How To Create A Personal Garry's Mod Server

This is a guide on how to create an easy personal Garry's Mod server for you and your friends using a free program called Hamachi.

TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM HAMACHI IS A VIRUS: Hamachi is a professionally-developed, professionally-used networking software. It is not a virus and has zero chance of harming you unless you let a random dude from the internet into your network. If you say it's a virus, you obviously have zero networking or security experience. It will, in reality, keep you about 3-4 times safer than if you port-forward and run a plain server.

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Introduction

Hello, my name is NooYah and I am here to guide you on how to create a quick and easy server for you and your friends to play Garry's Mod on. The methods used in this guide do not require any technical knowledge and are 100% free. Read on, and I hope this helps you.

Section 1: Hamachi

The first step is for you and all your friends you want on the server to download a simple, free program called "LogMeIn Hamachi", or commonly shortened to Hamachi. This program basically creates a secure network that you and your friends will join. This is also the program that will allow you to connect to each other without worrying about strangers popping onto your server unannounced. We all know nobody likes a guy coming onto your server and going nuts with the Remover tool.

Step 1: Download LogMeIn Hamachi
The first step in this guide is to download Hamachi. The program can be found at the developer's website[logmein.com]. After you download, simply follow the installation instructions.
(Note: The developer's website is very confusing to navigate. You can download Hamachi from Softonic and achieve the same results, because it's the exact same Hamachi and will receive all normal updates.)

Step 2: Create your Network
The next step is to create the network in which you and your friends will be joining. Now, if you have the free version of Hamachi (which I reccomend) then your networks can only have a maximum of 5 members, including you. But don't worry, you can just create as many networks as you need. Once you have Hamachi open, there should be a menu along the top titled "Network". Click that and hit "Create a New Network". You will then give your network a name and password. Be sure to remember the password, because your friend(s) will need it in order to connect. Once you create the network, just give your friend(s) the name and password to the network, and wait for them to join. For them to join, they will go to the "Network" menu along the top and they will hit "Join an Existing Network".

We are now 90% done with Hamachi, congratulations!

Author's Note: Hamachi is a very great tool to use for those who are interested in networking and stuff like that. It's equally great for beginners and advanced users alike. I personally recommend it for those learning networking or wanting more knowledge on networks in general.

Section 2: Starting the Server

Now it's time to learn how the host will start up the server. The host will need to be in-game for this.

Step 1: Getting the world and gamemode ready
The first step is to get the world you want to play on, and the gamemode. Have the host start a new single player game. Have him set the player count to however many players you want to join the server. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT select the box for a LAN game. If you do, this won't work. Also have the host select the gamemode you want to use. Then just have him launch the singleplayer world and get everything loaded.

Step 2: Now In-Game
Now that your host is in-game, there is one thing he needs to do to allow players to connect. (You can go without this, but I have found that doing this reduces lag significantly.) Have the host open the Developer's Console. If you do not have it enabled, hit ESC>Options>Keyboard then on the bottom, click Advanced, and check "Enable Developer's Console". Once he has that, have him open it. Default key to open it is the ` key, which is the key directly next to the 1 key on the number row. Once that is open, have him type "sv_lan 0" (without the quotes) into the console, and hit Enter. Now, your host is done for now.

Now we will move on to getting your friends into the game with you.

Section 3: Getting everybody online with you

Now, you have your Hamachi set up, and the host has started the server! Congratulations! Now it's time to learn how you'll be getting everybody online.

Step 1: Developer's Console.
Very easy step, all you have to do is get all of your friends to enable the Developer's Console too. They NEED this to connect. If you don't want to look up for it again, it's ESC>Options>Keyboard then on the bottom, click Advanced, and check "Enable Developer's Console".

Step 2: What each user must do.
This is how each friend will connect. Have each friend start a singleplayer world, the settings they put don't matter. Once they're in-game, have them open the Developer's Console. Now, they will type, again without the quotes, "Connect *HostIPaddressHere*" Here is how you find the host's IP address. Open up your Hamachi, and find the name of the host on the list of computers connected to the network. (eg. mine is NooYah) there will also be an IP address next to their name, always starting with 25. (eg. 25.123.45.67) This is what you'll put onto the Developer's Console after you type Connect. So basically, you type (without quotes) "Connect 25.123.45.67" (or whatever your host's IP is.) Once your friends type that, the host will see "Player *name* has joined the game." Then, you'll see your friend in a couple seconds or a couple minutes, depending on how much he has to download.

Congratulations! You now have your own private server for which you and your friends play your Garry's Mod on! Have fun!!! :D

If you liked this guide or it helped you at all, please take the 5 seconds to go back to the top of the page and hit that pretty little thumbs up button. Thank you :)

Section 4: Common problems and common solutions

Here are some common problems people have, and some easy solutions to those problems.

1) "Connection Failed After 4 Retries": To fix this, you can use two methds:
A) Reset your internet modem if possible,
B) Have everybody trying to join plus the host restart their machine.
Whenever I've had that issue, doing the above two steps always fixed it for me.
C) Third method: "Open your Command Console,(~) and type "sv_lan 0" then "changelevel_[Map you are currently using]". It will reload the game, then type "sv_lan 0" a second time. Then try having friends join it, ect. It should work."


2) "*so-and-so* has been kicked because of too many LUA Errors": In the console, before anyone joins, type (without quotes) "sv_kickerrornum 0". This will stop th server from kicking players when they recieve a lot of LUA errors. Be warned, this may cause some instability for the player recieving the errors.

I set a limit for certain entities/props, but when I joined, the limit was different! Type sbox_max[props, entities, NPCs...] # in the console to modify the limits. (Credit to Erzangel for finding this solution)


[J.E.U.] BlitzKrieg found a solution to permanently fix a few issues. Here is what he says:
"in garrysmod/garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg can be edited with notepad (or notepad ++) to add sv_lan 0, sv_kickerrornum 0 and many more (as well as mp_falldamage 1 which makes realistic fall damage, instead of losing 10 hp for whatever height you fall from). This will save you from entering those commands everytime you connect. sbox_max ~ can also be entered here, as well as other console commands."

If you think you found a viable solution to any errors experienced, please put the information in the comments! If it's relevant, I'll stick it into this section.

[Rose]

HAX

[☭COMMUNISM☭]

for everyone saying that you don't need hamachi , some people actually do because sometimes you cannot connect with your friends ex: stick fight the game where i couldn't connect normaly to my friend but when i did it using hamachi it worked it happens in garry's mod too
hamachi is just a way around that error

[Slimy Snake]

open the console with ~
and type

sv_cheats 1
sv_kickerrornum 0

it Disables kicking for lua errors, useful for debugging
now your friends can join
oh and uninstall Hamachi

[Lunar]

Or you can make a peer to peer server and invite your friend with steam? :)

[Tom :^(]

Not everyone can forward ports

[TORIKO UM GUUD]

You can always simply port forward

[Heavy Scout-Snipers Guy]

Also, guys, for your friend to not have errors on your server, download an addon called: "Addon Share". Friend will automatically download your addons. Thanks, and have fun

[Heavy Scout-Snipers Guy]

Hamachi thing is for n00bs who have F2P accounts and can't give 5 dollars to Steam. I don't need Hamachi or Evolve cuz i don't have pirated version anymore. *THUG LIFE*

[Ren172ace (Stevey)]

They are referring to the Softonic download.
Don't trust softonic.
ever.

[HeyRage]

hamachi is good you idiots me and my cousin use it all the time