To configure an Arma 3 dedicated server, install or update the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD, create server.cfg and a separate basic network configuration, forward a five-port UDP block, then launch arma3server_x64 with explicit paths and the selected port. Add mods with -mod or -servermod, keep signatures and keys synchronized, and configure BattlEye RCon separately when you need remote administration.
What you need before configuring the server
An Arma 3 server is a separate dedicated-server installation rather than a normal player installation. You need a machine that can remain online, an operating-system account for running the service, router access for port forwarding, host-firewall access, and the mission and mod files you intend to use. The official Linux guidance specifically says to run the server as the steam user, not as root or another administrator.
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- Dedicated-server files: install and update them with SteamCMD or the platform’s dedicated-server distribution.
- Configuration files: create
server.cfgfor identity and multiplayer policy, plus a basic network configuration for bandwidth and network parameters. - Network access: forward the server’s five incoming UDP ports through both the router and the host firewall.
- Content: place custom missions in
MPMissionsand prepare any required mods and signature keys. - Administration: decide whether BattlEye and a separate RCon endpoint are required.
There is no universal hardware number that guarantees a particular player count or mod load. Performance depends on the mission, simulation load, number of players, and mod set, so begin with a stock mission and measure the actual server logs before committing to a capacity target.
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Install and update the dedicated-server files
Use SteamCMD for a repeatable installation
The official dedicated-server workflow recommends SteamCMD for both the initial installation and later updates. Keep the server in a directory whose ownership and permissions belong to the account that will run it. On Linux, that means the steam user rather than root.
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Run updates before changing configuration or investigating a problem. A partially updated executable, old expansion files, or a client/server version mismatch can look like a networking or mod failure.
Check the first startup
The first launch creates a server profile. That profile is where difficulty and related gameplay settings are stored. On Linux, the documented -profiles= parameter is broken; use the operating system’s documented user-profile directory instead. If you cannot find the generated profile, confirm which account launched the process and inspect that account’s profile location before creating duplicate configuration files.
Create the two configuration files
server.cfg: identity and multiplayer policy
server.cfg controls the public identity and rules players experience. At minimum, define a hostname, administrator password, player limit, and persistence policy. Change every example or default password before exposing the server to the Internet.
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password = "";
passwordAdmin = "CHANGE_THIS_ADMIN_PASSWORD";
maxPlayers = 32;
persistent = 1;
BattlEye = 1;
The values above illustrate the documented fields; choose your own hostname, password policy, and player limit. An empty password leaves the player join password unset, while passwordAdmin protects administrator commands. BattlEye = 1 enables the anti-cheat engine when BattlEye is installed for the server and for joining clients.
The same file can define mission rotation, voting behavior, logging, difficulty, BattlEye, and security or script-check behavior. Keep policy settings in this file instead of scattering them across launch scripts so that backups and audits have one obvious source.
Mission rotation and persistence
Put custom mission PBO files in the server’s MPMissions directory. Use the mission-cycle settings in server.cfg to select and rotate them. Test each mission by itself before adding a long rotation; a malformed PBO or missing dependency can prevent the server from reaching the lobby.
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Set persistent = 1 when a mission should continue after players disconnect. The official sample notes that persistence is required when the server is started with -autoInit.
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Basic network configuration
Bandwidth and other network parameters belong in a separate basic configuration file. Its filename is arbitrary: select it with -cfg. If you do not provide a name, the default Arma3.cfg in the user profile is used. Keeping this file separate makes it easier to tune network values without changing identity, passwords, or mission policy.
Launch the server with explicit parameters
A minimal launch pattern is:
arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -cfg=basic.cfg -port=2302-name=server selects the server profile name, -config=server.cfg selects the policy file, -cfg=basic.cfg selects the basic network file, and -port=2302 chooses the first port in the server’s UDP block. Use paths that exist in the dedicated-server installation and keep the profile, config, mission, and mod paths consistent with the account that runs the process.
The executable architecture matters. If the installation provides arma3server_x64, use that binary and make sure your service wrapper, update task, and firewall rules all refer to the same installation. When you operate more than one instance, give each instance its own profile and configuration files as well as a separate port block.
Forward the correct UDP ports
The documented default incoming range is UDP 2302–2306. Select the first port with -port=; the remaining ports are calculated from it.
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|---|---|---|
| 2302 | Game traffic and voice-over-network (VON) | Selected game port |
| 2303 | Steam query | Game port + 1 |
| 2304 | Steam/master-server traffic | Game port + 2 |
| 2305 | Allocated VON port | Game port + 3; currently unused in the guide |
| 2306 | BattlEye traffic | Game port + 4 |
Forward the same UDP range from the router’s public interface to the server’s private address, and allow it in the host firewall. A server that works for a client on the same LAN can still be unreachable from the Internet because of NAT, an incorrect destination address, or a blocked host rule. Test the listing and join process from a different network, such as a phone hotspot.
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Running multiple instances
Give every instance a separate five-port block and keep blocks separated. For example, if one instance starts at 2302, the next should start at a later unused block rather than sharing any of 2302–2306. Apply matching router and firewall rules for each block, and pass each instance its own -port= value.
Add missions and mods safely
Client-required versus server-only content
Use -mod= for content that joining clients must load. Use -servermod= for packages that run only on the server. Do not put a server-only package in the client-required list: clients may then be rejected for missing content or load an unnecessary copy.
arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -cfg=basic.cfg -port=2302
-mod=@RequiredMod1;@RequiredMod2
-servermod=@ServerOnlyPackageUse the exact syntax and path rules supported by the startup-parameter reference for the build you are running. On systems where semicolons have shell meaning, quote the complete value or use the launch method’s documented escaping rules.
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Every required mod must be present in a compatible version on the server and on joining clients. Read each mod’s installation instructions; a workshop download alone does not guarantee that a dedicated server has the correct directory layout or dependencies.
Signature keys provide the server-side check that content was signed as expected. Put the mod key files where the server’s key handling can find them. The startup reference supports -keysFolder= for specifying one or more key directories.
arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -cfg=basic.cfg -port=2302
-keysFolder=/path/to/keysKeep the keys and mod list in the same backup set. If clients are kicked for signature or verification errors, first compare the exact mod versions, then verify that the corresponding key files are present and that the launch parameter points to the intended directory.
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Introduce mods incrementally
Start with a stock mission and no optional mods. Add one mod or one tightly related group at a time, restart, and retain the console and RPT output for each change. This turns a large, ambiguous mod stack into a short list of possible causes when a mission fails to load or a client is rejected.
Enable BattlEye and configure RCon
Turn on BattlEye deliberately
Set BattlEye = 1 in server.cfg when BattlEye is installed on both the server and joining clients. Confirm the BattlEye files belong to the same installation you launch; enabling the setting without the required files produces a security failure rather than a working anti-cheat layer.
Use a separate BattlEye configuration file for RCon
Remote console administration is configured in BattlEye’s own file, beserver.cfg or beserver_x64.cfg, depending on the server executable and installation. Set a strong RCon password, choose a dedicated RCon port, and restrict that port at the firewall to the administrators or network ranges that need it.
Do not assign RCon a port in the reserved 2302–2306 game block. The BattlEye documentation explicitly warns that this range cannot be used for BattlEye RCon. Select an unused port outside that block and document it alongside the firewall rule.
Choose difficulty and operational settings
The generated server profile works with the difficulty system. You can select the Recruit, Regular, or Veteran preset, or use custom difficulty settings from the profile and configuration system. Apply a preset first when validating a new installation; custom values are easier to troubleshoot after the server is known to start and accept players.
Keep these files under versioned or dated backups:
server.cfg- The basic network configuration selected by
-cfg - The generated server profile and difficulty settings
- Launch scripts or service definitions
- Mod lists and key directories
- Mission PBO files in
MPMissions
Back up before applying an executable update or replacing a large mod set. A rollback is much faster when configuration and content are preserved together.
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Troubleshoot a server that does not appear or accept players
- Read the console and RPT log. Enable
logFilewhen persistent console output is useful. Look for the first error after startup rather than the final cascade of failures. - Verify the executable and paths. Confirm that you are running
arma3server_x64when intended, and that-config,-cfg,-port, and profile paths point to the files you edited. On Linux, verify that the process runs under thesteamaccount and that the profile is in the documented user directory. - Check the complete UDP block. Allow the selected five-port range in the host firewall and forward it to the correct private address in the router. Check that another service is not already bound to one of the ports.
- Reduce to a stock mission. Remove optional mods and start a known-good mission. If that works, add content one item at a time while keeping the logs for each restart.
- Validate mod paths and keys. Ensure every required mod exists at the path in
-mod, server-only packages are in-servermod, and signature keys are available through the configured keys directory. - Separate BattlEye diagnosis. Check BattlEye files and the RCon configuration independently. Confirm that the RCon port is outside 2302–2306 and that its firewall rule does not conflict with the game-port rules.
Common symptom: LAN works, Internet does not
This almost always points to NAT or firewall traversal rather than the mission itself. Recheck the router’s destination address, the protocol (UDP), the full five-port range, and the host firewall. Test from a genuinely external network; a second device on the same router may not exercise the public path.
Common symptom: clients are rejected after a mod update
Compare the server and client mod versions and dependencies, then compare the associated signature keys. A stale key directory or a mod loaded through the wrong parameter is enough to produce a verification failure even when the mod folder appears to be present.
Common symptom: the server starts but missions do not rotate
Check that mission PBOs are in MPMissions, that the mission-cycle entries match their names, and that any required mod is loaded before the mission starts. If using -autoInit, confirm that persistent = 1 is set when the mission must survive player disconnects.
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Self-hosting provides direct control over files, startup parameters, profiles, firewall rules, logs, and mod keys. It also leaves you responsible for SteamCMD updates, backups, networking, security settings, troubleshooting, and uptime. A managed Arma 3 server host can absorb those operational tasks, but the exact level of control and support varies by provider.
| Decision factor | Self-hosted server | Managed server |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Hardware, bandwidth, and electricity are your responsibility; no universal total is established here. | Usually a recurring service charge; current prices depend on provider, region, capacity, and billing term. |
| Files and startup parameters | Full access to executable, configs, profiles, missions, and launch arguments. | Depends on the control panel and support policy; verify access to server.cfg, -mod, -servermod, and custom parameters. |
| Updates | You schedule SteamCMD updates and test compatibility. | The provider may automate updates; confirm whether updates are optional, staged, or forced. |
| Mods and workshop content | You manage downloads, versions, dependencies, and signature keys. | Check whether the panel supports the mod sources and key management your missions require. |
| Backups and restore | You design and test backups for configs, profiles, keys, and PBOs. | Confirm backup frequency, retention, restore access, and whether mod files are included. |
| DDoS and network protection | You provide the network and mitigation. | Ask what protection is included and which regions or attack types are covered. |
| Capacity and latency | You select the machine and its location, then validate real mission performance. | Choose a region close to players and verify the provider’s capacity limits for your mission and mod load. |
| BattlEye and RCon | You control the BattlEye files, RCon port, password, and firewall. | Verify that BattlEye and a separate RCon port are available and not restricted by the panel. |
| Support response | You are the administrator and first responder. | Compare support hours, response targets, and whether staff will troubleshoot mods or only the underlying service. |
Choose self-hosting when you need unrestricted configuration access and are comfortable maintaining updates, ports, backups, and security. Choose managed hosting when reducing that operational workload matters more than direct system access; confirm the provider’s current features and terms before paying.
If you prefer the managed route, Godlike.Host offers Arma 3 server hosting with a Pterodactyl-based game panel, SFTP/FTP file access, up to three free backups a day with restore, free DDoS protection and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket; see the current plans, and use the table above to check that the panel gives you the server.cfg, mod and BattlEye access your mission needs.
Quick Recap
A reliable first-day checklist
- Install or update the dedicated-server files with SteamCMD.
- Run the Linux process as the
steamuser, never root. - Create
server.cfgand replace every example password. - Create a basic network configuration and select it with
-cfg. - Launch
arma3server_x64with explicit-name,-config,-cfg, and-portvalues. - Forward and allow the selected five UDP ports.
- Place mission PBOs in
MPMissionsand test a stock mission. - Add client-required content through
-modand server-only packages through-servermod. - Provide matching signature keys through the configured keys directory.
- Enable BattlEye only after its files are present, then configure RCon on a separate port outside 2302–2306.
- Test from outside the local network and keep the console, RPT log, and configuration backups.
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