How to Set Up an MTA:SA Server on a VDS: Step by Step

How to Set Up an MTA:SA Server on a VDS

MTA:SA (Multi Theft Auto: San Andreas) is an open source multiplayer platform built on GTA San Andreas. It has held a large player base in Turkey for years, and running your own server lets you build game modes and roleplay experiences nobody else offers. This guide walks through setting up an MTA server on a VDS.

System Requirements for an MTA Server

MTA:SA servers are generally light on resources, though script heavy setups push the requirements up:

💡 MTA servers are known for their small footprint. Even the ENT-1 package from White Bilişim’s Xeon Enterprise VDS line (2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 30 GB SSD, 160 TRY/month) is enough for a small to medium MTA server.

Step 1: Ordering the VDS

You can run an MTA:SA server on a very cost effective machine:

• ENT-1 or ENT-2 packages are ideal for low player counts
• Script heavy servers may need more RAM
• The Istanbul location gives Turkish players low ping
• DDoS protection matters for MTA servers

Step 2: Connecting to the Server

Windows Server (over RDP)

1. Open Remote Desktop Connection
2. Enter your server IP and connect

Linux (over SSH)

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Step 3: Installing the MTA Server

Linux Installation

# Install the required dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libncursesw5 -y
 
# Create the MTA server directory
mkdir /home/mta-server
cd /home/mta-server
 
# Download the MTA server files
wget https://linux.multitheftauto.com/dl/multitheftauto_linux_x64.tar.gz
 
# Extract the archive
tar -xvf multitheftauto_linux_x64.tar.gz
cd multitheftauto_linux_x64/mta-server64/

Windows Installation

1. Download the server files from multitheftauto.com
2. Run the installer with the “Server Only” option
3. Launch MTA Server.exe from the install folder

Step 4: Configuring mtaserver.conf

Edit mods/deathmatch/mtaserver.conf:

<config>
    <!-- Server information -->
    <servername>Your Server Name | whitebilisim.com</servername>
    <serverip>0.0.0.0</serverip>
    <serverport>22003</serverport>
    <maxplayers>128</maxplayers>
    <httpport>22005</httpport>
    
    <!-- Security -->
    <password></password>
    <ase>1</ase>
    
    <!-- Performance -->
    <fpslimit>36</fpslimit>
    <voice>0</voice>
    
    <!-- Anti-cheat -->
    <enablesd>1</enablesd>
    <minclientversion>1.6.0-0.00000</minclientversion>
</config>

Step 5: Port Settings

Open these ports for your MTA server:

# Linux firewall rules
sudo ufw allow 22003/udp
sudo ufw allow 22005/tcp
sudo ufw allow 22126/udp

Step 6: ACL (Access Control) Settings

Give yourself admin rights in mods/deathmatch/acl.xml:

<acl>
    <group name="Admin">
        <acl name="Admin" />
        <object name="user.YourAccount" />
    </group>
</acl>

In game you can then log in with /login admin password.

Step 7: Resource (Script) Management

To add scripts to your MTA server:

1. Download resources from community.multitheftauto.com
2. Copy them into mods/deathmatch/resources/
3. Start them from mtaserver.conf or with start resourcename in the console

Popular MTA Resources

• freeroam: free roam mode
• race: racing mode
• deathmatch: deathmatch mode
• admin: administration panel
• scoreboard: scoreboard
• votemanager: voting system

MTA Server Performance Tips

1. Tune the FPS limit: 36 to 60 works well
2. Stop resources you do not use: with the stop resourcename command
3. Optimize your scripting: keep loops in Lua scripts to a minimum
4. Turn off voice chat: set <voice>0</voice> if nobody uses it
5. Restart on a schedule: it keeps memory leaks in check

VDS Package Suggestions for MTA

Conclusion

Setting up an MTA:SA server is easy and inexpensive. White Bilişim provides affordable and reliable game server infrastructure from Istanbul, with a 10 Gbps network, DDoS protection and 24/7 technical support.

👉 Browse our Xeon Enterprise VDS packages and launch your own MTA server from 160 TRY/month.