Arma 3 Server Hosting Guide for Devs

Welcome, Devs! Hosting your own Arma 3 server can be challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get started with Arma 3 server hosting, including hardware requirements, server setup, and configuration. Let’s dive in!

Hardware Requirements

Before we get started with the setup process, let’s take a look at the hardware requirements for hosting an Arma 3 server. Keep in mind that these requirements may vary depending on the number of players you plan to host on your server:

Component	Minimum Requirement	Recommended Requirement
CPU	Intel Dual-Core 2.4 GHz	Intel Quad-Core 3.4 GHz
RAM	4 GB	8 GB
Storage	20 GB SSD	50 GB SSD
Bandwidth	1 Mbps	10 Mbps

It’s important to note that these hardware requirements only apply to the server itself, not the computers that will be playing on the server. Make sure that your players meet the minimum system requirements for Arma 3.

Server Setup

Now that we know what hardware we need, let’s move on to setting up our server. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Step 1: Downloading and Installing SteamCMD

The first thing you’ll need to do is download SteamCMD, which is the command-line interface for installing and updating Steam games. You can download it from the official SteamCMD website. Once you’ve downloaded SteamCMD, extract it to a directory on your server.

Step 2: Creating a Steam Account

In order to download and install Arma 3, you’ll need a Steam account. If you don’t already have one, head over to the official Steam website and create an account.

Step 3: Installing Arma 3 Server

Now that we have SteamCMD and a Steam account, we can start installing the Arma 3 server. Here’s how:

1. Launch SteamCMD from the directory where you extracted it.
2. Login to Steam using your Steam account credentials.
3. Enter the following commands to download and install the Arma 3 server files:
   login anonymous
app_update 233780 validate
4. Wait for the server files to download and install.
5. Exit SteamCMD by typing exit.

Configuration

Now that we have the server installed, we need to configure it to our liking. Here are some of the most important configuration options:

Basic Server Configuration

These are the basic settings you’ll need to configure to get your server up and running:

Server Name

You can set the name of your server by adding the following line to your server.cfg file:
hostname "My Arma 3 Server"

Password

If you want to password protect your server, add the following line to your server.cfg file:
password "mypassword"

Max Players

You can set the maximum number of players allowed on your server by adding the following line to your server.cfg file:
maxPlayers 64

Server Port

You can set the port your server listens on by adding the following line to your server.cfg file:
port 2302

Advanced Configuration

If you want to take your server configuration to the next level, here are some advanced options you can tweak:

BattlEye

BattlEye is a third-party anti-cheat program that can be enabled on your server. To do so, add the following line to your server.cfg file:
battleye = 1;

Mods

If you want to use mods on your server, add the following line to your server.cfg file:
mods[] = {"@mod1", "@mod2"};

Headless Client

A headless client is a separate process that can be used to offload AI processing from the main server. To enable a headless client, add the following line to your server.cfg file:
headlessClients[] = {"192.168.1.1"};

FAQ

How do I connect to my server?

To connect to your server, launch Arma 3 and click on the “Servers” tab. Your server should appear in the list. If it’s password protected, enter the password when prompted.

How do I add mods to my server?

To add mods to your server, upload them to your server’s “mods” folder and add the mod names to your server.cfg file, as described above.

How do I update my server?

To update your server, simply run SteamCMD and enter the following commands:
login anonymous
app_update 233780 validate

What if I need help with server hosting?

If you need help with Arma 3 server hosting, there are many online resources available to you. You can also contact the Arma 3 support team for assistance.

Conclusion

Now that you have a good understanding of Arma 3 server hosting, it’s time to get started! Remember to follow the hardware requirements, server setup, and configuration steps outlined in this guide, and you’ll be hosting your own Arma 3 server in no time.