How to Set Up pma-voice on a Separate Server

How to Set Up pma-voice on a Separate Server
Improve your FiveM server's voice chat quality and stability by running pma-voice on a dedicated external server.

Author: Goodleaf Hosting

Setting up pma-voice on a separate server is an excellent way to enhance voice quality, reduce lag, and maintain stability during DDoS attacks, especially for servers hosting large player counts. This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

Who Should Set Up an External pma-voice Server?

Setting up an external pma-voice server is recommended if:

• You regularly host 60+ players.
• You experience voice quality degradation during peak times.
• You want to maintain voice stability during DDoS attacks.

If your server has fewer players or voice issues are rare, this setup might not be necessary.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Acquire a Separate Server

You’ll need a new server dedicated to running pma-voice, separate from your main server.

Options:

• Use a lightweight VPS, such as Budget VPS 1 from your hosting provider.
• Any other hosting provider offering a server with at least 1-2GB of RAM and minimal CPU requirements should suffice.

Step 2: Clean Installation of Your Preferred Framework

On your secondary server:

1. Perform a fresh installation of your framework, such as QBCore, ESX, or a standalone version.
2. Ensure pma-voice is correctly installed and running.

Why a Clean Installation?
A clean installation minimizes compatibility issues or configuration errors, ensuring smooth communication between the main and voice servers.

Step 3: Make the Secondary Server Private

To prevent accidental player connections, you need to make the secondary server private.

Steps:

1. Open the server.cfg file on the secondary server.

2. Add the following line to keep the server unlisted:

   #sv_master1 ""
   

3. Limit TxAdmin access:

   • Set your TxAdmin to admin-only mode to prevent players from mistakenly joining the wrong server.

These settings ensure the secondary server does not appear in public server listings.

Step 4: Edit the Main Server's Configuration

Now, configure your main server to connect to the external pma-voice server.

Steps:

1. Open the server.cfg file on your main server.

2. Add the following lines:

   setr voice_allowSetIntent 1
   setr voice_externalAddress 'ip_address'
   setr voice_externalPort 30199
   setr voice_hideEndpoints 1
   

3. Replace 'ip_address' with the public IP address of the secondary server.

4. Ensure that port 30199 (or your chosen port) is open on the secondary server's firewall.

Firewall Configuration:
On the secondary server, allow traffic for the pma-voice port:

• For Linux:

  sudo ufw allow 30199
  

• For Windows: Add an inbound rule for port 30199 in Windows Defender Firewall.

Final Checklist

1. Test the Setup:

   • Start both servers and ensure players on the main server can communicate through pma-voice.
   • Check for any errors in the server console logs.

2. Monitor Performance:

   • Verify that the voice quality is improved and remains stable during peak usage.

3. Secure the Secondary Server:

   • Keep the secondary server unlisted and ensure all administrative access is restricted to authorized users only.

Conclusion

Setting up pma-voice on a separate server can significantly improve voice chat quality and stability for large or heavily utilized FiveM servers. By following this guide, you’ll ensure a seamless and efficient configuration for your players.

Looking for hosting solutions? Goodleaf Hosting offers reliable servers with optimized performance for FiveM, perfect for running both main and auxiliary setups like pma-voice. Start enhancing your server today!