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 for the plugin platform and admin tools
• Maps and Fast Downloads for custom maps and the all-important fast download setup
• Game Mode Servers 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:

connect 203.0.113.10:27015

Configuration: server.cfg

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

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

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:

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.

The older tf/cfg/users.cfg method also exists but is superseded by SourceMod's admin system.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

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 for the admin system and popular plugins
• Maps and Fast Downloads for custom maps and fast client downloads
• Game Mode Servers for trade, jump, MGE, and other modes

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