Knowledgebase

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up an Arma 3 Server

Prerequisites

• Arma 3: You need a legal copy of the game installed on your machine.
• SteamCMD: This tool is used to download and update game server files.
• Basic Networking Knowledge: Familiarity with IP addresses and port forwarding.

Instructions

1. Install SteamCMD

   • Download SteamCMD from the SteamCMD website.
   • Extract the files to a folder (e.g., C:\SteamCMD).

2. Create a Directory for Arma 3 Server

   • Create a new folder for your Arma 3 server files (e.g., C:\Arma3_Server).

3. Download Arma 3 Server Files

   • Open Command Prompt and navigate to the SteamCMD directory: bash cd C:\SteamCMD
   • Run SteamCMD: bash steamcmd
   • Log in anonymously: bash login anonymous
   • Set the installation directory for your Arma 3 server: bash force_install_dir C:\Arma3_Server
   • Download the Arma 3 server files: bash app_update 233780 validate
   • Wait for the download to complete, then type quit to exit SteamCMD.

4. Configure the Server

   • Navigate to your Arma 3 server directory (e.g., C:\Arma3_Server).
   • Create a configuration file named server.cfg in this directory. Here is an example configuration:

   // Server configuration  
   hostname = "My Arma 3 Server";  
   password = ""; // Set a password if needed  
   maxPlayers = 64;  
   gameType = "COOP"; // Set to your desired mode  
   voteThreshold = 0.33; // Voting threshold for players
   
   // Mission settings  
   class Missions {  
       class Mission1 {  
           template = "your_mission_name";  
           difficulty = "Regular";  
       };  
   };

   Replace "your_mission_name" with the name of the mission file you want to run.

5. Set Up Port Forwarding

   • Access your router settings (usually via 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a web browser).
   • Forward the following ports to your server’s local IP address:
     • UDP: 2302 (default port for Arma 3)
     • UDP: 2303 (used for voice and game data)
     • UDP: 2304 (for server query)

6. Run the Server

   • Create a batch file (start.bat) in your Arma 3 server directory to start the server easily. Open Notepad and paste the following:

   @echo off  
   start "" "C:\Arma3_Server\arma3server.exe" -config="server.cfg" -port=2302 -profiles="Profiles" -name="MyServer"

   Save this as start.bat in your C:\Arma3_Server directory.

7. Start the Server

   • Double-click start.bat to launch your server.
   • A console window will open, and you should see messages indicating that the server is starting.

8. Connect to Your Server

   • Open Arma 3 on your PC.
   • Select "Multiplayer," then "Server Browser."
   • Your server should appear in the list. If not, you can connect directly via the "Direct Connect" option by entering your public IP (or localhost if on the same machine) followed by :2302.

9. Install Mods (Optional)

   • If you want to use mods, ensure they are installed on both the server and client sides. You can load mods by adding -mod="@modfolder" to your server launch command in start.bat.

Additional Tips

• Firewall Settings: Ensure your firewall allows traffic through the ports you've opened.
• Regular Updates: Periodically update your server using SteamCMD.
• Community Support: Check out community forums and resources for further customization, mission downloads, and server management tools.

Now you should have a fully functional Arma 3 server ready to host games for you and your friends! Enjoy the tactical gameplay!