Rust Server Lag: How to Fix Low Server FPS and Rubberbanding

To fix Rust server lag, first check whether it is the server or the players: run fps in the server console and status to see pings. If server FPS drops, rule out plugins, an old and crowded map and too many players for your CPU, one at a time. If only some players lag, the problem is their connection.

Is it server lag or player lag?

Players say "the server is lagging" for four different problems. Sort them out before you change anything:

Facepunch documents two commands that help here. They are on the useful commands page:

• fps returns the current frames per second, and works on both the client and the server.
• status returns the players on the server with their Steam ID, name, ping and time played.

Step 1: check the server FPS

Type this in the server console, or through RCON:

fps

Run it three times: when the server is empty, when a normal number of players are on, and at your busiest time. Write the numbers down. What you want to know is whether FPS drops as load goes up. If it falls as players join, you have a load problem, and the next steps find out where it comes from. If it stays steady and players still complain, look at pings with status.

Step 2: rule out your plugins

Plugins are the first thing to test because you can switch them off one at a time. On Oxide, list them:

oxide.plugins

The list shows each plugin's version and a hook time, which tells you how much time the plugin takes. It also shows plugins that failed to load, with the reason. On Carbon, the command is c.plugins.

To test a suspect, unload it, check fps under load, and bring it back if it was not the cause:

oxide.unload PluginName

Carbon uses c.unload PluginName. Reload it with oxide.reload or c.reload. After a Rust update, also check that your framework matches the new build. See how to install Oxide or Carbon on a Rust server.

If you are still choosing between frameworks, Oxide vs Carbon explains how they differ. We do not claim that one is faster. Test your own plugin list.

Step 3: look at the age and size of the map

A map gets heavier as a wipe goes on. Every base, wall and box is something the server tracks. A bigger map also holds more terrain and more monuments, and server.worldsize goes up to 6000. If the lag grows over the wipe and resets after one:

• Wipe on a shorter cycle. See how to wipe a Rust server.
• Use a smaller world on the next wipe.
• Let decay do its job. Abandoned bases remain until they decay. The decay.scale setting defaults to 1.

Step 4: match your player limit to your CPU

Facepunch's server guide says it directly: the more players you allow, the faster your CPU needs to be. Each player adds work for the server. If fps is healthy at 20 players and sags at 60, the limit you set with server.maxplayers is higher than the hardware can carry.

Two ways out: lower server.maxplayers, or move to hardware with a faster core. Rust's main simulation leans on one core, so clock speed matters more than core count. Our plans run on AMD 9950X / 7950X3D processors, up to 5.7 GHz.

Step 5: check memory

A server that runs out of memory can slow down or stop. Look at the memory figure at the top of your server page in the panel. If it sits close to the plan's limit, the server needs more room. Rust server requirements explains what drives memory use and how to size a plan.

Step 6: schedule restarts and backups for quiet hours

Use Schedules in the panel to restart the server when few people are online. A restart gives you a clean start and gives plugins a clean slate. Take backups on a timer as well, so a restart never costs you a wipe's worth of work.

Step 7: profile the server for a hard case

When nothing above explains it, Facepunch's Profiler page describes how to record what the server does:

1. Start the server with the -enableProfiler start option. Facepunch notes it slightly decreases performance, so remove it afterward.
2. Run profile.perfsnapshot in the console while the lag happens.
3. Open the snapshot. It is saved in a profiler folder as a .json.gz file, and you open it in Perfetto.dev.

This is for advanced owners. If you would rather not dig into it, our support team can look at the console with you.

Is it a network attack?

If everyone's ping jumps at once and then recovers, the cause may be traffic, not load. Every TheGameHosting server sits behind DDoS protection that filters attack traffic, so your server stays playable. You can also check our status page.

What to send our support team

If the lag is still there after these steps, our support team answers 24/7 through live chat, email and tickets. A good report gets a faster answer. Include:

1. The fps numbers from the server console when it is empty and when it is busy.
2. The output of oxide.plugins or c.plugins, so we can see which plugins are loaded and which ones failed.
3. Your map size and seed, and how many days into the wipe you are.
4. Your server.maxplayers value and how many players are online when it lags.
5. When it started. Did it begin after a Rust update, a new plugin or a map change?

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