If you want to have a private Rust server, you will need to enable a whitelist by using an Oxide plugin. If you are unsure of how to install Oxide plugins, you can find a general guide here
To enable a whitelist on your Rust server, you can follow these steps:
- Download the Whitelist plugin by Wulf, located here
- Upload the plugin to your
/oxide/plugins/
directory - Restart your server. Once the server is started, the plugin should be enabled.
- To allow a player to connect, you will need to know their SteamID. If you do not know what it is or where to find it, you can follow this guide for assistance.
- When in-game, press F1 and use the following syntax:
oxide.grant user 1234567890 whitelist.allow
and replace1234567890
with the Steam ID you got in the previous step.
If you followed these steps correctly, your server should block all players without whitelist permission from connecting to your server.