Dedicated Left4Dead Server - Help wanted

Simmy

Simmy

Simmy

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Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
2,260
Location
UK
I've setup a Left4Dead dedicated server on my server and it all appears to be running fine. It appears in the "Custom" browser list and you can connect and play without problems. There are no error messages anyway and it reports it has successfully connected to the Steam master servers. However, I can't seem to get it to appear in the "Interet" tab in the Server Browser which basically means people can't join it unless they know my specific server details or happen to find me in the 1000's of servers in the Custom tab.

Does anyone have any advice on this? I'm tired of constantly being disconnected from a public server half way through a game, due to the server crashing. Hopefully my own server won't have this problem.

Also, if anyone wants to play sometime, my server details are 87.194.167.248:27015 :D


server.cfg said:
hostname #Hawkeye
hostip 87.194.167.248
ip 192.168.0.3
hostport 27015
clientport 27005

rcon_password ******
sv_lan 0
sv_cheats 0
z_difficulty hard

sv_search_key "hawkeye"

setmaster add 68.142.72.250:27011
setmaster add 72.165.61.189:27011

sv_region 255
sv_allow_lobby_connect_only 0
Click to expand...

C:\HLServer\l4d\srcds.exe -console -game left4dead +map l4d_hospital01_apartment
Click to expand...
 
First off, don't set sv_cheats as 0. This used to cause problems and I'm not sure if they've been resolved with the new updates. The server defaults to sv_cheats 0 anyhow.

Have you modified any of your Left4Dead files? The whole "custom" thing would be down to that I'd have thought.

You're also missing off quite a lot of settings in that config, such as region settings, etc.
 
Aekeron said:
First off, don't set sv_cheats as 0. This used to cause problems and I'm not sure if they've been resolved with the new updates. The server defaults to sv_cheats 0 anyhow.

Have you modified any of your Left4Dead files? The whole "custom" thing would be down to that I'd have thought.

You're also missing off quite a lot of settings in that config, such as region settings, etc.
Click to expand...

How'd I know you'd be the first one to post a reply? :D
 
Thanks for the help.

All files are originals - freshly downloaded and up-to-date

What other region settings are there apart from "sv_region 3"?

I've removed sv_cheats aswell.
 
Here's a cut down version of the config I use for the ocuk l4d group servers:

Code: 
hostname "OcUK - Private 1 - fragM"
// Rcon Cvars
rcon_password ********
// Server Cvars
mp_disable_autokick 1 //Prevents a userid from being auto-kicked
sv_allow_color_correction 1 //Allow or disallow clients to use color correction on this server.
sv_allow_wait_command 0 //Allow or disallow the wait command on clients connected to this server.
sv_alltalk 0 //Players can hear all other players, no team restrictions
sv_alternateticks 0 //If set, server only simulates entities on even numbered ticks.
sv_clearhinthistory 0 //Clear memory of server side hints displayed to the player.
sv_consistency 1 //Whether the server enforces file consistency for critical files
sv_contact “********” //Contact email for server sysop
sv_downloadurl “” //Location from which clients can download missing files
sv_allow_lobby_connect_only 0
sv_steamgroup "********"
sv_steamgroup "********"
sv_alltalk 0
sv_search_key ocuk
sv_search_key ocuk

// Lan or internet play, Server region cvars
sv_lan 0 //Server is a lan server ( no heartbeat, no authentication, no non-class C addresses )
sv_region 255 // Region Codes: 0 - US East coast, 1 - US West coast, 2 - South America, 3 - Europe, 4 - Asia, 5 - Australia, 6 - Middle East, 7 - Africa, 255 - world

// Server Logging
sv_log_onefile 0 //Log server information to only one file.
sv_logbans 1 //Log server bans in the server logs.
sv_logecho 0 //Echo log information to the console.
sv_logfile 1 //Log server information in the log file.
sv_logflush 0 //Flush the log file to disk on each write (slow).
sv_logsdir “logs” //Folder in the game directory where server logs will be stored.

//Server Rates
sv_maxcmdrate 100 //(If sv_mincmdrate is > 0), this sets the maximum value for cl_cmdrate.
sv_unlag 1
sv_maxunlag .5
//Fix to get your server onto the master lists
setmaster add 68.142.72.250:27011
setmaster add 72.165.61.189:27011
//rcon_password again as the game often ignores it
rcon_password *********

//sm_cvars
sm_alltalk_messages 1
sm_alltalk_default 0

//Banned players
exec banned_user.cfg
exec banned_ip.cfg

//Map settings
mapcyclefile mapcycle_vs.cfg
map l4d_vs_farm01_hilltop

This is by no means the best config out there. And there are also some settings left over from when I've experimented with plugins (e.g. sm_cvars, map rotation files).
 
I'd use the OCUK LFD server config if possible (or close) because they are very well setup.

BTW Aek: I messaged you last night, don't know if you saw. I was in a game on one of the OcUK ones (can't remember which sorry((is there a way to quickly tell? Status, etc?))

The loading between levels on NM was really slow. Probably a real time minute+ before we ended up in a map. Not a problem as everyone just waits and continues the game but it was slow for what it normally is/should be.

Everything else was fine again once loaded.
 
Knubje said:
I'd use the OCUK LFD server config if possible (or close) because they are very well setup.

BTW Aek: I messaged you last night, don't know if you saw. I was in a game on one of the OcUK ones (can't remember which sorry((is there a way to quickly tell? Status, etc?))

The loading between levels on NM was really slow. Probably a real time minute+ before we ended up in a map. Not a problem as everyone just waits and continues the game but it was slow for what it normally is/should be.

Everything else was fine again once loaded.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sorry. I did mean to get back to you but I've been quite busy.

I'll have to modify the motd so that you can see which server you're on easily. I'll get on it asap :)
 
Still no luck with with the ocuk server config. Not sure why this is so difficult! Anymore suggestions?
 
Simmy said:
Still no luck with with the ocuk server config. Not sure why this is so difficult! Anymore suggestions?
Click to expand...

It can be frustrating at times.

Are you hosting on a local machine, renting a dedicated, vps or game server?

Looks like a home server from the config

What ports do you have open? It seems to need at least 3. Here is my linux startup line, the first command is different for windows.

You'll need to make sure they are mapped on the router back to your host

./srcds_run -console -game left4dead -autoupdate +map l4d_hospital01_apartment +ip **.***.***.*** -nohltv +sv_lan 0 +hostport 27015 -steamport 27960 +clientport 25030

Also don't set a value for sv_steamgroup or sv_search_key and make sure it starts as VAC secure to get in the list


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Last edited:
It's a local windows machine. I've got a large range of ports forwarded to the server - if you specify the IP address in the server browser, it loads the game without any problem which would suggest port forwarding is working properly. Below is a print out of the console - it all appears to load without any problems! :confused:

console said:
10.9 fps 0/14 on map l4d_hospital01_apartment
#Console initialized.
#Game.dll loaded for "L4D - Normal"
Server is hibernating
ConVarRef test_progression_loop doesn't point to an existing ConVar
Game supporting (2) split screen players
maxplayers set to 14
Unknown command "r_decal_cullsize"
Unknown command "mat_bloom_scalefactor_scalar"
NET_GetBindAddresses found 192.168.0.3: 'Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet - P
acket Scheduler Miniport'
Network: IP 192.168.0.3, mode MP, dedicated Yes, ports 27015 SV / 27034 CL
---- Host_NewGame ----
Compact released 65536 bytes to the backing store
Host_NewGame on map l4d_hospital01_apartment
Executing dedicated server config file
Commentary: Loading commentary data from maps/l4d_hospital01_apartment_commentar
y.txt.
"sv_downloadurl" = ""
replicated
- Location from which clients can download missing files
Adding master at 68.142.72.250:27011
Adding master at 72.165.61.189:27011
Sending heartbeat to master server...
Adding master server 72.165.61.189:27011
Adding master server 69.28.140.246:27011
Sending heartbeat to master server...
Connection to Steam servers successful.
VAC secure mode is activated.
Click to expand...
 
I was just looking via HLSW and the server is shown publicly as VAC enabled.
I can also see it from the game with the IP : port

Have you tried it without the seach key as that will delist it from the internet server view?

Before I added to the main OcUK list, I set up a dummy steam group so I could link straight to my server in Steam rather than using search keys.
 
Wohoo! Not sure what change did that. I hadn't specified a steamport - perhaps that was it :D Feel free to join in :)

How do you get it to goto the lobby instead of straight into the game?
 
Simmy said:
Wohoo! Not sure what change did that. I hadn't specified a steamport - perhaps that was it :D Feel free to join in :)

How do you get it to goto the lobby instead of straight into the game?
Click to expand...

That's a real contention in L4D...

The only way is to use the sv_search_key

specify it on the server, then enter the same into the client before setting up a lobby.

Then when you search it should only find those with the same key as you... but it can be a little hit and miss.

I see you have a full 8/8 versus going on.... enjoy

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