Rig for hosting dedicated server - specs help

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  1. Posts : 57
    Windows 7 64 bit Professional
       #1

    Rig for hosting dedicated server - specs help


    I'm looking to host a gaming server for simple games such as The Stomping Land, UT 2004/3, Contagion, L4d2, Far Cry 3, Synergy, Sven co-op, Killing Floor, Garrys Mod and Borderlands 2. Basically games that are co-op between 2 to 6 players max. I mainly will be playing with my buddy, so if anything I'd only be playing with one other for co-op style games.

    I would be running on a 25Mbps connection, router and a wireless router on the network, obviously I'd have the server wired. Question, is it ok to have a wireless router on the network, as well as having the server wired to it? I would also be gaming on my desktop too.

    So here would be the system specs so far..

    CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2GHz
    MOBO: msi NF980-G65
    GPU: Unknown, required for server? Have a nvidia asus 560 around if that'd work
    HD: Unknown on size, depending on OS and how many games. I know I need a fast speed, what would be recommended, for size and speed? SSD may be a bit outta the price range, nothing needs to be blazing fast as it'd just be my buddy and I mainly.
    PSU: 550 Watt
    RAM: 16GB DDR3 at 1333
    OS: Unknown for server type, which would be best for my purpose of server needs? (see below for main needs of this server)

    I am really looking to run those dedicated servers where i'd just turn on the rig for when my buddy or buddies want to play, so i WOULDN'T be running this 24/7, literally maybe a couple hours every other day, whenever i'd want to pop up a dedicated server and play with a few friends. I don't have TOO much of a problem on a few of the games to run a dedicated server on my desktop, WHILE playing on the same desktop, but I want to separate it so there'd be less stress on my desktop while gaming.

    Any suggestions on any of this? Any help would be great.
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  2. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #2

    You need some kind of graphics card for the server, so you can do maintenance. Any cheap card will do.
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  3. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #3

    For OS, Ubuntu would be the best. For a HDD, WD Black would be good.
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  4. Posts : 57
    Windows 7 64 bit Professional
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Thanks for the help so far. I will for sure grab a graphics card to place in it. But to further clear stuff up, is the mobo and CPU going to be good or decent for what I am looking for, for a dedicated server with maybe max players 10?

    Also, can I maybe buy a micro ATX mobo, and use the same CPU? I will for sure be getting a good HD for this.

    I have used ubuntu before, but, will most games support the dedicated server for Ubuntu? Would there be a better OS? I have windows server 2003 Standard Edition, as well as windows server 2003 x64 Edition. What are the benefits of different OS's for these dedicated gaming servers?

    Also, is it ok if I have a router, with a wireless router in my network, as the server will be wired directly to the wireless router. I will also be gaming from my PC which would also be wired to the wireless router.
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  5. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #5

    Well, knowing that most server companies run Linux on their servers, I think most software would support Ubuntu. There are turtorials for running the server software in the Internet. But, if there ever is a piece of software that does not support Ubuntu, you should use Windows Server. The good thing about Ubuntu is that it is free. And, since this is such a small server, I think a MATX mobo will be fine. Maybe even MITX. I think the connection to the router would not matter. The gpu is fine since servers for games do not need too much graphics power other than for the GUI of the OS. I am not sure about the CPU since I am not really an expert on AMD, but I know you will not need an actual server processor because it is not a big server with 100+ people.
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  6. Posts : 57
    Windows 7 64 bit Professional
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ok, that makes sense. I am going to try Ubuntu Server sometime. I am looking to run video game dedicated servers, but that'll be my job to look and see if I can run those servers through Ubuntu Server. A lot of them run the server in a console, if that helps any if you can give any feedback on that. I think I'll stick with the current mobo I have laying around.

    So the wireless router shouldn't matter too much? Maybe I'll test a server on my laptop wired to the wireless router and see how that handles before throwing together a whole machine server and finding out it's inefficient. haha.

    Yeah, I figured if I want more players, the better CPU I'd need, but I am looking for little amount of players, very little. Makes sense so far.

    Thanks a lot for the help. If anyone else has any input on this or suggestions, that'd be great. I'm going to do some testing on some stuff and see how things turn out :P
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  7. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #7

    Actually, the router connection depends on the version of 802.11 you use and the size of your house. If it is 802.11g or newer, you should be fine. Even 802.11a could be fine if the server is close enough. Can you post the router model? And normal Ubuntu might work too.
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  8. Posts : 57
    Windows 7 64 bit Professional
    Thread Starter
       #8

    It's the WRT610N by Cisco Linksys, it's 802.11N. But at my other place I will be using the RT N66U by Asus.

    I am still deciding between Ubuntu Server and Ubuntu Desktop, I know this isn't necessarily the correct website for this, but I am just seeing if anyone has had any experience with that. I am currently trying Ubuntu Server, if that doesn't work I will try the desktop. People say the "guts" are the same, the server just doesn't have the Desktop UI and it's more of just typing in stuff.
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  9. Posts : 2,409
    Windows 7 Professional 32-bit/Windows 8 64-bit/Win7 Pro64-bit
       #9

    Well, the desktop is easier to use and better for a home server that you manage. The server version is most likely for datacenters and enterprise.
    Last edited by Computer0304; 03 Jun 2014 at 16:52.
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  10. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #10

    Just to interject (as an AMD guy), that CPU will be fine for a home server and whatever else you want to throw at it. It might even be a little overkill, but it will do a great job for you.
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