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The Content Delivery Dilemma

One of the most common frustrations for Garry’s Mod players is slow “Joining Server” times or seeing “ERROR” signs. This occurs when the content delivery system (how the server sends files to the client) is unoptimized or misconfigured. You have two choices: WorkshopDL and FastDL.
Reading TimeDifficultyLast Updated
8 minutesIntermediateJanuary 2026

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1. WorkshopDL (The Modern Standard)

WorkshopDL tells the client to download the .gma files directly from Steam’s servers.
  • Pros: Extremely easy to set up; uses Steam’s massive bandwidth; no web hosting required.
  • Cons: Players must download the entire addon even if they only need one model; update desyncs can occur if Steam is slow.
  • Setup: Add +host_workshop_collection ID to your startup and use resource.AddWorkshop in your Lua.

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2. FastDL (The Legacy Method)

FastDL uses a traditional web server (HTTP) to host individual loose files (.mdl, .vmt, .vtf).
  • Pros: Faster download speeds for specific files; only sends exactly what the player needs.
  • Cons: Requires a separate Web Server; manual maintenance of the bzip2 compression and file structure.
  • Setup: Requires the sv_downloadurl variable in your server.cfg.

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3. Which should you choose?

  • 95% of Servers: Use WorkshopDL. It is the most stable and user-friendly method for modern communities.
  • Advanced Creators: Use FastDL only for “Private” content that you do not want uploaded to the public Steam Workshop (e.g., custom-branded UI sounds or private donor models).

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Last Updated: January 2026 | GMod: Delivery optimized.