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Discover how to optimize game content delivery with FastDL and your own web server – for faster downloads and reduced server load → Learn more now
FastDL (Fast Download) is a method to deliver custom content like maps, sounds, or models via an external web server instead of directly through the game server. This results in faster downloads for players and reduces the load on your server.
To use FastDL, you need access to a public HTTP web server. This can be your own web server (e.g. nginx or Apache) on a VPS or any webspace that serves files publicly over HTTP. This guide shows you how to set up FastDL with it.
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You need an active Garry's Mod game server at ZAP-Hosting as well as a web server that is publicly reachable over HTTP, e.g. your own VPS with nginx or Apache or any webspace. You need SFTP or FTP access to upload files to the web server.
On the game server side, the files you want to distribute (e.g., .bsp maps, sound files, or models) must already be correctly organized. The same folder structure must then be created on the web server to ensure FastDL works smoothly.
Upload your FastDL files via SFTP or FTP (e.g. with FileZilla or WinSCP) to the public web directory of your web server, which for nginx and Apache on Debian/Ubuntu is usually /var/www/html. Our guide Setting Up Nginx and Apache on a Linux Server shows you how to set up nginx or Apache on your VPS, and VPS: Connect via SFTP explains the SFTP connection.
Create a folder named fastdl in the web root directory of your web server. Inside it, create subfolders like maps, sound, or models depending on the content you want to deliver. The folder structure must exactly match the one used by your Garry's Mod game server.
Before uploading the files, make sure they are compressed in .bz2 format (bzip2). Most Source-based engines expect files in this format. For example, a map file named custom_map.bsp should be uploaded as custom_map.bsp.bz2.
Compressing with 7-Zip
To prepare your files for FastDL, you can use tools like 7-Zip to pack them into .bz2 format. Simply right-click the file, select 7-Zip > Add to archive..., choose bzip2 as the archive format, and confirm.
After uploading the compressed files into the appropriate folders, ensure that all directories and files have the correct read permissions so they are publicly accessible. You can adjust the permissions, for example, in your SFTP client or with chmod.
Once everything is uploaded and permissions are set, your FastDL content will be accessible via the following public URL:
https://[your-domain-name]/fastdl/
It's best to test the URL in a browser to make sure the files are reachable.
Open the server.cfg file in the Configuration tab of your game server (raw text view) and add the following lines:
sv_downloadurl "https://[your-domain-name]/fastdl/"
sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 0
Make sure the FastDL URL exactly matches the structure on your web server. Save the file and restart your game server for the settings to take effect.
FastDL can be set up quickly and reliably with your own web server. This allows you to deliver custom content lightning fast and improve the player experience on your Garry's Mod game server.
If you have questions or need support, our team is here for you every day! 🙂
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