Fix - Could not establish connection to Steam servers - Use +ip HLDS command line

If you are here, you have Steam and you want to set up a Dedicated Server. You can install a Dedicated server using the Dedicated Server in Steam installed via steam or separately using HLDS update tool.

To know how to install dedicated server using HLDS Update  Tool, view this post on Installing HLDS. Once you install it, you can run the dedicated server using the HLDS.exe. But you may get this error saying,

Could not establish connection to Steam servers

This error occurs if your network IP is used in creating the dedicated server. For using you IP address from the ISP, you need to manually add it in the parameters. If you know how to insert +ip parameters, you can do it directly, else, see the explanation below.

For fixing this error, you need to give some parameters to the HLDS while running it. To do this, you should first create a shortcut to the HLDS.exe. Right click the shortcut and go to Properties. In the properties window, you will see a text box with the name Target. This box should be edited such that those parameters will be executed while running the application. The following examples lets you understand the commands and parameters,

"C:\Program Files\Valve\HLServer\hlds.exe" -game cstrike +map de_dust2 -console +port 27019 +hostname "Counter Strike 1.6" +sv_lan 0 +ip xx.xx.xx.xx

This is how the target should be set. Give IP and the error must be fixed. If you want to know your IP, just go to who.is and the website displays you the IP of your computer. Make sure you are not using local IP address.

Optional parameters like -console, can also be added in this target command.

Installing HL Dedicated Server using HLDS Update tool without Steam account

The installation of HL Server through HLDS Update tool can be done without using a steam account. Download the HLDS Update Tool from official Steampowered website. Then install the HLDS Update Tool, this will create a folder names HL Server in the directory specified. Then you can just use command line in the Command Prompt or the command parameters in the created shortcut of the HLDS Update Tool to install the games.

These are the parameters,

• -command update (necessary)
  
• -game cstrike | dod | tfc | valve | Counter-Strike Source
• -dir c:\hlserver | d:\hlserver | e:\HLDS

So the whole command appears like this in the command prompt,

• >HLDSUpdateTool.exe -command update -game cstrike -dir e:\HLDS

You can install it in as many directories as you wish. Also, you can install each mod in each folder of your wish. It will download the mod directly from the internet server. The total download size will be around 200 MB. Giving your Steam username and password is optional.

Once you install the server, you can start the dedicated server from the HLDS.exe. For this HLDS.exe too, you need to give some parameters to make it live with steam.

Basics of CS1.6 Server Hosting and Terms

What is Half-Life and What is Counter Strike,
Half-Life is the actual platform of the game and its modifications are Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Natural Selection etc...

What is the difference between CS1.6 and CZero or CSCZ,
CS1.6 is a Mod for Half-Life and So is CZero but the difference is development of the game. Very similar to development of source version, this too is a version of the game.

What are AMX Mod X, Clan Mod, and Admin Mod,
These are the administration tools for administrating the game server easily. These are to be used by the Server Administrator and other need not worry about these.

What is Console and what are Commands,
Commands are sent to the server to change something in the game. Console is the window from which these commands can be sent to the server. AMX Mod X, Admin Mod and other mods help the administrators minimise their effort in giving these commands.

What is HLDS,
HLDS is the dedicated server for any Mod of Half-Life. Listen server is one which can be started by a user directly joining in the game.

What is HLTV,
HLTV is an application which lets the users around the world to see a Clan Game or a League Match live through the Internet. This helps in increasing the number of spectators. The HLTV joins the game as a spectator does, but it will show some 1000 more players the same game. This HLTV has a with or without delay kind of option too.

What is Rcon,
Rcon is remote control for the console running in one computer to control it from another computer. For this the rcon password entered in the two computer must be same, and the client can control the server console.

To know about any of these clearly, see the posts in the blog.

Counter Strike 1.6 Dedicated Server Help Post - Complete HLDS Help

What is Counter Strike 1.6 Dedicated Server:
It is a application which can run the Counter Strike 1.6 engine in a Public or Private Server. The application can be installed without installing the game itself. The application will be included in the game while installing the game CS1.6. The Dedicated server is for the public and is intended for other players to join the game. Where as the Listen Server is one in which the player himself will start the game while the game is being played himself.

How to Host:
This Dedicated Server application can be launched by the executable hlds.exe, the one which is commented as HLDS launcher. This HLDS is the Half-Life Dedicated Server. Once the application is opened, it will show up a GUI. The GUI contains some options and tabs. The game which is intended to run on the server should be given in the options of the first Tab. It includes the following,

Game,
The Game is the Mod which the server should start. It includes CStrike, DOD, CZero, etc... These Mods are all the sub parts of the game Half-Life. CStrike stands for Counter Strike, either CS1.6, CS1.5 or Other versions.

Server Name,
Server Name is the name which should be shown while showing the server in the server browser of the other players GUI. The Server Name is to be specified clearly so that the other players can easily know what game is going on and what mod is being used in the game.

Map,
Map is the starting Map, the Default map can be changed to the required map by changing the map in InstallationFolder\Platform\Config\Server.VDF. This file will save the data previously given. So, to be specific, this is not the default file but it keeps on changing.

Network,
The Network is obviously LAN or Internet.

Max Players,
Max Players can be 32.

UDP Port,
The is the port defined universally for all the PCs. These ports from 27015 to 27020 and more are all dedicated to the Half-Life applications. If you want to setup another server in the same PC, then you need to give the port different to that of previous one. If some error is reported as shown below,

Could not allocate dedicated server IP Port 27015

This may be the case when you are trying to start a second Dedicated Server in the same PC or you may have previously started a Listen Server and Closed it, but that game is still running.

Rcon Password,
The rcon password which is used to control the server from another computer. If you think you will be administrating the server all the time this should be neglected. To know about rcon see the previous posts in this blog.

Once the Dedicated Server is started, you can see the Tabs on the top of GUI. The first Tab is Configure

Configure,
This Tab lets the Administrator change the Cvars of the game. The Cvars included are Round Limit, Win Limit, Buy Time, Freeze Time, Teams Limit, Time Per Round, Bomb Time, Starting Money, Friendly Fire, Flash Light, Foot Steps, Team Balance, Camara Angle,

Some more CVars can be added to these by changing the parameters in the GameServerConfig.VDF. This file allows the administrator to add any number of CVars to the GUI in the HLDS Applicated after launched.

The other Tabs include Statistics, Players, Bans, Console.

The Console can be operated from that tab. The condump command can be used to dump the console to any .txt file in the game DIR.

Terms Explained: Half-Life HL, HLTV, HLDS, Steam, HL Mods Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Natural Selection, AMX, GunGame etc

Half-Life:
Half-Life is the game designed by valve software ltd. It is a first person shooter game. Its basic game play consists of some players playing against each other and shooting, similar to quake but there are many differences. The game requires a server run by one of the payers or a dedicated server.

Hlaf-Life through hl.exe:
This is the application to run the game Half-Life. You can play the above described game through this application. Through this application, you can create a standalone server or play by joining in the servers which you can search in the game. The GUI also contains an option to change the game to its modifications.

HLDS through hlds.exe:
If you are not willing to play a game but you are kind to your friends in your college LAN, you can start this application. This application lets them play the game with other friends. But the server is yours. Means you are the administrator of the current game being played. You can change the map or can change other settings. You can run this application called hlds.exe to start the server.

HLTV through hltv.exe
This is useful to spectate your friends playing. If there is a league going on between two teams, you are not allowed to join into the game. It will be password protected. So the Admin of the league, if he is kind to others willing to see the match, will start the HLTV and connect to the server of the league. Now you can connect to that HLTV without any password. This will allow you to see the game though that proxy but you are not actually in the original server.

Steam:
If you have played other games online some time, you might have definitely known about Game Spy Arcade. The Steam is similar to Game Spy Arcade.

If you are new to the internet,
There are many games played online. The Players need a standard platform to know about each other or to just play with each other with ease. These applications like Steam and gamespy Arcade allow the players to search their co-players from all around the world. The game which supports this Steam application is called Steam Version of the game and that does not support is called Non-Steam version.

Mods:
Mods are modifications of the game. They can be modified to anything. And a mod may again have another mod.

Modifications of the game Half-Life are Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Natural Selection, Team Fortress et cetera.

Modifications of Counter Strike Game are Counter Strike Death Match (CSDM), GunGame, Warcraft et cetera.

Counter Strike
It is the modification of the game. In this game, the gameplay consist two teams fighting for a task. In the maps like de, T team tries to Plant a bomb with in given time. The CT Team tries to Counter thier plans or to guard the places of most importance, the bomb sites. These de maps are most famous.

Versions of Counter Strike:
From 1-1.6, Condition Zero, Source. Versions from 1-1.6 and Condition Zero run on Half-Life. Source Version runs on Half-Life 2.

Day of Defeat:
Modification of the game Half-Life with different game play.

Natural Selection:
Modification of the game Half-Life with different game play.

AMX MOD X
This is a modearator for the games like Counter Strike, Condition Zero, Day of Defeat and other mods of half life. This makes the administration of the server easier. This can be used to modify the Counter Strike, Day of Defeat etc.

Counter Strike Death Macth(CSDM)
This is a Modification for Counter Strike. This runs on AMX Mod. For more see the blog posts on CSDM.

GunGame AMXX
This is a Modification fro Counter Strike. This runs on AMX Mod. For more see the blog posts on GunGame.