Can't get mods to work no matter what I try

[DoctorDungus]

So I know I'm pretty dumb, but I'm really taking the cake with this one. I have looked up quite a few guides and help topics on mods, all to no avail. I am currently using a dedicated server that I made following the Windows guide:

This means my server info is located in Documents/Klei/DoNotStarveTogether/MyDediServer, and I run it through SteamCMD. I tried to follow Daniel's guide:

But I can't get it working. It's probably meant for Linux servers or something, but I couldn't figure it out. I also looked at this topic and tried Zillvr's suggestion of installing my mod folders into A:\SteamCMD\steamapps\common\Don't Starve Together Dedicated Server\mods, but that didn't work either:

I have also read some other topics and watched several videos. Here are the things I have tried:
1) Creating the dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua file as specified in Daniel's Mod Setup Guide and pasting it in the Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\MyDediServer folder created from the Windows Quick Setup guide.
2) Pasting the same file in A:\SteamCMD\steamapps\common\Don't Starve Together Dedicated Server\mods.
3) Copying my mod folders from A:\SteamCMD\steamapps\common\Don't Starve Together\mods (which work; I've tested them on normal servers) and pasting the folders in A:\SteamCMD\steamapps\common\Don't Starve Together Dedicated Server\mods .
4) Pasting my mod folders and the lua file into A:\Steam\steamapps\common\Don't Starve Together Dedicated Server\mods, as suggested by a video.
5) Creating a modoverrides.lua file as specified in Daniel's guide, and pasting it in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\MyDediServer\Master and \Caves.

I am seriously lost here, and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The server works perfectly, but I cannot get the mods to install on it. I made sure to close SteamCMD after every attempt and re-launch the server by clicking StartDSTServers.bat in my Documents\Klei folder. And I know for sure the mods aren't installed because some of them are custom characters and I can't see them at the character select screen.

You guys have been very helpful so far; it's seriously amazing.

[maradyne]

 

This guide basically allows you to make a world through the in-game menus, customizing the configs and everything like a normal server, but then run it as a dedicated server. It's done wonders for me in the past.
If you're running the server from a computer that can run DST for initial setup, it should be sufficient.

[DoctorDungus]

15 hours ago, lifetheuniverse said:

 

This guide basically allows you to make a world through the in-game menus, customizing the configs and everything like a normal server, but then run it as a dedicated server. It's done wonders for me in the past.
If you're running the server from a computer that can run DST for initial setup, it should be sufficient.

Thank you so much for the suggestion! I almost got it working last night, but the server didn't appear in the browse list. And now I can't get past the "no cluster token" issue for some bizarre reason...but I think this has a lot of potential to work. I'll try to contact alainmcd and see if they can help me get it working. Thanks again.