Server setup

I responded to a thread very similar to this a while ago, but I will respond again just in case I missed any information.

Step 1 would be deciding how you want to host the server. If you want to host it on your PC, then it would only be a useful server for you and a couple friends. Imagine having 30 people pinging off your internet. If you want to host a server that is built for a community, or any dedicated player base over 10 people, I would recommend using a hosting service.

My recommended hosting services are...
NFO Servers
ELHS
Nitrous Networks

There are 2 different processes for setting up a server depending on what type of host your using. If you decided to host the server off your own PC, this video will help you set it up. If you decided to use a hosting service, read below.

When I first started making my own servers The Coding Beast's videos really helped me out with a lot of the basics. More specifically, this playlist. He organizes his content really nicely, so I would recommend checking out some of his playlists as they provide some useful information for new server owners. Once you understand the basics, you can move onto personalizing the server. I used to use this website called csite to speed up some of the darkrp jobs and such but Unfortunately, csite is no longer active, but I can point you towards Garry's Mod Tools as it seems to provide the same service.

I would highly recommend utilizing youtube to find a lot of your information if you don't know how to code in lua (assuming you don't otherwise you wouldn't be asking this question). Using youtube in combination with Garry's Mod Tools should help you get a good grasp on things, at least to start out.

If you have any questions, my DM's are open.