How to Host L4D2 Dedicated Server: A Guide for Devs

Welcome, Devs, to our comprehensive guide on hosting a dedicated server for Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2). In this article, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up a dedicated server for L4D2, including the necessary tools and configurations. Whether you’re an experienced server administrator or a newcomer to the L4D2 community, this guide will help you create a stable and reliable server for your friends and players. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

  1. Tools You’ll Need
  2. Configuration Overview
  3. Port Forwarding
  4. Server Files
  5. Installation
  6. Basic Server Configuration
  7. Addon Installation
  8. Customizing the MOTD
  9. Setting up Admins
  10. Using RCON
  11. Adding Workshop Items
  12. Using SteamCMD
  13. Creating an Autoexec.cfg
  14. Fixing Server Crashes
  15. Creating Server Backups
  16. Updating Your Server
  17. Frequently Asked Questions
  18. Troubleshooting Tips
  19. Conclusion

Tools You’ll Need

Before we get started on setting up your L4D2 dedicated server, let’s go over the tools you’ll need. In order to run a dedicated server, you’ll need:

  • A Windows or Linux machine
  • The latest version of L4D2 installed on your machine
  • The dedicated server files for L4D2
  • A router with port forwarding capabilities
  • An internet connection

Once you have these tools ready, we can move on to the configuration process.

Configuration Overview

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of hosting a dedicated server for L4D2, let’s take a moment to understand the overall configuration process.

Hosting a dedicated server requires you to configure your router to allow incoming traffic on certain ports. You will also need to download and install the L4D2 dedicated server files, which will give you access to the server console and allow you to configure various server options, such as game modes, difficulty levels, and more. Once you have installed the server files, you will need to start the server and configure it using the console. We will cover each of these steps in detail.

Port Forwarding

In order for players to connect to your server, you will need to configure your router to allow incoming traffic on certain ports. By default, L4D2 uses port 27015 for server connections. You will need to forward this port on your router to the internal IP address of your server.

The exact steps for port forwarding will vary depending on your router. However, the basic process is as follows:

  1. Log into your router’s configuration page. This is usually done by entering your router’s IP address into your web browser’s address bar.
  2. Locate the port forwarding or NAT (Network Address Translation) settings.
  3. Create a new port forwarding rule for port 27015. Set the internal IP address of your server as the destination.
  4. Save the settings and exit the router’s configuration page.

After you have configured port forwarding, your router should allow incoming traffic on port 27015 to be forwarded to your server. You can test whether your port forwarding is working correctly by using an online port checker tool, such as YouGetSignal.

Server Files

The next step is to download the L4D2 dedicated server files. These files contain all the necessary components to run a dedicated server, including server executables, configuration files, and more.

You can download the server files from the Valve Developer Community website or through the SteamCMD tool (which we will cover later in this guide).

After you have downloaded the server files, extract them to a directory on your machine. You can choose any location on your machine, but make sure it is easily accessible and has enough free space to accommodate the server files and any custom content you wish to add.

Installation

Now that you have downloaded the server files and extracted them to a directory on your machine, it’s time to install the server. To install the server, follow these steps:

  1. Open the directory where you extracted the server files.
  2. Double-click on the srcds.exe file to launch the server installation wizard.
  3. Follow the instructions in the wizard to install the server. Make sure to select the correct game mode (in this case, Left 4 Dead 2) and configure any necessary options, such as server name, map, and more.
  4. After the installation is complete, close the server installation wizard.

Congratulations, you have now installed the L4D2 dedicated server on your machine!

Basic Server Configuration

Now that the server is installed, it’s time to configure it. The first step is to configure the basic server settings, such as server name, map, and more. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Open the directory where you installed the server.
  2. Open the cfg folder, and then open the server.cfg file in a text editor.
  3. Modify the settings in the file as desired. Some common settings to modify include:
    • hostname – The name of your server
    • sv_lan – Set to 0 to allow internet connections
    • sv_gamemode – The game mode your server will use
    • sv_password – Set a server password if desired
    • sv_cheats – Set to 0 to disable cheats
  4. Save the file and exit the text editor.
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After you have configured the server settings, you can start the server by running the srcds.exe file. Your server is now up and running!

Addon Installation

If you want to add custom content to your server, such as maps, skins, or other addons, you can do so using the workshop. To install addons from the workshop, follow these steps:

  1. Launch L4D2 from your Steam library.
  2. Click on the “Community” tab.
  3. Select the “Workshop” option.
  4. Search for the addons you want to install.
  5. Click the “Subscribe” button next to each addon you want to install.
  6. Exit the workshop and launch L4D2 again.
  7. Select the “Extras” option from the main menu.
  8. Click on the “Add-ons” button.
  9. Select the addons you want to activate and click “Apply Changes”.

After you have installed the addons, they should be available for use on your server. Make sure to configure your server.cfg file to include any custom maps or other content you have added.

Customizing the MOTD

The MOTD (Message of the Day) is the message that appears when players connect to your server. You can customize the MOTD to include any message or information you want. To customize the MOTD, follow these steps:

  1. Open the directory where you installed the server.
  2. Open the cfg folder, and then open the motd.txt file in a text editor.
  3. Modify the text in the file as desired.
  4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

After you have customized the MOTD, it will appear whenever a player connects to your server.

Setting up Admins

As the server owner, you have full administrative control over your server. However, you may want to add additional admins to help manage the server. To set up admins, follow these steps:

  1. Open the directory where you installed the server.
  2. Open the cfg folder, and then open the users.cfg file in a text editor.
  3. Add the following line for each admin you want to add: "STEAM_X:X:XXXXXXXXX" "99:z" Replace the “X” with the Steam ID of the user you want to add. You can find a user’s Steam ID by right-clicking on their profile in Steam and selecting “Copy Page URL”. The Steam ID will be the long string of numbers at the end of the URL.
  4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

After you have added additional admins, they will have access to server commands and be able to help manage the server.

Using RCON

RCON (Remote Control) is a command line tool that allows you to remotely manage your server from your machine or another machine. To use RCON, follow these steps:

  1. Add the following line to your server.cfg file: rcon_password "yourpassword" Replace “yourpassword” with a strong password of your choice.
  2. Launch the server and take note of the IP address and port number.
  3. Open the console on your machine or another machine and enter the following command: rcon -P yourpassword -P yourport yourcommand Replace “yourpassword” with the password you set in your server.cfg file, “yourport” with the port number of your server, and “yourcommand” with the command you want to run on the server.

After you have successfully connected to the server using RCON, you can use it to run commands on the server from anywhere.

Adding Workshop Items

If you want to add custom content to your server that is not available on the workshop, you can do so by manually adding the files to your server directory. To add workshop items manually, follow these steps:

  1. Subscribe to the workshop item you want to add.
  2. Locate the workshop file in your Steam directory. You can find this by going to the following directory on your machine: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\550\XXXXXXXXX Replace “XXXXXXXXX” with the ID of the workshop item you want to add.
  3. Copy the workshop file to your server directory.
  4. Open your server.cfg file and add a line for the custom content you added. For example, if you added a new map called “mymap.bsp”, you would add the following line: sv_allowdownload 1;sv_downloadurl "http://myserver.com/maps";sv_downloadurlfallback "http://fallbackurl.com/maps" Replace “http://myserver.com/maps” with the URL of your server, and “http://fallbackurl.com/maps” with a fallback URL.

After you have added custom content to your server, you should be able to use it in-game.

Using SteamCMD

SteamCMD is a command line tool that allows you to install and update dedicated server files for various games, including L4D2. Using SteamCMD can simplify the process of installing and updating your server files. To use SteamCMD, follow these steps:

  1. Download and install SteamCMD from the Valve Developer Community website.
  2. Open SteamCMD from the command line by navigating to the directory where SteamCMD is installed and entering the following command: steamcmd.exe
  3. Log in to your Steam account by entering the following command: login yourusername yourpassword Replace “yourusername” and “yourpassword” with your Steam username and password.
  4. Select the game you want to install or update by entering the following command: app_update 222860 validate
  5. Wait for the download and installation process to complete.
  6. Exit SteamCMD by entering the following command: exit

Using SteamCMD can save you time and effort when installing or updating your server files.

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Creating an Autoexec.cfg

The autoexec.cfg file is a configuration file that is automatically executed when the server starts up. You can use this file to set up custom settings and configurations for your server. To create an autoexec.cfg file, follow these steps:

  1. Open the directory where you installed the server.
  2. Open the cfg folder, and then create a new file named autoexec.cfg.
  3. Add any custom commands or configurations you want to run when the server starts up.
  4. Save the file and exit the text editor.

After you have created the autoexec.cfg file, it will automatically execute every time the server starts up, allowing you to set up custom configurations or run commands automatically.

Fixing Server Crashes

If your server crashes or experiences other issues, it can be frustrating and difficult to diagnose. However, there are a few common issues that can cause server crashes, and some steps you can take to fix them. Some common issues and fixes include:

  • Memory issues: Your server may be running out of memory, causing it to crash. To fix this, reduce the number of plugins or addons you are using, or upgrade your server’s RAM.
  • Network issues: Your server may be experiencing network issues, such as packet loss or high latency. Check your internet connection and ensure that your network is stable.
  • Plugin or addon conflicts: Some plugins or addons may conflict with each other, causing your server to crash. Disable any plugins or addons that may be causing conflicts.
  • Corrupted files: Your server files may be corrupted, causing issues. Verify the integrity of your game files and server files to ensure that they are not corrupted.

If you are experiencing frequent crashes or other issues with your server, it may be helpful to seek assistance from the L4D2 community or a dedicated server hosting provider.

Creating Server Backups

Creating regular backups of your server is important to ensure that your data is protected and can be restored in the event of an issue or server crash. To create a backup, follow these steps:

  1. Stop the server.
  2. Copy the entire server directory to a backup location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage provider.
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