Knowledgebase

Insurgency: Sandstorm is a multiplayer tactical first-person shooter that emphasizes team-based strategy and immersive environments. Hosting your own dedicated server allows you to have more control over the game’s rules, server settings, and performance. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up an Insurgency: Sandstorm server on your AnonVM VPS.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• A VPS from AnonVM with at least 4 GB of RAM and 2 CPU cores.
• SSH access to your VPS.
• Basic knowledge of Linux commands.
• SteamCMD installed on your VPS. If SteamCMD is not installed, you can refer to our earlier guides for installation.

Step 1: Access Your AnonVM VPS

1. Log in to your AnonVM account and access your VPS.
2. Use an SSH client like PuTTY (on Windows) or your terminal (Linux/Mac) to connect to your VPS:
    

   ssh root@your-vps-ip
   Replace your-vps-ip with your actual VPS IP address. Enter your password when prompted.

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

1. Update the system:

    

   apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y

2. Install necessary dependencies:

    

   apt-get install wget curl unzip screen lib32gcc1 -y

These libraries will ensure your server operates correctly.

Step 3: Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is the tool used to download and manage Insurgency: Sandstorm server files. If you already have SteamCMD installed, you can skip this step.

1. Create a directory for SteamCMD:

    

   mkdir -p /home/steam cd /home/steam

2. Download and extract SteamCMD:

    

   wget https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd_linux.tar.gz tar -xvzf steamcmd_linux.tar.gz

3. Verify the installation:

    

   ./steamcmd.sh

   This will launch SteamCMD. Type quit to exit when done.

Step 4: Download the Insurgency: Sandstorm Server Files

Now, let’s download the Insurgency: Sandstorm dedicated server files.

1. Log in to SteamCMD:

    

   ./steamcmd.sh login anonymous

2. Set the installation directory:

    

   force_install_dir ./insurgency_sandstorm_server

3. Download the server files:

    

   app_update 581330 validate

   This command will download the server files into the specified directory. The download process may take a while depending on your connection.

Step 5: Configure the Server

Once the server files are downloaded, configure your server settings.

1. Navigate to the server directory:

    

   cd /home/steam/insurgency_sandstorm_server

2. Configure server settings: The main configuration file for the server is server.cfg. You can open it using any text editor (e.g., nano):

    

   nano server.cfg

   Some key settings to modify:

   • Server Name: Customize your server name with hostname "Your Server Name".
   • Max Players: Modify the maximum number of players allowed on your server.
   • Port: Ensure the default port (27015) is open on your VPS.

   Save and close the file (CTRL+X, then Y to confirm).

Step 6: Open Required Ports

To allow players to connect to your Insurgency: Sandstorm server, you must open the necessary ports.

1. Open the default game port (27015):
    

   ufw allow 27015/tcp ufw reload

This will allow incoming connections to the game server.

Step 7: Start the Insurgency: Sandstorm Server

Now that the server is configured and ports are open, it’s time to start the server.

1. Start the server in a screen session: Running the server in a screen session allows the server to continue running even if you disconnect from SSH:

    

   screen -S sandstorm

2. Run the server: To start the server, run the following command:

    

   ./start_server.sh

   This script will start the server and you should see logs showing the server is running.

3. Detach from the screen session: To detach from the screen session, press CTRL + A, then D.

4. Reattach to the session: If you need to view the server’s console or interact with it, use:

    

   screen -r sandstorm

Step 8: Connect to Your Server

To join your Insurgency: Sandstorm server:

1. Open Insurgency: Sandstorm on your game client.
2. Go to the Multiplayer section and select Direct Connect.
3. Enter your VPS IP address and port (e.g., your-vps-ip:27015).
4. If you set a password, you will be prompted to enter it.

Step 9: Update the Server

To keep your server up to date, use SteamCMD to check for updates.

1. Log in to SteamCMD:

    

   ./steamcmd.sh login anonymous

2. Update the server:

    

   force_install_dir ./insurgency_sandstorm_server app_update 581330 validate

This will update the server to the latest version.

Conclusion

Your Insurgency: Sandstorm dedicated server is now up and running on AnonVM! You can invite friends, set custom game modes, and adjust the server rules to fit your gameplay preferences. Make sure to keep your server updated and monitor its performance for the best experience.

By following this guide, you can enjoy a customized multiplayer experience with full control over your Insurgency: Sandstorm server. Happy gaming!