Creating and Setting Up a Rust Server

Creating a Rust server at RespawnHost

This guide takes you from ordering to your first login on your own Rust server. The server itself is online in under 90 seconds — only the first map generation needs a little patience afterwards.

Requirements

• A RespawnHost account — register here
• Credit on the account (prepaid system, top up e.g. via PayPal or credit card)
• Rust on Steam (PC or Mac)

Step 1: Start your order

1. Open the Rust order page (or go via respawnhost.com/en/rust-server-hosting and click Get your server).
2. Log in if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Choose a billing model

RespawnHost offers two models — you pick during checkout:

Model	How it works	Ideal for
Fixed plan	Fixed price for a term (1, 3, 6 or 12 months — 1 month = 30 days), paid upfront from your credit. 3 months: −10 %, 6 months: −15 %, 12 months: −20 %.	24/7 operation, communities
Pay-per-use	Billed by the second — it only costs while the server is running. Server off = no costs.	Casual sessions, wipe weekends

Step 3: Choose package and location

• Package: Choose by player count and planned map size — a small group is fine on the entry package (8 GB RAM), larger community servers go for 16–20 GB. Details in How much RAM does a Rust server need?
• Location: Germany (Frankfurt) for Europe or USA (Salt Lake City) for North America. Pick whichever is closest to you and your players.

Then complete the order — the server installs automatically and is ready in under 90 seconds.

Step 4: Set the basics

In the panel you’ll find your server’s startup variables under Configuration:

Setting	Meaning
Server Name (server.hostname)	Name in the server browser — pick something memorable
World Size (server.worldsize)	1000–6000, default 3000; 3000–4500 is typical. Bigger = more RAM
World Seed (server.seed)	Determines the map layout — same seed + same size = same map
Max Players (server.maxplayers)	Default 40, freely adjustable — slots are unlimited at RespawnHost
Description / Server Tags	Your appearance in the server browser (\n for line breaks)
Modding Framework	vanilla (default), oxide or carbon — see the plugins guide

All other gameplay rules (decay, PvE, game modes …) are covered in Configuring your Rust server.

Step 5: Start the server and connect

1. Click Start in the panel. On the first start the server generates the procedural map — depending on map size and hardware this takes several minutes up to a quarter of an hour, very large 6000 maps even longer. Later starts (saved map) are much faster. Then the status shows “Online”.

2. Launch Rust and open the console with **F1**. 3. Type:

client.connect YOUR-IP:28015

You’ll find IP and port in the panel. Alternatively, find your server in the in-game server browser under Community (or under Modded once Oxide is installed) — search for your server name.

Becoming admin

Rust admins are registered via their SteamID64. Run this in the server console in the panel:

ownerid YOUR-STEAMID64 "YourName"
server.writecfg

Then reconnect once (log out and rejoin). All details and the full command list: Rust admin commands.

Good to know

Next steps

• Rent a Rust server — Pay-Per-Use, online in under 90 seconds
• Configuring your Rust server — server.cfg, convars, tags & game modes
• How much RAM do I need? — recommendations by player count and map size
• Installing plugins (Oxide/Carbon) — gather rates, kits, teleport & more