Install the Arma 3 dedicated server by downloading SteamCMD, pointing it at a separate server directory, and running app_update 233780 validate. AppID 233780 is the Arma 3 Server package for both Windows and Linux. After SteamCMD finishes, configure server.cfg, launch arma3server, and allow UDP ports 2302–2306 through the firewall and router.
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The important distinctions are account ownership, branch compatibility, and data isolation. You can download the dedicated-server files without buying the game on that Steam account, but playable branches require an account that owns Arma 3. Use separate runtime folders and port ranges for additional instances, and repeat the same validated SteamCMD command whenever Steam releases a server patch.
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What you need before installing
Prepare the host before opening SteamCMD. The package is available for Windows and Linux, so choose the operating system you will use for the long-running process and firewall configuration.
- A Windows or Linux machine with enough disk space for the server files, workshop or downloadable content you intend to use, and mission data.
- Permission to create directories, run the server executable, and change the host firewall. If players connect from the internet, administrative access to the router is also required.
- A stable network address for the host. A fixed local address makes router port forwarding reliable; a public address or a provider’s forwarding arrangement is needed for players outside the local network.
- SteamCMD downloaded for the host operating system and unpacked into its own directory. Do not place it inside the full Steam desktop-client installation.
Keep two top-level locations separate from the start: one for the SteamCMD program and one for the Arma 3 server installation. Runtime information such as profiles, missions, and keys should be in their own directories as well. This layout prevents an update tool, a desktop client, or one server instance from accidentally changing another instance’s data.
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Which Steam account should download the server?
Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server guidance recommends using a separate Steam account for a dedicated host. That account can be reserved for the machine and does not need to be the account used by the people who play on it.
There are two different licensing cases:
- Dedicated-server files: the dedicated server can be downloaded without purchasing Arma 3 on the account used by the host.
- Playable branches: branches intended to run the playable game content require a Steam account that owns Arma 3. This matters when you select a non-default or playable branch rather than simply obtaining the normal server package.
Do not embed a personal password in a scheduled task or update script. Sign in interactively when SteamCMD asks for credentials, or use the account-management approach appropriate for your operating system. Treat the host account like any other server credential.
Install SteamCMD and create a clean directory layout
Windows
- Download the Windows SteamCMD archive from Valve’s official distribution and extract it to a short path such as
C:steamcmd. - Create a different directory for the server files, for example
C:arma3-server. Do not extract the server into the SteamCMD directory. - Create separate runtime directories if you plan to run more than one instance, such as
C:arma3-datainstance1profiles,C:arma3-datainstance1mpmissions, andC:arma3-datainstance1keys. - Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window in the SteamCMD directory and start
steamcmd.exe.
Linux
- Download the Linux SteamCMD archive, unpack it in a directory reserved for SteamCMD, and retain the supplied launcher script.
- Create a separate server destination such as
/opt/arma3-serverand separate runtime directories such as/opt/arma3-data/instance1/profiles,/opt/arma3-data/instance1/mpmissions, and/opt/arma3-data/instance1/keys. - Run the SteamCMD launcher (normally
steamcmd.sh) from its own directory. Keep the server process and SteamCMD files owned by the account that will administer the service.
The names above are examples, not required paths. What matters is that SteamCMD, the installed server, and each instance’s mutable data are distinct and easy to identify.
Download the Arma 3 server with SteamCMD
Inside the SteamCMD prompt, set the destination first. The relative path in this example creates an arma3 directory below SteamCMD; use an absolute path when you want the files in the separate destination created earlier.
force_install_dir ./arma3/You can instead use a full path, for example:
force_install_dir C:arma3-serverOn Linux, use a path such as:
force_install_dir /opt/arma3-serverAuthenticate after setting the destination. SteamCMD will prompt for the account details when the command requires them. Then install and validate AppID 233780:
app_update 233780 validateapp_update obtains the Arma 3 Server package. The validate argument checks the downloaded files and replaces missing or corrupt content, making it useful for the first installation as well as recovery from an interrupted transfer. Wait for SteamCMD to report completion before closing it.
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Leave SteamCMD with:
exitLook in the directory supplied to force_install_dir. The server executable and its supporting files must be there. If they are missing, SteamCMD probably installed AppID 233780 somewhere else; return to the prompt, set the intended destination explicitly, and run the update command again.
Choose the correct branch
The public branch is the normal stable build and is the right choice for most communities. The official branch list also includes development, legacy, creatordlc, contact, and rc.
| Branch | Use it for | Compatibility warning |
|---|---|---|
public |
Ordinary stable servers | Use this unless your clients or required content explicitly target another branch. |
development |
Development-branch testing | Every connecting client must use the matching development build. |
legacy |
Special-purpose older builds | Availability and access can differ from the public branch; do not select it casually. |
creatordlc |
Creator DLC server data and signature keys | Clients need the corresponding content and compatible signatures. |
contact |
Contact-related special content | Use only when the client population and installed content require it. |
rc |
Release-candidate testing | It is a special-purpose build and may not match a public client. |
A branch mismatch can prevent clients from joining even when the network is configured correctly. Decide the branch with the players and required downloadable content first, then install the same branch on the host and every client. Development and special branches may require an access code or active test availability, so a failed branch download is not necessarily a firewall problem.
For the normal stable branch, the basic command remains:
app_update 233780 validateWhen a branch-specific installation is required, use SteamCMD’s branch option for that branch together with the same AppID, and follow the access requirements shown by SteamCMD. Do not move a server to a test branch merely to obtain a newer build while clients remain on public.
Configure the server and launch it
The downloaded files are only the installation. Create a server.cfg containing the server settings appropriate for your community, then launch arma3server with paths that identify the intended instance. Keep the configuration file and runtime data outside the installation when possible so an update does not overwrite your operational files.
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The command-line options that matter most for a clean deployment are:
-portselects the base game port.-profilesselects the profile and log directory for that instance.-mpmissionsselects the mission-data location.-keysFolderselects the directory containing signature keys.
A conceptual Windows launch command looks like this:
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arma3server -port=2302 -profiles=C:arma3-datainstance1profiles -mpmissions=C:arma3-datainstance1mpmissions -keysFolder=C:arma3-datainstance1keysOn Linux, use the same options with Linux paths:
./arma3server -port=2302 -profiles=/opt/arma3-data/instance1/profiles -mpmissions=/opt/arma3-data/instance1/mpmissions -keysFolder=/opt/arma3-data/instance1/keysAdd the option that points to your server.cfg according to the executable’s command-line syntax, and verify that the file path is the one you intend. The executable name can vary with the installed server build; use the arma3server executable supplied in the AppID 233780 directory rather than a file copied from a different installation.
Start the process interactively the first time. Confirm that it creates logs in the selected profile directory, loads the expected configuration and mission paths, and does not report a missing keys folder. Only after that should you turn it into a service, scheduled task, or restart script.
Open the required network ports
The documented default incoming range is UDP 2302–2306. Open all five ports in the host firewall and, for an internet server behind a router, forward the same UDP range to the machine running the server.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Port | Role |
|---|---|
| UDP 2302 | Game port. Voice-over-net traffic is integrated with the main game port. |
| UDP 2303 | Steam query port. |
| UDP 2304 | Steam master/to-server traffic. |
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Set a different base game port with -port when another application or another Arma instance already uses 2302. The related ports follow the five-port block, so changing the base port changes the block that must be allowed and forwarded.
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For multiple servers, give every instance its own five-port range. The official example uses 2302–2306 for one server and 2402–2406 for another, leaving space between ranges. Use a separate -port value, profiles directory, mission directory, and keys directory for each process. Never point two concurrently running instances at the same writable profile or key directory.
If players on the same local network can join but internet players cannot, check the router’s destination address, the host firewall, and whether the provider uses carrier-grade NAT. If nobody can query the server, verify the entire UDP range rather than opening only the game port.
Run more than one Arma 3 instance
Several servers can share one downloaded installation. The executable and common read-only content stay in the AppID 233780 directory, while each process receives its own runtime data and ports.
| Item | Instance 1 | Instance 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Base port | 2302 |
2402 |
| UDP range | 2302–2306 | 2402–2406 |
| Profiles | .../instance1/profiles |
.../instance2/profiles |
| Missions | .../instance1/mpmissions |
.../instance2/mpmissions |
| Keys | .../instance1/keys |
.../instance2/keys |
Use a distinct configuration file or launch script for each instance. This makes restarts, logs, mission rotation, and mod or signature changes traceable to one server. It also avoids the common failure where the second process starts with the first process’s profile path and appears to ignore its own settings.
When updating the shared installation, stop every instance first. Otherwise one process can hold files open while SteamCMD replaces them, leaving an incomplete or inconsistent update.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Update an installed server safely
Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server documentation states: “You will have to update the server whenever a patch is released on Steam.” Treat updates as an operational task, not a one-time installation step.
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- Announce maintenance and stop the running Arma 3 server process. Stop every instance if they share one installation.
- Back up
server.cfg, profiles, mission files, keys, and any launch scripts. These are your operational data and should not depend on the installation directory. - Start SteamCMD from its separate directory.
- Point SteamCMD at the existing server installation:
force_install_dir ./arma3/- Run the update and integrity check:
app_update 233780 validate- Wait for completion, exit SteamCMD, and inspect the output for download errors.
- Launch the server with the same branch, configuration path, data directories, and port assignment used before the update.
- Connect with a test client before announcing that the server is available. The client and server must be on compatible branches and use compatible mods or Creator DLC.
Running validate after an interrupted download or unexplained startup error is appropriate even when SteamCMD says the installation is current. It checks for missing or corrupt files without requiring you to delete the whole server directory.
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Troubleshoot installation and connection failures
SteamCMD installs files in the wrong place
Check the exact directory supplied to force_install_dir, then look for AppID 233780 beneath that location. If the executable is elsewhere, set the destination again and repeat app_update 233780 validate. Keeping SteamCMD and the server in separate folders makes this mistake easier to spot.
The download stopped or the server reports missing files
Stop the server, reconnect to SteamCMD, select the same installation directory, and run app_update 233780 validate. A validation pass repairs incomplete or corrupt content. Do not mix files from a full Steam client installation with the dedicated-server directory.
The process starts but uses the wrong settings
Inspect the launch command one option at a time. Confirm the executable, server.cfg, -profiles, -mpmissions, and -keysFolder all point to the intended instance. Look in the selected profile directory for fresh logs; an unchanged log path usually means the wrong profile option or a different launch script is being used.
Clients cannot join after a successful install
- Confirm that the host firewall and router allow the complete five-port UDP range for the selected base port.
- Confirm that the server is listening on the port passed to
-port, not the default 2302 block. - Make sure every client and the server use the same
public,development, or special branch. - Check that all clients have compatible mods and Creator DLC, and that the server’s keys folder contains the signatures required by the installed content.
- Verify that the router forwards to the current host address rather than an old DHCP address.
A second instance will not appear or interferes with the first
Compare the two launch commands. Each instance needs a distinct base port and five-port range, plus distinct profiles, mission, and keys directories. The documented example separates 2302–2306 from 2402–2406; do not run both processes on the same range.
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Legacy, release-candidate, Contact, Creator DLC, and development branches are not interchangeable with the normal public build. Check whether the selected branch requires an access code or active test availability, whether the Steam account owns the playable content, and whether every client is running the corresponding build.
Quick Recap
Installation checklist
- SteamCMD is unpacked in its own directory.
- The Arma 3 Server files are installed through AppID 233780 into a separate destination.
app_update 233780 validatecompleted without errors.- The server branch matches the clients and required content;
publicis used for the ordinary stable setup. server.cfg, profile data, missions, and keys are in the intended locations.- The launch command passes the correct
-port,-profiles,-mpmissions, and-keysFoldervalues. - The full UDP range 2302–2306, or the equivalent five-port range for a custom base port, is open in the host firewall and router.
- Additional instances have separate five-port ranges and separate runtime directories.
- All running instances are stopped before updating the shared installation.
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