Arma Reforger Dedicated Server: Complete Self-Hosting Guide

An Arma Reforger dedicated server runs the multiplayer world without a player hosting from the game menu. The route is to install the server files, choose a scenario in a valid config.json, launch the server with its own profile, then make the right UDP port reachable and keep the server version aligned with players. This page maps those decisions and links to Bohemia’s current field references. For a block-by-block explanation of the case-sensitive JSON keys and documented defaults, see our Arma Reforger config.json field guide. It is an overview: a process listening on your machine does not prove that a router, firewall or outside player can reach it.

Plan the Arma Reforger dedicated server route#

Self-hosting fits a group that has a spare 64-bit PC or Linux machine, a stable internet connection, and someone willing to keep the server patched. The machine must stay powered on whenever the group expects to play. If the same PC also runs the game, both workloads share its resources. A home connection also puts router and firewall setup on the host.

A dedicated server is different from Multiplayer → Host in the game. The in-game player-hosted session runs on the player’s PC and is only available on PC; the standalone server software can host a world for PC, Xbox and PS5 players on the stable branch when crossplay is enabled. Console players cannot run this dedicated server package on their console.

If leaving a PC on and handling patches is the part you want to avoid, Game Hosting’s managed Arma Reforger server is the other route. Its service page describes its current panel and the supported PC, Xbox and PS5 scope. If you are comparing that option with a home server, our guide to choosing an Arma Reforger host lays out the trade-offs.

Choose stable or Experimental before installing#

As checked on October 6, 2026, the latest stable release listed by Bohemia is 1.8.0.13, published September 3. The 1.9.0.10 Experimental update was published September 22 for the Steam and Xbox Experimental applications. Experimental is a separate branch for testing; it is not compatible with the main game version. A server on one branch will not become a cross-platform meeting point for clients on the other.

For a normal group server, install the stable server and let each player use the current main game version. Experimental changes can affect scenarios and mods, so use that branch only when the group deliberately wants to test it and everyone can use a matching client. The current Experimental update names Steam and Xbox applications; do not assume a PS5 Experimental client is available.

Bohemia’s Experimental overview explains the separate testing branch, and its 1.9.0.10 notes confirm which Experimental apps were updated.

Install the dedicated server tools#

Bohemia publishes a dedicated-server package for Windows and native Linux. The current stable Steam app is 1874900; its Experimental counterpart is a different app. The server package is separate from the playable game, and Bohemia’s server-hosting guide documents anonymous SteamCMD installation. You can install the server without using a paid Steam login for the game.

Keep the server files in a dedicated folder with enough space for the base install, downloaded Workshop content and profile data. SteamCMD reported about 10.2 GB of installed Windows server files on October 6, 2026; that figure is a dated snapshot and excludes your mod collection. Leave additional room rather than treating it as a fixed requirement. Steam Tools is another Windows route for someone who prefers the Steam client; the underlying dedicated server is still distinct from the playable game.

The standalone executable is named ArmaReforgerServer (with .exe on Windows). Do not follow an Arma 3 server tutorial: Reforger has its own executable, JSON schema, port defaults, Bohemia Workshop and RCON protocol. For the exact SteamCMD commands or Steam Tools screens, use the official hosting page and confirm the app ID before installing.

Set the scenario and platform rules in config.json#

The server reads a JSON configuration selected at launch. Property names are case-sensitive, and values must use the type shown in Bohemia’s Server Config reference. Set the server name, a scenario ID, visibility, player password and admin access there. Keep fastValidation enabled for a public server, and use the game’s documented maxPlayers setting as a technical limit rather than a promise that your hardware can sustain that population.

Crossplay is not on by default in a bare server config. The official game.crossPlatform setting defaults to false, which accepts PC only; setting it to true accepts PC, Xbox and PlayStation. Bohemia recommends that all-platform servers use this setting and leave supportedPlatforms undefined; the documented choices are PC-only or all three platforms. The clients and server still need the same release channel, and console players may be unable to join if required mods are incompatible or exceed their available storage. For the exact crossplay edit and checks, see how to enable crossplay on an Arma Reforger server.

For server administration, Reforger supports platform identity values as well as Steam IDs in the documented admin configuration. Console users may need their Bohemia IdentityId; do not copy an Arma 3 admin setup that assumes a Steam ID for every player. Keep passwords private and never paste a real admin or RCON password into a public guide or support post.

Start the server and check its local logs#

Launch the executable from the server installation directory so its relative addons folder resolves correctly. The standard command shape on Windows is:

.\ArmaReforgerServer.exe -config ".\config.json" -profile ".\profile" -maxFPS 60

On Linux, run ./ArmaReforgerServer with the same -config, -profile and -maxFPS options using Linux paths. Bohemia recommends capping server FPS; 60 is a documented example, not a performance benchmark. Keep the profile directory separate from replaceable game files so that logs and server data have a predictable home.

Watch the console and the profile’s dated logs folder during startup. A JSON parse error, missing scenario or missing game addon is a startup problem; first check that the config path is correct and that you launched from the install folder. A server process and a local UDP socket show that the program started and bound locally. They do not establish that friends can see or join it from another network, or that a console client can download every required mod.

The official startup parameters reference documents the launch flags. Use the server’s actual log output to diagnose your run rather than copying a success line from a different version or host. If you have not chosen how to run the server yet, our Arma Reforger hosting route guide compares a home PC, VPS and managed plan before installation.

Expose only the network services you use#

The default public game port is UDP 2001. Forward it to the server machine and allow it through that machine’s firewall if players will connect from outside your home. The optional UDP 17777 port serves A2S queries; UDP 19999 is the native Reforger RCON port when that service is configured. Do not open optional ports just because an old guide lists them, and the documented defaults do not require TCP forwarding.

publicPort is the address players reach from outside; bindPort is the local game socket. Bohemia allows publicAddress to be left empty for automatic address detection in ordinary setups. Set it only when the actual public address needs to be specified, and make sure that address and port are reachable. Double NAT, CGNAT or a firewall upstream of your router can prevent inbound connections even when your local rule looks correct.

Test from a network outside the server’s LAN when checking public reachability. A successful local launch or same-network test cannot verify router forwarding, upstream filtering or NAT loopback behavior. If you configure native RCON, keep its password separate from the in-game admin password and follow Reforger’s protocol documentation; BattlEye RCON is a different interface. The detailed port and forwarding fields are in Bohemia’s server configuration reference.

Keep versions, mods and saves aligned#

Players update their game through their platform; your dedicated server must move to a compatible build too. After a game patch, update the server and check the required mods before opening it to the group. Mods for Reforger come from Bohemia Workshop, not Steam Workshop. The server lists the Workshop mods it needs, and clients download those requirements when joining. For the panel workflow and a checklist before changing a mod list, see our published Arma Reforger server mods guide.

Crossplay does not remove console storage limits: Bohemia documents 25 GB on PS5 and 50 GB on Xbox for mods. If a pack is too large for a console player’s available space, that player may not be able to join the modded server. Check mod authorship, required dependencies, platform support and game-version compatibility on each Workshop page; a server booting successfully is not proof that every client’s mod set will work.

The persistence settings documented by Bohemia default to autosaving every 10 minutes, retaining 10 saves and loading the latest save on startup where the scenario supports persistence. The save format changed in version 1.7, so older save data may not be usable after an update. Back up the profile and world before a version change, scenario switch, mod overhaul, restore or wipe, and confirm that the copy can be recovered before deleting the source.

For exact config fields, ports and save settings, use Bohemia’s Server Config and Persistence System references. They are the authority for the version you are running; keep your own notes on the branch, scenario and mods that were last known to work.