San Andreas online is a huge thing for the GTA community. It laid the groundworks for future GTA Multiplayer games. And even today very high-quality servers for this game exist so people can have a good time with their friends or even by themselves. San Andreas Multiplayer is made in a such a way that you can host a server of your own to play with your friends. Let's delve deeper into that.
Step 1. Install San Andreas Multiplayer
(You can ignore this step if you already have it installed)
Download SAMP and install where your San Andreas game files are located. The installer will then put the client files in your game folder.
Step 2. Download Server Files
The next step is to download the server files from the same site. Extract them somewhere in your PC.
Step 3. Configure The Server
Before you go start having fun you have to configure something around first. Inside where you extracted your server files you have to edit the "server.cfg" file. Open the file with Notepad or some other software. Then change the clearly written part "changeme" to something. This will be used to log in as server admin when playing the game. After changing it to something your server should be operational now.
Step 4. Test The Server
Fire up the server with "samp-server.exe". Now go to your San Andreas game folder and launch "samp.exe". On the top right you have to give yourself a nickname. This is the name you will go by and your friends will see in the game. Then click the yellow tick sign on the top left and write in "localhost". This will put you into the server you are currently running. Now you are in your own private San Andreas server where you can enjoy with your friends.
Afterword
After you have done all those steps the server will be functional. By default, it will be set in a gamemode called "Grand Larceny". It's a gamemode made by the SA-MP team. But you can download more gamemodes in the SA-MP forums. Changing gamemodes is very easy. All you have to do is open "server.cfg" inside where you extracted the server files. Inside the editor there will be a line "gamemode (gamemode file name) 1". All you have to do is change the in between part to the gamemode file name and voila. The gamemodes changed. If you and you friends are in the same network, you will be able to join the server without any hoops. But if you want to host the server over internet good ol' playit.gg or Hamachi will do just fine.