How to make your Rust server run smoother

Start with the Usage card on Overview to see how hard the server works while players are on. Then these settings and habits help.

1. Check the usage first

Open Overview, find the Usage card, and look at the CPU and RAM tabs with players online. See How much RAM does a Rust server need? Type serverinfo in the Console to see the entity count and the server's frame rate: How to check entity count and server FPS on your Rust server.

2. Save Interval

Open Settings, then Game Settings, and find Save Interval. It is how often the server saves the world, in seconds, from 30 to 3600, and 60 by default. Saving pauses a busy server briefly. A big map with many players runs smoother with a longer interval. A shorter one loses less after a crash.

Change it, then restart. Do not set it very long: if the server crashes, you lose everything since the last save.

3. Server frame rate limit

Open Server Settings (server.cfg) in the Config files list of the same Settings tab. Server frame rate limit is the most frames per second the server runs, from 30 to 1000, and 240 by default. Lower uses less CPU, but below 60 players may notice. Click Save & restart. See How to set server browser tags and server.cfg options on your Rust server.

4. Plugins

• Remove plugins you do not use, and check the Installed list for ones that are Not running: How to fix a plugin that is not running on your Rust server.
• Do not run two plugins that change the same rates: How to stop plugins stacking rates on your Rust server.
• Carbon turns on only the hooks that loaded plugins need: How to switch your Rust server between Oxide and Carbon.

5. Map size and wipes

A smaller World Size is lighter: How to choose your Rust world size and seed. A regular wipe starts the map again: How to set up automatic wipes on your Rust server.

6. Restart on a schedule

A daily restart at a quiet hour gives the game a fresh start: How to restart your Rust server on a schedule.

7. A bigger plan

If the Overview page shows This server ran out of memory and the steps above do not stop it, open My plan and look at the bigger plans: How to change your plan or billing cycle and Your Rust server ran out of memory.

Good to know

• The lag players feel can also come from their own connection. Their ping shows next to their name on the Active players card: How to see who is online on your Rust server.