How to set up a RedM server
By Benjamin D. · PDG
· 2 min read
Contents
A RedM server is not Red Dead Online — it is a separate community-built platform. That changes both the install and the requirements from what the game itself would suggest.
What RedM is
RedM is a community-built multiplayer platform for Red Dead Redemption 2. It is not an official part of the game and does not replace Red Dead Online.
Players need the game
Every player needs the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2. The console version does not work, and that is worth telling the group beforehand.
What the server needs
Server software, open ports, a licence key and a resources folder. Without the key the server starts but never appears in the list.
The ports
Game traffic and server visibility use different ports. If only one is open, the server looks fine but the connection drops during loading.
The configuration file
Server name, player count, licence key and the resources to start are described in one file. A formatting error is the most common first-day problem.
Resources are the content
Without resources a RedM server is an empty map. All the gameplay — roles, jobs, housing, economy — comes from resources, not from the game.
A database is usually required
A roleplay server stores characters and property in a database. That is a separate service and setting it up is part of the install.
Start small
Ten working resources are better than a hundred where half will not start. Check each added resource on its own.
Start order matters
Resources start in the order given. A wrong order means a dependent resource starts before its base and the error is misleading.
The first connection
Before inviting the group, connect yourself. If the map loads and the character appears, the foundation is sound.
Common mistakes
A missing licence key, a closed port and a broken resource config.
A backup before every change
The resources folder and the database belong together. The copy taken beforehand separates an attempt from a loss.
Most of what precedes is a matter of organisation rather than technique: the decisions are made before you start, the backups have to actually run, and the rules are written while nothing has gone wrong yet. Our RedM server hosting takes on the part there is no reason to do by hand — automatic backups, a database and instant setup, along with a panel where settings, files, mods and restarts are handled without ever opening a command line.
