Fix the Rust EAC Timed Out Error

"EAC timed out" is the error a player sees when Easy Anti-Cheat can't confirm their connection. Facepunch lists it in its support centre as EAC Authentication Timeout and says it means EAC was unable to authenticate the player's connection. Its fix is a list of things the affected player tries on their own computer, so this guide is one you can pass on to them. Checked against that support article (updated July 2026) and Facepunch's related "EAC: Disconnected" article, October 2026.

Start from Steam

Facepunch says to always launch Rust from the Steam games library, because launching it by other methods means EAC doesn't start, which leads to errors. Check this first.

What the player should try

Facepunch's list, numbered as it gives it:

1. Close Rust and wait up to 10 minutes. This lets EAC refresh its cache and can clear the problem on its own.
2. Verify the game files through Steam.
3. Repair EAC. Open the Rust folder (right-click Rust in the Steam library, choose Manage, then Browse local files) and go into the EasyAntiCheat folder. Click the folder's address bar, type EasyAntiCheat_EOS_Setup.exe repair and press Enter. Allow the administrator prompt. A small console window flashes briefly, and there is no other on-screen sign that it ran.
4. Restart the PC and the internet connection. Turn the PC and the router or modem off and then on again.
5. Check for Windows updates.
6. Check the antivirus. Update it, and see whether turning it off for a moment changes anything.
7. Delete RustClient.exe.eac. If the file exists in Steam\steamapps\common\Rust\EasyAntiCheat, remove it.
8. Look for forbidden applications. Check the bottom of output_log.txt in the Rust folder for programs EAC has marked as forbidden, and close them in Task Manager.
9. Do a fresh reinstall. This is Facepunch's last resort, for when nothing above worked.

If the connection to EAC is blocked

A related Facepunch error, EAC: Disconnected, means the player's connection to EAC's back-end servers isn't working, so the game server can't confirm that they have EAC enabled. EAC uses a standard HTTP and HTTPS connection to client.easyanticheat.net on ports 80 and 443. Facepunch tells players to make sure their antivirus or firewall isn't blocking that address.