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To create an Arma 3 dedicated-server configuration, make a plain-text file (normally named server.cfg), launch the server with -config=server.cfg, and define at least a hostname, administrator credential, player limit, and mission. The separate network file is selected with -cfg=basic.cfg; it is not a replacement for server.cfg.
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This guide builds a working configuration from an empty file, explains the settings that affect access, persistence, missions and security, and shows how to validate or troubleshoot the result. A generator can save typing, but its export should be treated as a draft and checked against the official Arma 3 parameter reference after updates.
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What server.cfg does—and what it does not do
Arma 3 uses a server configuration file for multiplayer policy: the name shown in the browser, passwords, administrator access, voting, player capacity, welcome messages, mission rotation, difficulty and several security controls. The dedicated server reads whichever file is supplied to its -config startup parameter. The filename itself has no special status, so community-public.cfg works just as well as server.cfg.
If you start the executable without -config, no server configuration file is loaded. The separate basic network configuration is selected with -cfg. Keeping the files distinct makes it easier to tell gameplay policy from low-level network settings:
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-config=server.cfgselects the multiplayer configuration.-cfg=basic.cfgselects the basic network configuration.
Both parameters can be used on the same launch command. A file can be stored elsewhere, but using an explicit path avoids ambiguity when you run more than one instance.
Prepare the dedicated server
Install the server files
Install the Arma 3 Server tool from Steam’s Tools library, or install the dedicated server with SteamCMD. Put the files in a directory reserved for the server rather than inside a player’s ordinary game installation. This keeps logs, mods, saves and updates separate and makes backups predictable.
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Use the 64-bit server executable when it is available for your installation. On Windows the executable is commonly named arma3server_x64.exe; on other systems, use the executable supplied by the server package. The exact executable filename can change with the distribution, so confirm it in the directory before writing a service or scheduled task.
Choose a working directory
Run the process from the directory that contains the server files, or use absolute paths for the configuration and profile directories. Relative paths are resolved from the process’s working directory. Many apparent “missing config” problems are actually a launch script running from a different directory than the one containing the file.
Create a plain-text file
Use a text editor that can save plain text. Do not save an RTF or word-processing document, and avoid a hidden .txt extension such as server.cfg.txt. Arma configuration syntax is case-insensitive for most parameter names, but copying the documented spelling makes troubleshooting easier.
Build server.cfg in the order the server needs it
1. Set identity and access
Start with a hostname that tells players what the instance is for. A join password is optional; an administrator password is not optional if you plan to use password-based administration. Use a long, unique secret for passwordAdmin and never reuse it for the operating system, RCON or another game service.
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password = "";
passwordAdmin = "REPLACE_WITH_A_LONG_UNIQUE_SECRET";An empty password makes the server joinable without a shared player password. If you set one, players must enter it before joining. passwordAdmin is the shared secret used with the in-game #login command. You can authorize administrators by UID instead of sharing that secret:
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admins[] = {"UID_OF_TRUSTED_ADMIN_1", "UID_OF_TRUSTED_ADMIN_2"};UID authorization and the shared administrator password are separate mechanisms. Keep the list short, remove former staff, and check that each UID is copied exactly.
serverCommandPassword is an optional password for server-command access. If you use it, treat it as a separate credential and document who or what is allowed to use it.
2. Set capacity and persistence
maxPlayers is the server’s configured ceiling, but it cannot create slots that a mission does not contain. A 40-player setting will still admit only the available playable slots in the active mission.
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persistent = 1;Set persistent = 1 when missions must continue after players leave, and whenever you use the -autoInit startup parameter. The startup-parameter documentation specifically requires Persistent = 1; or autoInit is skipped. Use 0 when you deliberately want the mission to stop when the server empties.
3. Add the welcome message and a log
The MOTD is an array, so you can publish several lines. motdInterval controls the delay between lines. A text log gives you a record of startup messages, joins, kicks and configuration errors.
motd[] = {
"Welcome to the server",
"Read the rules before joining"
};
motdInterval = 5;
logFile = "server_console.log";The interval is expressed in seconds. Choose a log filename that is easy to rotate and back up; the server will create it relative to its working or profile directory according to the installation.
4. Define the mission cycle
A mission definition is the part that turns a running process into a playable server. The template value must match an installed mission’s class name and terrain, in the form MissionName.MapName. Capitalization and punctuation must match the installed content.
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class Missions {
class Mission1 {
template = "MyMission.Altis";
difficulty = "Regular";
class Params {};
};
};Add additional entries as Mission2, Mission3 and so on. The order determines the cycle. The optional class Params {} block is where mission-specific parameters belong; leave it empty when the mission has none. A parameter name copied from a different mission can prevent the intended setup, so obtain parameter names from the mission’s own documentation or lobby display.
Use missionWhitelist[] only when you want to restrict which missions can be selected. A whitelist that omits the mission you intend to run can make a valid installation appear broken, so add it after the normal cycle works.
5. Apply security settings deliberately
These settings determine who can connect and what code or files clients may use:
BattlEye = 1;
verifySignatures = 2;
allowedFilePatching = 0;BattlEye = 1enables BattlEye protection.verifySignatures = 2enables signature verification for client content. Clients with unsigned or mismatched signed content can be rejected.allowedFilePatching = 0is the restrictive baseline. It prevents file-patching behavior unless you intentionally relax the policy for a controlled use case.
Review allowedLoadFileExtensions[], allowedPreprocessFileExtensions[] and allowedHTMLLoadExtensions[] against the scripts and missions you actually run. These lists form part of the server’s file-loading boundary. Do not copy a broad extension list from an unrelated mod pack simply because a generator offers it; permit only what your content requires, then test that content with the same mod set players will use.
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The following is a deliberately small baseline. Replace the hostname, administrator secret and mission template before starting the server.
hostname = "My Arma 3 Server";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "REPLACE_WITH_A_LONG_UNIQUE_SECRET";
maxPlayers = 20;
persistent = 1;
motd[] = {"Welcome to the server"};
motdInterval = 5;
logFile = "server_console.log";
BattlEye = 1;
verifySignatures = 2;
allowedFilePatching = 0;
class Missions {
class Mission1 {
template = "MyMission.Altis";
difficulty = "Regular";
class Params {};
};
};Save it as server.cfg in the directory from which you will launch the process, or change the launch command to point to its actual location. The file is illustrative: mission names, secrets, extension policies and player limits are deployment-specific.
Launch the server with the right files
From the dedicated-server directory, a basic launch looks like this:
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arma3server_x64 -config=server.cfg -cfg=basic.cfgOn Windows, use the executable’s complete filename and include the path if the script runs elsewhere. On Linux, use the executable provided by the SteamCMD installation. Keep the command in the same script or service definition used for restarts; starting once with -config and later starting without it creates the impression that the configuration was ignored.
You can name the files differently:
arma3server_x64 -config=configs/public-eu.cfg -cfg=configs/network.cfgThat pattern is useful for multiple instances. Give each instance its own profile, log, port set and configuration file so a restart cannot load another instance’s settings by accident.
Forward the ports used by this instance
An Internet server behind a router or firewall needs the game port and the required Steam ports forwarded or opened to the host running the dedicated server. The exact values depend on your startup and network configuration; do not assume a value from another community’s script. Record the ports you actually bind, then make the router, host firewall and any cloud security group agree.
- Bind the instance to its intended local address and ports.
- Allow inbound traffic in the host firewall.
- Forward the same ports from the public interface to the server’s private address when NAT is involved.
- Keep separate instances on non-conflicting ports.
- After a router or provider change, repeat an external join test rather than relying only on a local LAN test.
A server can start normally and still be unreachable if forwarding is wrong. Conversely, an open port does not fix a bad mission template or a rejected mod signature; validate networking and configuration as separate layers.
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Do not wait for players to discover every mistake. Work through this checklist after the first launch and after major edits:
- Process start: confirm the executable stays running and the console or log has no configuration-parse error.
- Browser identity: verify that the expected hostname and player limit appear in the server browser.
- Administrator access: test
#loginwith the configured password, or confirm that a UID listed inadmins[]receives the intended authorization. - Join policy: connect once with the intended player password and once without it if the server is meant to be public.
- Mission cycle: load every
class MissionNentry, not just the first one. Confirm that each template exists and that its parameter block produces the expected lobby. - Persistence: with
-autoInit, verify that the mission starts automatically and that the process continues according to your persistence policy when players leave. - Security: test the exact client mod set. Confirm that signed content is accepted and that an unsigned or mismatched test mod is rejected when signature verification is enabled.
- External reachability: join from outside the host’s network, then check the same path after any firewall or router change.
These are operational checks for your deployment, not universal performance guarantees. Keep a copy of the last known-good file so you can identify whether a failure came from a recent edit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot the failures people see most often
The server starts, but settings look unchanged
- Check the launch command for
-config=. Without it, no server configuration file is loaded. - Check the path and working directory. A relative filename may point to a different file than the one you edited.
- Make sure the editor did not create
server.cfg.txtor save rich text. - Read the startup log for a parse error. A missing semicolon, quote or closing brace can invalidate the affected section.
- Stop the old process before starting a new one; an existing instance may still be serving the browser entry.
The mission does not load
- Confirm that the mission and terrain are installed on the server, not only on your client.
- Compare the
templatestring with the installed class name exactly. - Temporarily remove a whitelist and empty parameter block to establish a basic load, then add restrictions back one at a time.
- Check that the mission’s required mods are installed and enabled for the server instance.
Players are rejected for signatures or mods
- With
verifySignatures = 2, every client must use content whose signatures match the server’s installed files. - Check that the server and clients use the same mod version and that a stale copy is not being loaded from another directory.
- Do not “fix” a mismatch by broadly enabling file patching. Keep
allowedFilePatching = 0unless a documented, controlled workflow requires otherwise. - Review extension allowlists only when a known mission or script needs them; record each change so you can return to a restrictive baseline.
-autoInit appears to be ignored
Set persistent = 1; in the server configuration. The startup-parameter documentation states that Persistent = 1; is required for autoInit. Also confirm that the command actually includes -autoInit and that the process is reading the intended configuration file.
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Local players can join, but Internet players cannot
Check the bound address, host firewall, router forwarding and any upstream cloud firewall. The forwarded game and Steam ports must match the values used by this instance. Test from an external network; a successful connection from the same LAN can bypass a broken NAT rule.
Hand-writing, a web generator or a management GUI?
All three approaches can produce a usable configuration, but they solve different problems. The file ultimately loaded by Arma is what matters, not the tool that created it.
| Approach | Parameter coverage | Security and version transparency | Mission and mod workflow | Platform and instance management | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand-written file | Complete access to documented parameters and custom classes | Every line is visible; you control defaults and review changes after updates | Requires manual mission names, mod paths and testing | Works wherever the dedicated server runs; scripts can manage multiple instances | Operators who want maximum control and an auditable configuration |
| Web generator | Usually organized into identity, players, voting, security, behaviour, mission-cycle and advanced sections | Fast presets, but generated output is only a draft; compare it with the official reference after game updates | Convenient forms for common mission and mod choices | Often exports a file without operating the server itself; check whether the service is free or tied to a provider | New administrators who need a structured starting point |
| Self-hosted management GUI | Edits server.cfg and basic.cfg while exposing additional controls |
Review the generated files and pin a version before production use | May include mission and difficulty management, mod installation and launcher-preset import | Useful for start/stop, console, player views, SteamCMD integration and several Windows or Linux instances | Communities operating multiple servers and wanting a central console |
A current generator advertises presets for secure public, private, modded-coop and headless-client servers. Those presets are convenience choices, not proof that their defaults suit your threat model. An open-source management GUI advertises start/stop controls, console and player views, editing for both configuration files, difficulty and mission management, mod installation, launcher-preset import and SteamCMD integration on Windows and Linux. Because game updates can change parameter behavior, version-check any GUI before relying on it for production restarts.
Keep the configuration maintainable
Separate secrets from shared examples
Do not publish passwordAdmin, command passwords or private join passwords in screenshots, repositories or public support posts. Keep a redacted example for documentation and the real file in a restricted server directory.
Back up before changing mission or security policy
Copy the known-good configuration before adding a mission, changing signature policy or editing extension lists. A dated backup lets you distinguish a syntax mistake from a content or network problem.
Document the launch contract
Record the executable, working directory, -config path, -cfg path, profile directory, bound ports and mod list in the service notes. This prevents a restart script, hosting panel or second administrator from silently selecting a different file.
Review generated output after updates
Generators and GUIs can lag behind the game. Compare exported settings with the official Bohemia parameter and startup references after an Arma update, especially for security, persistence and mission-cycle behavior. Keep only settings you understand and remove stale lines rather than carrying them forward indefinitely.
Core settings at a glance
| Setting | Purpose | Operational note |
|---|---|---|
hostname |
Name shown to players | Use a clear identity that distinguishes the instance and its rules |
password |
Optional player join password | Empty means no shared join password |
passwordAdmin |
Shared administrator credential | Use a unique secret; test with #login |
admins[] |
UID-based administrator authorization | List only trusted UIDs and remove obsolete entries |
maxPlayers |
Configured player ceiling | Cannot exceed the active mission’s available slots |
persistent |
Mission persistence behavior | Set to 1 when using -autoInit |
motd[], motdInterval |
Welcome lines and their timing | Use an array for multiple lines |
logFile |
Text console log | Choose a path and rotation plan you can maintain |
class Missions |
Mission rotation and difficulty | Every template must exist on the server |
BattlEye |
Anti-cheat protection | 1 enables it |
verifySignatures |
Client content signature checks | 2 enables signature verification |
allowedFilePatching |
File-patching policy | 0 is the restrictive baseline |
allowedLoadFileExtensions[], allowedPreprocessFileExtensions[], allowedHTMLLoadExtensions[] |
Permitted file-loading behavior | Review against the scripts and missions actually deployed |
The reliable workflow is simple: write or export the file, launch it explicitly with -config, verify the mission and security behavior with the intended client setup, and keep the network file and port map separate. That discipline matters more than whether the first draft came from a form or a text editor.
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