How to Install Oxide or Carbon and Plugins on a Rust Server

Context

A vanilla Rust server runs perfectly well as it is, but most communities want starter kits, teleportation, clans or a shop. All of this comes from plugins, and plugins need a modding framework, Oxide (uMod) or Carbon.

On your Winheberg Rust server, there is no need to install this framework by hand. The gaming panel downloads it for you at startup, you just have to pick it. This guide shows you how to enable Oxide or Carbon, install a plugin from uMod, then check that it is running.

Prerequisites

• An active Rust server on your Winheberg gaming panel
• The download link of the plugin you want, for example on umod.org
• A recent backup from the Backups tab, before any framework change

1. Choose the framework in Startup

In the side menu, open Startup and scroll down to the MODDING FRAMEWORK variable. Three values are available.

Value	Result
vanilla	Server without mods, default value
oxide	Installs Oxide (uMod), the original Rust framework
carbon	Installs Carbon, compatible with most Oxide plugins

Select oxide or carbon. The choice is saved as soon as you change the value, there is no save button.

2. Restart and check that it loads

Go back to the Console and click Restart. On every startup, the server updates Rust and then downloads the latest version of the chosen framework. So you never have to update Oxide yourself.

The first startup with a framework takes a few extra minutes. When Oxide loads, the console shows these lines.

Loading Oxide Core v2.0.4143...
Loading extensions...
Loaded extension Rust v2.0.7839 by Oxide Team and Contributors
Loading plugins...

Version numbers change with every update, that is normal. Once the server has started, an oxide folder appears at the root of the server, with the plugins, config, data, lang and logs subfolders.

3. Install a plugin from a URL

An Oxide plugin is a simple .cs file. The panel file manager can download it directly, without going through your PC.

1. Open Files, then the oxide folder, then plugins (with Carbon, carbon then plugins)
2. Click Upload, then Upload from URL

3. Paste the direct link to the .cs file into the URL field. On uMod, it looks like https://umod.org/plugins/PluginName.cs
4. Check the Filename field. It fills itself in from the URL and must contain only the file name, here Kits.cs
5. Click Upload

The file shows up in the folder a few seconds later.

4. Check that the plugin is loaded

Oxide watches the plugins folder and automatically loads a plugin as soon as its file is added or modified, with no restart. On first load, the plugin creates its configuration file in oxide/config (with Carbon, carbon/configs).

To list the active plugins, type this command in the console, without a / in front.

o.plugins

Here are the handy commands for managing your plugins.

5. Grant the plugin permissions

Most plugins restrict their commands to players who have the right permission. The plugin page on uMod lists its permissions. Oxide creates two groups by default, default for all players and admin for administrators.

Command	Effect
o.grant group default <permission>	Grants the permission to all players
o.grant user <name or SteamID64> <permission>	Grants the permission to a single player
o.revoke user <name or SteamID64> <permission>	Removes the permission
o.show user <name>	Shows a player's permissions and groups

With Carbon, replace o. with c., for example c.grant. Players set as owner on the server are automatically added to the Oxide admin group. To become an owner, follow our guide "How to Become an Admin on a Rust Server".

If you run into trouble

❌ The plugin does not show up in o.plugins

• Check that the file is really in oxide/plugins (or carbon/plugins) and that it ends with .cs
• Check its name. If the console shows an error like this one, the Filename field contained the name twice, rename the file to Kits.cs

Could not load plugin 'Kits.csKits' (no plugin found with that file name)

• Open the latest file in oxide/logs, plugin compilation errors are detailed there

❌ A plugin stopped working after the monthly wipe

Every mandatory Rust update can break a plugin. The framework itself updates on its own at restart. Check the plugin page for a new version, download it over the old one, then read the console to confirm it loads.

❌ The server crashes after a framework change

Oxide modifies some game files, which stay in place if you switch back to vanilla or move to carbon. Make a backup, then run Reinstall Server from Settings so that SteamCMD restores the original Rust files.

Best practices

• Add your plugins one at a time and read the console after each one, any conflict is then easy to spot
• Edit a plugin's configuration in oxide/config, then apply it with o.reload PluginName
• Only download plugins from known sources such as uMod. A .cs plugin runs code on your server
• Back up the oxide folder before a wipe or a major update, it holds your configurations and your players' data

Need help?

If a plugin still refuses to load after these checks, our team is here to help. Open a ticket in the Technical department from your client area, fill in the Related Product field with your Rust server and attach the error message from the console.

Check out our plans on the Rust Hosting page. Your server is ready for its first plugins 📦