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Best Arma Reforger Server Settings and Config Tips

Set up a reliable Arma Reforger server with case-sensitive JSON, matching UDP port forwarding, a deliberate -maxFPS cap, secure optional services and measured performance tuning.
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For a persistent public community, run a dedicated headless server, keep fastValidation set to true, cap server frames with -maxFPS, and make the JSON publicPort exactly match your router’s UDP forwarding rule. A player-hosted server is the simpler choice for a short session with a small group.

The settings below follow Bohemia Interactive’s current server-config and hosting references. They separate network settings you must get right from gameplay choices that depend on your community, and they explain the memory trade-off behind navmesh streaming rather than presenting one “best” value for every machine.

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Choose the right hosting mode first

Arma Reforger offers two fundamentally different ways to host. Your choice determines which settings matter most and whether the host’s game competes with the server for CPU, memory and network time.

Dedicated server for a persistent public community

A dedicated server runs headless, without a local player rendering the game. It is the appropriate foundation when you want a server that remains available after an administrator leaves, follows a scheduled scenario rotation, or supports a larger and changing population. You can operate it on a separate Windows or Linux machine, or use a managed game-server instance so updates, firewall rules and backups are not handled on a gaming PC.

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Player-hosted (listen) server for quick group sessions

A player-hosted server starts inside the game and the host also plays. That is convenient for a small group and avoids maintaining another machine, but the host’s frame rate, graphics workload and connection become part of the server’s reliability. When the host quits or loses connection, the session is no longer equivalent to an always-on dedicated service.

For the in-game route, open Scenarios, select the scenario you want, and use the Host icon on the right side. This is the quickest way to test a scenario, mod set or ruleset before committing to a dedicated deployment.

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Build the configuration file correctly

Reforger server configuration is JSON. Key names are case-sensitive, so publicPort, fastValidation and every other property must use the spelling and capitalization in Bohemia Interactive’s Server Config reference. Start from an official template rather than inventing a schema; a misspelled key can be ignored or leave the server using a default.

Use a fragment only as a checklist

The following is an illustrative fragment, not a complete production file. Merge equivalent values into the template supplied in the official reference and retain the other required sections:

{
  "publicPort": 2001,
  "fastValidation": true
}

Keep the file in a location your launch account can read, and verify that the filename and path passed at startup are the ones you edited. On case-sensitive filesystems, the filename itself also matters.

Keep fast validation enabled

Set fastValidation to true. The official public-hosting guidance explicitly recommends that value. Disabling it removes a recommended validation safeguard without providing a documented universal performance benefit.

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Change only deliberate bind settings

Leave bind addresses at their defaults unless your network layout requires a specific interface. An unnecessary override can bind the service to a private or inactive address, making the server appear to start while clients cannot connect. If a machine has several network interfaces, choose the interface intentionally and then test registration from an external connection.

Ports and router forwarding

The configured public game port and the router rule must be identical. Forward UDP, not TCP, for the services you actually use. The current server-config reference documents these defaults:

Service Default port Protocol When to open it
Public game traffic 2001 UDP Required for a normal Internet server unless you deliberately configure another public port.
A2S queries 17777 UDP Optional; open it only if you need external server-list or query tools.
RCON administration 19999 UDP Optional; open it only when remote administration is configured and protected.

These are documented defaults, not a requirement to expose every service. Fewer exposed ports reduce attack surface and simplify troubleshooting.

Forward the game port step by step

  1. Choose the public port in the JSON configuration. Keeping 2001 avoids an unnecessary variable; select another UDP port only when another service or policy requires it.
  2. Give the server machine a stable address on your local network, preferably with a DHCP reservation, so the forwarding target does not change after a reboot.
  3. In the router’s port-forwarding page, create a UDP rule for the same external and internal port, targeting the server’s stable LAN address.
  4. Allow the same UDP port through the operating-system firewall. A router rule cannot bypass a host firewall that drops the packet.
  5. Restart the server after changing the JSON, then test from outside the host’s LAN. Testing only from the same network can be misleading because some routers do not support hairpin NAT.

Optional A2S and RCON exposure

Only forward 17777/UDP for A2S queries if you use a tool that needs it. Only forward 19999/UDP for RCON after setting a strong administrative credential, restricting who can reach the service where possible, and confirming that the RCON implementation and port in your configuration match the tool you use. Do not expose an unused management interface “just in case.”

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Containers and registration addresses

Linux and container deployments add a separate failure mode: the address used for backend registration may differ from the address clients must use. Bohemia Interactive’s Server Hosting guide documents explicit registration-bind settings for cases where a container IP causes registration or connection failures. If the process is healthy locally but does not appear publicly, inspect the container’s advertised and reachable addresses before changing gameplay settings.

Launch parameters that prevent runaway resource use

Pass the JSON path with -config. The hosting guide also recommends -maxFPS because an unlimited server can consume available CPU resources. From version 0.9.8 onward, the documented recommendation describes a range of 60 to 120 frames per second.

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Select a deliberate maxFPS value

  • 60: a conservative starting cap for a server where predictable CPU use is more important than extra simulation headroom.
  • 90: a practical middle value when you want additional headroom but do not want an unlimited loop.
  • 120: the upper end of the documented range, appropriate only when monitoring shows the machine can sustain it without starving other services.

Use the parameter in the launch command, for example:

-config /path/to/server.json -maxFPS 90

The executable name and service wrapper vary by operating system and installation method, so append these parameters to the command or service definition used by your deployment. Do not treat 90 as a guaranteed optimum; it is a starting cap to validate under your own scenario and mod load.

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Why an FPS cap helps

An unlimited server loop can occupy otherwise idle CPU time even when players do not need additional simulation updates. A cap makes resource consumption intentional and leaves capacity for networking, operating-system tasks and administrative tools. Raising the cap can increase available simulation headroom, but it also raises the amount of CPU the process may consume.

Navmesh streaming: a memory-versus-reaction trade-off

The server-config reference notes that disabling navmesh streaming can improve server performance and the reaction time of moving AI. The cost is loading the entire terrain navmesh into memory; depending on the terrain, that can add hundreds of megabytes.

Keep streaming enabled when memory is constrained

Streaming avoids committing the complete navmesh to memory at startup. It is the safer default for a modest machine or a host running several services, especially when you have not measured the scenario’s memory footprint.

Consider disabling streaming only after measurement

Adequate spare memory and an AI-heavy scenario can justify testing the non-streaming mode. Watch resident memory after the map loads and during the busiest AI activity. If the operating system begins paging, the apparent AI improvement can be overwhelmed by disk activity and overall server instability.

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This is not a universal “best setting.” Terrain, AI count, mods and the rest of the process workload determine whether the extra memory is worth the reaction-time benefit.

Gameplay settings to decide with your community

Technical defaults do not decide whether a server feels fair or welcoming. Bohemia Interactive’s in-game hosting guidance identifies the settings that should be agreed with the group before you publish a server.

Scenario and map

Choose the scenario and map first because they determine AI workload, travel distances and the relevance of draw-distance settings. If you rotate scenarios, publish the rotation and the expected restart schedule so players know what they are joining.

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Password and access policy

Use a password for private events, training nights or testing. For a public server, state whether access is open, moderated, reserved for community members or restricted during organized operations. Keep the policy in the server name or community rules rather than relying on an administrator being online to explain it.

Crossplay

Decide whether crossplay is enabled and document that decision. A crossplay policy affects who can join and can change the range of hardware represented in the session, which matters when selecting distance and visual settings.

Mods and version control

Publish the complete mod list and versions. Clients and the server must use synchronized mod sets; mismatches are a common cause of failed joins, missing content or a session that loads differently for different players. When changing a mod, record the change, restart cleanly and test a client connection before announcing the update.

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Camera and radio rules

Third-person camera access and enemy-radio transmission are community rules as much as technical options. Decide whether third person is allowed and whether enemy radio information should be transmitted, then put the decision in the server description or rules so players can choose knowingly.

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View-distance controls

Maximum draw distance, network view distance and minimum grass draw distance all affect the workload placed on clients. Higher values can hurt weaker machines. Set a baseline that supports the scenario’s tactics, test it with the least-powerful hardware commonly used by your group, and avoid raising every distance simply because the host machine can handle it.

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Dedicated-server setup checklist

  1. Install the current server build using your chosen deployment method and create a dedicated data directory.
  2. Copy the official JSON template and preserve its case-sensitive key names.
  3. Set publicPort deliberately; leave bind addresses at defaults unless you have a documented interface requirement.
  4. Keep fastValidation set to true.
  5. Choose a -maxFPS value between 60 and 120, then pass the JSON path with -config.
  6. Configure the scenario, map, password, crossplay policy, camera and radio rules, distance limits, and mod versions.
  7. Forward the same UDP game port in the router and allow it through the host firewall.
  8. Open A2S or RCON ports only if those services are required; secure RCON credentials.
  9. Start the server and confirm that it registers publicly from a connection outside the local network.
  10. Record the game version, scenario, mod set, player count, server FPS, memory use and network conditions during a realistic test session.

Diagnose the most common failures

The server starts but nobody can join

  • Compare the JSON publicPort with the router’s external and internal UDP rule. A mismatch is the first thing to correct.
  • Confirm the forwarding target still has the same LAN address and that the operating-system firewall allows the port.
  • Test from outside the host’s network to rule out a router that cannot loop traffic back internally.
  • On a container, check the registration-bind address and the address advertised to clients.

The server is visible but clients fail during loading

  • Compare server and client mod names and versions; remove stale or duplicate client mods before testing again.
  • Verify that everyone is joining the intended scenario and that a password or access policy is not rejecting them.
  • Check logs after a clean restart rather than changing several settings at once.

CPU usage reaches the limit

  • Confirm that the launch command actually includes -maxFPS; an edited service file does not help if the running process uses another command.
  • Lower the cap toward 60 and observe server FPS, simulation behavior and player latency under the same workload.
  • Reduce unnecessary client-facing distance expectations and test whether a heavily scripted or AI-dense scenario is the real driver.
  • Do not infer a guaranteed player capacity from CPU percentage alone; record the complete workload before deciding that a hardware upgrade is required.

Memory usage grows after changing navmesh behavior

Loading the full navmesh can add hundreds of megabytes depending on terrain. Re-enable streaming if the machine begins swapping or if other services are being evicted from memory. If you retain non-streaming behavior, leave enough headroom for the operating system, logs and peak mod usage rather than budgeting only for the game process at an idle map.

How to test capacity without misleading yourself

No dated publisher benchmark establishes a guaranteed combination of CPU, RAM, player count, terrain, mods and server tick rate for every Reforger build. Treat capacity as a measured property of your deployment, not as a number copied from another machine.

Use a repeatable test record

  • Game and server version
  • Scenario and terrain
  • Complete mod list and versions
  • Number of connected and actively moving players
  • Server FPS and CPU utilization
  • Resident memory, including any navmesh-mode change
  • Network conditions, including upload bandwidth and latency
  • Duration and the busiest event in the test

Repeat the test after changing one variable. This lets you distinguish a port or registration problem from a simulation bottleneck and gives you evidence for selecting a lower FPS cap, a different scenario or more capable hosting.

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When managed hosting is the sensible option

Self-hosting is viable when you are comfortable maintaining SteamCMD or another installation workflow, Linux services, firewall rules, updates, logs and backups. A managed Arma Reforger service can be a better fit when you need a persistent public server but do not want to operate that infrastructure yourself. Before signing up, verify the provider’s current game version support, mod-management workflow, file access, backup policy, port controls and whether you can set -config, -maxFPS and the JSON values your community needs.

Operational checklist for a public launch

  • Server name states the scenario focus, crossplay policy and access rules.
  • Mod list and exact versions are documented in one location.
  • Public UDP port, firewall rule and router forwarding all match.
  • Optional A2S and RCON services are either disabled or deliberately secured.
  • fastValidation is true.
  • -maxFPS is set and visible in the service definition.
  • Navmesh mode reflects measured memory capacity, not a blanket optimization claim.
  • A test from outside the local network succeeds.
  • Admins have a restart, update and rollback procedure.
  • Performance records exist for the actual scenario and mod load.

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