Set Up a FiveM Server: txAdmin Guide in 45 Minutes

You can set up a working FiveM server in about 30 to 45 minutes with txAdmin, a Cfx.re license key, and port 30120 open. You download the FXServer artifacts, generate your key in the Keymaster, start txAdmin, and pick a template such as CFX Default, ESX, or QBCore in the Recipe Deployer. Your server runs as soon as server.cfg is configured correctly and port 30120 is reachable on the network.

In short:

• Setting up a FiveM server with txAdmin, a license key, and port 30120 open takes about 30 to 45 minutes, provided all the preparations are done.
• To install the server you need a Cfx.re account, a license key, the right hardware, and open ports so that it starts without problems.
• Linux offers more stable performance for continuous operation, but requires more command-line knowledge as well as setting up UFW and systemd.
• Startup errors can usually be traced back to missing license keys, wrong ports, or a missing Visual C++ Redistributable.
• For long-term hosting, renting a ready-made solution that automates maintenance and security is often the better choice compared to a full self-managed installation.

Table of contents

• Preparation: accounts, dependencies, and choosing a hosting option
• Setting up a FiveM server with txAdmin: quick start
• Linux installation: commands, UFW, and systemd service
• Windows installation: VC++, artifacts, and starting FXServer.exe
• Configuring server.cfg: the most important directives
• What hardware does a FiveM server need?
• Which ports do I need to open for FiveM?
• What to do if the FiveM server does not start
• Personal recommendations from operating experience
• Ready-made FiveM hosting instead of self-managing: when it pays off
• Sources
• FAQ

Preparation: accounts, dependencies, and choosing a hosting option

Before you touch a single file, you need three things sorted out. Otherwise you will abort the installation after ten minutes because an account is missing or the server will not start.

• Create a Cfx.re account and generate your license key in the Keymaster. Without it, FXServer simply will not start.
• Decide on a hosting option: locally on your PC for testing, your own VPS for full control, or a rented game server if you want to save yourself the maintenance.
• On Windows, check that the Visual C++ Redistributable is installed. On Linux, basic knowledge of the terminal is enough.
• Plan backups of your server.cfg and your license key from the start, as both files contain sensitive credentials.

Setting up a FiveM server with txAdmin: quick start

txAdmin is now the standard tool for server management, because it combines installation, configuration, and operation in one web interface. The Recipe Deployer replaces many manual steps that used to be done by hand in configuration files.

1. Download the current FXServer artifacts from Runtime. Use the “Recommended” version, not “Latest”, as it is more stable for production use.
2. Extract the archive into a directory of its own.
3. Start the included FXServer file. txAdmin opens automatically in your browser and guides you through the initial setup.
4. In the Recipe Deployer, choose a template: CFX Default for a quick test, or ESX or QBCore if you want to build a roleplay server right away.
5. Enter your Cfx.re license key and click “Run Recipe”. txAdmin then downloads all the necessary resources automatically.
6. Finally, click “Save & Run Server”. The server starts and you see the live console directly in the dashboard.

After this process your server is already running, but still with default values. The fine-tuning of server.cfg follows further below.

Pro tip: Test the recipe selection with CFX Default first. This shows you whether your network and license key work before you install a complete ESX or QBCore framework with hundreds of files.

Linux installation: commands, UFW, and systemd service

For production use, Linux is the more robust choice. Many operators report more stable performance and lower resource usage in continuous operation, as Nexora's installation guide also describes. The setup is done entirely on the command line.

1. Create a working directory with mkdir -p ~/fxserver and change into it.
2. Download the artifact with wget from the runtime address and extract it with tar xzf fx.tar.xz.
3. Start the server for a test run with ./run.sh +exec server.cfg.
4. Open the required ports via UFW: ufw allow 30120/tcp, ufw allow 30120/udp, and ufw allow 40120/tcp for txAdmin.
5. For continuous operation, create a systemd service, enable it with systemctl enable fivem, and start it with systemctl start fivem.

Make sure the permissions in the server directory are correct and keep an eye on the console.log log file, where startup errors show up first.

Windows installation: VC++, artifacts, and starting FXServer.exe

Windows is mainly suited to beginners, because the graphical tools make getting started easier. Even so, some things are still done in the console, especially the firewall configuration on a VPS.

• First install the Visual C++ Redistributable 2019 or newer. Without it, FXServer.exe will not even start.
• Install 7-Zip so that you can extract the artifacts.
• Extract the downloaded files to C:\FXServer\server.
• Start FXServer.exe and open txAdmin in your browser at localhost:40120.
• Open the ports with PowerShell, for example with New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "FiveM" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 30120 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow.

Configuring server.cfg: the most important directives

The server.cfg is the heart of your configuration. This is where you define your server's name, how many players it can handle, and which resources are loaded at startup.

• endpoint_add_tcp "0.0.0.0:30120" and endpoint_add_udp "0.0.0.0:30120" define the port on which the server is reachable.
• sv_licenseKey "yourKey" sets the license key you generated in the Keymaster. Without this line, the server stays offline.
• sv_hostname "My Server" and sv_maxclients 48 set the name and the maximum number of players.
• Every resource that should be loaded needs its own ensure line, for example ensure spawnmanager.
• For ESX or QBCore you also add a mysql_connection_string. Make sure never to make this file publicly accessible, as it contains database credentials in plain text.

Pro tip: Save after every change to server.cfg and restart the server via txAdmin. Changes only take effect after a restart, not while the server is running.

What hardware does a FiveM server need?

The hardware requirements depend heavily on how many players and how many scripts your server has to handle at the same time. Modest resources are enough for small test servers, but an active roleplay server with a full framework is a different story.

• 8 GB of RAM is considered the minimum. For roleplay servers with many scripts, plan for 16 to 32 GB.
• High single-core clock speed matters more than many cores, because FXServer does not parallelize many processes.
• NVMe storage is practically mandatory with many MLOs and custom EUP, and conventional SSDs quickly reach their limits here.
• Plan for sufficient upload bandwidth per player. With many players active at the same time, it adds up.
• DDoS protection is now standard for public servers. Without it, a growing server is an easy target.

A starter VPS is often enough for a small test server. As soon as you work with ESX or QBCore and many MLOs, though, a more powerful VPS or a rented game server is worth it, where someone else takes care of maintenance and security.

Which ports do I need to open for FiveM?

By default, your server needs port 30120 TCP and UDP for the game itself and port 40120 TCP for txAdmin.

• Check beforehand whether your internet connection is behind CGNAT, otherwise port forwarding will not work.
• With rented hosting, clarify the port assignment directly with the provider.
• Open the ports with UFW or iptables on Linux, and on Windows via the firewall settings or PowerShell.
• Never expose txAdmin openly to the internet. Where possible, restrict access to port 40120 to your own IP address.

What to do if the FiveM server does not start

Most startup problems can be traced back to a handful of causes. If you know them, you save yourself hours of searching.

• “License key not found”: check the sv_licenseKey line in server.cfg and whether the key is still active in the Keymaster.
• Server does not appear in the list: check port 30120 and your public IP in the Keymaster, and run a netstat check.
• txAdmin is not reachable: it is usually caused by the firewall, a wrong port, or simply the browser cache.
• Server crashes at startup: on Windows the Visual C++ Redistributable is often missing, and on Linux the artifact sometimes does not match the system architecture.
• Always take a look at console.log. Most error messages there clearly reveal the cause.

According to the official Cfx.re documentation, the initial txAdmin setup takes around 30 to 45 minutes. Larger delays almost always point to one of the problems above.

Personal recommendations from operating experience

If you want to run a FiveM server long term, you should first set up a backup routine and configure automatic restarts before you even think about scripts. A crash at three in the morning without an automatic restart costs you more players than a missing feature. For production use I would clearly recommend Linux; Windows is better suited to quick experiments thanks to its graphical interface. And start small: a test run with CFX Default shows you whether your network and license key are right before you set up a complete framework and scale up.

— Erik

Ready-made FiveM hosting instead of self-managing: when it pays off

Installing it yourself gives you full control, but it costs time for maintenance, updates, and protection against attacks, especially with a growing public server. If you want to save yourself that effort, Nexthosting offers ready-made FiveM hosting with NVMe storage, DDoS protection, and a server location in Germany, without you having to open ports or set up systemd services yourself. This pays off especially when your server grows and you would rather focus on scripts and community than on firewall rules. If you prefer a VPS of your own and like to get hands-on, Nexthosting also offers suitable VPS options with enough single-core performance for RP servers with many scripts. Take a look at the offering directly and compare whether renting or self-managing suits your project better.

Sources

For details beyond the basic setup, it is worth taking a look at the original documentation and supplementary guides.

• txAdmin — Resources — FiveM Docs
• Setting up a server using txAdmin — Cfx Documentation

FAQ

How do I start a FiveM server?

You download the FXServer artifacts, start txAdmin, choose a template such as CFX Default in the Recipe Deployer, and enter your Cfx.re license key. After that, a click on “Save & Run Server” is all it takes.

How much does your own FiveM server cost?

The cost depends on the hardware you choose. A small test server already runs on a starter VPS, while a roleplay server with many scripts needs more RAM and higher single-core performance. You can find specific prices directly at Nexthosting.

How do I create my own GTA RP server?

You install FXServer, choose a framework such as ESX or QBCore in the Recipe Deployer, and then adjust server.cfg, for example with your own hostname and database connection. After that, you install the FiveM mods and scripts you want via the resource folders.

What do you need to set up a FiveM server?

You need a Cfx.re account with a license key from the Keymaster, the FXServer artifacts, open ports 30120 and 40120, and sufficient hardware, at least 8 GB of RAM. For ESX or QBCore, you also need a MySQL database.

Which ports do I need to open for a FiveM server?

By default you need port 30120 TCP and UDP for the game itself and port 40120 TCP for access to txAdmin. Where possible, do not open 40120 publicly, but restrict access to your own IP address.