[
 {
  "title": "Affiliate Disclosure",
  "url": "/affiliate-disclosure.html",
  "description": "HostingBuff's affiliate disclosure. Written by Keishin — 15+ years self-hosting game servers. Every partner is a provider we've actually used. Full transparency on commissions.",
  "heading": "Affiliate Disclosure",
  "snippet": "HostingBuff is written by Keishin — someone who has been self-hosting game servers since 2010 and has spent real money with most of the providers reviewed here. This page explains exactly who pays us,",
  "content": "HostingBuff is written by Keishin — someone who has been self-hosting game servers since 2010 and has spent real money with most of the providers reviewed here. This page explains exactly who pays us, how much, and — most importantly — why that never decides which tools we recommend. Home / Affiliate Disclosure LEGAL • TRANSPARENCY Last updated: 2026-04-20 Read time: 3 min 01 // The Short Version When you click a partner link on this site and sign up, we earn a commission. You pay the same price either way — nothing is added for you. Every guide and review on HostingBuff is free to read, forever, because of this. We don't take payment to review something positively. We don't accept sponsored guides. Every provider reviewed on this site has been used as a paying customer at some point by Ke",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
 },
 {
  "title": "Compare Game Server Hosting 2026 — Hostinger, Shockbyte, Nitrado, ZAP, GTX",
  "url": "/compare.html",
  "description": "Compare the 5 game server hosts we review: Hostinger VPS, Shockbyte, ZAP-Hosting, GTXGaming, Nitrado. Interactive quiz picks the right host for your game.",
  "heading": "Compare Game Server Hosting",
  "snippet": "Side-by-side comparison of the 5 hosts we review. Answer 3 questions and the quiz below picks the right one for your game, skill level, and budget — or skip ahead to the verdict matrix and by-game rec",
  "content": "Side-by-side comparison of the 5 hosts we review. Answer 3 questions and the quiz below picks the right one for your game, skill level, and budget — or skip ahead to the verdict matrix and by-game recommendations. 2026 Edition · Updated Apr 2026 Take the Quiz → Skip to Matrix Read Full Reviews // Host Picker Quiz Three questions. Takes 20 seconds. The quiz uses the same decision logic we apply in our individual reviews — it won't always pick an affiliate partner when a non-partner fits better. STEP 1 OF 3 What game are you hosting? Minecraft (Java or Bedrock) Rust FiveM / RedM (GTA RP) ARK: Survival Evolved CS2 / TF2 / Garry's Mod Valheim Other / multiple games STEP 2 OF 3 How comfortable are you with Linux and the command line? Very comfortable Root SSH, apt, systemd, cron — I know my way",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "Contact HostingBuff — Reach Keishin",
  "url": "/contact.html",
  "description": "Contact HostingBuff. Ask hosting questions, report broken guides, or reach Keishin directly. Replies within 48 hours on weekdays.",
  "heading": "Contact HostingBuff — Reach Keishin",
  "snippet": "",
  "content": " ",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "GTXGaming Review 2026 — UK Source Engine Specialist, Honest Verdict",
  "url": "/reviews/gtxgaming-review.html",
  "description": "GTXGaming review 2026. Personal experience with their CS2, TF2, Garry's Mod, and ARK hosting based on UK datacenter advantages, Source-engine specialism, and aggregated community sentiment. Verdict: 3.9/5.",
  "heading": "GTXGaming Review 2026",
  "snippet": "Twenty years in business. A personal-experience review of their CS2, TF2, Garry's Mod, and ARK hosting — UK datacenter advantages, Source-engine expertise, and where they fall short.",
  "content": "Twenty years in business. A personal-experience review of their CS2, TF2, Garry's Mod, and ARK hosting — UK datacenter advantages, Source-engine expertise, and where they fall short. Home / Reviews / GTXGaming REVIEW • MANAGED HOSTING • SOURCE ENGINE SPECIALIST Published: 2026-04-19 Last updated: 2026-04-19 Review type: Personal experience 18 min read Sources: Real paid account + community sentiment HostingBuff earns a commission when readers sign up via our GTXGaming link. This does not affect our verdict or verdict. See our full disclosure . VERDICT — 3.9 / 5 GTXGaming is a specialist host doing specialist hosting well. Two decades in business, deep Source engine knowledge, strong UK/EU latency, and honest pricing. The TCAdmin-based panel feels dated against modern custo",
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 {
  "title": "Game Server Host Reviews 2026 — Honest Pros & Cons",
  "url": "/reviews/",
  "description": "Honest reviews of the biggest game server hosts in 2026 — written by an admin running real servers on them. Physgun, Shockbyte, ZAP-Hosting, GTXGaming, Hostinger, Nitrado.",
  "heading": "Game Server Host Reviews",
  "snippet": "Honest, no-BS reviews of the biggest game server hosts in 2026. Real pros, real cons, real verdicts — from a sysadmin who actually runs production servers. No sponsored fluff, no copy-paste marketing,",
  "content": "Honest, no-BS reviews of the biggest game server hosts in 2026. Real pros, real cons, real verdicts — from a sysadmin who actually runs production servers. No sponsored fluff, no copy-paste marketing, just what you need to know before paying. Home / Reviews Reviews • Independent // Hosts We Cover Managed • Rust — Featured Physgun Review 2026 Premium managed Rust hosting. Currently running an active Rust community server with them — the most hands-on review on the site. Ryzen hardware, engaged support, automatic forced-wipe handling. Verdict: 4.4/5. Includes 30% first-purchase discount. 4.4 / 5 — Read review → Managed • Minecraft Shockbyte Review 2026 The Minecraft hosting titan — cheap entry point, massive SSD allocation. Editorial analysis of performance, support reputation, and who shoul",
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 {
  "title": "HostingBuff — Expert Game Server Setup Guides & Tools",
  "url": "/",
  "description": "Battle-tested guides for hosting Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2 and more. Written by actual server admins who run production servers.",
  "heading": "Expert Game Server Guides, Battle-Tested",
  "snippet": "Stop following outdated tutorials. Every guide on HostingBuff is written by sysadmins who actually run the servers in production. Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2 — setup walkthroughs you can trust.",
  "content": "Stop following outdated tutorials. Every guide on HostingBuff is written by sysadmins who actually run the servers in production. Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2 — setup walkthroughs you can trust. System Online > 15 years running game servers > 10+ providers tested > Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2, FiveM, RedM, Valheim & more > Self-hosted & managed, Windows & Linux Browse Guides → Free Tools // Next Rust Force Wipe -- Days -- Hours -- Min -- Sec See full schedule → 50+ // Server Guides 15 // Games Covered 24/7 // Uptime Focus 0€ // Always Free // Latest Guides View all → Rust Rust Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026 Complete walkthrough for running a Rust server on Ubuntu 22.04. SteamCMD, Oxide/Carbon, firewall rules, wipe automation. 45 min read Intermediate Minecraft Minecraft Java ",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "Hostinger VPS Review 2026 — KVM VPS vs Game Panel, Honest Verdict",
  "url": "/reviews/hostinger-vps-review.html",
  "description": "Hostinger VPS review 2026. Personal experience with Hostinger's standard KVM VPS (for DIY admins) and Game Panel VPS (for beginners). AMD EPYC, KVM virtualization, 8 locations. Verdict: 4.3/5.",
  "heading": "Hostinger VPS Review 2026",
  "snippet": "A personal-experience review of Hostinger’s two VPS product lines — standard KVM VPS for DIY admins and Game Panel VPS for beginners. What each is good for, where they fall short, and which one fits y",
  "content": "A personal-experience review of Hostinger’s two VPS product lines — standard KVM VPS for DIY admins and Game Panel VPS for beginners. What each is good for, where they fall short, and which one fits your workload. Home / Reviews / Hostinger VPS REVIEW • VPS INFRASTRUCTURE • DIY + GAME PANEL Published: 2026-04-19 Last updated: 2026-04-19 Review type: Personal experience 18 min read Sources: Real paid account + community sentiment HostingBuff earns a commission when readers sign up via our Hostinger links. This does not affect our verdict or verdict. See our full disclosure . VERDICT — 4.3 / 5 Hostinger is the best-value VPS infrastructure on the market for game-server operators who know (or want to learn) Linux. AMD EPYC hardware, full KVM virtualization, 8 datacenter locations, and aggress",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "Nitrado Review 2026 — Honest Editorial Analysis (ARK, Minecraft, Console Cross-Play)",
  "url": "/reviews/nitrado-review.html",
  "description": "Honest Nitrado review 2026. Personal experience with the premium console cross-play game host for ARK, Minecraft Bedrock, Palworld, and DayZ. Verdict: 3.8/5.",
  "heading": "Nitrado Review 2026 — The Premium Console-Friendly Host",
  "snippet": "Nitrado is one of the oldest and largest managed game-server hosts on the market — German-operated (marbis GmbH, founded 2001), official partner of Studio Wildcard for ARK, official Minecraft Bedrock ",
  "content": "Nitrado is one of the oldest and largest managed game-server hosts on the market — German-operated (marbis GmbH, founded 2001), official partner of Studio Wildcard for ARK, official Minecraft Bedrock partner, and the dominant name in console cross-play hosting. This is a personal-experience review written by Keishin (self-hosting game servers since 2010), with paid Nitrado accounts used for ARK and Minecraft Bedrock at various points, cross-checked against their official documentation, the Nitrado Community Forum, r/Nitrado, and aggregated Trustpilot sentiment — not a controlled benchmark. Our honest verdict is 3.8 out of 5: Nitrado genuinely owns the console cross-play niche (ARK, Bedrock, DayZ Xbox) where almost nobody else competes, and the infrastructure is reliable — but you pay a mea",
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  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "Physgun Review 2026 — Hands-On From an Active Rust Server",
  "url": "/reviews/physgun-review.html",
  "description": "Physgun review 2026. Hands-on experience running an active Rust server with them. Honest pros, cons, real support interactions, and whether the premium pricing is worth it. Verdict: 4.4/5.",
  "heading": "Physgun Review 2026",
  "snippet": "This is the most hands-on review on the site. I have been running an active Rust community server on Physgun — this covers the good, the annoying, and the things I wish I had known before signing up.",
  "content": "This is the most hands-on review on the site. I have been running an active Rust community server on Physgun — this covers the good, the annoying, and the things I wish I had known before signing up. Home / Reviews / Physgun REVIEW • HANDS-ON • RUST SPECIALIST Published: 2026-04-20 Last updated: 2026-04-20 Review type: Hands-on (active customer) 14 min read By Keishin — 15+ years self-hosting HostingBuff earns a commission when readers sign up via our Physgun link, and there is a 30% first-purchase discount applied automatically through our link. Commission does not affect the verdict — I am still a paying customer and the server is still running as I write this. See our full disclosure . VERDICT — 4.4 / 5 Physgun is the premium managed Rust host I would recommend to anyone running a serio",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
 },
 {
  "title": "Privacy Policy",
  "url": "/privacy.html",
  "description": "HostingBuff privacy policy — what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights. Plain English, no dark patterns, no data selling.",
  "heading": "Privacy Policy",
  "snippet": "This is the short, plain-English version of what HostingBuff does with data. No dark patterns, no data selling, no tricky legalese. If you have a question this policy does not answer, email [email pro",
  "content": "This is the short, plain-English version of what HostingBuff does with data. No dark patterns, no data selling, no tricky legalese. If you have a question this policy does not answer, email [email protected]. Home / Privacy Policy Last updated: 2026-04-20 Effective: 2026-04-20 01 // What we collect HostingBuff is a static content site. We do not run user accounts, do not ask you to sign in, and do not collect personal information directly. The only data generated by your visit is: Server logs (Netlify) — our host logs your IP address, user agent, referring URL, and the path you requested. This is standard CDN behaviour and is used to serve the site, detect abuse, and keep the network healthy. See Netlify’s privacy policy for retention details. We do not access or analyse these logs for mar",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
 },
 {
  "title": "Rust Force Wipe Schedule 2026 — Live Countdown & Next Wipe Time",
  "url": "/rust-wipe-schedule.html",
  "description": "Live countdown to the next Rust force wipe. Next wipe: Thursday May 7, 2026 at 19:00 UTC. Full 12-month schedule, timezone converter, and add-to-calendar links.",
  "heading": "Next Rust Force Wipe in",
  "snippet": "📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026 · 19:00 UTC",
  "content": "📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026 · 19:00 UTC // Live Countdown 15 Days 17 Hours 22 Minutes 00 Seconds Your local time: detecting... Add to Google Calendar Download .ics (Apple / Outlook) Copy link Home / Rust Wipe Schedule Every first Thursday of the month, at exactly 19:00 UTC, Facepunch force-wipes every official Rust server. New map, fresh start, everyone equal. This page shows you the next wipe, the next twelve wipes after it, and lets you see all of them in your local timezone. Next Force Wipe May 7, 2026 Time (UTC) 19:00 Rule 1st Thursday Frequency Monthly 01 // Full 12-Month Wipe Schedule Every Rust force wipe for the next twelve ",
  "tags": [
   "rust",
   "wipe"
  ],
  "type": "page"
 },
 {
  "title": "Search",
  "url": "/search.html",
  "description": "Search HostingBuff for game server setup guides, hosting panels, comparison tools, and honest provider reviews.",
  "heading": ">_ Search HostingBuff",
  "snippet": "Find guides, panels, tools, and honest hosting reviews. Type anything — game names, commands, provider names, or error messages.",
  "content": "Find guides, panels, tools, and honest hosting reviews. Type anything — game names, commands, provider names, or error messages. >_ CLEAR Start typing to search Searches title, description, and full content of every page on the site. rust minecraft pterodactyl fivem ark cs2 hostinger rust wipe // Search tips Press ⌘K or Ctrl+K anywhere on the site to open quick search. Press / (forward slash) anywhere to jump straight into search. Search is fuzzy — partial words work (e.g. ptero finds Pterodactyl). You can link directly to a search result page: /search?q=minecraft",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
 },
 {
  "title": "Shockbyte Review 2026 — Honest Review",
  "url": "/reviews/shockbyte-review.html",
  "description": "Shockbyte review 2026. Personal experience with their Minecraft, Rust, ARK and modpack hosting based on pricing, feature comparison, and aggregated community sentiment. Honest pros, cons, and who should avoid them.",
  "heading": "Shockbyte Review 2026",
  "snippet": "A personal-experience review of Shockbyte’s managed game server hosting — built from their public pricing, panel/feature set, and aggregated community sentiment across Trustpilot, Reddit, and sysadmin",
  "content": "A personal-experience review of Shockbyte’s managed game server hosting — built from their public pricing, panel/feature set, and aggregated community sentiment across Trustpilot, Reddit, and sysadmin forums. Home / Reviews / Shockbyte REVIEW • MANAGED HOSTING Published: 2026-04-19 Last updated: 2026-04-19 Review type: Personal experience 16 min read Sources: Real paid account + community sentiment HostingBuff earns a commission when readers sign up via our Shockbyte link. This does not affect our verdict or verdict below. See our full disclosure . VERDICT — 4.0 / 5 Shockbyte is the right host for beginners who want a Minecraft, Rust, or ARK server running in under five minutes without touching Linux. Pricing is among the lowest in the market, the one-click mod installer genuinely works, a",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "Terms of Use",
  "url": "/terms.html",
  "description": "HostingBuff terms of use — how you may use the site, our content, and our tools. Plain English, reasonable rules.",
  "heading": "Terms of Use",
  "snippet": "Short version: use the site, follow the guides, run your servers, have fun. Do not scrape us into bot farms or pretend our content is yours. That is it.",
  "content": "Short version: use the site, follow the guides, run your servers, have fun. Do not scrape us into bot farms or pretend our content is yours. That is it. Home / Terms of Use Last updated: 2026-04-18 Effective: 2026-04-18 01 // Who we are HostingBuff (“we”, “us”, “HostingBuff”) publishes free, vendor-neutral game server setup guides and tools at hostingbuff.com . The site is provided as-is for anyone who wants to learn how to host game servers. 02 // Acceptable use You may: Read, bookmark, and share any guide or blog post with credit back to hostingbuff.com Quote short excerpts (up to ~200 words) in articles, videos, forum posts, and Discord servers with a link to the source page Follow the tutorials on your own hardware, VPS, or game-hosting ac",
  "tags": [],
  "type": "page"
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 {
  "title": "ZAP-Hosting Review 2026 — Official CFX Partner, Honest Verdict",
  "url": "/reviews/zap-hosting-review.html",
  "description": "ZAP-Hosting review 2026. Personal experience with their FiveM, RedM, Minecraft and Rust hosting based on pricing, CFX partner status, and aggregated community sentiment. Plus the 20% voucher code.",
  "heading": "ZAP-Hosting Review 2026",
  "snippet": "Official CFX partner. A personal-experience review of their FiveM, RedM, and managed game server offering — plus a permanent 20% voucher code.",
  "content": "Official CFX partner. A personal-experience review of their FiveM, RedM, and managed game server offering — plus a permanent 20% voucher code. Home / Reviews / ZAP-Hosting REVIEW • MANAGED HOSTING • FIVEM / REDM Published: 2026-04-19 Last updated: 2026-04-19 Review type: Personal experience 19 min read Sources: Real paid account + community sentiment HostingBuff earns a commission when readers sign up via our ZAP-Hosting link. This does not affect our verdict or verdict below. See our full disclosure . VERDICT — 4.2 / 5 ZAP-Hosting is the default choice for FiveM and RedM servers in 2026, full stop. As an official Cfx.re partner they get direct API access that independent hosts do not — meaning one-click txAdmin, instant artifact upd",
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 {
  "title": "ARK Dedicated Server Setup 2026 — Linux Guide for Survival Ascended (ASA) & Evolved (ASE)",
  "url": "/guides/ark-dedicated-config.html",
  "description": "Complete ARK dedicated server guide for 2026. Covers both ASA (Survival Ascended) on Proton/Linux and ASE (Survival Evolved) native — SteamCMD, mods, clustering, RCON.",
  "heading": "ARK Dedicated Server Setup 2026 — ASA & ASE on Linux",
  "snippet": "The definitive 2026 ARK dedicated server guide — covers both ARK: Survival Ascended (the UE5 remaster most servers are running now) and ARK: Survival Evolved (still alive with its huge legacy mod libr",
  "content": "The definitive 2026 ARK dedicated server guide — covers both ARK: Survival Ascended (the UE5 remaster most servers are running now) and ARK: Survival Evolved (still alive with its huge legacy mod library). Full install walkthroughs, GameUserSettings.ini deep dive, the mod install trap that catches nearly everyone (-passivemods), clustering, crossplay, RCON, backups, and hardware recommendations that actually hold up under load. Home / Guides / ARK Dedicated Server ARK • DEDICATED SERVER Published: 2026-01-12 Updated: 2026-04-18 45 min read Difficulty: Intermediate Heads up — ASA has no native Linux server Studio Wildcard never shipped a native Linux binary for ARK: Survival Ascended. You have two real options on Linux: run the Windows server binary under Proton/Wine (community-supported, t",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "ark"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "CS2 Dedicated Server Setup Guide 2026 — Linux, CounterStrikeSharp, Competitive Configs",
  "url": "/guides/cs2-server-setup.html",
  "description": "Complete 2026 guide to setting up a Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server on Linux. GSLT, CounterStrikeSharp plugins, competitive configs, Workshop maps, SourceTV, FastDL, troubleshooting.",
  "heading": "Counter-Strike 2 Dedicated Server Setup",
  "snippet": "Everything you need to run a real Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server on Linux in 2026 — GSLT, SteamCMD, server.cfg presets for competitive / DM / retake / 1v1 / community, CounterStrikeSharp plugin sup",
  "content": "Everything you need to run a real Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server on Linux in 2026 — GSLT, SteamCMD, server.cfg presets for competitive / DM / retake / 1v1 / community, CounterStrikeSharp plugin support (MetaMod + CSS, not SourceMod), Workshop map collections, SourceTV demos, FastDL for custom maps, and a troubleshooting table for the errors everyone actually hits. Home / Guides / CS2 Dedicated Server Guide • CS2 • Linux Published: 2026-04-18 Updated: 2026-04-18 Read time: 35 min Difficulty: Intermediate Important — 2026 plugin reality check SourceMod does not support CS2 and likely never will. The modern CS2 plugin stack is Metamod:Source + CounterStrikeSharp (CSS) , which uses C# / .NET 8 instead of SourcePawn. Old CS:GO tutorials telling you to install SourceMod on CS2 are wrong. This",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "cs2"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "FastDL Setup for CS2 & TF2 2026 — nginx, bz2, Auto-Sync",
  "url": "/guides/fastdl-setup-cs2-tf2.html",
  "description": "Complete FastDL setup for CS2 and TF2 — nginx HTTPS vhost, Let's Encrypt SSL, bz2 compression, automated rsync cron, and Cloudflare R2 / BunnyCDN migration path.",
  "heading": "FastDL Setup for CS2 & TF2 — nginx, bz2 & Auto-Sync",
  "snippet": "Without FastDL, players downloading a 40 MB custom map over the game socket at ~20 KB/s wait 33 minutes before they can join. With FastDL on the same VPS, that download takes 8 seconds. This guide wal",
  "content": "Without FastDL, players downloading a 40 MB custom map over the game socket at ~20 KB/s wait 33 minutes before they can join. With FastDL on the same VPS, that download takes 8 seconds. This guide walks through the full production setup on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 — nginx HTTPS vhost, Let's Encrypt SSL, bz2 compression for 60–80% bandwidth savings, automated rsync via systemd timers, and a migration path to Cloudflare R2 or BunnyCDN when your server takes off. Home / Guides / FastDL Setup SOURCE ENGINE • INFRASTRUCTURE Published: 2026-04-20 Updated: 2026-04-20 45 min read Difficulty: Intermediate Who this is for TF2 community server operators, CS2 admins running custom maps or workshop collections, and anyone running a Source-engine server where sv_allowdownload 1 is not cutting it. If all your ",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "cs2",
   "tf2"
  ],
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 {
  "title": "FiveM Server Setup on Linux 2026 — Full txAdmin + QBCore Guide",
  "url": "/guides/fivem-server-setup.html",
  "description": "Set up a FiveM GTA V roleplay server on Ubuntu 24.04 with txAdmin, CFX license key, QBCore framework, and MariaDB. Complete 2026 step-by-step guide.",
  "heading": "FiveM Server Setup on Ubuntu 24.04 — txAdmin + QBCore (2026)",
  "snippet": "A complete, battle-tested walkthrough for spinning up your own FiveM GTA V roleplay server on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. We cover the CFX license key, the current recommended Linux artifact (build 25770, txAdm",
  "content": "A complete, battle-tested walkthrough for spinning up your own FiveM GTA V roleplay server on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. We cover the CFX license key, the current recommended Linux artifact (build 25770, txAdmin 8.0.1), full txAdmin web-panel setup, MariaDB configuration, QBCore framework install, systemd auto-restart, and the 12 most common errors and their fixes. Everything here was verified against official Cfx.re documentation on 2026-04-19. Home / Guides / FiveM Server Setup FIVEM • ROLEPLAY • LINUX Published: 2026-04-19 Updated: 2026-04-19 Read time: 25 min Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // What is FiveM (and why you want your own server) FiveM is a modification framework for Grand Theft Auto V that enables custom multiplayer servers with Lua/JavaScript scripting, custom gamemodes, and synchroni",
  "tags": [
   "guide"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Game Server Setup Guides — Linux VPS Tutorials",
  "url": "/guides/",
  "description": "Step-by-step tutorials for hosting Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2, and Valheim servers on a Linux VPS. Free, accurate, kept up to date.",
  "heading": "All Guides",
  "snippet": "Every setup walkthrough, tuning guide, and configuration reference on HostingBuff. Filter by game or search for what you need.",
  "content": "Every setup walkthrough, tuning guide, and configuration reference on HostingBuff. Filter by game or search for what you need. Knowledge Base // Rust Rust Rust Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026 Complete walkthrough for running a Rust server on Ubuntu 22.04. SteamCMD, Oxide/Carbon, firewall rules, wipe automation. 45 min read Intermediate Rust Rust Server Wipe Guide — Force Wipes, BP Wipes & Community Strategy Live force-wipe countdown, 12-month calendar, wipe-day planner. When to wipe, how to wipe, and what it takes to land in the Official tab. 12 min read Interactive // Minecraft Minecraft Minecraft Java Server Performance Optimization Paper, Purpur, Pufferfish explained. JVM flags that actually work. View distanc",
  "tags": [
   "guide"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "How to Host a Game Server on Windows 11 / Windows Server 2026 — Full Guide",
  "url": "/guides/host-game-server-on-windows.html",
  "description": "Complete guide to hosting game servers on Windows 11 and Windows Server. SteamCMD install, firewall rules, auto-start as a service, port forwarding — everything in one page.",
  "heading": "How to Host a Game Server on Windows — Full 2026 Guide",
  "snippet": "Everything needed to host a dedicated game server on Windows 11, Windows 10, or Windows Server — SteamCMD, firewall rules, per-game launch commands, making it auto-start as a service, and opening your",
  "content": "Everything needed to host a dedicated game server on Windows 11, Windows 10, or Windows Server — SteamCMD, firewall rules, per-game launch commands, making it auto-start as a service, and opening your ports correctly. Written for first-timers but thorough enough for anyone moving a server off Linux. No other guide needed. Home / Guides / Host on Windows WINDOWS • HUB GUIDE Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 Read time: 22 min Difficulty: Beginner–Intermediate Before you start — is Windows actually the right choice? Most dedicated game servers perform 10-20% worse on Windows than on Linux and Windows chews through RAM on idle. Windows is the right choice if (a) you already know Windows and refuse to learn Linux, (b) the game only ships a Windows binary, or (c) you are hosting on your ",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "windows"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server Setup Guide 2026",
  "url": "/guides/minecraft-bedrock-dedicated-server.html",
  "description": "Complete guide to setting up a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server on Linux/Windows in 2026. Requirements, installation steps, and configuration.",
  "heading": "Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server Setup Guide 2026",
  "snippet": "This guide covers setting up a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server on Linux or Windows in 2026. We'll walk through system requirements, installation steps, configuration, and optimization for cross-pla",
  "content": "This guide covers setting up a Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server on Linux or Windows in 2026. We'll walk through system requirements, installation steps, configuration, and optimization for cross-platform play. Home / Guides / Minecraft Bedrock Server Minecraft • Guide Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 Read time: 15 min Difficulty: Beginner 01 // System Requirements Operating System — Windows 10 (version 1703 or later), Windows Server 2016 or later, or Ubuntu Linux 18.04 or later (22.04 LTS recommended) CPU — Minimum: Intel Core i3 3210 or AMD A8 7600 APU equivalent. Recommended: 2-4 vCPU cores at 3.0+ GHz RAM — Minimum: 4GB RAM. Recommended: 4-8GB for small servers (1-10 players), scaling with player count Storage — Minimum 10GB free space for world data and server files Network ",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "minecraft"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Minecraft Java Server Optimization 2026 — Paper, Aikar's Flags & TPS Fixes",
  "url": "/guides/minecraft-java-optimization.html",
  "description": "Fix Minecraft Java server lag: Paper/Purpur/Pufferfish comparison, Aikar's flags explained, server.properties tuning, spark profiler, view-distance math, and real TPS fixes for 2026.",
  "heading": "Minecraft Java Server Optimization 2026",
  "snippet": "A Minecraft Java server that lags is almost never a hardware problem — it's a configuration problem. This guide walks through every lever that matters: Paper over vanilla, Aikar's G1GC flags line by l",
  "content": "A Minecraft Java server that lags is almost never a hardware problem — it's a configuration problem. This guide walks through every lever that matters: Paper over vanilla, Aikar's G1GC flags line by line, view/simulation distance math, paper.yml activation ranges, the spark profiler workflow, and pregeneration with Chunky. By the end your server will hold 20 TPS with meaningful headroom, or you'll know exactly which plugin / mod is eating the tick. Home / Guides / Minecraft Java Optimization MINECRAFT • OPTIMIZATION GUIDE Published: 2026-04-18 Updated: 2026-04-18 24 min read Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // Understanding TPS and MSPT Before tuning anything, you have to measure. Two numbers matter: Metric What it means Target TPS (ticks per second) How many game ticks the server completed in ",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "minecraft"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Minecraft Modpack Server Setup Guide 2026 — Forge, Fabric, NeoForge on Linux",
  "url": "/guides/minecraft-modpack-server-setup.html",
  "description": "Host any Minecraft modpack yourself on a Linux VPS. Forge, Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt walkthroughs, Java 21 tuning, modpack RAM calculator, no paid panel required.",
  "heading": "Minecraft Modpack Server Setup on Linux — Forge, Fabric & NeoForge",
  "snippet": "You don't need Pterodactyl, AMP, or any paid control panel to host a modpack. A Linux VPS, Ubuntu 24.04, and 20 minutes of terminal time is all it takes to run ATM10, Create: Astral, Vault Hunters, FT",
  "content": "You don't need Pterodactyl, AMP, or any paid control panel to host a modpack. A Linux VPS, Ubuntu 24.04, and 20 minutes of terminal time is all it takes to run ATM10, Create: Astral, Vault Hunters, FTB Skies, Prominence II, or any other modpack on your own hardware. This guide walks through every modloader (Forge, Fabric, NeoForge, Quilt), the Java flags that actually matter for modded, and a RAM calculator that tells you exactly which VPS plan fits your pack and player count. Home / Guides / Minecraft Modpack Server MINECRAFT • MODDED Published: 2026-04-19 Updated: 2026-04-19 40 min read Intermediate 01 // Who this guide is for You want to run a modded Minecraft server with friends or a small community — not a vanilla or Paper plugin server. You're comfortable with a Linux terminal but do",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "minecraft"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "RedM Server Setup 2026 — Ubuntu 24.04, txAdmin, VORP",
  "url": "/guides/redm-server-setup.html",
  "description": "Complete RedM dedicated server setup for Ubuntu 24.04 — CFX license, MariaDB, txAdmin, VORP vs RSG Core framework comparison, server.cfg tuning, systemd service, 12-row troubleshooting.",
  "heading": "RedM Dedicated Server on Ubuntu 24.04 — VORP, RSG Core & txAdmin",
  "snippet": "A production-quality walkthrough for a RedM (Red Dead Redemption 2 multiplayer) dedicated server on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Covers the CFX license workflow, MariaDB, txAdmin, a comparison of the four major ",
  "content": "A production-quality walkthrough for a RedM (Red Dead Redemption 2 multiplayer) dedicated server on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Covers the CFX license workflow, MariaDB, txAdmin, a comparison of the four major roleplay frameworks (VORP, RSG Core, RedEM:RP, Vanilla), server.cfg tuning, systemd integration, security hardening, and real-world troubleshooting. Written from actually running RedM servers — not copy-pasted from the Cfx docs. Home / Guides / RedM Server Setup REDM • GUIDE Published: 2026-04-20 Updated: 2026-04-20 60 min read Intermediate RedM vs FiveM — important differences RedM shares most of its infrastructure with FiveM but there are three critical differences: (1) gamename must be rdr3 in server.cfg — getting this wrong is the #1 cause of \"server not showing in browser.\" (2) RedM artif",
  "tags": [
   "guide"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Rust Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026 — Complete Guide",
  "url": "/guides/rust-dedicated-server-setup.html",
  "description": "The deepest Rust dedicated server setup guide on the web. SteamCMD install, Carbon vs Oxide, server sizing calculator, automated wipes, RCON, plugins and tuning for Ubuntu 22.04.",
  "heading": "Rust Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026",
  "snippet": "Everything you need to run a serious Rust server on Linux — from a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 VPS all the way to a tuned, auto-wiping community server with plugins, RCON and zero downtime. No copy-pasting fro",
  "content": "Everything you need to run a serious Rust server on Linux — from a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 VPS all the way to a tuned, auto-wiping community server with plugins, RCON and zero downtime. No copy-pasting from outdated Reddit threads. Every command was tested on a real server in April 2026. Home / Guides / Rust Dedicated Server RUST • COMPLETE GUIDE Published: 2026-03-15 Updated: 2026-04-18 45 min read Intermediate 01 // Requirements & Hardware Reality Check Rust is one of the heaviest game servers you can run. Facepunch's own documentation states 12 GB RAM minimum — that is a floor, not a target. A 50-slot community server with 20 plugins regularly sits at 18-24 GB during peak. Underpowered Rust servers feel terrible within 15 minutes of population, and players leave. Use this table as your start",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "rust"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Rust Server Wipe Guide — Force Wipes, BP Wipes & Community Schedules",
  "url": "/guides/rust-server-wipe-guide.html",
  "description": "Complete Rust server wipe guide: force wipe schedule, how to wipe your own server, best wipe days for community servers, BP wipes, and how to get listed as an official server.",
  "heading": "Rust Server Wipe Guide — The Complete Playbook",
  "snippet": "Everything a Rust server owner needs to know about wipes: Facepunch’s force wipe schedule, what actually gets wiped, the exact commands to wipe your own server, the best wipe days for community server",
  "content": "Everything a Rust server owner needs to know about wipes: Facepunch’s force wipe schedule, what actually gets wiped, the exact commands to wipe your own server, the best wipe days for community servers, and how Facepunch picks servers for the official tab. The countdown below updates live. Home / Guides / Rust Server Wipe Guide Guide • Rust Updated April 19, 2026 Read time: 12 min Difficulty: Beginner → Intermediate 👋 Just a player, not running a server? This guide is for server owners. If you just want to know when the next Rust wipe is so you can log in — we built a dedicated page with a live countdown, timezone converter, and the full 2026 schedule. See wipe schedule → // Next Force Wipe — Live Countdown 17 Days 15 Hours 16 Minutes 00 Seconds Next force wipe: May 7, 2026 at 19:00 UTC (T",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "rust",
   "wipe"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "TF2 Community Server Setup with SourceMod 2026 — Full Guide",
  "url": "/guides/tf2-community-server.html",
  "description": "Full Team Fortress 2 community server guide for 2026: SteamCMD install, MetaMod + SourceMod 1.12, plugin presets for MGE/Jump/Trade, SourceTV, FastDL, troubleshooting.",
  "heading": "TF2 Community Server Setup with SourceMod 2026",
  "snippet": "Running a TF2 server in 2026 is still one of the most fun projects in the Source-engine world — but the vanilla dedicated server is a blank canvas. This guide gets you from an empty VPS to a running c",
  "content": "Running a TF2 server in 2026 is still one of the most fun projects in the Source-engine world — but the vanilla dedicated server is a blank canvas. This guide gets you from an empty VPS to a running community server with MetaMod:Source 1.11, SourceMod 1.12, a chosen plugin preset (vanilla, MGE, Jump, Trade, 2fort-only, x10, randomizer), SourceTV demo recording, and a proper FastDL setup so players aren’t stuck on a download screen for ten minutes. Home / Guides / TF2 Community Server TF2 • COMMUNITY SERVER Published: 2026-04-18 Updated: 2026-04-18 45 min read Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // Requirements Software Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS — 64-bit. Debian 12 works too. 32-bit libraries — srcds is a 32-bit binary. SteamCMD — for installing and updating TF2 (app id 232250 ). MetaMod:Source",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "tf2"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "Valheim Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026 — BepInEx, ValheimPlus & Crossplay",
  "url": "/guides/valheim-server.html",
  "description": "Complete Valheim dedicated server guide for 2026. SteamCMD install, BepInEx, ValheimPlus mods, crossplay, systemd, world backups, and server config generator.",
  "heading": "Valheim Dedicated Server Setup on Linux 2026",
  "snippet": "Hosting a Valheim dedicated server means your Viking world stays up 24/7 — your group can log in any time without waiting on one person to host, and the server is tuned for performance instead of runn",
  "content": "Hosting a Valheim dedicated server means your Viking world stays up 24/7 — your group can log in any time without waiting on one person to host, and the server is tuned for performance instead of running alongside a game client. This guide covers the full Linux path: SteamCMD install, server config, BepInEx and ValheimPlus mods, crossplay between Steam and Xbox/Gamepass, systemd auto-start, automated world backups, and troubleshooting the real issues people hit in 2026. Home / Guides / Valheim Dedicated Server VALHEIM • SURVIVAL SANDBOX Published: 2026-04-18 Updated: 2026-04-18 Read time: 22 min Difficulty: Intermediate What changed since the Ashlands update Since the Ashlands biome landed, server RAM usage in late-game saves grew noticeably. 4 GB is the realistic floor for a small group, ",
  "tags": [
   "guide",
   "valheim"
  ],
  "type": "guide"
 },
 {
  "title": "AMP Panel Install & Setup Guide 2026 — CubeCoders Application Management Panel",
  "url": "/panels/amp-panel-guide.html",
  "description": "Complete AMP Panel guide: install on Ubuntu 22.04 and Windows, pick the right license tier, set up your first game server, and compare AMP vs Pterodactyl.",
  "heading": "AMP Panel Install & Setup — CubeCoders Application Management",
  "snippet": "AMP (Application Management Panel) is the commercial game server control panel from CubeCoders. It runs on Linux and Windows, supports 100+ games out of the box, and is the panel of choice for small-t",
  "content": "AMP (Application Management Panel) is the commercial game server control panel from CubeCoders. It runs on Linux and Windows, supports 100+ games out of the box, and is the panel of choice for small-to-mid hosting companies and power users who want Pterodactyl-grade features without running Docker. This guide covers the one-line installer, license tier selection (with an interactive picker below), first-instance setup, hardening, and honest comparisons to Pterodactyl and LinuxGSM. Home / Panels / AMP Panel Guide PANEL • INSTALL & SETUP Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 Read time: 20 min Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // What AMP is (and what it isn’t) AMP is a two-tier system. The top tier, ADS (AMP Distributed Server), is the web control panel you log into. ADS then spawns instances ",
  "tags": [
   "panel",
   "amp"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "Game Server Panels Overview",
  "url": "/panels/",
  "description": "Overview of game server panels for hosting your own game servers. Compare features, requirements, and find the best panel for your needs.",
  "heading": "Game Server Panels Overview",
  "snippet": "This overview explains what game server panels are, what they do, and which ones we cover on HostingBuff. Find the right panel for your hosting needs.",
  "content": "This overview explains what game server panels are, what they do, and which ones we cover on HostingBuff. Find the right panel for your hosting needs. Home / Panels Overview • Resource Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 Read time: 5 min Difficulty: All Levels 01 // What Are Game Server Panels? Game server panels are web-based management interfaces that allow you to easily create, configure, and manage multiple game servers from a single dashboard. They simplify the process of hosting game servers by providing a user-friendly interface for common tasks like: Creating and deleting game servers Starting, stopping, and restarting servers Editing server configuration files Monitoring server performance and player activity Installing mods a",
  "tags": [
   "panel"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "LinuxGSM Complete Guide 2026 — Install, Configure & Run 100+ Game Servers",
  "url": "/panels/linuxgsm-guide.html",
  "description": "The complete LinuxGSM guide: install, configure, and run 100+ game servers on Linux with one command. Real examples for Rust, CS2, Minecraft, TF2, and Valheim.",
  "heading": "LinuxGSM Complete Guide",
  "snippet": "LinuxGSM is the fastest way to turn a fresh Linux VPS into a running game server. One command installs the server. One command starts it. One command updates it. This guide covers the full workflow fr",
  "content": "LinuxGSM is the fastest way to turn a fresh Linux VPS into a running game server. One command installs the server. One command starts it. One command updates it. This guide covers the full workflow from fresh Ubuntu install to a running server with automatic updates, monitoring, and systemd auto-start — with real working examples for Rust, Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, TF2, and Valheim. Home / Panels / LinuxGSM Complete Guide Panel • CLI Tool • Free Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 Read time: 18 min Difficulty: Beginner → Intermediate 01 // What is LinuxGSM? LinuxGSM (Linux Game Server Manager) is a free, open-source bash-based command-line tool that installs, updates, and manages dedicated game servers on Linux. It was created by Daniel Gibbs in 2012 and has become the most widely",
  "tags": [
   "panel",
   "linuxgsm"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "Pelican Panel Install & Setup Guide 2026 — Ubuntu 24.04",
  "url": "/panels/pelican-panel-guide.html",
  "description": "Complete Pelican Panel install on Ubuntu 24.04 with the browser installer wizard, Docker, Wings daemon, nginx SSL, 2FA and backup strategy. Honest comparison with Pterodactyl.",
  "heading": "Pelican Panel Install & Setup Guide on Ubuntu 24.04",
  "snippet": "Pelican is the modern fork of Pterodactyl built by the original core team after a governance split in 2024. It ships with a browser-based installer wizard (no more editing .env files by hand), a clean",
  "content": "Pelican is the modern fork of Pterodactyl built by the original core team after a governance split in 2024. It ships with a browser-based installer wizard (no more editing .env files by hand), a cleaner admin UI, and identical Wings-compatible architecture. This guide covers the full production install on Ubuntu 24.04 — Docker, Wings, nginx with Let's Encrypt SSL, 2FA, backups, and your first game server. If you already run Pterodactyl, the migration path is at the end. Home / Panels / Pelican Panel PANEL • FREE • OPEN SOURCE Published: 2026-04-20 Updated: 2026-04-20 35 min read Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // What Pelican actually is Pelican is an open-source game server management panel — a web UI that lets you and your users create, configure, start, stop, and console into game servers w",
  "tags": [
   "panel",
   "pelican"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "Pterodactyl Panel Install & Setup Guide 2026 — Ubuntu 22.04/24.04",
  "url": "/panels/pterodactyl-setup.html",
  "description": "Complete Pterodactyl Panel install on Ubuntu with PHP 8.3, Redis, Docker, Wings, queue worker and cron. Honest comparison with Pelican and AMP, plus real troubleshooting.",
  "heading": "Pterodactyl Panel Install & Setup Guide on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04",
  "snippet": "This is the full production-grade Pterodactyl install — not the copy-paste one that breaks on Ubuntu 24.04. We cover PHP 8.3, Redis, Docker, the Wings daemon, the queue worker, the cron, SSL, firewall",
  "content": "This is the full production-grade Pterodactyl install — not the copy-paste one that breaks on Ubuntu 24.04. We cover PHP 8.3, Redis, Docker, the Wings daemon, the queue worker, the cron, SSL, firewall, and a game egg walkthrough so you finish with a working server, not just a login page. If you were expecting PHP 8.1 commands like other guides have, those are outdated — Pterodactyl 1.11+ requires PHP 8.2 or 8.3. Home / Panels / Pterodactyl Panel PANEL • FREE • OPEN SOURCE Published: 2026-04-10 Updated: 2026-04-18 45 min read Difficulty: Intermediate 01 // What Pterodactyl actually is (and isn't) Pterodactyl is a free, open-source, Docker-based control panel for game servers. It was created by Dane Everitt in 2015 and has been maintained by the Pterodactyl community ever since. The panel it",
  "tags": [
   "panel",
   "pterodactyl"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "WindowsGSM Install & Setup Guide 2026 — Free Windows Game Server Manager",
  "url": "/panels/windowsgsm-setup.html",
  "description": "Full WindowsGSM install guide for Windows 10/11. Set up Minecraft, Rust, ARK, CS2, TF2 servers with a GUI. Plugins, auto-start, port forwarding — everything.",
  "heading": "WindowsGSM Install & Setup Guide — The free Windows GUI for Game Servers",
  "snippet": "WindowsGSM is the free, open-source, GUI-based way to run game servers on a Windows PC or Windows VPS. No terminal, no Docker, no Linux. This guide covers the exact install, first-server setup, plugin",
  "content": "WindowsGSM is the free, open-source, GUI-based way to run game servers on a Windows PC or Windows VPS. No terminal, no Docker, no Linux. This guide covers the exact install, first-server setup, plugin system for unsupported games, auto-start on boot, and the honest truth about v1 vs the newer v2 Desktop — so you pick the right version for what you actually need. Home / Panels / WindowsGSM Setup PANEL • WINDOWS Published: 2026-04-17 Updated: 2026-04-17 20 min read Difficulty: Beginner 01 // What WindowsGSM is (and what it isn’t) WindowsGSM is a free, open-source desktop application for Windows that wraps SteamCMD and the various game server binaries in a clean graphical interface. Instead of memorising command lines for rustserver.exe , srcds.exe , or bedrock_server.exe , you click Install ",
  "tags": [
   "panel",
   "windowsgsm",
   "windows"
  ],
  "type": "panel"
 },
 {
  "title": "Free Game Server Tools — Calculators & Utilities",
  "url": "/tools/",
  "description": "Free online tools for game server admins. Hardware calculators, port scanners, wipe checkers, config generators.",
  "heading": "Admin Utilities",
  "snippet": "Free browser-based tools for game server admins. No signup, no tracking, no BS.",
  "content": "Free browser-based tools for game server admins. No signup, no tracking, no BS. Free Tools // Featured Tools Dedicated calculators and generators. Free, no signup, no tracking. Hardware Sizer Game Server VPS Sizer Pick a game and player count. Get the exact VPS plan you need — from Hostinger KVM 1 to KVM 8. Covers Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, TF2, Valheim, FiveM, and more. 8 games 5 plans Instant Minecraft Minecraft RAM Calculator Dedicated Java Edition sizer. Accounts for player count, view distance, modpack size, and plugin stack. Outputs exact -Xmx flag and VPS recommendation. Vanilla / Paper / Forge Aikar flags Reference Game Server Ports & Firewall All default ports fo",
  "tags": [
   "tool"
  ],
  "type": "tool"
 },
 {
  "title": "Game Server Config Generator — Minecraft, CS2, TF2 server.cfg & server.properties Builder",
  "url": "/tools/server-cfg-generator.html",
  "description": "Free game server config generator. Build a valid server.cfg (CS2, TF2) or server.properties (Minecraft Java) with every officially documented option, RCON, permalink share, and copy-paste output.",
  "heading": "Game Server Config Generator",
  "snippet": "Build a valid Minecraft server.properties, CS2 server.cfg, or TF2 server.cfg in under a minute. Every officially documented option, inline documentation, RCON password generator, and shareable permali",
  "content": "Build a valid Minecraft server.properties, CS2 server.cfg, or TF2 server.cfg in under a minute. Every officially documented option, inline documentation, RCON password generator, and shareable permalinks. 100% free, no signup, runs entirely in your browser. Home / Tools / Game Server Config Generator Tool · Multi-Game Minecraft Java Counter-Strike 2 Team Fortress 2 Rust · soon ARK: SE · soon Garry's Mod · soon // Configuration Game Minecraft Java Edition Counter-Strike 2 Team Fortress 2 Pick the game you are generating a config for. Form fields and output format update automatically. // Quick-start preset Custom (start from scratch) Apply preset Load a battle-tested gamemode config, then tweak to taste. Your existing values will be overwritten. Server hostname Shown in the server browser. ",
  "tags": [
   "tool"
  ],
  "type": "tool"
 },
 {
  "title": "Game Server Ports Reference — Complete List with Firewall Commands",
  "url": "/tools/port-reference.html",
  "description": "Complete port list for every major game server. TCP/UDP, iptables, ufw, and Windows Firewall commands ready to copy. Rust, Minecraft, ARK, CS2, FiveM, and more.",
  "heading": "Game Server Port Reference",
  "snippet": "Every port you need to open for every game we cover, with ready-to-paste ufw, iptables, and Windows Firewall commands. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it.",
  "content": "Every port you need to open for every game we cover, with ready-to-paste ufw, iptables, and Windows Firewall commands. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it. Home / Tools / Port Reference Reference · Copy-paste ready All Games Rust Minecraft ARK CS2 TF2 FiveM / RedM Valheim Palworld Admin Panels Rust Rust uses a single UDP port for gameplay and an optional RCON port. The query port for the server browser is gameport + 1 unless overridden. Port Protocol Purpose Notes 28015 UDP Game traffic Default; change via +server.port 28016 UDP Server query (A2S_INFO) Auto-opened by server; Steam master list uses this 28017 TCP RCON + WebSocket Optional; set via +rcon.port . Use only over VPN or bind to localhost. 28082 TCP App server (Rust+ companion) Only if u",
  "tags": [
   "tool"
  ],
  "type": "tool"
 },
 {
  "title": "Game Server VPS Calculator — How Much RAM & CPU Do I Need?",
  "url": "/tools/vps-sizer.html",
  "description": "Free game server VPS calculator. Pick your game, player count, and map size — get exact RAM, CPU, storage, bandwidth, and a matched Hostinger KVM plan.",
  "heading": "Game Server VPS Calculator",
  "snippet": "Tell us your game, player count, and map size. We'll calculate exact RAM, CPU, storage, and bandwidth requirements — and match you to the right Hostinger KVM VPS plan. Takes 5 seconds.",
  "content": "Tell us your game, player count, and map size. We'll calculate exact RAM, CPU, storage, and bandwidth requirements — and match you to the right Hostinger KVM VPS plan. Takes 5 seconds. Home / Tools / VPS Sizer Interactive Tool · Free Calculator Pick Your Server Profile The defaults are tuned for a typical community server. Adjust to match your setup. Game Minecraft Java (Vanilla/Paper) Minecraft Java (Modded / Forge) Minecraft Bedrock Rust ARK: Survival Evolved ARK: Survival Ascended Counter-Strike 2 Team Fortress 2 Valheim FiveM (GTA V RP) RedM (RDR2 RP) Palworld Player Slots Map / World Size Small (default) Medium Large Huge / Procedural Mods / Plugins None (vanilla) Light (1-10 plugins) Heavy (10-50 plugins) Modpack / 50+ mods >> Your Server Requires CPU 4 vCPU RAM 16 GB ",
  "tags": [
   "tool"
  ],
  "type": "tool"
 },
 {
  "title": "Minecraft Server RAM Calculator — Exact GB for Your Setup",
  "url": "/tools/minecraft-ram-calculator.html",
  "description": "Free Minecraft server RAM calculator. Vanilla, Paper, Forge, and modpack aware. Get exact -Xmx, JVM flags, and a matched VPS plan in 5 seconds.",
  "heading": "Minecraft Server RAM Calculator",
  "snippet": "Stop guessing. Tell us your server type, players, and mod load — we'll calculate the exact -Xmx heap size, generate Aikar's JVM flags ready to paste, and match you to a VPS plan. Built for Minecraft J",
  "content": "Stop guessing. Tell us your server type, players, and mod load — we'll calculate the exact -Xmx heap size, generate Aikar's JVM flags ready to paste, and match you to a VPS plan. Built for Minecraft Java 1.17+. Home / Tools / Minecraft RAM Calculator Interactive Tool · Free · Minecraft Java Calculator Configure Your Server All defaults match a typical 20-player Paper server. Adjust to your reality. Server Type Vanilla (Mojang) Paper / Purpur / Pufferfish Fabric (light mods) Forge (1-30 mods) Forge (30-80 mods) Full Modpack (ATM, FTB, Create, 80+ mods) Player Slots View Distance (chunks) 8 (reduced) 10 (Mojang default) 12 (high) 16 (max, not recommended) Plugins / Mods Count None 1-10 (common) 10-25 25-50 50+ (datapacks, economy, worldguard) >> Recommended Configuration JVM Heap (-Xmx) 6 GB",
  "tags": [
   "tool",
   "minecraft"
  ],
  "type": "tool"
 }
]