Rust Server Config Guide: server.cfg, Convars & Loot

• server/<identity>/cfg/server.cfg – runs on every boot. Put persistent settings here.
• server/<identity>/cfg/users.cfg – your ownerid and moderatorid entries, auto-saved.
• Startup parameters – map-defining values like server.worldsize and server.seed belong on the launch command, not in server.cfg.
• Plugin configs – once you run Oxide or Carbon, each plugin gets a JSON file under oxide/config/ or carbon/configs/.

server.hostname "My Rust Server | Weekly | Active Admins"
server.description "Welcome! Wipes every Thursday. Fair play enforced."
server.url "https://your-site.com"
server.headerimage "https://your-site.com/banner.jpg"
server.tags "weekly,pve,modded"
server.maxplayers 150

• server.description supports line breaks with \n – use it to list rules and wipe times.
• server.headerimage is the 512×256 banner shown in the browser; a clean banner noticeably lifts click-through.
• server.tags feeds the browser filters (e.g. pve, weekly, vanilla) – set them honestly so the right players find you.

Here’s the part that trips up new owners: vanilla Rust has no gather-rate or loot-multiplier convar. A "2x" or "5x" server is running plugins. Once you’ve installed a mod framework:

• Gather rates – a plugin like GatherManager multiplies resources from nodes, pickups, and quarries.
• Loot tables – plugins such as Alpha Loot or a custom loot plugin control what spawns in crates and barrels.
• Stack sizes – a stack-size controller keeps inventories manageable on boosted servers.

• Keep server.worldsize sensible – a 6000 map costs far more RAM and CPU than a 3500 one, and a bigger map on a small population just feels empty.
• Every plugin adds overhead. Run what you need, not a folder of 80 plugins you never use.
• Watch entity counts – decay settings and cleanup plugins stop abandoned bases from dragging framerate down over a wipe.
• Save regularly with server.saveinterval (300 seconds is a good default) so a crash never costs more than a few minutes.

If performance is your bottleneck, your host’s hardware matters as much as your config – see choosing Rust server hosting.

RCON lets you run commands and read logs without being in-game. With rcon.web 1 set, connect a tool like the Rust Admin app or a web RCON client to ws://YOUR_IP:28016 using your RCON password. Use it for live moderation, scheduled restarts, and wipe automation.

Before editing config or updating plugins, copy your server/<identity>/ folder. That directory holds your map save, blueprints, and player data – a 30-second backup saves a wiped-by-accident weekend.