The Tool Desk
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Godlike.Host offers hosted Arma 3 servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
What you need before installing
Use a Linux machine with a stable public network connection, administrative access for initial package and account setup, and enough storage for the server files, missions, mods, logs, and backups you intend to keep. The official documentation does not publish a universal CPU, RAM, bandwidth, or player-count requirement. Arma 3 performance depends heavily on mission scripting, AI, view distance, and mod workload, so validate capacity with the mission and mod set you actually plan to run rather than relying on a fixed “players per core” claim.
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- A supported 64-bit Linux distribution and the ability to install SteamCMD.
- A separate Linux account, conventionally named
steam, that will own and run the server. - A separate Steam account for downloading the dedicated-server application. Bohemia Interactive states that the package is free and does not require regular Arma 3 to be purchased on that account.
- Firewall and router access, if the server will be reachable from the internet.
- The mission files and compatible mod versions required by your players.
Do not run the game server as root. A compromised script, mod, or server process should not have unrestricted control of the operating system.
Create the service account and install SteamCMD
Distribution-specific SteamCMD packages differ, so use your Linux distribution’s documented package method or Valve’s current Linux SteamCMD instructions. After installation, switch to the unprivileged account you created and choose a directory that the account can write to.
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- Create or select the dedicated account, such as
steam, and give it ownership of the directory where the server will live. - Start SteamCMD as that account.
- Set the installation directory before downloading the application:
force_install_dir ./arma3/- Log in with the Steam account used for server installation. The dedicated-server package is free; it is not the same as launching the retail game.
- Install or validate the application with the official application ID:
app_update 233780 validate- Exit SteamCMD after it reports that the update is complete. The Linux executable and supporting files are now under the
arma3directory relative to the location from which you ran SteamCMD.
Run the same app_update 233780 validate sequence after a server patch, but stop the running server first. Updating an active installation can leave a partially changed file set and make startup or mod diagnosis harder.
Create Arma 3’s Linux profile directories
Arma 3 stores profiles and some server-generated data outside the installation directory. While logged in as the service account, create the documented local-share directories:
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mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/Arma 3"
mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profiles"The first launch creates a profile file in the expected local-share location. Keep these directories with your backups: they contain configuration and profile data that is not necessarily restored by reinstalling the Steam application files.
The Linux guide warns that -profiles= is broken on Linux. Do not try to solve profile-location problems by adding that switch; place the directories in the paths Arma expects instead.
Write a server.cfg
Create server.cfg in the Arma 3 installation directory, alongside arma3server_x64. The file controls the public name, passwords, mission rotation, security settings, and logging. Start with a small configuration and add mission-specific options only after the server starts cleanly.
hostname = "My Linux Arma 3 Server";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "REPLACE_WITH_A_LONG_ADMIN_PASSWORD";
serverCommandPassword = "REPLACE_WITH_A_DIFFERENT_COMMAND_PASSWORD";
BattlEye = 1;
verifySignatures = 2;
logFile = "server.log";
class Missions
{
class Mission_1
{
template = "MyMission.Altis";
difficulty = "Regular";
};
};Replace the example name, passwords, mission template, map, and difficulty. Never leave an example administrative password in production, and do not reuse the administrator password as the server-command password. If you do not want a public join password, keep the server password empty; still protect administrative functions.
A mission rotation entry must name a mission PBO that exists on the server and use the map suffix expected by that mission. A typo in the template name can look like a networking failure because clients may connect and then fail during mission selection. Confirm the mission files are present before changing firewall rules.
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Launch the Linux executable
From the Arma 3 installation directory, start the supplied 64-bit executable with the profile name and configuration file:
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfgRun it as the steam account, not as root. Keep the terminal attached for the first launch so you can see parsing errors, missing-file messages, and the port on which the process is listening. Once the configuration is proven, you can place the command under your preferred service manager or a management wrapper, but retain the same working directory and arguments.
The -name=server argument selects the profile name. Because Linux profile redirection with -profiles= is documented as broken, the profile directories must already exist in ~/.local/share for the account running this command.
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The documented default incoming port block is five consecutive UDP ports. Permit them in the host firewall and forward them from the internet router to the server’s private IP address when the machine is behind NAT.
| UDP port | Documented role |
|---|---|
| 2302 | Game traffic and voice-over-network (VON) |
| 2303 | Steam query |
| 2304 | Steam master |
| 2305 | Reserved VON port |
| 2306 | BattlEye |
Allow UDP, not just TCP. Apply the rule to the server’s actual network interface and reserve its private address in DHCP or configure a static address so a router forward does not silently point to another machine. Test from an external connection; checking only from the same LAN can be misleading because some routers do not support NAT loopback.
To move the block, add a base-port option to the launch command:
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -port=2402Arma derives the related ports from that base. For multiple instances, assign each server its own five-port block and leave the spacing recommended by the official guide. Give every instance a distinct configuration, profile name, log location, and mod/mission plan. A port collision can prevent one process from starting or make it appear intermittently in the server browser.
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Install and run mods on Linux
Server and client mod sets must be compatible. Before investigating timeouts, verify that every required server mod exists, that players have matching versions, and that the server is launching the intended profile. Linux paths are case-sensitive, so a directory whose capitalization differs from the name in your launch command is a different path.
The Linux guide requires -mod= paths to be relative to a location within or below the Arma 3 server directory. A typical launch shape is:
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -mod=@CoreMod
aFor several mods, use the normal semicolon-separated Arma syntax and keep each path relative to the installation directory:
./arma3server_x64 -name=server -config=server.cfg -mod=@CoreMod;@Units;@MapsDo not point the server at a client’s absolute path on another machine. Copy or install the mod directories beneath the server installation, then compare the server’s mod list with the list distributed to players. Start with the required collection only; add optional mods one at a time so a startup failure identifies a specific change.
Mission files have the same compatibility concern. A server can be reachable while a mission fails to load because its PBO, map dependency, or mod dependency is missing. Read the startup and mission logs before altering router rules.
Apply the important security settings
Security settings belong in server.cfg and should reflect the missions and mods you actually permit.
BattlEye
BattlEye = 1; enables the BattlEye anti-cheat integration documented in the configuration reference. Keep it enabled for a public server unless a specific, understood compatibility requirement prevents it.
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Signature verification
verifySignatures = 2; enforces signature verification. This helps reject clients whose loaded content does not meet the server’s signature policy, but it also means every required mod must be correctly signed and distributed. When a legitimate player is rejected, compare the mod build and signature files rather than disabling verification as a first response.
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The configuration reference provides allowlists for file extensions that missions and scripts may load. Use the least permissive list that supports your chosen missions and mods. A broad allowlist expands what content can be loaded; an overly narrow list can break a mission in ways that look like missing assets. Change one extension policy at a time and record why it is required.
Administrative credentials
passwordAdmin protects in-game administrator access, while serverCommandPassword protects server-command interfaces. Use long, unique values and keep them out of public chat, launch-history screenshots, and shared configuration repositories.
Logging
Set logFile to a predictable filename such as server.log. Rotate or archive logs so a long-running server does not consume all available disk space. Logs are the first place to look for configuration parsing errors, failed mission loads, signature rejections, and mod path mistakes.
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Verify the server in a deliberate order
- Start without optional mods and watch the console for a clean configuration parse.
- Confirm that the expected profile and log files appear under the service account’s local-share directory or installation directory as configured.
- Join from a client on the same network to verify the mission and administrator credentials.
- Test from outside the LAN to verify router forwarding, host firewall rules, and the public address.
- Add the required mod set, restart, and test again with clients using the identical compatible versions.
- Only after the baseline works, add extra missions, extensions, or restrictive file policies.
This order separates application problems from network problems. If a local client cannot load the mission, opening more ports will not fix it. If local play works but an external client cannot see the server, inspect the base port, the derived UDP ports, NAT forwarding, and the host firewall.
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Stop the server process cleanly before applying an update. Switch to the service account, run SteamCMD, and repeat:
app_update 233780 validateThen restart with the same -name, -config, -port, and -mod arguments. Keep a written record of those arguments instead of relying on a shell history that may be deleted or contain exposed passwords.
Back up at least:
server.cfgand any startup script or service definition.- The local-share Arma profile directories for the service account.
- Mission files, custom server files, and the exact mod manifest.
- Logs needed to diagnose a recent incident.
Before a major game or mod update, copy the working configuration and note the versions in use. If the new build fails, stop the process, restore the known-good files, and restart with the previous manifest rather than making several untracked changes at once.
Manual administration versus LinuxGSM or managed hosting
Manual SteamCMD administration is the baseline and gives you direct control over files, launch parameters, firewall rules, and backups. LinuxGSM offers an optional arma3server script and configuration structure for installation, startup, monitoring, and updates. A managed provider moves more of the operating-system work to a service operator. Choose based on which responsibilities you want to retain.
| Concern | Manual SteamCMD | LinuxGSM wrapper | Managed service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Files and launch parameters | Full direct control | Direct control through wrapper configuration | Depends on provider interface and policy |
| Updates and restarts | You schedule and execute them | Scripts can standardize routine operations | Usually provider-assisted or automated |
| Firewall and monitoring | Your responsibility | Monitoring helpers can reduce manual work, but host security remains yours | Often included, subject to the service’s scope |
| Mod management | Copy, validate, and document every version yourself | Can be integrated into repeatable scripts | May include an upload or workshop workflow; verify its limitations |
| Backups and recovery | You design and test them | You still choose retention and storage | Check what is backed up, how often, and how restoration works |
| Monthly cost | Infrastructure and your administration time | Infrastructure plus setup and maintenance time | Recurring provider charge in exchange for less system administration |
Neither a wrapper nor a provider removes the need to understand Arma’s ports, profiles, configuration, and mod compatibility. Keep a copy of the effective launch command and configuration even when another layer starts the process.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The executable is missing
Confirm that SteamCMD was run in the intended directory and that app_update 233780 validate completed without an error. Run the command as the same account that owns the installation, and check that arma3server_x64 exists and is executable.
The process exits immediately
Run it in the foreground with the exact configuration path and inspect the console output and logFile. Common causes include malformed server.cfg syntax, a nonexistent mission template, incorrect file permissions, or a conflicting port. Remove optional mods and configuration sections until the minimal server starts, then reintroduce them one change at a time.
The server starts but is not visible externally
Verify that the selected base port and its derived UDP ports are allowed both in the host firewall and in the router’s forwarding rules. Confirm the forward targets the server’s current private IP. Test from a genuinely external network and ensure the process was launched with the port you opened.
Players connect but fail during mission loading
Check the mission template, map suffix, PBO presence, and required mod versions. Compare the client and server mod lists and read the server log for signature or missing-dependency errors. Do not treat a successful browser listing as proof that the mission content is complete.
Legitimate players are rejected
With verifySignatures = 2;, compare the exact mod versions and signature files on the server and clients. Check capitalization in Linux paths and remove stale duplicate mod directories. Keep BattlEye and signature enforcement enabled unless you have identified a specific compatibility issue and understand the security trade-off.
Profiles or settings are not being saved
Make sure the process runs as the account whose home directory contains .local/share/Arma 3 and .local/share/Arma 3 - Other Profiles. Remove any attempted -profiles= workaround on Linux, and verify that the service account can write to its home and installation directories.
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- Run the server under a dedicated non-root Linux account.
- Install and validate application
233780with SteamCMD. - Create both documented local-share profile directories.
- Keep
server.cfg, mission templates, and startup arguments under controlled backup. - Forward and firewall UDP 2302–2306, or the corresponding five-port block selected with
-port=. - Use
BattlEye = 1;andverifySignatures = 2;unless a documented compatibility decision says otherwise. - Keep file-extension permissions as restrictive as the mission set allows.
- Ensure server and clients use compatible mod versions and relative server-side
-mod=paths. - Stop the process before every SteamCMD update.
- Retain logs and test restoration of profiles, configuration, missions, and mod manifests.
With those pieces in place, the Linux dedicated server follows a repeatable cycle: validate the Steam installation, start with a known configuration, verify the five-port network path, add compatible missions and mods, and preserve the files and logs needed to recover quickly.
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