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Garry's Mod Server Setup: Dedicated Server Guide
GMod dedicated server setup, gamemode configuration, addon/workshop collection, FastDL, ULX admin mod, and server optimization.
Read time: 15 min Game Server Setup
garrys-modgmodgame serversteamcmddedicated server
- Author
- REXE Teknoloji Network & Security Team
- Editor
- REXE Teknoloji Technical Editorial
- First published
- Last updated
Introduction
Garry's Mod (GMod) is a sandbox game built on the Source Engine that offers unlimited creative possibilities. With gamemodes like DarkRP, TTT (Trouble in Terrorist Town), Sandbox, and many more, you can build your own community server. This guide covers the complete GMod dedicated server setup on your REXE VDS.
System Requirements
| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 Cores | 4+ Cores |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8+ GB |
| Disk | 20 GB SSD | 40+ GB NVMe |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04+ | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
| Bandwidth | 5 Mbps | 10+ Mbps |
RAM requirements vary based on the number of addons installed and player capacity. DarkRP servers typically require more RAM.
Prerequisites
Connect to your server via SSH and install required packages:
hljs bash
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 wget tar screen
Create a dedicated user:
hljs bash
sudo adduser gmod --disabled-login --gecos ""
sudo su - gmod
SteamCMD Installation
hljs bash
mkdir -p ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
tar -xzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
rm steamcmd_linux.tar.gz
./steamcmd.sh +quit
Download GMod Server Files
hljs bash
~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/gmod-server \
+login anonymous \
+app_update 4020 validate \
+quit
App ID 4020 is the Steam ID for Garry's Mod Dedicated Server. The download is approximately 4-5 GB.
Install CSS (Counter-Strike: Source) Content
Many GMod gamemodes require CSS content:
hljs bash
~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/css-content \
+login anonymous \
+app_update 232330 validate \
+quit
Mount CSS content to the GMod server:
hljs bash
nano ~/gmod-server/garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg
"mountcfg"
{
"cstrike" "/home/gmod/css-content/cstrike"
}
Get a GSLT Token
A GSLT token is required for your server to appear in the server browser:
- Visit steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers
- App ID: 4000 (Garry's Mod)
- Copy the token
Create a separate GSLT token for each server. Never share your token.
Server Configuration
server.cfg
hljs bash
nano ~/gmod-server/garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg
hostname "My REXE GMod Server"
rcon_password "STRONG_RCON_PASSWORD"
sv_password ""
sv_defaultgamemode "sandbox"
sv_maxrate 0
sv_minrate 100000
sv_maxupdaterate 66
sv_minupdaterate 33
sv_timeout 120
sv_region 3
sv_lan 0
sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 0
net_maxfilesize 64
log on
Gamemode Options
| Gamemode | Description | sv_defaultgamemode |
|---|---|---|
| sandbox | Free build mode | sandbox |
| darkrp | Roleplay game | darkrp |
| terrortown | TTT - Detective game | terrortown |
| prophunt | Hide and seek | prop_hunt |
| murder | Murder mystery | murder |
| deathrun | Trap parkour | deathrun |
Startup Script
hljs bash
nano ~/gmod-server/start.sh
hljs bash
#!/bin/bash
cd ~/gmod-server
./srcds_run \
-game garrysmod \
-port 27015 \
-maxplayers 32 \
+gamemode sandbox \
+map gm_construct \
+sv_setsteamaccount GSLT_TOKEN \
-tickrate 33 \
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID \
-authkey STEAM_API_KEY
hljs bash
chmod +x ~/gmod-server/start.sh
Workshop Collection Setup
Manage addons via Steam Workshop collections:
1. Get a Steam API Key
Get your API key from steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey.
2. Create a Workshop Collection
- Create a new collection on Steam Workshop
- Add your desired addons to the collection
- Note the collection ID from the URL
3. Add to Server
In the startup script:
hljs bash
+host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID \
-authkey STEAM_API_KEY
For client-side auto-download, create lua/autorun/server/workshop.lua:
hljs lua
-- Force clients to download workshop addons
resource.AddWorkshop("ADDON_ID_1")
resource.AddWorkshop("ADDON_ID_2")
resource.AddWorkshop("ADDON_ID_3")
FastDL Setup
FastDL enables faster downloads of custom content:
Nginx FastDL
hljs bash
sudo apt install nginx -y
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/fastdl
hljs nginx
server {
listen 8080;
server_name SERVER_IP;
location /garrysmod/ {
alias /home/gmod/gmod-server/garrysmod/;
autoindex on;
}
}
hljs bash
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/fastdl /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx
Add to server.cfg:
sv_downloadurl "http://SERVER_IP:8080/garrysmod/"
sv_allowdownload 1
FastDL allows players to download custom content much faster when connecting to your server.
ULX Admin Mod Installation
ULX is the most popular admin mod for GMod servers:
hljs bash
cd ~/gmod-server/garrysmod/addons
git clone https://github.com/TeamUlysses/ulib.git
git clone https://github.com/TeamUlysses/ulx.git
After restarting the server, in-game:
ulx adduserid STEAM_ID superadmin
ulx ban PLAYER_NAME 0 "Reason"
ulx kick PLAYER_NAME "Reason"
ulx noclip PLAYER_NAME
Port Configuration
| Port | Protocol | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| 27015 | TCP + UDP | GMod game server |
| 27005 | UDP | Client port |
| 27020 | UDP | SourceTV |
| 8080 | TCP | FastDL (optional) |
Path Panel Firewall
From the REXE Path Panel:
- GMod UDP: Protocol: UDP, Port: 27015, Filter: Source Engine
- GMod TCP: Protocol: TCP, Port: 27015
- Client: Protocol: UDP, Port: 27005
Auto-Start with systemd
hljs bash
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/gmod.service
hljs ini
[Unit]
Description=Garry's Mod Dedicated Server
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=gmod
Group=gmod
WorkingDirectory=/home/gmod/gmod-server
ExecStart=/home/gmod/gmod-server/start.sh
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15
LimitNOFILE=100000
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
hljs bash
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable gmod
sudo systemctl start gmod
DarkRP Setup
DarkRP is the most popular GMod gamemode:
hljs bash
cd ~/gmod-server/garrysmod/gamemodes
git clone https://github.com/FPtje/DarkRP.git darkrp
cd ~/gmod-server/garrysmod/addons
git clone https://github.com/FPtje/darkrpmodification.git
Update server.cfg:
sv_defaultgamemode "darkrp"
Server Optimization
Tickrate Settings
-tickrate 33 # Standard (recommended)
-tickrate 66 # High performance (requires more CPU)
Lua Optimization
lua_log_sv 0
sv_hibernate_think 1
gmod_physiterations 2
Auto-Update
hljs bash
nano ~/update_gmod.sh
hljs bash
#!/bin/bash
~/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/gmod-server +login anonymous +app_update 4020 +quit
hljs bash
chmod +x ~/update_gmod.sh
crontab -e
0 5 * * * /home/gmod/update_gmod.sh >> /home/gmod/update.log 2>&1
Conclusion
With a Garry's Mod dedicated server, you can create a community server with unlimited creative possibilities. Workshop collections, ULX admin mod, FastDL, and DarkRP bring your server to a professional level. REXE VDS powerful infrastructure provides ideal performance for your GMod server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CSS content required for a GMod server?
Not mandatory, but many gamemodes and maps require CSS content. Without CSS, players will see purple-black squares (missing textures).
How do I create a Workshop collection?
Create a new collection on Steam Workshop, add addons, and use the collection ID in the startup script with +host_workshop_collection parameter.
What do I need to set up a DarkRP server?
Download the DarkRP gamemode from GitHub to the gamemodes folder, install the DarkRP Modification addon, and set the gamemode to darkrp in server.cfg.
What is FastDL and why is it needed?
FastDL allows players to download custom content via HTTP when connecting to your server. It can be set up with Nginx or Apache.
How do I install ULX admin mod?
Clone ULib and ULX from GitHub into the addons folder. After server restart, use the ulx adduserid command to make yourself superadmin.
What tickrate should a GMod server run at?
33 tickrate is recommended for standard servers. 66 tickrate can be used for competitive servers but requires more CPU resources.
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