password "your_rcon_password" \
+rcon.web 1 \
-logfile "rustserver.log"

Additional Parameters (server.cfg)¶

The server.cfg file is located at /home/rust/rust/server/<identity>/cfg/server.cfg. Parameters in this file are applied on every server startup. The file is created automatically after the first server launch; if it is missing, you can create it manually.

Commonly used settings:

RCON Setup (Remote Administration)¶

RCON (Remote Console) allows you to manage the server remotely via a web interface without connecting via SSH. This is the main tool for real-time game server administration.

RCON Parameters¶

In the HOSTKEY build, RCON is already configured and enabled. Make sure the following parameters are present in the runds.sh startup script:

+rcon.port 28016
+rcon.password "your_secure_password"
+rcon.web 1

The RCON password generated during deployment can be found in:

cat /home/rust/.rust/rcon_password

Connecting via Web RCON (rcon.io)¶

To connect to RCON, we recommend using the rcon.io web interface:

1. Open rcon.io/login in your browser.

1. Enter the connection details:

   • Server IP — your server's IP address
   • RCON port — 28016
   • RCON Password — password from /home/rust/.rust/rcon_password

   

2. Click CONNECT TO SERVER. After a successful connection, the administration console will open with real-time server logs.

   

You can execute any server commands in the input field at the bottom of the console.

Installing Oxide/uMod (Modifications and Plugins)¶

Oxide (uMod) is the most popular modding platform for Rust servers. It allows you to install plugins that extend server functionality: teleportation, shops, kits, custom events, anti-cheat systems, and much more.

Installing Oxide¶

1. Stop the server:

   systemctl stop rust
   

2. Install the archive extraction utility (if not present):

   apt update
   

   apt install -y unzip
   

3. Download the latest version of Oxide:

   cd /home/rust/rust
   

   wget https://umod.org/games/rust/download -O Oxide.Rust.zip
   

4. Extract the archive to the server directory (overwriting files):

   unzip -o Oxide.Rust.zip
   

5. Start the server:

   systemctl start rust
   

After startup, the oxide/ folder will appear in the main server directory with the following structure:

• oxide/plugins/ — plugin directory
• oxide/config/ — plugin configuration files
• oxide/data/ — plugin data
• oxide/logs/ — plugin logs
• oxide/lang/ — localization files

To verify that Oxide is installed correctly, run this command in the RCON console:

oxide.version

Connecting to the Server¶

Players can connect to the server in the following ways:

• Via the server list: the server will appear in the "Community" tab provided that the Steam Query port (28017) is open.
• Via console (F1 key in-game): client.connect <server_IP>:28015
• Via Steam: by adding the server to favorites by IP address.

Updating the Server¶

Rust is typically updated weekly (on Thursdays). To update:

1. Stop the server: systemctl stop rust
2. Update files via SteamCMD:

/home/rust/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +login anonymous +force_install_dir /home/rust/rust +app_update 258550 +quit

1. If Oxide is installed — update it as well (see the "Updating Oxide" section).
2. Start the server: systemctl start rust

Ordering Rust Server via API¶

To install this software using the API, follow these instructions.

Some of the content on this page was created or translated using AI.