You decide which services we may enable for analytics, personalization, and external content.
We use cookies and similar technologies on our website to personalize content, embed external media, and better understand how individual areas are used.
Necessary cookies
These entries support essential functions such as security, stability, and form processing.
Optional sections
AnalyticsMarketingPersonalizationExternal media
Your data may be processed with your consent or on the basis of legitimate interests. In the cookie settings, you can reject or explicitly allow each optional category.
Some services process personal data in third countries. By consenting, you also agree to this transfer. You can find more information in our Privacy Policy.
You can reopen and change your selection at any time. · 1.0.2
Find out how to set up an Arma 3 Dedicated Server on your Windows server for seamless gameplay and full control → Learn more
10 November 20264 min read0 Views0 helpful
Introduction
Do you have a Windows VPS/Dedicated Server and want to install the Arma 3 Dedicated Server on it? You’re in the right place. This guide explains step by step how to install the service on your server.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
RDP access to your Windows server and SteamCMD, the command-line version of the Steam client.
Download it from Valve’s official developer website or use the direct download link. Then extract steamcmd.zip and run steamcmd.exe until you see “Loading Steam API.... OK”.
Feedback
Was this article helpful?
Your feedback helps us prioritize and improve content.
0 of 0 Users found this article helpful.
Personal support
Need more help than the guide provides?
Our ZAP support team knows your product — briefly describe your issue and we'll help you personally.
Navigation
Software
Preparation
First, connect to your VPS/Dedicated Server via Remote Desktop (RDP). If you need help, follow our Initial Access (RDP) guide.
Once you have access to your server, you’ll need to set up SteamCMD to download the necessary Dedicated Server files. SteamCMD is the command-line version (CLI) of the Steam client and lets you easily download various Steam Workshop and Dedicated Server files. Download SteamCMD from the official Valve website or directly here.
Create a new folder anywhere on your server. In this example, we’ll call it steamcmd. Go to your Downloads folder, find the steamcmd.zip file you just downloaded, and move it into the steamcmd folder. Now extract the file by right-clicking it and using Windows’ built-in extraction tool, or with a program such as 7zip or WinRAR. Once finished, you should have an extracted steamcmd.exe file.
Simply run steamcmd.exe and wait for the installation process to finish.
Once the message Loading Steam API.... OK appears, the process is complete and you can begin installing the Arma 3 Dedicated Server in the next section.
Installation
After installation, you should be able to run commands in the steamcmd.exe command-line window that you opened earlier. You must log in before you can do anything. Use the anonymous user with this command: login anonymous
Once logged in, you can start downloading the files.
Tip
Optional: You can set your preferred installation directory with the force_install_dir [Path] command, replacing [Path] with the path you want to use for your server. For example:
Code
force_install_dir C:\\arma3-server
Now start the download with the app_update 233780 command. The app ID 233780 refers to the Arma 3 application.
Info
Do not interrupt the process before it finishes to avoid errors. It may take a moment, but patience pays off! :)
Once the download is complete, you’ll find all the server files in the download directory. You can start the server by running arma3server_x64.exe there. However, we recommend setting up port forwarding and configuring your server first.
Port forwarding for your server
To make your server publicly accessible, you need to adjust the port forwarding rules for the ports used by the VPS/Dedicated Server process. You can do this either with PowerShell commands, which is easier, or the traditional way through Windows Defender Firewall.
Open Windows Search and search for PowerShell. Right-click it and select Run as administrator to ensure you have the necessary permissions and everything works properly.
Info
Make sure you run PowerShell as an administrator; otherwise, the settings may not be applied correctly.
These commands automatically create the firewall rules needed to make your Arma 3 server publicly accessible.
Use Windows Search to open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. If you only see the basic Firewall page, click Advanced settings to open the correct window.
You need to create new rules for your Arma 3 server. Click Inbound Rules and Outbound Rules, then add the following protocol and ports:
Once you’ve added these rules, your server will be reachable and you can connect using your server’s IP address. To do this, select your character from the main menu, go to the Find Games tab, and click Add Server. Enter your server IP along with the port (2302 by default) and your server password (if one is set; otherwise, leave it blank).
We recommend configuring your server in the next section before connecting.
Configuration
At this point, you’ve completed the basic installation of your Arma 3 server. You can make further changes using a configuration file in the server directory.
Navigate to this directory:
Code
C:\\arma3-Server
Here you’ll find the server.cfg file. You can use this file to configure various server parameters.
Start and connect to your server
You can now start your server. Go to the main game directory and run arma3server_x64.exe.
This opens the server console and starts the server.
Players can connect through the Arma 3 server browser using your server IP address and the default port 2302.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed and configured the Arma 3 Server on your VPS/Dedicated Server. If you have any questions or run into any issues, our support team is available every day and will be happy to help!
Server hosting from €2.49 / month, online instantly, DDoS protection included.
Preferred source on Google
