Garry's Mod Dedicated Server Hosting: DarkRP, Workshop & Setup

Garry's Mod is at its best when the server stays online after you log off. A dedicated host means friends can join without your PC running, you can run DarkRP or TTT with a proper Workshop collection, and a DDoS hit doesn't take your home connection down with it. This guide covers how much RAM and CPU a GMod server really needs, how to pick a location, how to add Workshop addons and DarkRP, and what to watch for when comparing hosts.

We run YN HOSTING, so keep that in mind. The steps below work on any host or your own machine.

What a Garry's Mod server actually needs

GMod is a Source engine sandbox. A clean sandbox with a few friends is light. A busy DarkRP city with hundreds of Workshop addons is not. Most lag on GMod servers comes from too many addons and weak single-core CPU performance, not from "not enough cores."

RAM

• 2 GB is enough for a small private sandbox, Prop Hunt, or a lightly modded TTT server with a modest Workshop collection.
• 4 GB is the sweet spot for most DarkRP, TTT and Murder communities with a normal addon set and 16–32 players.
• 8 GB is for large public DarkRP servers, heavy collections, or servers that keep a lot of entities and custom content loaded.

If your host lets you upgrade later without wiping the server, start on 2–4 GB and grow when the console starts complaining about memory or players report hitching.

CPU (the part that matters most)

GMod game logic is mostly single-threaded. A high-clock modern core beats a plan that advertises "many cores" on an old chip. Busy DarkRP servers with lots of Lua and entities will show lag first as high server FPS drops and rubber-banding, not as "out of RAM." When a host says "100% CPU," that usually means one full core. Prefer hosts that name the CPU generation and let you trim unused addons when things get slow.

Storage

Server files plus a Workshop collection can grow quickly. Maps, materials and addons add up. NVMe storage makes collection downloads and map changes much faster than spinning disks. Leave headroom beyond the base install so updates and new addons don't fill the disk.

Location: host close to your players

Ping is mostly distance. Pick the region nearest to most of your community.

YN HOSTING runs the same Garry's Mod plans in Frankfurt (Germany) and Singapore, both live now, with India and Ashburn (US) coming soon.

Europe: Frankfurt

Frankfurt sits on one of Europe's biggest internet exchanges. Players in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Poland and Denmark usually get very low ping. UK, France, Italy and Scandinavia are typically still playable. For a Europe-wide DarkRP or TTT community, Frankfurt is often the fairest single location.

Asia: Singapore

If your players are in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam or the Philippines, a European server usually means noticeably high ping. Singapore is the main hub for Southeast Asia. A mixed EU/Asia group can run one server in each region.

Coming soon: India and Ashburn (US)

Until those open, players in India usually get the best ping from Singapore, and many North American players from Frankfurt. Test with your own friends before you commit.

DDoS protection: GMod servers get hit too

Public DarkRP and TTT servers are common DDoS targets. Budget hosts often "protect" you by null-routing the IP, which takes the whole server offline until the attack stops.

When you compare hosts, ask:

1. Is protection always on, or only after an attack is detected?
2. Is there game-friendly UDP filtering, or only generic volumetric scrubbing?
3. Does advanced protection cost extra?
4. What happens to latency during mitigation?

YN HOSTING runs every server behind Gcore edge scrubbing plus inline filtering by dataforest. It is always on, at no extra cost, and built to keep matches almost lag-free while an attack is filtered. No host can promise zero impact from every attack.

YN HOSTING Garry's Mod plans (Frankfurt and Singapore)

New customers on monthly billing can get the first month for $1 by entering the plan's code at checkout. Codes follow the format YN1-<price> (for example YN1-3.99 on the Starter plan). You must enter the code manually. Renewal prices are shown up front, and you can cancel anytime.

How to set up a GMod server the right way

Whichever host you use, these steps keep a new server from becoming a laggy mess.

1. Set hostname, password and slots

On the panel Startup page (or in server.cfg), set a clear hostname, an RCON password you do not share, and a slot count that matches your plan. Do not advertise more slots than the CPU and RAM can handle with your addon list.

2. Add a Steam Workshop collection

The cleanest way to ship content is a Workshop collection so clients auto-download when they join.

1. Create a collection on the Steam Workshop for Garry's Mod and note the Collection ID (the number in the URL).
2. Create a Steam Web API key at steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey.
3. On the panel Startup page, set the Workshop Collection ID and Workshop API key.
4. Restart so the server downloads the collection.

On YN HOSTING, see Garry's Mod: add Steam Workshop addons.

3. Install DarkRP (or another gamemode)

For DarkRP:

1. Add DarkRP (and ULX / ULib if you use them) through your Workshop collection, or upload to /garrysmod/gamemodes/darkrp/.
2. On Startup, set the gamemode (for example +gamemode darkrp) and a matching map (for example +map rp_downtown_v4c_v2).
3. Restart, then configure jobs and money under /garrysmod/gamemodes/darkrp/gamemode/config/.

Step-by-step on YN HOSTING: Install DarkRP or change the gamemode.

4. Trim unused addons

CPU single-core speed is the limit on busy GMod servers. If players see lag, remove unused Workshop items before you buy more RAM. More addons almost always hurt more than they help.

5. Schedule restarts and backups

A daily restart at a quiet hour clears memory leaks from Lua and addons. Take a backup before big collection changes or DarkRP config edits so you can roll back.

6. Share the connect address

Players join with connect IP:PORT in the GMod console, or through your server browser listing once it is advertised correctly.

Who should pick which plan

• Friends-only sandbox or light TTT: Starter (2 GB).
• DarkRP / TTT community with a normal Workshop set: Advanced (4 GB).
• Busy public DarkRP or a heavy collection: Pro (8 GB).

If you are unsure, start smaller and upgrade later. Your files stay in place.

FAQ

How much does Garry's Mod server hosting cost?

Budget dedicated plans often start around a few dollars a month. At YN HOSTING, GMod starts at $3.99/month in Frankfurt or Singapore, and new customers on monthly billing can get the first month for $1 with the YN1-<price> code on the plan card.

How much RAM does a DarkRP server need?

Most communities are fine on 4 GB. Small private servers can run on 2 GB. Large public cities with huge collections need 8 GB or more, and still need a strong single core.

Can I run TTT, Prop Hunt or Murder?

Yes. Install the gamemode through Workshop or files, set +gamemode and a matching map on Startup, then restart.

Do players need to download addons manually?

Not if you use a Workshop collection with a valid Steam Web API key. Clients then auto-download on connect.

Which location should I pick?

Frankfurt for most of Europe, Singapore for Southeast Asia. India and Ashburn (US) are coming soon.

Is DDoS protection included?

On YN HOSTING, yes: always-on Gcore edge scrubbing and dataforest inline filtering on every plan, with no add-on fee.

Next steps

Compare a few hosts on price, CPU honesty, DDoS approach and location fit. If you want to try YN HOSTING, see our Garry's Mod server plans (select Garrys Mod). Questions? Join our Discord or email [email protected].