Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to host a Garry’s Mod server. Whether you’re a veteran gamer or new to the scene, setting up and hosting your own server can be a fun and rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll take you through the steps required to set up, configure and manage your own dedicated Garry’s Mod server.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Hardware and Software Requirements
- Setting Up a Garry’s Mod Server
- Port Forwarding
- Configuring Garry’s Mod Server Settings
- Adding Addons and Mods
- Setting Up and Managing Admins
- Customizing Gamemodes
- Configuring Workshop Collection
- Setting Up a FastDL Server
- Managing Bans
- Backing Up and Restoring Server Data
- Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
Garry’s Mod, commonly known as GMod, is a sandbox-style game played on the popular Steam platform. Developed by Facepunch Studios, it allows gamers to manipulate the environment and create custom game modes, characters, and weapons. Garry’s Mod has a large modding community, making it an ideal platform to experiment and create with. Hosting your own server can provide a difficult and unique gaming experience.
Why Host Your Own Server?
Hosting your own server provides you with complete control over your gaming experience. You decide who enters your server, what mods or addons are used, what gamemodes are enabled. If you’re tired of playing on poorly-maintained servers, or you want to experiment with your own custom settings and mods, hosting your own server is the way to go.
Advantages of Hosting
Hosted servers provide the following advantages:
- Complete control over server and game settings
- Access to a wide range of mods and addons
- Ability to create custom gamemodes
- Ability to set specific rules and restrictions
- A more stable hosting environment
Hardware and Software Requirements
Before setting up your own server, you should ensure that you have the required hardware and software. You don’t need a high-end gaming PC or server to host your own Garry’s Mod server. A low-end PC can be sufficient as long as it meets the following requirements:
Hardware Requirements
- A PC running Windows or Linux
- At least 2GB RAM
- At least 20GB of hard drive space
- A stable internet connection
Software Requirements
To host your own server, you will need to download and install the following software:
- Garry’s Mod Dedicated Server
- SteamCMD
Setting Up a Garry’s Mod Server
Now that you have the required hardware and software, it’s time to set up your Garry’s Mod server.
Downloading and Installing Garry’s Mod Server
To download and install the Garry’s Mod server, follow these steps:
- Create a new folder on your PC where you want to install the server.
- Download the Garry’s Mod Dedicated Server from the official website.
- Extract the downloaded file in the folder you created.
Running the Server for the First Time
To run the server for the first time, follow these steps:
- Open the command prompt or terminal on your PC and navigate to the folder where you installed the server.
- Type in the following command and press Enter: `srcds -game garrysmod +maxplayers 16 +map gm_construct`
- The server will now start. Wait for the server to finish loading, which may take a few minutes.
- Once the server has finished loading, you can connect to it by opening Garry’s Mod and clicking on “Find Multiplayer Game”.
Port Forwarding
Port forwarding is an essential step in setting up your server. It allows the server to communicate with the internet and enables players to connect to the server. Follow these steps to port forward:
Step 1: Find Your Router’s IP Address
Open the command prompt on your PC and type in “ipconfig” and press Enter. Look for the “Default Gateway” line and take note of the IP address.
Step 2: Access Your Router’s Settings
Open your preferred web browser and type in the IP address of your router in the address bar. You will be prompted to enter a username and password. Consult your router’s manual if you don’t know the default login credentials.
Step 3: Add a Port Forwarding Rule
In your router’s settings, find the Port Forwarding or NAT section. Add a new port forwarding rule for port 27015 (UDP). Enter the IP address of the computer running the server.
Step 4: Test the Port Forwarding
Test the port forwarding by visiting a website such as www.canyouseeme.org. Enter port 27015 and click on “Check”. If the website is able to connect to your server, you have successfully port forwarded.
Configuring Garry’s Mod Server Settings
Now it’s time to configure your server settings to your liking. This includes setting up player slots, map rotation, and server name. To configure your server, follow these steps:
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and locate the server.cfg file. This is where you will configure your server settings.
Step 2: Modify the Server Settings
Open the server.cfg file using a text editor, such as Notepad++. Modify the settings to your preference, such as the server name, max players, and map rotation.
Step 3: Save and Restart the Server
Save the server.cfg file and restart the server. The server will now run with the new settings.
Adding Addons and Mods
Garry’s Mod has a large variety of mods and addons available. These can enhance your gaming experience and provide new features. To add addons and mods to your server, follow these steps:
Step 1: Find and Download the Addon/Mod
Search for the desired addon/mod on the Steam Workshop or other community sites. Click “Subscribe” to download and install the addon/mod.
Step 2: Enable the Addon/Mod on Your Server
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/addons and locate the addon/mod folder. Check that the folder contains an addon.txt or mod.txt file. If it’s not present, create it and add the following lines:
“AddonInfo”
{
“name” “Addon/Mod Name”
“version” “1.0”
“author_name” “Your Name”
“author_email” “Your Email”
“author_url” “Your Website”
}
Step 3: Restart the Server
Save the addon.txt or mod.txt file and restart the server. The addon/mod will now be enabled on your server.
Setting Up and Managing Admins
Admins are responsible for managing and moderating the server. They have access to important features such as kicking and banning players, changing map, and more. To set up and manage admins, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create an Admin Account
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and locate the server.cfg file. Add the following line:
sv_allowcslua 1
Open Garry’s Mod and connect to your server. Open the console and type in “lua_run_cl gui.showteam();” This will bring up the team menu. Click on the “Admin” button to create a new admin account.
Step 2: Configure Admin Permissions
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and locate the ulx.cfg file. This is where you will configure admin permissions. Add or modify the following lines to grant or revoke permissions:
ulx adduser [username] admin
ulx removeuser [username] admin
Step 3: Manage Admins on Your Server
Open Garry’s Mod and connect to your server. Open the console and type in “ulx menu”. This will bring up the admin menu. From here, you can manage admin permissions, kick or ban players, and more.
Customizing Gamemodes
Custom gamemodes can provide a unique and exciting experience for your players. To customize gamemodes, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create or Download a Custom Gamemode
Custom gamemodes can be created using Garry’s Mod Lua scripting or downloaded from the Steam Workshop or other community sites.
Step 2: Add the Gamemode to Your Server
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/gamemodes and locate the gamemode folder. Drag and drop the custom gamemode folder into the gamemodes folder.
Step 3: Configure Gamemode Settings
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/gamemodes and locate the gamemode folder you just added. Open the gamemode.lua file using a text editor, such as Notepad++. Modify the settings to your preference.
Configuring Workshop Collection
Workshop Collections are a useful way to group and share addons, mods, and maps. To configure a Workshop Collection, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create a Workshop Collection
Open your web browser and navigate to the Steam Workshop. Click on your profile name and select “Create Collection”. Add the desired addons and mods to the collection.
Step 2: Add the Workshop Collection to Your Server
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and locate the server.cfg file. Add the following line:
host_workshop_collection [collection_id]
Replace [collection_id] with the Workshop Collection ID obtained from the Steam Workshop.
Setting Up a FastDL Server
FastDL servers allow players to download required files quickly and easily, reducing the time it takes to join the server. To set up a FastDL server, follow these steps:
Step 1: Set Up the FastDL Server
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod and create a new folder named “fastdl”. Inside the folder, create a new folder for each addon/mod that requires FastDL. Place the files for each addon/mod in their respective folder.
Step 2: Configure the Server.cfg File
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and locate the server.cfg file. Add the following lines to the file:
sv_downloadurl “http://www.yourwebsite.com/fastdl/”
sv_allowdownload “1”
Replace “http://www.yourwebsite.com/fastdl/” with the URL to your FastDL server.
Managing Bans
Banning players can be an effective way to deal with problematic players. You can ban players using their Steam ID or IP address. To manage bans, follow these steps:
Step 1: Create a Bans.txt File
Open the folder where you installed the server. Navigate to garrysmod/cfg and create a new file named “bans.txt”.
Step 2: Add Bans to the Bans.txt File
Open the bans.txt file using a text editor, such as Notepad++. Add each ban on a separate line using the following format:
[steam_id or ip_address] [ban_duration] [reason]Step 3: Implement the Bans
Restart the server. The bans will now be in effect.
Backing Up and Restoring Server Data
Backing up your server data is important in case of a server failure or data loss. To back up and restore your server data, follow these steps:
Step 1: Back Up Server Data
Create a new folder on your PC to store the backup files. Copy the entire garrysmod folder to the new folder.
Step 2: Restore Server Data
In case of a server failure or data loss, first, shut down the server. Delete the entire garrysmod folder. Copy the backup folder and rename it “garrysmod”. Start the server and the backup will be in effect.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter any issues while setting up or managing your server, consult the following table for common problems and solutions.
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Server fails to start | Ensure that Steam and SteamCMD are installed correctly. |
| Players cannot connect to the server | Ensure that port forwarding is correctly set up. |
| Addons fail to load | Ensure that the addons are installed correctly and enabled on the server. |
| Admin commands not working | Ensure that admin permissions are correctly set up in the ulx.cfg file. |
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help you with your server setup.
- What is Garry’s Mod?
- How do I set up a Garry’s Mod server?
- What are the hardware requirements for hosting a Garry’s Mod server?
- How do I add addons and mods to my Garry’s Mod server?
- How do I configure my Garry’s Mod server settings?
- How do I port forward for my Garry’s Mod server?
- How do I create custom gamemodes for my Garry’s Mod server?
- How do I manage bans on my Garry’s Mod server?
- How do I back up and restore my Garry’s Mod server?
Conclusion
Hosting your own Garry’s Mod server can be a fun and rewarding experience. It provides complete control over your gaming experience and enables you to experiment with new settings, mods, and gamemodes. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to set up, configure and manage your own dedicated Garry’s Mod server.