This guide covers admin setup, Source engine RCON commands, player management, map commands, SourceMod/MetaMod support, custom maps, and troubleshooting for your Half-Life 2: Deathmatch server. For initial setup, configuration, and connection instructions, see Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Server Setup Guide.
1. RCON Setup
Set the RCON password via the RCON_PASSWORD startup variable or in hl2mp/cfg/server.cfg:
rcon_password "YourStrongPassword"
Authenticate in-game via console (~):
rcon_password YourStrongPassword
rcon <command>
You can also send commands directly through the GPanel Console tab.
2. Player Management
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon status | List players with user IDs, Steam IDs, IPs, and ping. |
rcon kick <userid> | Kick a player by user ID. |
rcon kick "<playername>" | Kick by display name. |
rcon banid <minutes> <userid> | Ban by user ID. 0 = permanent. |
rcon banip <minutes> <ip> | Ban an IP address. |
rcon removeid <steamid> | Remove a Steam ID ban. |
rcon removeip <ip> | Remove an IP ban. |
rcon writeid | Save ban list to banned_user.cfg. |
rcon writeip | Save IP bans to banned_ip.cfg. |
rcon writeid and rcon writeip after banning. Without saving, bans are lost on restart.
3. Map Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon changelevel <mapname> | Change map, keeping players connected. |
rcon map <mapname> | Load map from scratch, disconnecting all players. |
rcon maps * | List all available maps. |
rcon mp_timelimit <min> | Change map time limit. |
rcon mp_fraglimit <frags> | Change frag limit. |
rcon mp_restartgame 1 | Restart current round, resetting scores. |
4. Server Management
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
rcon hostname "Name" | Change server name. |
rcon sv_password "pass" | Set or change join password. |
rcon mp_friendlyfire <0/1> | Toggle friendly fire. |
rcon sv_alltalk <0/1> | Toggle cross-team voice chat. |
rcon say "message" | Send server-wide chat message. |
rcon exec <filename> | Execute a config file. |
rcon quit | Shut down the server. |
5. SourceMod and MetaMod
For advanced admin features, install MetaMod:Source and SourceMod.
Installation
- Stop your server from GPanel.
- Download MetaMod:Source from sourcemm.net and upload to
hl2mp/via SFTP. - Download SourceMod from sourcemod.net and upload to
hl2mp/. - Start the server and verify with
meta versionandsm version.
Adding SourceMod Admins
Edit hl2mp/addons/sourcemod/configs/admins_simple.ini:
"STEAM_0:1:12345678" "99:z" // Full admin access
Use sm_admin in chat or console to open the in-game admin menu.
6. Custom Maps
- Download the custom map
.bspfile. - Upload it to
hl2mp/maps/via SFTP (see How to Upload Files via SFTP). - Add the map name to
mapcycle.txt. - Test with
rcon changelevel mapname.
7. Troubleshooting
- Server crashes on startup: Check the GPanel console for errors. Verify the start map exists in
hl2mp/maps/. - Players cannot connect: Confirm the server is running, check IP/port in GPanel, and ensure game versions match.
- RCON not working: Verify
rcon_passwordis set and authenticate before sending commands. - SourceMod issues: Ensure files are in
hl2mp/(not server root) and the correct build is used.
Related Articles
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Server Setup Guide
- How to Find Your Server IP and Port
- How to Upload Files via SFTP
Need Help?
If you run into issues with your HL2DM server that are not covered here, open a support ticket and include your server IP, a description of the problem, and any relevant error messages from the GPanel console.