Rust server FAQ

Short answers to the most common questions. Each links to the full guide.

Getting started

How do my friends join? They press F1 in Rust and type client.connect and your address, from the Play with friends card. Full guide

Do they need a password? No. A Rust server on PlayNHost has no join password.

Does the Rust+ app work? Your server is ready for it. Players pair from the game: press Esc, choose Rust+ and pair, as the Play with friends card says. Full guide

How do I invite friends? Click Copy invite message on the Play with friends card. Full guide

How long does the first start take? A few minutes: the server checks for an update and builds the map. It is ready at Server startup complete. Full guide

How do I change the server name? Settings, Game Settings, Server Name, then restart. Full guide

Can I use symbols like | and [ ] in the name? Yes. Double quotes, backslashes, backticks, $ and ; are not allowed. Full guide

How do I change the player limit? Edit slots on the Active players card, up to your plan's limit. Full guide

Maps and wipes

Why do I have the same map as other servers? The World Seed is empty. Set your own. Full guide

How do I wipe? Open Wipe in the left menu. Full guide

What is the difference between the wipes? A map wipe keeps blueprints, a map and blueprint wipe removes them, a full wipe also clears player records. Full guide

How do I do a BP wipe? Choose Map and blueprint wipe on the Wipe page. Full guide

Can I undo a wipe? Yes, if a backup was made first and it was not Facepunch's forced wipe: restore Before wipe and set the old map's size and seed back. Full guide

Can I wipe automatically? Yes, with the ready-made schedules under Ready-made for Rust on Quick Tasks. They arrive off. Full guide

What do I do on forced wipe day? Switch on one Force wipe schedule beforehand. Full guide

Can a scheduled wipe use my own seed or map? Yes, with a map rotation on the Wipe page. Without one, scheduled wipes pick a new random seed. Full guide

Can my wipes switch between several maps? Yes: list up to 20 generated maps or custom map links in Map rotation. Full guide

Does a wipe delete my plugins or admins? No. Plugins, their data, admins and bans stay. Full guide

Can I use a custom map? Yes, with a direct link in Custom Map URL. Full guide

Is there a small fixed map? Yes: set Level to CraggyIsland. Settings reference

Can I bring my world from another host? Yes, upload the files to server/rust. Full guide

Can I download my world? Yes: download a backup, or zip server/rust in Files. Full guide

Rules and gameplay

How do I make my server PvE? Switch on PvE in Server Settings (server.cfg). Full guide

Can I run a solo or duo server? Yes, set Team size limit to 1 or 2. Full guide

Can I turn off decay or upkeep? Yes, in the Bases group: Decay speed 0 turns decay off. Full guide

Can I turn off radiation or turn on instant crafting? Yes, in the Gameplay group. Full guide

Are AFK players kicked? When the server is full or nearly full, after 30 minutes by default. Full guide

Plugins

Oxide or Carbon? Pick one on the Modding tab. Carbon runs Oxide plugins. Full guide

How do I install a plugin? Modding, Plugins, Browse, Install. Full guide

Can I install plugins from Codefling? Yes, free ones that come as one .cs file: choose Codefling under Source. Paid ones you buy there and upload in Files. Full guide

How do I add a paid plugin? Upload its .cs file to oxide/plugins or carbon/plugins. Full guide

How do I remove a plugin? Options for, then Uninstall on the Installed list. Full guide

How do I update Oxide or Carbon? Restart: the framework installs itself again at every start. Full guide

Can I switch from Oxide to Carbon? Yes, and move your plugins to carbon/plugins. Full guide

A plugin says Not running. Update it, choose another version or uninstall it. Full guide

Where are plugin settings? In oxide/config or carbon/configs. Full guide

Players and admin

How do I become admin? Admins on the Active players card, then rejoin. Full guide

How do I unban someone? Bans on the same card. The server must be running. Full guide

How do I kick or ban? Open ... on the player's row on the Active players card or the Live map, and choose Kick or Ban. Full guide

Can I see where players are? Yes, on the Live map in the left menu, updated every 5 seconds. Full guide

How do I message every player? Type say and your message in the Console. Full guide

Can a friend manage the server? Yes, with a role on Team & Roles. Full guide

How do I set the browser tags and PvE? On Server Settings (server.cfg). Full guide

Running the server

Is my server updated for Facepunch's patches? Yes: the panel restarts it onto the new build once Oxide or Carbon can run it. Full guide

Can I try the Staging branch? Yes, with Branch. Players need the Rust Staging Branch app. Full guide

Does the server restart by itself? Not daily unless you build a schedule. Full guide

Is my server backed up? Yes, every night if your plan has backups, and before every wipe with Back up first. Full guide

Can I use my own RCON tool? Yes, with the RCON Port and RCON Password. Full guide

How much memory do I need? Rust is hungry; read your usage with players on. Full guide

Why is my server laggy? Full guide

How do I see the entity count? Type serverinfo in the Console. Full guide

What does This server ran out of memory mean? The system stopped the server at its memory limit. Full guide

Something is broken. Rust server problems and fixes