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GMod server.cfg Settings Explained

What each line in your Garry's Mod server.cfg does, which ones the panel manages for you, and what belongs in the Startup tab instead.

Updated 3 min read
Table of contents

Every Garry's Mod server on our platform starts with a server.cfg file we write when the server is installed. It holds your server's name, password and a set of safe defaults, and it is the right place for plain console settings you want to keep. This guide goes through what each starting line does, which ones the panel looks after for you, and what belongs in the Startup tab instead.

Open the file

  1. Stop the server from the dashboard.
  2. Open the File Manager and go to garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg. How to manage your server files covers opening and saving.
  3. Change what you need, keeping the format of the lines around it, then save and Start the server.

The file is read when the server boots. A command typed into the Console changes the running server but not the file, so anything you want to keep goes in server.cfg.

What the starting lines do

LineWhat it does
hostnameThe server's name in the server browser.
sv_passwordThe join password. Empty means anyone with the address can join.
sv_loadingurlThe page shown to players while they join. The Loading screen tab writes this line for you, so leave it to the tab.
sv_downloadurlWhere clients download missing files from a web server you run. Leave it empty: players get addons through the Workshop tab.
sv_regionThe region the server reports. It is set when the server is installed.
sv_lanMarks the server as a LAN server, with no authentication. Keep it at "0".
sv_max_queries_sec_global, sv_max_queries_window, sv_max_queries_secLimits on how many queries per second the server answers, in total and from one address. Leave them as they are.
sbox_maxprops and the other sbox_ linesLimits on what one player can spawn.
sv_minrate, sv_maxrate, gmod_physiterations, net_splitpacket_maxrate, decalfrequencyNetwork settings. The file's own comment asks you to keep these at their defaults.
exec banned_ip.cfg, exec banned_user.cfgLoad your ban lists. The file's comment says not to edit them.

Add your own lines under the // Add custom lines under here comment at the bottom.

Sandbox limits

The sbox_ lines cap what a single player can create. sbox_maxprops is props and sbox_maxragdolls is ragdolls. Our file starts sbox_maxprops at 100, where the game's own default is 500, and sbox_maxragdolls at 5, where the game's default is 10. Raise a number if your players hit a limit, one line at a time.

sbox_godmode makes every player invincible, and sbox_noclip lets players use noclip. Our file starts both at 0, so both are off.

Show your server's country flag

Add an sv_location line with your country's two letter code. Facepunch's wiki says the value follows the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes, matches a flag icon in the game, and can be up to five characters. Its examples are gb and us. Australia's code in that list is au, so for an Australian server:

sv_location "au"

Facepunch describes sv_location as the location of the server to be displayed in the server browser. Save the file and restart the server for it to be read.

What does not belong in server.cfg

The server is launched with the map, gamemode, player slots, tickrate, Workshop collection and Steam token already filled in from the panel. Set those there; server.cfg is the wrong place for them.

  • Map, gamemode, Player slots and Tickrate: Startup tab, Game card.
  • Collection: Workshop tab.
  • Steam token: Startup tab, Rank in the server browser card.
Warning

Leave the exec lines and the network settings alone, and take a backup before a big edit. How to create and restore backups shows how.

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