Rust Server Installation Guide on Linux VPS

Introduction

Rust is a popular multiplayer survival game that allows you to create custom dedicated servers. This guide walks you through the complete installation of a Rust server on a Linux VPS (Ubuntu/Debian).

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, ensure your VPS has:

• Ubuntu 20.04/22.04 LTS or Debian 11/12
• At least 8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended for 100+ players)
• 25 GB of available disk space (40 GB recommended)
• Processor with at least 2 cores (4 cores recommended)
• Stable Internet connection with sufficient bandwidth
• Root or sudo access
• Static public IP address

Step 1: System Update

Connect to your VPS via SSH and update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Reboot the server if necessary:

sudo reboot

Step 2: Installing Dependencies

Install the necessary packages:

sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 curl wget tar screen htop net-tools

For 64-bit systems, install 32-bit libraries:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y libc6:i386 libstdc++6:i386

Step 3: Creating the Rust User

For security reasons, create a dedicated user for the Rust server:

sudo adduser --disabled-login --no-create-home rustserver

Create the server directory:

sudo mkdir -p /home/rustserver
sudo chown rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver

Step 4: Installing SteamCMD

SteamCMD Installation

1. Create a directory for SteamCMD:

sudo mkdir -p /home/rustserver/steamcmd
cd /home/rustserver/steamcmd

2. Download SteamCMD:

sudo wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

3. Extract the archive:

sudo tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

4. Remove the archive:

sudo rm steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

5. Change permissions:

sudo chown -R rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver

Step 5: Installing Rust Server

Downloading Files via SteamCMD

1. Create an installation script:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/install_rust.sh

2. Add the following content:

#!/bin/bash
cd /home/rustserver/steamcmd
./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/rustserver/rust-server +login anonymous +app_update 258550 +quit

3. Make the script executable:

sudo chmod +x /home/rustserver/install_rust.sh
sudo chown rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver/install_rust.sh

4. Run the installation script:

sudo -u rustserver /home/rustserver/install_rust.sh

The download may take time (approximately 15-20 GB). Wait for the message "Success! App '258550' fully installed" to appear.

Step 6: Server Configuration

Creating the Startup Script

1. Create a startup script:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/start_rust.sh

2. Add the following content (customize according to your needs):

#!/bin/bash

# Configuration variables
IDENTITY="my-rust-server"
HOSTNAME="My Rust Server"
MAXPLAYERS=100
WORLDSIZE=4000
SEED=12345
SAVEINTERVAL=300
RCONPORT=28016
RCONPASSWORD="rconpassword"
SERVERPORT=28015
DESCRIPTION="Welcome to my Rust server!"
URL="https://mywebsite.com"

# Server startup
cd /home/rustserver/rust-server

./RustDedicated -batchmode \
    -nographics \
    +server.ip 0.0.0.0 \
    +server.port ${SERVERPORT} \
    +server.maxplayers ${MAXPLAYERS} \
    +server.hostname "${HOSTNAME}" \
    +server.identity "${IDENTITY}" \
    +server.level "Procedural Map" \
    +server.worldsize ${WORLDSIZE} \
    +server.seed ${SEED} \
    +server.saveinterval ${SAVEINTERVAL} \
    +server.description "${DESCRIPTION}" \
    +server.url "${URL}" \
    +rcon.ip 0.0.0.0 \
    +rcon.port ${RCONPORT} \
    +rcon.password "${RCONPASSWORD}" \
    +rcon.web 1

3. Make the script executable:

sudo chmod +x /home/rustserver/start_rust.sh
sudo chown rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver/start_rust.sh

Important Parameter Explanations

• server.hostname: Server name visible in the list
• server.identity: Unique name for save files
• server.maxplayers: Maximum number of players (50-150 recommended)
• server.worldsize: Map size (3000-6000, default 4000)
• server.seed: Seed to generate the map (same seed = same map)
• server.saveinterval: Save interval in seconds
• server.level: Map type ("Procedural Map" for generated, or custom map name)
• rcon.password: Password for remote administration
• rcon.port: RCON port (default 28016)

Useful Additional Parameters

You can add these parameters to the startup script:

+server.headerimage "HEADER_IMAGE_URL" \
+server.logoimage "LOGO_IMAGE_URL" \
+decay.scale 1.0 \
+pve.enabled false \
+server.radiation false \
+server.stability true \
+server.events true

Step 7: Firewall Configuration

Open the necessary ports for Rust:

# Main game port
sudo ufw allow 28015/tcp
sudo ufw allow 28015/udp

# RCON port
sudo ufw allow 28016/tcp

# Query port (optional)
sudo ufw allow 28017/tcp

# Enable firewall if not already done
sudo ufw enable

Check firewall status:

sudo ufw status

Step 8: Creating a Systemd Service

To manage the server as a system service:

1. Create a service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rust-server.service

2. Add the following content:

[Unit]
Description=Rust Dedicated Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=rustserver
WorkingDirectory=/home/rustserver/rust-server
ExecStart=/home/rustserver/start_rust.sh
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

3. Reload systemd:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

4. Enable the service at startup:

sudo systemctl enable rust-server

5. Start the server:

sudo systemctl start rust-server

6. Check server status:

sudo systemctl status rust-server

Step 9: Server Management

Systemd Commands

# Start the server
sudo systemctl start rust-server

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop rust-server

# Restart the server
sudo systemctl restart rust-server

# View logs in real-time
sudo journalctl -u rust-server -f

# View recent logs
sudo journalctl -u rust-server -n 100 --no-pager

Using Screen (alternative)

If you prefer using Screen instead of systemd:

# Start server in a screen session
sudo -u rustserver screen -dmS rust /home/rustserver/start_rust.sh

# Attach to session
sudo -u rustserver screen -r rust

# Detach from session (Ctrl+A then D)

# List screen sessions
screen -ls

# Kill a session
screen -X -S rust quit

Step 10: Administration via RCON

Installing Rusty (RCON Client)

Rusty is an RCON administration tool for Rust.

1. Download Rusty on your local PC from: https://github.com/Kirilligu/Rusty
2. Configure the connection:
   • IP: Your VPS IP address
   • Port: 28016 (or your RCON port)
   • Password: Your RCON password

Useful RCON Commands

Via Rusty or in server console, you can use these commands:

# Server information
server.info

# View connected players
playerlist

# Kick a player
kick "player_name" "reason"

# Ban a player
banid "steamid" "reason"

# Unban a player
removeid "steamid"

# Save the server
server.save

# Teleport to a player
teleportpos x y z

# Give items
inventory.give "player_name" "item" quantity

# Change time
env.time 12

# Enable/disable PvE
server.pve true/false

# Global message
say "Your message"

Step 11: Advanced Configuration

Configuration Files

Configuration files are located in:

/home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/cfg

server.cfg

Create a custom configuration file:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/cfg/server.cfg

Example configuration:

// General settings
server.hostname "My Custom Rust Server"
server.description "PvP/PvE server with modifications"
server.url "https://discord.gg/myserver"
server.headerimage "https://i.imgur.com/example.jpg"
server.logoimage "https://i.imgur.com/logo.jpg"

// Game settings
server.maxplayers 150
server.worldsize 4500
server.seed 987654

// Gather rates
gather.rate dispenser * 2.0
gather.rate pickup * 2.0

// Faster crafting
crafting.instant true

// Faster recycler
recycler.efficiency 2.0

// Disable certain events
bradley.enabled false
helicopter.enabled false

// Decay settings
decay.scale 0.5
decay.upkeep false

// Other settings
server.stability true
server.radiation false
server.events true

Load this file at startup by modifying your script:

./RustDedicated -batchmode +server.cfg server.cfg ...

users.cfg

To configure administrators:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/cfg/users.cfg

Add your admins with their SteamID64:

ownerid 76561198012345678 "AdminName" "Reason"
moderatorid 76561198087654321 "ModName" "Reason"

Find your SteamID64 at: https://steamid.io/

Bans Configuration

sudo nano /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/cfg/bans.cfg

Format:

banid 76561198012345678 "Ban reason"

Step 12: Installing Oxide/uMod

Oxide (now uMod) is a modding framework for Rust that allows plugin installation.

Installing uMod

1. Download the latest version:

cd /home/rustserver
sudo wget https://umod.org/games/rust/download
sudo mv download oxide-rust.zip

2. Install unzip if necessary:

sudo apt install unzip -y

3. Extract to the server folder:

sudo unzip oxide-rust.zip -d /home/rustserver/rust-server/
sudo rm oxide-rust.zip

4. Change permissions:

sudo chown -R rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver/rust-server/

5. Restart the server:

sudo systemctl restart rust-server

Installing Plugins

Plugins are placed in:

/home/rustserver/rust-server/oxide/plugins/

Popular plugins:

• Kits: Starter kit system
• StackSizeController: Modify stack sizes
• RemoverTool: Tool to remove structures
• VoteDay: Vote to change time
• Economics: Economy system
• BetterChat: Chat improvements

Download plugins from: https://umod.org/plugins

Example plugin installation:

cd /home/rustserver/rust-server/oxide/plugins/
sudo wget https://umod.org/plugins/Kits.cs
sudo chown rustserver:rustserver Kits.cs

The plugin will be loaded automatically at next startup or via RCON command:

oxide.reload Kits

Plugin Configuration

Configurations are located in:

/home/rustserver/rust-server/oxide/config/

Each plugin has its own JSON configuration file.

Step 13: Server Updates

Manual Update

1. Stop the server:

sudo systemctl stop rust-server

2. Run the update script:

sudo -u rustserver /home/rustserver/install_rust.sh

3. Restart the server:

sudo systemctl start rust-server

Automatic Update Script

Create a script to automate:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/update_rust.sh

Content:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Stopping Rust server..."
systemctl stop rust-server

echo "Updating server..."
cd /home/rustserver/steamcmd
./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/rustserver/rust-server +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit

echo "Restarting server..."
systemctl start rust-server

echo "Update completed!"

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /home/rustserver/update_rust.sh

Automatic Update via Cron

To check for updates daily at 4 AM:

sudo crontab -e

Add:

0 4 * * * /home/rustserver/update_rust.sh

Step 14: Backups

Backup Script

Create a backup script:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/backup_rust.sh

Content:

#!/bin/bash

BACKUP_DIR="/backup/rust"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
SERVER_DIR="/home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server"

mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Backup server data
echo "Creating backup..."
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/rust_backup_$DATE.tar.gz $SERVER_DIR

# Keep only the last 7 backups
find $BACKUP_DIR -name "rust_backup_*.tar.gz" -mtime +7 -delete

echo "Backup completed: rust_backup_$DATE.tar.gz"

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /home/rustserver/backup_rust.sh

Automatic Backup

Add to crontab for daily backup at 3 AM:

sudo crontab -e

Add:

0 3 * * * /home/rustserver/backup_rust.sh

Restoring a Backup

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop rust-server

# Extract the backup
sudo tar -xzf /backup/rust/rust_backup_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.tar.gz -C /

# Restart the server
sudo systemctl start rust-server

Step 15: Wipes

Rust requires regular wipes. Here's how to perform different types of wipes:

Map Wipe Only

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop rust-server

# Delete map files
sudo rm -rf /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/*.map
sudo rm -rf /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/*.sav*

# Restart the server
sudo systemctl start rust-server

Full Wipe (map + blueprints)

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop rust-server

# Delete all server files
sudo rm -rf /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/*

# Restart the server
sudo systemctl start rust-server

Blueprints Wipe Only

# Stop the server
sudo systemctl stop rust-server

# Delete blueprint files
sudo rm -rf /home/rustserver/rust-server/server/my-rust-server/*.db

# Restart the server
sudo systemctl start rust-server

Changing Seed After Wipe

Modify the seed in your startup script to generate a new map:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/start_rust.sh

Change the SEED value then restart.

Step 16: Monitoring and Optimization

Resource Monitoring

Install htop for real-time monitoring:

htop

Check usage:

• CPU: should stay under 80%
• RAM: Rust uses 4-8 GB depending on player count
• Network: monitor bandwidth

Performance Optimization

Add these parameters to your startup script for better performance:

./RustDedicated -batchmode \
    -nographics \
    -logfile output.txt \
    +server.tickrate 30 \
    +server.entityrate 15 \
    ...

Server Logs

Logs are located in:

/home/rustserver/rust-server/output.txt

View logs in real-time:

tail -f /home/rustserver/rust-server/output.txt

Automatic Log Cleanup

To prevent logs from taking too much space:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/clean_logs.sh

Content:

#!/bin/bash
LOG_FILE="/home/rustserver/rust-server/output.txt"

if [ -f "$LOG_FILE" ]; then
    # Keep only the last 1000 lines
    tail -n 1000 "$LOG_FILE" > "$LOG_FILE.tmp"
    mv "$LOG_FILE.tmp" "$LOG_FILE"
fi

Automate with cron (daily):

0 2 * * * /home/rustserver/clean_logs.sh

Step 17: Connecting to the Server

For Players

Players can connect in several ways:

1. Via game console (F1):

client.connect IP:PORT

Example:

client.connect 123.45.67.89:28015

2. Via server list:

• Launch Rust
• Go to "Play"
• Search for your server name in the list
• Click to join

3. Via favorites:

• Press F1 in game
• Type: client.connect IP:PORT
• Or add server to favorites

Information to Share

Give your players:

• IP: Your VPS public IP address
• Port: 28015 (or configured port)
• Server name: For search
• Discord/Website: For community

Troubleshooting

Server Won't Start

Checks:

1. Check logs:

sudo journalctl -u rust-server -n 50

2. Check permissions:

sudo chown -R rustserver:rustserver /home/rustserver/

3. Check that ports are not in use:

sudo netstat -tlnp | grep 28015

4. Check disk space:

df -h

"Cannot allocate memory" Error

If you're running out of RAM:

1. Create a swap file:

sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

2. Make it permanent:

echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Players Can't Connect

Checks:

1. Check that firewall allows connections:

sudo ufw status

2. Check that server is listening on the right port:

sudo netstat -tlnp | grep RustDedicated

3. Check logs for errors:

tail -f /home/rustserver/rust-server/output.txt

4. Test connectivity from outside:

telnet YOUR_IP 28015

Server Crashes

Solutions:

1. Check crash logs:

tail -100 /home/rustserver/rust-server/output.txt

2. Increase available RAM or add swap
3. Check Oxide plugin compatibility
4. Reduce map size or player count

Poor Performance (lag)

Solutions:

1. Reduce maximum player count
2. Decrease map size (worldsize)
3. Increase VPS resources
4. Optimize tickrate parameters
5. Disable non-essential plugins
6. Regularly clean abandoned entities

# Via RCON
entid delete

Multi-Server Configuration

To host multiple Rust servers on the same VPS:

1. Copy the server folder:

sudo cp -r /home/rustserver/rust-server /home/rustserver/rust-server2

2. Create a new startup script with different ports:

sudo nano /home/rustserver/start_rust2.sh

Change ports:

• server.port: 28025
• rcon.port: 28026

3. Create a new systemd service:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rust-server2.service

4. Open new ports in firewall:

sudo ufw allow 28025/tcp
sudo ufw allow 28025/udp
sudo ufw allow 28026/tcp

Additional Resources

Useful Sites

• Official Rust Site: https://rust.facepunch.com/
• Rust Wiki: https://rust.fandom.com/wiki/Rust_Wiki
• uMod (Oxide): https://umod.org/
• uMod Plugins: https://umod.org/plugins
• RustMaps: https://rustmaps.com/ (map generator and viewer)
• RCON Tools: https://www.rustadmin.com/

Community

• Reddit: r/playrust and r/playrustadmin
• Official Rust Discord
• Facepunch Forums

Official Documentation

• Server documentation: https://wiki.facepunch.com/rust/
• Server variables: https://rust.fandom.com/wiki/Server_Variables

Conclusion

Your Rust server is now installed and configured on your Linux VPS! You can now:

• Host your own Rust community
• Customize the gaming experience with plugins
• Manage players via RCON
• Automate updates and backups

Important Points to Remember:

• Make regular backups before wipes
• Keep the server updated after each Rust patch
• Monitor performance and logs
• Listen to community feedback
• Plan wipes in advance and communicate them

Happy gaming and good administration!