Wattle Tools

Rust 7 minute read

Set up a Rust dedicated server on Windows

Install, configure and connect to your own Rust server.

Tools you'll use: Start.bat Generator

This guide installs a Rust server on Windows with SteamCMD and gets you connected.

Install SteamCMD

Download SteamCMD for Windows, extract it to C:\steamcmd and run it once so it can update itself. The Garry's Mod guide covers this step in more detail.

Install the Server Files

The Rust dedicated server is app 258550. Save this line as update.bat next to steamcmd.exe and run it:

Command
steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:\rustserver +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit

Run it again after every Rust update. Major updates land on the first Thursday of each month.

Create a Start Script

Build one with the Rust Start.bat Generator and save it as start.bat next to RustDedicated.exe. The first launch generates the map, which can take several minutes.

Open Your Ports

  • 28015 UDP for the game.
  • 28016 TCP for RCON, if you manage the server remotely.
  • 28082 TCP for the Rust+ companion app, if you use it.

Connect

Open Rust, press F1 for the console and run client.connect 127.0.0.1:28015. Friends use your public IP address instead.

Wiping

To wipe the map, stop the server and delete the .map and .sav files in server/your_identity. Delete the player.blueprints database files too for a blueprint wipe.

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