Rust server guide

Set up your server

1. Open the Startup tab.
2. Set the server name and description.
3. Set the world size and the seed.
4. Set the maximum number of players.
5. Choose your PvE options.
6. Restart the server from the Console tab. Changes apply the next time it starts.

The Startup tab also covers the server's website address, header image, logo, tags and save interval.

PvE options

PvE Mode turns off player-versus-player damage across the whole server. Structure Decay Scale is a multiplier on how fast unattended structures decay. A value of 1 is the normal speed, lower is slower and higher is faster. Both are safe to change at any time and take effect on the next restart.

Wipes are your call

PlayDubious does not wipe your server for you. You decide when the map resets. A new seed or world size gives you a new map the next time the server generates its world. Here is a checklist for wipe day:

1. Tell your players when the wipe will happen.
2. Create a backup on the Backups tab and lock it, so you can go back.
3. Change the seed, and the world size if you like, on the Startup tab.
4. Restart from the Console tab and watch the log until the server has started.
5. Join the server to check the new map.

Mods: Oxide and uMod plugins

Rust mods run on a modding framework. On the Startup tab, set Modding Framework to oxide (uMod's Oxide, the most common) or carbon, or leave it on vanilla for an unmodded server. The framework is downloaded fresh at every start, so it stays current with Rust updates.

With Oxide, the Oxide plugins (uMod names) field takes a comma-separated list of plugin names from umod.org, for example GatherManager,Kits,Vanish. Every name in the list is downloaded from uMod when the server starts and updated at every restart, so you never copy files by hand. Use the exact name from the plugin's page (the file name without .cs, no spaces); a name that does not exist is reported in the console and skipped. Our Rust plugin list has the names of popular plugins ready to copy.

1. Open the Startup tab and set Modding Framework to oxide.
2. Put the plugin names in Oxide plugins (uMod names), separated by commas.
3. Restart from the Console tab and watch for the [PlayDubious] plugin ... installed/updated lines.
4. Plugin settings live in oxide/config/ on the Files tab after the first start; edit them there.

Plugins you upload yourself to oxide/plugins/ keep working alongside the list; the list only manages the names you put in it.

Ports and connecting

Rust uses more than one port, and the Network tab lists all of them. Players connect with the server address from your welcome email. If someone cannot connect, compare that address with the Network tab and look at our status page. All Rust plans run on our high-memory dedicated nodes.

Pick the plan by how many players you expect. Rust 10 lists 50–75 recommended players and Rust 16 lists 100–200. You can change plans later by emailing [email protected].

Nightly restart and backups

The nightly restart is on the Schedules tab, and times there are in UTC. Rust plans include 4 to 5 backup slots, depending on the plan. See Backups and restores for how to create, download and restore them.