Setting up a Private Server in Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 has been finally released to the public and the excitement is high, players are filling the official servers and having a blast, but what about the community servers? Well, they are still here!

Community/Personal Counter-Strike 2 Servers are still a feature and you can host and manage many of the server aspects to your liking, such as the maps or game mode, these servers are also the best option to play with your friends or train with your team in peace, but how could you achieve that if the server is set to public and anyone with your IP can join? Thankfully, with some configurations, you can make your server private.

With the steps mentioned in this guide, you will be able to make your own private community and play with your friends.

Before Starting

The first step in this guide is having a Counter-Strike 2 Server, if you don't have one then consider purchasing Game Hosting for Counter-Strike 2 in Iceline Hosting! The Game panel features and high-quality specs will ease the management process for you!

Start your Counter-Strike 2 Server today!

How to make a private CS2 Server

By default, as a server owner, you would need to generate a Steam Token for your server so it can be displayed in the public server browser. So the first step to make a private server is the total opposite: don't generate a Steam Token. If you have already added one for your server you can delete it like this:

• Go to the game panel.
• Click on your Server.
• Stop the server server by clicking on 'Stop'.

• Head to the Startup tab.
• Locate the 'Steam Account Token' box and delete it.

• Start the server by clicking on 'Start'.

With a missing Steam token, your server won't be displayed in the community server list so you can rest assured!

Setting a password for your server

Removing your server from the public list was a significant first step, but there's always the risk of a player getting the IP somehow, so how would you fight that? Simply, create a password for your server.

Creating a password for your server will make unwanted players cease the connection attempts, why would they bother losing time trying to guess the password from a private server? You can then share this password with your community or your friends so they can join the server.

To create a password for your server just follow these steps:

• Go to the game panel.
• Click on your server, and once you've been redirected stop the server.
• Go to the Files Manager tab, this will show your server files.

• In your server files, go to game > csgo > cfg

• Locate the server.cfg file and open it.

• Add this convar: sv_password "password". Replace password with anything of your choice.
• Click on the "Save Content" button.

• Start the Server

And with that, you've added an additional security layer to your server and can just relax and enjoy playing with your friends without any interruptions!

Perhaps you've changed your mind and now want to remove the server's password? That's not a problem! just follow the guide above and delete the sv_password convar, or replace "password" with a 0 to disable it. For example: sv_password 0

Cyberattacks are a real issue and concern in this internet-predominant era, so remember to make a secure password for your server to avoid those players with too much extra time on their hands who would attempt a brute-force attack. DDoS attacks are also a way of cyberattack, learn How to Protect Your Counter-Strike 2 Server today!

How to connect to your private server

Now that your server has been hidden from the Server list and requires a password to join, there are two possible ways to connect to your server.

Through the Console

This will require you to enable the Developer Console in your Game Settings. If you don't know how you can follow this guide. Once this has been done you can follow these steps:

• In the game, open the console with the (~) keyboard key.
• Type connect <server ip>;password <server password>

• Press the 'Enter' keyboard key.

Through the Favorites tab from the Server browser

Adding the server to your favorites tab is actually the best way to connect to your private server, as you'll only need to add it once

• In your Steam Client, go to 'Servers'.
• This will open the Server Browser, click on the 'Favorites' tab.
• Click on the 'Add Server' button.
• A new small window will pop up, just paste your server IP (which can be located in your server's game panel).
• When you're done, click on the 'Add this Address to Favourites'.
• Click on Connect and type the password previously selected

By following any of the two methods you and your community would be able to join without any problems!

We've reached the end of this guide, make sure to keep an eye on the official Counter-Strike 2 website for any new updates, and feel free to check our Knowledgebase as we're always publishing new content to get you started with your CS2 server!

If you have any questions feel free to contact us through our Livechat during business hours, and if you experience any technical issues please open a ticket, we’ll be more than happy to help!