How to make players download Workshop addons on a Garry's Mod server (no missing textures)

Players join your Garry's Mod server and see missing textures and big red errors, even though your Workshop collection is set, because the game only sends players a collection's maps and game modes. RCON Hub fixes it: its GMod Manager pack keeps your server's Workshop list and writes resource.AddWorkshop for every other item for you, so players download what they need when they join.

Why players see missing textures on Garry's Mod

Setting a Workshop collection only gets the addons onto the server. Players download the maps and game modes from it by themselves, and nothing else.

Every other addon needs a resource.AddWorkshop line in a server Lua file. Skip one and players get missing textures and errors on every model it adds.

So the manual fix looks like this:

• Look up the Workshop id of every addon in your collection.
• Write a Lua file in the right autorun folder with one resource.AddWorkshop line per addon.
• Leave out the server-only addons players don't need.
• Redo the file every time you add or remove an addon.

Private or removed items also fail quietly. You only find out when a player complains.

What the game and other tools leave out

• Players only get maps and game modes. The game sends nothing else from a collection, and a hosting panel's collection box doesn't change that. GMod Manager writes resource.AddWorkshop for every item players need.
• Dead items fail quietly. The server skips private and removed items without a clear error. GMod Manager checks your items against the Workshop and flags removed, private and wrong-game items.
• Updates land at every start. The server pulls addon updates each time it starts, so a bad or malicious update can arrive overnight. A version pin keeps the versions you have.
• Backdoored addons. Leaked and re-uploaded addons can hide code that makes someone superadmin, and the game never checks. GMod Manager checks every addon for backdoor code and shows the file and line. It only warns: nothing is blocked or deleted.

How RCON Hub fixes it

GMod Manager runs it all from its Workshop page. The server downloads its Workshop addons itself at every start, so there's nothing to subscribe to. GMod Manager writes the item list the server loads, and a pasted collection adds all its items in one go. Untick server-only addons and they stay on the server.

Step-by-step setup

1. Install RCON Hub. Download it from rconhub.gg and run the installer. It's free for Windows 10 and 11.
2. Add the Garry's Mod game pack. Open RCON Hub. On Your games, click Add game, pick Garry's Mod and click Install.
3. Set up your server. Open the Garry's Mod card. Click Install it for me to download the dedicated server with SteamCMD (about 6.5 GB). Already have one? Paste the folder that holds srcds.exe and click Use it.
4. Add your addons. Open the Workshop page. In Add a mod, paste your collection's link. Click Add all to list every item. Single items work too: paste the link and click Add to the server.
5. Untick server-only addons. Under Items, each addon has a players download it box. Leave it ticked for anything players see.
6. Check your list. Click Check on the Workshop to catch removed or private items, and Check for backdoors to scan the code.
7. Pin the versions. Under Updates, tick Keep these versions (no updates at start) if you want no surprises.
8. Start the server. On the Server page, click Start server. New items download at the start, and players get them when they join.

If your server's build doesn't read the item list yet, the Workshop page tells you. Switch the Branch to x86-64 on the Server page, or use the Workshop collection box.

Renting your server? Add it on the Servers page with file access, and the Workshop page works on it too.

Is it safe?

Yes.

• It runs locally. RCON Hub and GMod Manager run on your own Windows PC. GMod Manager never opens the RCON port in your firewall or on your router.
• No injection. RCON Hub never touches the game client or your players' games. There's nothing for VAC to flag, so it won't get anyone banned.
• Nothing gets deleted. The backdoor check only warns. You decide what stays.
• Your secrets stay put. The Game Server Login Token is stored encrypted, and the RCON password never goes on the command line.

It's beta software. Back up your server's settings and data before you change things.

No more purple and black checkerboards

Your players should see what you installed. Download RCON Hub, add the Garry's Mod pack, and let every addon download on join.

Download RCON Hub 0.3.13 More guides