BeamMP adds multiplayer to BeamNG.drive, and its Falix server is almost a one-button job — with one hard requirement: it needs an AUTHKEY and will not start without it. That key is free and takes a minute to get. This guide walks the AUTHKEY, the variables that shape your server (players, cars, map), the honest truth about mods, and the join flow.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| You need | A free Falix account, and BeamNG.drive with the BeamMP mod on each player's PC |
| Time | About ten minutes |
| Plan | Free — BeamMP runs on the free plan |
Step 1: create the server
Go to Servers → Create server, open the Games tab, and choose BeamMP. The panel installs the dedicated server for you. (New to the create page? The Knowledge Base has a walkthrough.)
Step 2: get your AUTHKEY (required)
BeamMP servers authenticate through BeamMP's own key service, and without a key your server won't start.
- Go to beammp.com and sign in (BeamMP uses a Discord login).
- Open the key management area ("Keys") and generate a new AUTHKEY — it's free.
- Copy the key.
Then open the Settings page, Environment tab (where a server's variables live, on every plan), find AUTHKEY, and paste it in.
⚠️ Heads up: No AUTHKEY, no start. If the console reports the server can't authenticate, this variable is empty or the key is wrong — paste a fresh one from beammp.com.
Step 3: set the rest of your variables
Still on the Environment tab, BeamMP gives you these knobs:
| Variable | What it does |
|---|---|
NAME |
The server name shown in the BeamMP list |
DESCRIPTION |
The blurb under your server's name |
MAX_PLAYERS |
How many drivers can join — defaults to 6, so raise it here |
MAX_CARS |
Vehicles allowed per player — defaults to 1; raise it for more cars each |
MAP |
The starting map, as a path like /levels/gridmap_v2/info.json |
PRIVATE |
true hides the server from the public list; false lists it publicly |
VERSION |
The BeamMP server build (latest is fine) |
LOGCHAT |
Whether in-game chat is written to the log |
The two most people change first are MAX_PLAYERS and MAX_CARS — both start low. To switch maps, set MAP to another level's info.json path (BeamMP's docs list the built-in map paths).
Step 4: start it and get everyone in
Press Start and watch the Console — the server authenticates with your AUTHKEY, loads the map, and begins hosting. Then share the connection:
- Everyone needs BeamNG.drive plus the BeamMP mod installed (from beammp.com).
- BeamMP has no name-only shortcut — players use your address and port from the Network page. In the BeamMP launcher they pick Direct Connect and enter
address:port(a public server also shows up in the in-launcher list).
⚠️ Heads up: Include the port from the Network page, not just the address.
About mods
Beyond the built-in variables, BeamMP supports server-side resources (mods and custom maps) that are sent to players when they join. That's real, but it's BeamMP's own system, with its own folders and rules that change over time — so it belongs to BeamMP's documentation rather than a fixed recipe here. Get the vanilla server running first; add mods once you're comfortable, following BeamMP's official guide.
What survives, and what doesn't
Your server config lives in its files and survives restarts, stops, and the free-plan sleep. A reinstall — or switching the server to a different game — wipes it. Take a backup before either; on free, backups save to your own Google Drive.
Verify it works
The Console confirms it: the server authenticates with your AUTHKEY, loads the map, and hosts; when a friend connects, their join appears. If someone can reach address:port and drive with you, you're set.
Troubleshooting
- Server won't start — the classic BeamMP cause is a missing or wrong
AUTHKEY. Generate a fresh one at beammp.com and paste it in. - Only one car each / server feels tiny — raise
MAX_CARSandMAX_PLAYERSon the Environment tab; both default low. - Friends can't connect — include the port from the Network page, and make sure they have the BeamMP mod. Still stuck? I can't reach my server.
- Server stopped on its own — free-plan behavior: it stops when empty and gets roughly a 60-minute grace window when unreachable. Revive it from the Timer page — How free game servers work.