Install Bohemia Interactive’s free Arma 3 dedicated-server package with SteamCMD, run it under a separate non-root Linux account, create the expected profile and configuration directories, forward UDP ports 2302–2306, and start arma3server_x64 with your server.cfg. This guide covers the complete manual setup, mods, updates, security settings, troubleshooting, and the optional LinuxGSM management layer.
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What the Linux dedicated server includes
The dedicated-server package is distributed through SteamCMD as application ID 233780. Bohemia Interactive’s documentation states that the package is free and does not require the Steam account used for installation to own a regular copy of Arma 3. The server binary supplied for 64-bit Linux is arma3server_x64.
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A Linux host gives you direct control over files, launch arguments, firewall rules, logs, profiles, missions, and mods. You are responsible for keeping the operating system patched, opening the correct ports, updating the game files, and making backups. There is no universal CPU, memory, bandwidth, or player-count figure published in the official documentation; the workload depends heavily on the mission, AI count, scripts, and mods you run.
Prepare the Linux host
Create a dedicated, non-root account
Do not run the Arma process as root. Create a normal account for the server, commonly named steam, and give it ownership of the installation directory. A separate account limits the damage an exploited mission, mod, or service could cause and keeps SteamCMD credentials and server files isolated from other applications.
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Log in as that account, or switch to it before installing and launching the server. Use an account with a real home directory because Arma stores profiles under the user’s local-share path.
Choose a stable installation directory
Keep the server in a location with sufficient disk space and predictable permissions, such as a directory below the steam user’s home directory. The examples below use ~/arma3. Place server.cfg, mission files, and any mod directories inside or below this tree so relative -mod= paths resolve consistently.
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- A supported 64-bit Linux distribution with current security updates.
- Outbound internet access for SteamCMD downloads and updates.
- A public IP address or a router that can forward the game ports to the host.
- Permission to create files in the Steam user’s home directory.
- A way to keep the process running after you disconnect, such as a service manager or terminal multiplexer.
Install the server with SteamCMD
Install SteamCMD for Linux
Install the SteamCMD package supplied by your distribution or use Valve’s Linux SteamCMD distribution. Follow your distribution’s procedure for enabling any required 32-bit compatibility libraries; SteamCMD itself may need them even though the Arma server binary is 64-bit. Run SteamCMD as the dedicated steam account, not as root.
Download the Arma 3 files
Start SteamCMD and issue the documented command sequence:
force_install_dir ./arma3/
login anonymous
app_update 233780 validate
quitforce_install_dir ./arma3/ makes the destination explicit. app_update 233780 validate installs the dedicated-server app and verifies the downloaded files. The anonymous login is sufficient for the free dedicated-server package. Exit SteamCMD after the update completes; a successful run leaves the Linux executable and supporting files in the arma3 directory.
Run the same app_update 233780 validate sequence after Bohemia Interactive publishes a server patch. Stop the running server first so files are not replaced while they are open.
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Verify the executable
From the installation directory, check that arma3server_x64 exists and is executable. If it is missing, the update did not complete in the intended directory; rerun SteamCMD with the same force_install_dir and app ID, then validate again.
Create the profile directories Arma expects
The Linux guide specifies local-share directories for profiles and other per-user data. Create both paths while logged in as the server account:
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/Arma 3"
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profiles"On first launch, Arma creates a profile file below the documented local-share location. The Linux documentation warns that the -profiles= launch option is broken on Linux. Do not try to redirect profiles with that switch; put them in the expected directories instead.
Keeping profiles in the standard path also makes backups and troubleshooting predictable. If you move the service to another account, recreate these directories for that account rather than copying paths that belong to the old user.
Write the server configuration
Create server.cfg
In the Arma installation directory, create a plain-text file named server.cfg. The server configuration reference documents the controls used for identity, passwords, mission rotation, anti-cheat, signature checks, file loading, administration, and logging. A minimal starting file can look like this:
hostname = "My Arma 3 Linux Server";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "replace-with-a-long-admin-password";
serverCommandPassword = "replace-with-a-separate-command-password";
BattlEye = 1;
verifySignatures = 2;
allowedFilePatching = 0;
logFile = "server.log";
class Missions {
// Add the missions and parameters you intend to rotate here.
};Use a strong, unique value for passwordAdmin and a different value for serverCommandPassword. Do not publish either secret in a forum post, startup script repository, or public log. Set the hostname to the name players should see in the browser. Add your actual mission rotation using the class and mission names required by the Arma configuration reference; a typo in a mission class prevents that mission from loading.
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Apply security settings deliberately
BattlEye = 1: enables BattlEye protection.verifySignatures = 2: enforces signature verification for clients and content that must be signed.- File-extension allowlists: permit only the extensions required by your missions and mods. A least-permissive policy reduces the files scripts can load.
logFile: writes a console log that helps identify startup, mission, and mod failures.
Do not copy a permissive file policy simply because a particular mod requests it. Determine which extensions that mission actually needs, test the mission with the tighter policy, and expand the allowlist only when a documented requirement makes it necessary.
Launch the server
Change to the Arma directory and start the supplied binary with the documented command:
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./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfgThe -name=server argument selects the profile name, while -config=server.cfg points to the configuration file in the current directory. Watch the console and server.log for errors. The first successful start should create the profile data under ~/.local/share/Arma 3 or the related “Other Profiles” directory.
For a real deployment, run the command under a service manager or a persistent session so closing SSH does not terminate the process. Whatever method you choose, preserve the same working directory, account, configuration path, and environment used during manual testing. Do not add -profiles= on Linux; the official guide identifies that option as broken.
Open and forward the required UDP ports
Allow the server’s incoming UDP traffic through the host firewall and, when applicable, forward the same ports from your router to the Linux machine. The documented default block is:
| UDP port | Function |
|---|---|
| 2302 | Game traffic and voice-over-net (VON) |
| 2303 | Steam query |
| 2304 | Steam master |
| 2305 | Reserved VON |
| 2306 | BattlEye |
If another service already uses the default base port, choose a different base with -port=. Arma then uses the corresponding five-port block beginning at that value. For multiple servers, allocate separate five-port blocks and leave the spacing recommended by the Bohemia Interactive guide; never overlap one instance’s query, master, VON, or BattlEye ports with another instance.
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Open only the protocol and ports the server needs. A typical firewall rule set should allow UDP 2302–2306 to the Steam user’s process and keep unrelated inbound services closed. If the host is behind NAT, forward UDP 2302–2306 to its fixed private address and ensure the address does not change through DHCP.
Install and run mods
Keep server and client content compatible
The Linux guide states that paths supplied to -mod= should be relative to locations within or below the Arma 3 server directory. Store each mod in a directory beneath ~/arma3, then reference those directories in the launch command. For example:
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -mod=@mod-one
dir;@mod-twoUse the exact directory names present on disk. Separate multiple entries with the delimiter expected by the Arma launcher on your platform, and test the command in the same shell or service definition that will run in production. Avoid absolute paths outside the server tree because the Linux documentation specifically describes relative paths within or below the installation directory.
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Every required mod must exist on the server, and players must use compatible versions. Check the mod directories, launch arguments, signatures, and server log before concluding that a missing server listing or failed join is a firewall issue. A client with a different mod version can fail during connection or mission loading even when all five UDP ports are reachable.
Update mods in a controlled window: stop the server, replace or update the mod files, start the server, and have one administrator join before reopening it to the wider group. Keep a copy of the previously working mod set so you can roll back if a new release breaks mission loading.
Define missions and rotation
Mission rotation is configured in server.cfg. Add only mission classes that are installed on the server and compatible with the active mod set. Change one mission or parameter at a time while diagnosing a failure; this makes it clear whether the problem is the mission definition, a missing asset, or a mod dependency.
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When a mission fails to load, read the startup and mission-transition messages in the console and logFile. Confirm the mission’s files are in the expected Arma directory, the class name in the configuration matches the installed mission, and all required mods are included in -mod=. A server can appear healthy while repeatedly cycling because its first mission cannot initialize.
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Update safely and operate the server
Routine update sequence
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the running Arma process cleanly.
- Switch to the dedicated
steamaccount. - Start SteamCMD and set the same destination with
force_install_dir ./arma3/. - Run
login anonymous, thenapp_update 233780 validate. - Exit SteamCMD and check the update output for errors.
- Confirm that
server.cfg, profiles, missions, and mod directories remain in place. - Restart with
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfgand inspect the log before announcing that the server is available.
Stopping first matters because SteamCMD can replace binaries or libraries while the server is using them. Keep the configuration and profile directories outside any process that automatically deletes the installation tree.
Back up what is difficult to recreate
server.cfgand any service or startup definition.- The
~/.local/share/Arma 3and~/.local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profilesdirectories. - Custom missions, mission parameters, and server-side scripts.
- Mod manifests and the exact versions currently in use.
- Recent logs, especially before and after an update.
Store backups on a different disk or host. A backup that lives only beside the game installation will be lost with the same disk failure or accidental deletion that removes the server.
Choose manual administration or LinuxGSM
Manual SteamCMD administration is the baseline documented by Bohemia Interactive. LinuxGSM is an optional management layer that documents an arma3server script and configuration structure for installation, startup, monitoring, and updates. It does not replace the underlying Arma configuration or the need to understand ports, profiles, and mods.
| Decision area | Manual SteamCMD and executable | LinuxGSM wrapper |
|---|---|---|
| File and launch control | Direct control over directories, server.cfg, and every launch argument. |
Uses a standardized script and configuration structure while still exposing the server files. |
| Updates and restarts | You stop the process, run SteamCMD, validate, and restart. | Provides scripted installation, update, startup, and restart workflows. |
| Monitoring | You inspect the process, console, and log files yourself. | Adds wrapper-assisted monitoring and operational commands. |
| Firewall and security | You configure firewall rules, passwords, signatures, BattlEye, and file policies. | Does not remove the need to configure network and Arma security correctly. |
| Mod workflow | You place mods below the Arma directory and maintain the -mod= list. |
Automates service operations but still depends on your mod files and compatible clients. |
| Backups and recovery | You design backup jobs for configs, profiles, missions, mods, and logs. | Can standardize operational commands, but your backup destination and retention policy remain your responsibility. |
Choose the manual path when you want the fewest layers and full visibility. Choose LinuxGSM when repeatable commands, monitoring, and scripted updates are more valuable than managing each step by hand. In both cases, validate the resulting launch command and file locations before inviting players.
Size the host by workload, not a fixed benchmark
The official installation and configuration references do not publish a universal CPU, RAM, bandwidth, or supported-player benchmark. Arma performance changes with mission scripting, AI, object count, terrain, view distance, and mod behavior. Treat capacity as an operational measurement rather than a number copied from a generic hosting chart.
Start with the mission and maximum concurrent players you actually intend to run. Observe server frame rate, CPU saturation, memory pressure, network throughput, and log errors during a representative session. Increase AI or script load gradually, and record the point at which simulation quality or connection stability degrades. If a workload exceeds the host’s capacity, reduce mission complexity, split communities across instances, or move to a larger machine; do not assume that adding bandwidth alone fixes a CPU-bound simulation.
Troubleshoot by symptom
The server process exits immediately
- Run the command interactively from the Arma directory so the first error remains visible.
- Confirm
arma3server_x64is present and executable. - Check that
server.cfgexists at the path passed to-config=and has valid syntax. - Verify that the process is running as the account that owns the installation and profile directories.
- Read the latest
logFileoutput for a missing mission, malformed setting, or inaccessible path.
The server is not visible or players cannot join
- Confirm the process is listening on the selected base port and that the five-port block is not shared with another instance.
- Allow UDP 2302–2306, or the equivalent block chosen with
-port=, through the host firewall. - Forward the same UDP ports through the router to the server’s fixed private address.
- Check that the advertised public address is the one players can reach; local testing from the same LAN may be affected by router hairpin behavior.
- Only after network checks, compare client and server mod versions and inspect mission-loading errors.
Players are rejected for signatures or missing content
- Compare the server’s
-mod=list with the player’s enabled mods. - Ensure every required mod directory exists below the Arma installation and uses the intended name.
- Check that
verifySignatures = 2matches your distribution method and that clients have compatible signed content. - Read the server log for the first rejected file or signature; later messages are often consequences of that initial mismatch.
Profiles or settings appear in the wrong place
Remove any reliance on -profiles=, which the Linux guide identifies as broken. Confirm that the service runs as the intended user and that ~/.local/share/Arma 3 and ~/.local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profiles exist for that user. A service launched as root or as a different account will look in a different home directory and can appear to lose profiles between restarts.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Dedicated non-root
steamaccount owns the files. - SteamCMD installs app
233780into the intended directory. server.cfgcontains a hostname, protected administrative passwords, mission rotation, and deliberate security settings.- Profile directories exist under the Linux local-share path.
- Launch command uses
arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfgand does not use the broken Linux-profiles=option. - The correct five UDP ports are open and forwarded, with a separate block for every additional instance.
- Mods are below the server directory, listed with relative
-mod=paths, and match client versions. - Logs, profiles, configurations, missions, and mod manifests are backed up.
- Updates happen only after stopping the process and validating with SteamCMD.
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