Garry's Mod server: First steps
A simple guide to build good habits right away: check your admin access, open ULX, organize permissions and avoid the most common mistakes.
The first steps to complete after creation
1
Join your server once
Connect to make sure the map loads correctly, the password works if you set one, and the server shows the expected name.
2
Confirm your admin access
If your SteamID64 was entered correctly in SpawnBot, ULX should recognize you as the main administrator. Run a simple menu or command test to confirm everything is in place.
3
Decide who manages the server
Do not give full powers to too many people. Start with a small circle of trusted admins, then expand only if needed.
4
Review permissions before opening wide
Before inviting everyone in, take a few minutes to review ULX groups, sensitive rights and which commands you really want to expose.
How do you open the ULX admin menu?
In Garry's Mod, ULX usually provides an admin menu directly in game. The most common way to open it is this console command:
ulx menuIf your setup or interface behaves a little differently, you can still use ULX through console or chat commands. What matters most is confirming that your admin account can access the management tools.
Useful ULX documentation
The official ULX documentation about user and group management remains the best starting point if you want to go further. It explains how groups work, how rights are assigned and which administration commands matter most.
Open the ULX user management documentationHow should you manage permissions well?
ULX works with groups and rights. The goal is not to unlock everything, but to give each role only what it actually needs.
Keep very few superadmins
Superadmin should stay rare. It is the role used to keep full control of the server, edit groups and fix sensitive situations.
Create intermediate roles
You can define admins, moderators or helpers depending on how your team works. This avoids giving overly broad rights to everyone.
Start simple
Begin with the truly useful commands: kick, ban, mute and basic moderation tools. Add more later only when a real need appears.
Review rights regularly
As your team changes, make a habit of reviewing permissions and removing unused access.
A recommended setup to start on solid ground
- Keep one main superadmin at the beginning, or two if you run the server together.
- Then create a more limited admin group for day-to-day moderation actions.
- Reserve the most sensitive commands for the people who truly run the server.
- Test permissions with a non-superadmin account before opening the server publicly.
- Write down who can do what, so your team avoids confusion later.
In short
Your goal is not to configure everything at once. First confirm your admin access, open ULX, organize two or three clean roles and test the essential permissions. With that foundation, your server will already be far easier to manage.