---
title: "Getting started with your Team Fortress 2 Server"
description: "Configure a clean tf/cfg/server.cfg, set up RCON, and apply the GSLT token required to list your server publicly on Valve's browser."
url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/getting-started-with-your-team-fortress-2-server/"
category: "Team Fortress 2"
category_url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/"
published: "2026-03-29T19:05:10.048Z"
updated: "2026-07-31T23:04:35.158Z"
source_format: "markdown"
site: "GameServerKings"
---

# Getting started with your Team Fortress 2 Server

Team Fortress 2 has been a dedicated-server game for nearly two decades. The standard server setup uses **SRCDS** (Source Dedicated Server) with **SourceMod** for plugins, **MetaMod** as the SourceMod prerequisite, and a custom map cycle.

This guide gets you online and through the core server config. Then branch out to the focused guides:

- [SourceMod Plugins](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/sourcemod-plugins/) for the plugin platform and admin tools
- [Maps and Fast Downloads](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/maps-and-fastdl/) for custom maps and the all-important fast download setup
- [Game Mode Servers](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/gamemodes/) for trade, jump, MGE, VSH, and other modes

## First Boot

1. Open your TF2 server in the panel.

2. Click **Start**.

3. First boot pulls TF2 server files (about 20 GB), which takes 15 to 25 minutes.

4. When you see `Connection to Steam servers successful` and `VAC secure mode is activated`, you are live.

To connect, open TF2, press the **`** key (backtick) to open the console, and:

```text
connect 203.0.113.10:27015
```

## Configuration: server.cfg

TF2 server settings live in `tf/cfg/server.cfg`. A baseline:

```cfg title="tf/cfg/server.cfg"
hostname "My GSK TF2 Server"
sv_password ""
rcon_password "STRONG_RANDOM"

sv_region 1
sv_lan 0
sv_pure 0

sv_cheats 0
mp_friendlyfire 0
mp_autoteambalance 1
mp_autocrosshair 0
mp_falldamage 0

mp_timelimit 30
mp_winlimit 0
mp_maxrounds 5
mp_chattime 8

sv_maxrate 0
sv_minrate 30000
sv_maxupdaterate 67
sv_minupdaterate 67
sv_mincmdrate 67
sv_maxcmdrate 67
sv_client_min_interp_ratio 1
sv_client_max_interp_ratio 2

sv_alltalk 0
sv_pausable 0

sv_voiceenable 1
sv_allow_voice_from_file 0

sv_downloadurl ""
sv_allowdownload 1
sv_allowupload 1

mp_tournament_redteamname "RED"
mp_tournament_bluteamname "BLU"

motd_enabled 1
hostfile "motd.txt"

exec banned_user.cfg
exec banned_ip.cfg
writeid
writeip
```

| Setting | Notes |
|---------|-------|
| hostname | Server name |
| sv_password | Empty for public, set for private |
| rcon_password | RCON access (set a strong one) |
| sv_region | 0=US East, 1=US West, 2=South America, 3=Europe, 4=Asia, 5=Australia, 6=Middle East, 7=Africa |
| sv_pure | 0=anything goes, 1=consistency.txt enforced, 2=strict |
| mp_timelimit | Minutes per map before rotation |
| sv_maxupdaterate/cmdrate | 67 for competitive, 33 for casual (less bandwidth) |
| sv_downloadurl | Web server URL for fast custom file downloads (see Maps and Fast Downloads) |

> [!TIP] No restart needed after a config edit
> After editing, reload with `exec server.cfg` from the console, or restart the server.

## Basic Admin (RCON Without SourceMod)

For simple admin without installing anything, connect with the `rcon_password` set above. Anyone with the password can issue commands from the in-game console:

```text
rcon_password yourpassword
rcon <command>
```

This is enough for occasional admin (kick, changelevel, etc.). For a real admin system with a menu, per-admin permissions, bans, and player-facing commands, install SourceMod. See [SourceMod Plugins](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/sourcemod-plugins/).

The older `tf/cfg/users.cfg` method also exists but is superseded by SourceMod's admin system.

## Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT)

Public TF2 servers should be registered with a GSLT to appear in the casual browser:

1. Visit `steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers`.

2. Create a token for TF2 (app ID 440).

3. Copy the token.

4. In the Startup tab, set the **GSLT** field.

5. Restart.

> [!IMPORTANT] A GSLT is what puts you in the public browser
> Without a GSLT, your server can still be joined via IP but does not show up in the public game browser. Steam revokes tokens unused for 30 days, so a server that "disappears" from the browser often just needs a fresh token.

## Performance

TF2 is CPU-bound. Higher tick rate (`sv_maxupdaterate 67`) doubles CPU use compared to 33. Most casual servers run at 67 today.

## Backups

The map files, `cfg`, and SourceMod configs are the things to back up. Daily snapshots through the panel's **Backups** tab are plenty for a TF2 server.

## Common Issues

- **"VAC could not validate your session"**: A client-side issue, not the server. Tell players to restart Steam.
- **Server not showing in browser**: GSLT missing or revoked. Steam revokes tokens unused for 30 days.
- **High ping after a TF2 update**: Network frame settings sometimes reset. Verify `sv_maxupdaterate` and `sv_maxcmdrate` are still 67.

(For plugin-specific and map-download issues, see the dedicated guides linked below.)

## What to Read Next

- [SourceMod Plugins](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/sourcemod-plugins/) for the admin system and popular plugins
- [Maps and Fast Downloads](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/maps-and-fastdl/) for custom maps and fast client downloads
- [Game Mode Servers](/knowledge-base/team-fortress-2/gamemodes/) for trade, jump, MGE, and other modes

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