How to Run a Counter Strike Global Offensive Dedicated Server on Windows and Linux
How to Download and Set Up a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dedicated Server
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is one of the most popular multiplayer first-person shooter games in the world. It offers a variety of game modes, weapons, maps, and skins that appeal to millions of players. Whether you want to play casually with friends, competitively in leagues and tournaments, or creatively with custom maps and mods, CS:GO has something for everyone.
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But if you want to have more control over your gaming experience, you might want to consider setting up your own dedicated server. A dedicated server is a separate computer or program that hosts the game for other players. It allows you to customize the game settings, choose the maps and modes you want, and invite only the players you want. It also provides better performance, security, and stability than using a public server or hosting the game yourself.
In this article, we will show you how to download and set up a CS:GO dedicated server using SteamCMD, a command-line tool for downloading and updating various dedicated servers available on Steam. We will also show you how to configure the server settings, host workshop maps, and troubleshoot common issues. By following these steps, you will be able to create your own CS:GO dedicated server in no time.
What is Counter-Strike: Global Offensive?
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) is a multiplayer first-person shooter game developed by Valve and Hidden Path Entertainment. It is the fourth game in the Counter-Strike series, which started as a mod for Half-Life in 1999. CS:GO was released in 2012 for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
CS:GO features two teams of players, terrorists and counter-terrorists, who compete against each other in various objective-based scenarios. The most common game mode is bomb defusal, where terrorists try to plant a bomb at one of two sites and counter-terrorists try to defuse it or prevent it from exploding. Other game modes include hostage rescue, deathmatch, arms race, demolition, flying scoutsman, danger zone (a battle royale mode), and wingman (a 2v2 mode).CS:GO also features a variety of weapons, ranging from pistols, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, machine guns, knives, and grenades. Each weapon has its own characteristics, such as accuracy, recoil, damage, fire rate, and magazine size. Players can buy weapons and equipment at the beginning of each round using in-game money, which is earned by completing objectives, killing enemies, or winning rounds.
Additionally, CS:GO offers a rich collection of maps, both official and community-made. Maps are designed to suit different game modes and scenarios, and often have a theme and a backstory. Some of the most iconic maps in CS:GO are Dust II, Inferno, Mirage, Nuke, Cache, Train, Overpass, and Vertigo. Players can also download and play custom maps from the Steam Workshop, a platform where users can create and share their own content.
CS:GO is not only a game, but also a sport. It has a thriving competitive scene, with professional teams and players competing in various leagues and tournaments around the world. Some of the most prestigious events in CS:GO are the Majors, which are sponsored by Valve and have large prize pools. CS:GO also has a large fan base, with millions of viewers watching live streams and videos of matches and highlights.
What is a Dedicated Server?
A dedicated server is a separate computer or program that hosts the game for other players. It runs the game server software independently from the game client software, which is what you use to play the game on your own computer. A dedicated server can handle more players, traffic, and resources than a game client can.
How to set up a CSGO dedicated server on Windows
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There are many advantages to using a dedicated server for CS:GO. Some of them are:
You can customize the game settings to your liking, such as the map rotation, the game mode, the number of players, the server name, the password, etc.
You can choose who can join your server and who can't. You can invite your friends, ban cheaters and trolls, or make your server public or private.
You can host workshop maps that are not available on official servers. You can also install mods and plugins that enhance or modify the gameplay.
You can improve the performance and stability of your server. You can avoid lag, latency, packet loss, and other issues that might affect your gameplay on public servers or when hosting the game yourself.
You can save money and resources. You don't have to pay for renting a server from a third-party provider or use your own computer to host the game.
However, there are also some drawbacks to using a dedicated server for CS:GO. Some of them are:
You need to have some technical knowledge and skills to set up and maintain your server. You need to know how to use SteamCMD, how to configure the server settings, how to update the server files, how to troubleshoot issues, etc.
You need to have a reliable internet connection and a powerful computer to run your server. You need to ensure that your bandwidth and hardware can support the number of players and the load on your server.
You need to abide by the rules and regulations of Valve and Steam. You need to register a game server login token for your server and follow the terms of service and guidelines for hosting workshop maps.
If you think that using a dedicated server for CS:GO is worth it for you, then read on to learn how to download and set up one. How to Download SteamCMD
SteamCMD is a command-line tool that allows you to download and update various dedicated servers available on Steam. You need to use SteamCMD to download and run the CS:GO dedicated server. Here are the steps to download and install SteamCMD:
Create a folder on your computer where you want to install SteamCMD. For example, C:\SteamCMD.
Go to the SteamCMD website and download the SteamCMD zip file.
Extract the contents of the zip file into the folder you created in step 1.
Double-click on steamcmd.exe to launch SteamCMD. It will automatically update itself and create a Steam> prompt.
Type login anonymous and press enter to log in as an anonymous user. You don't need a Steam account to use SteamCMD.
Type force_install_dir followed by the path of the folder where you want to install the CS:GO dedicated server. For example, force_install_dir C:\CSGO.
Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and installed SteamCMD. Now you can use it to download and run the CS:GO dedicated server.
How to Register a Game Server Login Token
A game server login token (GSLT) is a unique identifier for your server that prevents unauthorized access and abuse. You need to register a GSLT for your CS:GO dedicated server and use it in your server.cfg file. Here are the steps to register a GSLT:
Go to the Steam Game Server Account Management page and log in with your Steam account. You need a Steam account that owns CS:GO and has a phone number associated with it.
Click on Create New Token.
Select Counter-Strike: Global Offensive from the App ID dropdown menu.
Enter a memo for your token, such as the name or IP address of your server. This is for your own reference only.
Click on Create Token. You will see your GSLT displayed on the screen. Copy and save it somewhere safe. Do not share it with anyone else.
Congratulations, you have successfully registered a GSLT for your CS:GO dedicated server. Now you can use it in your server.cfg file. How to Download and Run the CS:GO Dedicated Server
Now that you have SteamCMD and a GSLT, you can download and run the CS:GO dedicated server. Here are the steps to do so:
Launch SteamCMD and log in as an anonymous user.
Type force_install_dir followed by the path of the folder where you installed the CS:GO dedicated server. For example, force_install_dir C:\CSGO.
Type app_update 740 validate and press enter to download and update the CS:GO dedicated server files. This may take some time depending on your internet speed and the size of the files.
Type quit and press enter to exit SteamCMD.
Go to the folder where you installed the CS:GO dedicated server and create a shortcut for srcds.exe, the executable file for the server.
Right-click on the shortcut and select Properties. In the Target field, add the following parameters after srcds.exe: -console -game csgo -usercon +game_type 0 +game_mode 1 +mapgroup mg_active +map de_dust2 +sv_setsteamaccount YOUR_GSLT. Replace YOUR_GSLT with your actual GSLT. You can also change the game type, game mode, map group, and map according to your preference. For a list of possible values, see this page.
Click on OK to save the changes.
Double-click on the shortcut to launch the CS:GO dedicated server. You should see a console window with some information and messages.
Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded and run the CS:GO dedicated server. Now you can connect to it from your game client or invite other players to join. How to Configure the CS:GO Dedicated Server
Once you have downloaded and run the CS:GO dedicated server, you can configure it to suit your needs and preferences. There are three main configuration files that you can use to adjust the server settings: autoexec.cfg, server.cfg, and gamemodes_server.txt. These files are located in the cfg folder of your CS:GO dedicated server installation. You can edit them using a text editor such as Notepad or Notepad++.
How to Use autoexec.cfg
autoexec.cfg is a file that executes commands automatically when the server starts. You can use it to set some basic parameters for your server, such as the network port, the maximum number of players, the tick rate, the region, etc. Here is an example of an autoexec.cfg file:
// autoexec.cfg // This file executes commands automatically when the server starts // Set the network port for the server net_port 27015 // Set the maximum number of players for the server maxplayers 16 // Set the tick rate for the server // Tick rate is the frequency at which the server updates the game state // Higher tick rate means smoother gameplay, but also more bandwidth and CPU usage // The default tick rate for CS:GO is 64, but you can set it to 128 for better performance // Note that some game modes and maps may not support 128 tick rate sv_maxcmdrate 128 sv_mincmdrate 128 sv_maxupdaterate 128 sv_minupdaterate 128 sv_maxrate 0 // Set the region for the server // Region is used to determine the best data center for hosting your server // You can use one of the following values: // 0 - US East coast // 1 - US West coast // 2 - South America // 3 - Europe // 4 - Asia // 5 - Australia // 6 - Middle East // 7 - Africa // 255 - World (default) sv_region 3
You can add more commands to your autoexec.cfg file as you wish. For a list of possible commands, see this page.
How to Use server.cfg
server.cfg is a file that contains basic settings for your server, such as the hostname, the password, the map rotation, etc. You can use it to customize your server name, description, rules, and other options. Here is an example of a server.cfg file:
// server.cfg // This file contains basic settings for your server // Set the hostname for your server hostname "My CS:GO Server" // Set the password for your server // Leave it blank if you don't want a password sv_password "" // Set the map rotation for your server // Use +map to specify the first map to load // Use +mapgroup to specify the map group to use // Map groups are defined in gamemodes_server.txt +map de_dust2 +mapgroup mg_active // Set the game mode and game type for your server // Game mode determines the general rules and objectives of the game // Game type determines the specific settings and options of the game mode // You can use one of the following values for game mode: // 0 - Classic (default) // 1 - Competitive // 2 - Arms Race // 3 - Demolition +game_mode 0 // You can use one of the following values for game type: // 0 - Casual (default) // 1 - Competitive +game_type 0
You can add more settings to your server.cfg file as you wish. For a list of possible settings, see this page. How to Use gamemodes_server.txt
gamemodes_server.txt is a file that contains advanced settings for your server, such as the game modes, the bots, the round timers, the weapon progression, etc. You can use it to fine-tune your server gameplay and balance. Here is an example of a gamemodes_server.txt file:
// gamemodes_server.txt // This file contains advanced settings for your server // Define the map groups for your server // Map groups are collections of maps that can be used for different game modes // You can use the official map groups or create your own custom ones "mapgroups" // This is the official active duty map group // It contains the most popular and competitive maps in CS:GO "mg_active" "name" "mg_active" "maps" "de_dust2" "" "de_inferno" "" "de_mirage" "" "de_nuke" "" "de_cache" "" "de_train" "" "de_overpass"" "de_vertigo" "" // This is a custom map group that contains workshop maps // You need to subscribe to the workshop maps on Steam and get their IDs // You can find the IDs in the URL of the workshop page // For example, https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=125499818 is a workshop map with ID 125499818 "mg_workshop" "name" "mg_workshop" "maps" // This is a custom map called de_season // It has a workshop ID of 125499818 "workshop/125499818/de_season" "" // This is another custom map called de_sparity // It has a workshop ID of 1836853100 "workshop/1836853100/de_sparity" "" // Define the game modes for your server // Game modes are sets of rules and objectives for different types of gameplay // You can use the official game modes or create your own custom ones "GameModes" // This is the official classic casual game mode // It is a team-based mode where players can join and leave freely // It has friendly fire and team collision disabled, and free armor and defuse kits enabled // It has a best-of-15 rounds format, with a halftime switch after 8 rounds "casual" "name" "casual" "maxplayers" 20 "exec" exec gamemode_casual_server.cfg "mapgroupsMP" mg_active "" mg_workshop "" convars mp_friendlyfire 0 mp_solid_teammates 0 mp_free_armor 1 mp_defuser_allocation 2 mp_maxrounds 15 mp_halftime 1 bot_quota 10 bot_difficulty 1 // This is a custom game mode called wingman // It is a 2v2 mode where players compete in a best-of-16 rounds format // It has friendly fire and team collision enabled, and free armor and defuse kits disabled // It has a shorter round and bomb timer, and a smaller map pool "wingman" "name" "wingman" "maxplayers" 4 "exec" exec gamemode_competitive_server.cfg "mapgroupsMP" mg_wingman "" convars mp_friendlyfire 1 mp_solid_teammates 1 mp_free_armor 0 mp_defuser_allocation 0 mp_maxrounds 16 mp_halftime 1 mp_roundtime 1.75 mp_c4timer 40 bot_quota 0
You can add more settings to your gamemodes_server.txt file as you wish. For a list of possible settings, see this page. How to Host Workshop Maps with the CS:GO Dedicated Server
One of the great features of CS:GO is the ability to play custom maps created by the community. These maps are available on the Steam Workshop, a platform where users can create and share their own content. You can host workshop maps with your CS:GO dedicated server and enjoy them with your friends or other players. Here are the steps to host workshop maps with your CS:GO dedicated server:
Subscribe to the workshop maps that you want to host on Steam. You can browse and search for workshop maps on the Steam Workshop page for CS:GO. To subscribe to a map, simply