This guide covers common issues you may encounter with your Left 4 Dead 2 dedicated server hosted with Legion Hosting, including connection problems, addon consistency errors, plugin conflicts, and server browser listing issues. For initial server setup, see the L4D2 Server Setup Guide.

Addon Consistency Errors — Clients Kicked on Join

• This error occurs when sv_consistency 1 is set and a client's local files do not match the server's files. This commonly happens with custom campaigns or sound/model replacements.
• To allow clients without matching addons to join, set sv_consistency 0 in server.cfg and restart.
• If you want consistency enforcement, ensure all players have identical copies of the custom .vpk files in their left4dead2/addons/ directory.

// In left4dead2/cfg/server.cfg — set to 0 to disable file hash checking
sv_consistency 0

SourceMod Plugin Conflicts or Server Crashes

• Check the SourceMod error log at left4dead2/addons/sourcemod/logs/errors_YYYYMMDD.log. It will list which plugin failed and why.
• Some plugins are not compatible with the current version of SourceMod or with other specific plugins. Read the plugin thread on AlliedModders for known conflicts.
• To isolate the problem, move plugins one at a time to left4dead2/addons/sourcemod/plugins/disabled/ and restart until the crash stops. The last plugin you disabled is likely the cause.
• Ensure you are using the latest stable version of both MetaMod:Source and SourceMod. Mismatched versions are a common source of instability.

Server Not Listed in Server Browser or Lobby

• Confirm sv_lan 0 is set in server.cfg.
• Verify your GSLT token is valid and not banned. You can check token status at steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers. A banned or expired token will prevent listing.
• Check that sv_setsteamaccount in server.cfg contains the token and there are no typos or extra spaces.
• The server browser can take up to 10 minutes to list a newly started server. Try a direct console connect first to confirm the server is running correctly, then wait for the browser to catch up.
• Confirm sv_gametypes includes at least one valid game mode string and that mp_gamemode matches one of those values.

Custom Campaign Map Not Loading or Not Found

• Ensure all .vpk files for the campaign are uploaded to left4dead2/addons/. Multi-part campaigns require all parts — missing a secondary .vpk will cause a map load failure.
• Use the exact internal map name with changelevel. The map name is not always the same as the campaign's display name. Check the campaign's documentation or the contents of its .vpk for the correct map file names.
• Restart the server after uploading new .vpk files. The engine only indexes addons on startup.

// Use the internal map name, not the campaign display name
changelevel c1m1_hotel              // Official campaign example
changelevel custom_map_chapter1     // Custom campaign — check campaign docs for exact name

Cannot Connect to Server

• Verify your server is running by checking the GPanel Console tab for active output.
• Confirm you are using the correct IP address and port from the GPanel Network tab. Do not assume the default port — your assigned port may differ.
• If the server is password-protected, ensure you are entering the correct password. You can check or reset it in left4dead2/cfg/server.cfg under sv_password.
• Verify the server has finished starting before attempting to connect. The console should display a line like VAC secure mode is activated when the server is ready for connections.

Server Crashes on Map Change or Startup

• Check the server console output in GPanel for the last error message before the crash.
• If the crash occurs on a custom map, try loading an official map (e.g. changelevel c1m1_hotel) to confirm the server is stable without the custom content.
• If SourceMod is installed, check left4dead2/addons/sourcemod/logs/ for error details.
• Remove recently added .vpk files or plugins one at a time and restart to isolate the cause.
• Corrupted server files can cause startup crashes. If the issue persists after removing all custom content, try reinstalling the server from the GPanel Settings tab.

Related Articles

• L4D2 Server Setup Guide — Server.cfg configuration, GSLT tokens, game modes, and how to connect
• L4D2 Admin Setup and Plugin Management — Installing SourceMod, MetaMod, adding admins, and managing plugins
• How to Upload Files via SFTP