Starting my own OA server

[NeoGeo64]

I want to start my own dedicated OA server.  I love the game and want to run a server (maybe even with mods!).  I have a computer that was given to me... it is a Dell Optiplex 760 with an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3GHz with 2GB RAM and an 80GB HDD.  It will have an Internet connection of 114 Mbps down / 18Mbps up.  My IP address only changes twice a year or so.  It's a normal home connection with the IP associated with the ISP's hostname (1-2-3-4.ABCinternet.com).  Would I just be able to use my IP and not have to rely on DynDNS or some crap?  The server will be located in southern Georgia, USA.  I figure it would be good to have another gameserver in this area of the USA so people in the region could enjoy lower pings.

Are the computer's hardware and Internet connection suitable for an OA server?  How much bandwidth per month would it take up?  I have a 1000GB/month usage cap, which includes data downloaded and uploaded.

[Gig]

Hi!

Well... most of the infos you need are here:
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Multiplayer
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Servers

With your machine machine, I suppose you should be able to run more than one server instance...
Your upload bandwidth is enough to support a few servers, depending from how many clients you want to allow in each server, and the maximum bandwidth you will allow for each client. For more infos about bandwith calculation (and thus, correct configuration of sv_maxrate and sv_maxclients), please refer to (DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Servers#Bandwidth

However, how much monthly bandwidth you will actually use will mostly depend on how much the server will be actually used by players! Of course, we can try to calculate the "worst" (or better, depending from the point of view) case, where your server is used 24h/dayby all the allowed players, then multiplied by 30 or 31...

Let's take the example of 1 Mbps of bandwitdh fully used (according to the wiki page, sv_maxrate 25000 with sv_maxclients 4 is one of the combinations which may use 1 Mbps -considering some overhead-)... so 1Mbps*60(seconds in a minutes)*60(minutes in an hour)*24(hours in a day)*30(days in a month) = 2.592.000 Mbit/month. Then, dividing it by 1000 to get Gbit/month, then dividing by 8 to have GByte/month.... (2592000/1000)/8 = 2592/8 = 324 GB/month. With 1 Mbps used 24h/day. More or less.
Hey, I tried to estimate it here for the first time, maybe I may have done something wrong!!! Please check!

IMPORTANT: I don't know if actual bandwith a client may use, with a certain sv_maxrate (e.g. 5000 bytes-per-second) is (5000up+5000down=10000) or (up+down=5000). I suppose the second case (rate shared between upload and download), but I'm not sure! If someone knows, that may be important.

If you also want to place extra stuff (like mods or third-party maps) in your server, take also a look to:
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Automatic_downloading
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Using_mods

[NeoGeo64]

That sounds really good! Now, if somebody could point me into the direction of downloading the needed files to run a server and the necessary HOW TO files and such so I can figure everything out.

[NeoGeo64]

where do I download the server? Where is some documentation for it, also? Are there any documentation or HOW TOs in layman's terms for all of it?

[grey matter]

where do I download the server?

It's included within the regular game download, both the official ones as well as 3rd party packages for your operating system.

Where is some documentation for it, also?

Gig already linked to the wiki, e.g. (DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Servers#Server_Setup which in turn links to a few other resources. Most Quake 3 how-tos also apply to OpenArena.

Are there any documentation or HOW TOs in layman's terms for all of it?

Running a dedicated server requires some computer knowledge. Feel free to ask further questions here in the forum, but don't forget to include information such as your operating system.

[tflover]

So you are planning on putting mods like Q3F?

[Martyna]

I want to host my own server to and I tried reading the wiki but it still doesnt make sense.

The wiki jumps from 'you need this ok now onto oh by the way you need this and you must do this' 

Can anyone explain it in a coherent manner please?

[Gig]

I want to host my own server to and I tried reading the wiki but it still doesnt make sense.

The wiki jumps from 'you need this ok now onto oh by the way you need this and you must do this'  

Can anyone explain it in a coherent manner please?

Could you please better explain what's the part you didn't understand?

In short,
* if you want to occasionally play in a LAN with a couple of friends of yours, just use "Multiplayer --> Create" menu ((DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Multiplayer#Multiplayer_menu).
* if you want to host an INTERNET server, it's harder (requires some knowledge of networking and id tech 3 DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Command_console]commands/configuration):
   - You have to configure your router/firewalls/NAT to allow traffic on the necessary UDP ports ((DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Multiplayer#IPs.2C_routers_and_firewalls)
   - You have to start oa_ded with "+set dedicated 2" command line parameter, otherwise it will not be listed on master server ((DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Multiplayer#Dedicated_server)
   - You should correcly set some parameters to efficiently use your bandwidth ((DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Servers#Bandwidth)
   - You have to load a map, of course
   - If your server has got something which is not included in clean OA 0.8.8 (extra maps, DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Using_Mods]mods), you also have to enable "DO NOT LINK[/b]) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Automatic_download]automatic download"... (I suggest you to try with a standard server first).

PS: If you can find some well done tutorial for ioquake3, most of it should apply to OA, too... (of course, some things, like master server address, exectuables name, etc. may differ).

[DILZNIK]

I have some files that you can use to run your server. I'll gladly share with anyone who needs it. Possibly create a new thread sometime about a webpage I have that will include a lot of useful stuff I've come across over the years playing OpenArena.