Rust Server Setup

This guide covers everything you need to get a Rust dedicated server running on NovaStack — from basic configuration to installing Oxide/Carbon for plugin support and setting up RCON for remote administration.

1. From your dashboard, click New Server → select Rust.
2. Choose a plan. Rust is memory-hungry: The Commander (8 GB RAM) is recommended for 50+ players.
3. Click Deploy (all servers run in our Frankfurt, DE datacenter).

The server will download Rust Dedicated Server files via SteamCMD automatically. This takes 2–4 minutes on first boot.

Open the File Manager and navigate to /server/rust/cfg/server.cfg. Key settings:

# Server identity
server.hostname "My Rust Server | NovaStack"
server.description "Welcome to our Rust server!"
server.url "https://your-community-site.com"
server.headerimage "https://example.com/banner.png"

# Gameplay
server.maxplayers 100
server.worldsize 4000
server.seed 12345
server.saveinterval 300

# Security
server.secure 1
server.encryption 1

# Performance
fps.limit 30
decay.scale 1.0
server.pve false

Tip: World size of 4000 is standard. Sizes above 5000 increase RAM usage significantly.

Oxide (also known as uMod) is the most popular Rust modding framework. On NovaStack, the framework is selected through your server's startup variables:

1. Open the Settings tab in your server panel and find Startup Variables.
2. Set the FRAMEWORK variable to oxide.
3. Save and restart your server — Oxide is downloaded and applied on the next boot.

If you prefer Carbon (a newer, high-performance alternative compatible with most Oxide plugins):

1. Set the same FRAMEWORK variable to carbon instead of oxide (use vanilla for no framework).
2. Save and restart.

Once a framework is running, install plugins from the Plugins tab, or upload plugin .cs files to /oxide/plugins/ (or /carbon/plugins/). Plugins are compiled and loaded automatically on restart.

These are some of the most commonly used Rust plugins:

• Gather Manager — adjust resource gathering rates.
• Quick Smelt — speed up furnace smelting.
• Kits — give players starter kits and VIP loadouts.
• Teleportation — /home, /tp, /town commands.
• Clans — clan system with team management.
• Rust:IO or RustMaps — live web map for players.
• Anti-Cheat plugins — ServerArmour, Arkan, etc.

Find plugins at umod.org or codefling.com.

RCON (Remote Console) lets you run server commands without being in-game.

1. Set your RCON password in server.cfg:
   rcon.password "YourSecurePassword"
rcon.port 28016
rcon.web 1
2. Use a tool like RustAdmin, rcon.io, or the NovaStack built-in console.
3. Connect using your server IP and RCON port (default 28016).

Common RCON commands:

• say "message" — broadcast a message to all players.
• kick "player" "reason" — kick a player.
• ban "player" "reason" — ban a player.
• server.save — force a world save.
• oxide.reload PluginName — reload a specific plugin.

Rust has mandatory forced wipes on the first Thursday of every month (Facepunch update). You can also run custom wipes:

• Map wipe — delete the world save file and restart. Players lose all buildings and items.
• Blueprint wipe — reset all learned blueprints. Usually done less frequently.

To wipe on NovaStack, use the Wipe Manager in the server panel, or manually delete the save files from /server/rust/save/ and restart.