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For a quick session, host from Arma 3’s Multiplayer menu. For a persistent or separately administered server, install the free Arma 3 dedicated-server package, configure its startup and server settings, add missions and mods, then open the server’s UDP traffic on the host firewall and router. The official default range is UDP 2302–2306. Your friends must use compatible game versions and the same required add-ons.
Choose the right way to host
Arma 3 gives you three practical hosting models. The best choice depends on whether the machine must remain online, how much control you need, and whether you can configure its network.
| Hosting model | Best for | Administration | Network exposure | Control | Cost pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-game listen server | A short session with friends | Low; the player hosting also runs the game | LAN or Internet option in the Multiplayer menu; router access may still be needed for Internet play | Scenario and session settings while the game is running | No separate server package; uses the host’s gaming machine and connection |
| Self-hosted dedicated server | An always-on community, scheduled events, or a server administered separately from a player’s game | Higher; you maintain files, configuration, updates, logs, firewall rules, and forwarding | Requires the host firewall and, behind NAT, router forwarding | Server configuration, missions, mods, startup parameters, and operating schedule | The dedicated package is free; you provide the machine, storage, power, and bandwidth |
| Managed hosting | An always-on server without maintaining your own computer | Lower on the host side, but provider controls and policies apply | The service normally supplies the public network endpoint; verify its mod, file, backup, and access features | Depends on the service’s control panel and support model | Recurring service charge; current prices and providers vary |
A listen server is the right answer when “hosting” means getting a few people into one game quickly. A dedicated server is the better answer when the server should keep running after the original host leaves, when you want scheduled restarts, or when you need independent control of missions and mods. Bohemia Interactive’s FAQ notes that dedicated servers support greater performance.
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This method keeps the game and server on the same player’s computer. It is simple, but the host’s game session, CPU time, memory, and internet connection are all shared with the server.
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- Start Arma 3 and open Multiplayer.
- Choose New.
- Select LAN for players on the same local network, or Internet for friends connecting remotely.
- Choose the scenario, then set the available server parameters, player slots, difficulty, and other options.
- Start the session and have other players find it in the appropriate browser.
For Internet play, selecting the Internet option does not remove network requirements. The host firewall and router may need to allow the server’s traffic, and the host may be unreachable when behind restrictive NAT. If discovery fails, test by having a player on a different network look for the session and then work through the connection checks below.
Use this route when you do not need a persistent process. Closing the game ends the server, and heavy missions or a large number of players can affect the host’s frame rate and connection quality.
What a dedicated server requires
Hardware baseline
The Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki lists these baseline figures for the dedicated package:
| Level | CPU | Memory | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum listed by the guide | 2.4 GHz dual-core | 2 GB RAM | 32 GB HDD |
| Recommended listed by the guide | 3.5 GHz quad-core | 4 GB RAM | 32 GB SSD |
These are the guide’s stated requirements, not a capacity guarantee. A heavily modded community, a complex AI mission, multiple server instances, or a large player population can need substantially more CPU, memory, storage performance, and upload bandwidth. The official FAQ says reasonable maximums depend on the scenario, server hardware, and available bandwidth.
Operating system and account
- A Steam account is listed among the guide’s requirements.
- The guide lists Windows Server 2008 or later or a modern Linux distribution. Treat that as the guide’s compatibility statement and check the current server package documentation before choosing an operating-system version.
- The dedicated package is free and does not require the account downloading it to own the regular game.
Public network requirements
You need an address that other players can reach, either directly or through a managed service. For self-hosting behind a home router, you need permission to create port-forwarding rules and a host firewall rule. The guide states that Arma 3 server does not support IPv6 or DS-Lite IPv4 delivered through an IPv6 tunnel. Because network products and server builds change, verify your current connection type with your internet provider and test reachability before committing to a public server.
Install a dedicated server
You can obtain the files through the documented Steam or SteamCMD route. The Community Wiki also describes a simplified Launcher route for a small casual dedicated server. The exact folder names, executable name, and defaults depend on the method and the current server version, so keep the installation path explicit in your own notes.
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1. Decide where the process will run
Choose a machine that can remain powered and connected for the intended schedule. Decide whether it will be private for invited friends or publicly discoverable. If you only need an occasional session, stop here and use a listen server instead; a dedicated installation adds administration that a one-night game does not need.
2. Download the server package
Use the Steam or SteamCMD method documented for your operating system. Keep the dedicated-server files in a separate, clearly named directory rather than mixing them with a player’s mod folders. Record the install path because your startup command, configuration files, mission files, and logs will refer to it.
3. Create a startup command
The official startup reference documents the -server switch and the -port parameter. A minimal command line therefore needs the server mode and a listening port, with additional configuration-file and profile arguments added according to the current reference:
-server -port=2302Use the actual executable and paths created by your installation method. Do not copy a path from another machine without changing it. If you run multiple instances, assign each instance a non-conflicting port range and separate profile, log, and configuration locations.
4. Create the server configuration
The server-configuration reference defines settings for the server’s identity, password policy, player limits, missions, voting, and related behavior. Start with a small, private configuration, confirm that it works, and then add complexity. Keep a backup copy of every working configuration before changing mission rotations or mod lists.
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Place the mission PBO files where the server can load them, following the directory layout used by your installation. A mission can also require user-created add-ons. Every joining client must have a compatible game version and the required mods; a missing or mismatched add-on is a connection blocker identified by the official FAQ.
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Make a written mod manifest containing exact mod names and versions. Load only the set required for the mission first. Add optional content one item at a time so that a failed start or join can be traced to a specific change.
6. Open the host firewall and router
Allow the server process, or the configured UDP range, through the operating-system firewall. If the machine is behind NAT, forward the same ports from the router’s public interface to the machine’s private address. Give the server machine a stable local address so the forwarding rule does not silently point to a different device later.
7. Start and verify
- Launch the process with the selected configuration and port.
- Read the startup log for configuration, mission, mod, or binding errors.
- Confirm that the process is listening on the port specified in the command line.
- From a client on the same network, check local discovery if LAN access is intended.
- From a client on a different network, test Internet discovery and joining.
- Have that client use the same game branch and required mod set as the server.
This order separates installation problems from network problems: first prove that the process starts, then prove local access, then prove access from outside the LAN.
Default ports and what to forward
The official dedicated-server guide lists this default inbound UDP range:
| UDP port | Documented role |
|---|---|
| 2302 | Game port; the guide’s note includes voice-over-network traffic with the main port |
| 2303 | Steam query port, game port plus 1 |
| 2304 | Steam master port, game port plus 2 |
| 2305 | Reserved VON port; described by the guide as not currently used |
| 2306 | BattlEye traffic, game port plus 4 |
The startup parameter reference says -port= sets the dedicated server’s listening port. The server-configuration reference says hosts behind NAT or a firewall should forward and open the game and Steam ports. Treat 2302–2306 as defaults, not universal values: if your command line uses another base port, forward the corresponding actual range. Multiple instances must never share the same ports.
Router checklist
- Give the server computer a stable private IPv4 address.
- Create UDP forwarding rules for the configured game, query, master, reserved VON, and BattlEye ports.
- Point every rule to the correct server computer.
- Save the router configuration and verify that the rule remains after a reboot.
- Check whether the internet connection uses carrier-grade NAT, DS-Lite, or another arrangement that prevents unsolicited inbound IPv4 traffic.
Host-firewall checklist
- Allow the server executable or the configured UDP ports.
- Apply the rule to the network profile used by the server machine.
- Keep unrelated inbound ports closed.
- After changing the listening port, update both the firewall and router rules.
Player capacity: what you can and cannot promise
Arma 3’s official FAQ does not state a technical hard limit for player count. It says reasonable maximums depend on the selected scenario, server hardware, and available bandwidth. Typical scenarios cater for 2 to 64 players, but that range is not a guarantee for every mission or mod set.
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Capacity planning should therefore start with the actual workload:
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- Scenario complexity: AI count, scripts, physics, and persistence can matter more than the nominal player-slot number.
- Server hardware: CPU performance, available memory, and storage responsiveness affect simulation and loading.
- Upload bandwidth: the server must send state to every connected client; a fast download connection does not guarantee adequate upload capacity.
- Mod set: large or script-heavy packages increase download, startup, and runtime demands.
- Competing workloads: running the game, voice software, backups, or other services on the same machine reduces headroom.
Start with fewer slots than your theoretical target, observe logs and player experience during the actual mission, and increase the limit only after the server remains stable. Do not convert the 2 GB/4 GB memory figures into a promise of a particular player count.
Make versions and mods match
A server can be reachable and still reject a player. Keep the server and clients on compatible Arma 3 versions, including the same stable or experimental/development branch. The official FAQ identifies branch or version mismatch as a possible cause of connection failure.
Use a short onboarding checklist for every player:
- Update Arma 3 to the branch and version required by the event.
- Install every required user-created mod or add-on.
- Use the same mod versions and load order where the mission requires it.
- Restart the game after changing the mod set.
- Join only after the server’s log shows that the mission and required content loaded.
When troubleshooting, remove optional mods first rather than changing several core settings at once. A minimal, known-good mission and mod set gives you a reliable baseline.
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The server is not visible to anyone
- Confirm the server process started without a configuration or binding error.
- Check that it is listening on the port specified by
-port=. - Confirm that the firewall allows the configured UDP traffic.
- Confirm that router forwarding points to the server machine’s current private address.
- Check whether the connection is behind carrier-grade NAT, DS-Lite, or another service that blocks inbound IPv4.
Players on the same LAN can join, but Internet players cannot
This usually separates a functioning server from an edge-network problem. Recheck Internet versus LAN server configuration, all required UDP forwarding rules, the host firewall, and the public address being used. Test from a genuinely different network, such as a mobile connection, rather than from another device behind the same router.
The server appears, but a player is rejected
- Compare the server and client game branches and versions.
- Compare required mods and add-on versions.
- Check whether the selected mission requires content the client does not have.
- Read the client and server logs for the named missing or mismatched package.
Players connect, but the session performs poorly
Reduce the player limit or choose a lighter scenario, then compare the result. Check CPU, memory, disk, and upload utilization on the host. Remove optional script-heavy mods and avoid running unrelated workloads on the same machine. The official guidance makes scenario, hardware, and bandwidth the relevant capacity variables; increasing RAM alone cannot solve every simulation bottleneck.
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A change broke a previously working server
- Stop the server.
- Restore the last known-good configuration and mod manifest.
- Start the server and test with one client.
- Reapply changes one at a time, keeping the log from each start.
Operate a dedicated server safely
Keep configuration and content organized
Separate configuration, profiles, logs, missions, and downloaded mods into clearly named locations. Record the base port, public name, password policy, mission rotation, and mod versions. This makes a restart or migration reproducible instead of dependent on one administrator’s memory.
Back up before updates
Before updating the server package, missions, or major mods, copy the working configuration, profile data, mission list, and mod manifest. Keep at least one rollback copy. Update during a planned maintenance window and test a client join before announcing that the server is ready.
Use least exposure
Forward only the documented ports you actually use. Keep operating-system administration interfaces separate from the game’s public ports and protected by strong credentials. If the server is private, use the configuration’s password and access controls rather than relying only on an obscure server name.
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Logs reveal failed bindings, missing files, rejected mods, and mission-loading errors. A scheduled restart can help a long-running community server, but set it around player activity and announce the schedule. Do not treat an automatic restart as a substitute for investigating recurring errors.
When managed hosting makes sense
A managed Arma 3 service is a paid alternative when you want an always-on endpoint but do not want to maintain the host operating system, router forwarding, backups, and updates yourself. Before subscribing, verify the features that matter to your server:
- Access to configuration files and startup parameters.
- Ability to upload missions and install the mods your group requires.
- Control over the base port and support for additional instances if needed.
- Automated backups, log access, scheduled restarts, and version selection.
- Clear policy for bandwidth, player slots, support response, and data retention.
Commercial prices and capabilities vary, so compare the service’s current documentation with your mission and mod requirements. A managed service removes much of the host maintenance; it does not remove the need to keep client versions and mods compatible.
If you want an always-on server without running your own machine, Godlike.Host’s Arma 3 server hosting is one option to check against the list above: its panel includes SFTP/FTP access, a task scheduler, and up to three free backups a day with restore, with 24/7 support by live chat or ticket.
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Practical decision checklist
- Choose a listen server if the session is occasional, the host will play, and ending the game when the host quits is acceptable.
- Choose a self-hosted dedicated server if the server must persist, you need full file and mod control, and you can manage firewall and router access.
- Choose managed hosting if persistence matters but maintaining a machine and public network path does not fit your time or connection.
Whichever route you select, validate it with one simple mission before adding a large mod collection or inviting a full roster. A working baseline makes every later capacity and troubleshooting decision easier.
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