The day-by-day Super guide to setting up a dedicated server (that works)

[Mental_Atom]

[B][U]The all in one super duper guide to running a dedicated server for gmod - COMPLETE[/U][/B]

[B]I will post this guide over the next few days, as I am going to go all the way from the beginning of downloading what you need, all the way through forwarding ports, and getting content, onto joining it and making sure people can join, and then a few extra tricks i know.[/B]

[U][B]DAY 1:[/B] Downloading the required stuff:[/U]

first, go to this address and save that file somewhere (it doesn't matter where at this stage)
Link [URL="http://www.steampowered.com/download/hldsupdatetool.exe"]here[/URL]

Run it (you may need administrator privileges) and press "I accept" to the terms of service.

[IMG]http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac326/Mental_Atom/tut1.jpg[/IMG]

This will be next, at this point, install it to a directory that can be anywhere, but i recommend the following:

In your hard drive, make a folder called SRCDS. Do not make it inside any other folder as this is easier (makes things simpler later on). So, you would have a path e.g. D:\SRCDS or C:\SRCDS

Now we need to download the content to our server, so that it is ready to run and be set up and so other people can play on it.

Open command prompt. If you know how to do this, then do it, if not then follow these instructions:
If on vista, in the start menu search box type cmd and run the cmd.exe result. On XP, open run and type in cmd and press enter.

You will be presented with a black box which you can type into. If you don't get what the image shows below, then you're doing something wrong:

[IMG]http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac326/Mental_Atom/tut2.jpg[/IMG]

[B]There, now its time to install the content:[/B]
Option 2 is quicker, but option one should be used if you are less able with computers.
If one option doesn't work, then try the other one

[B]OPTION ONE - IF THIS DOESN'T WORK TRY OPTION 2[/B]

First of all, if you have more than one hard drive or partition (e.g. a D: drive and a C: drive), and in the command prompt window you are in the wrong drive letter, then typE:
LETTER : (e.g. D:)

Next, we navigate to the folder that we want using the cd command.
Type CD LETTER:\SRCDS (e.g. cd D:\SRCDS)

the directory next to the flashing cursor should change to say that directory. This should be the directory that you installed the hldsupdatetool into earlier in this tutorial.

Type the following EXACTLY as it is here (change LETTER to the drive letter)

hldsupdatetool -command update -game garrysmod -dir LETTER:\SRCDS

The hldsupdatetool will now start (this may need admin privileges again)

[B]AT THIS POINT, LEAVE THE COMPUTER RUNNING AS THIS BIT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME[/B]. It may appear to stop at the start but leave it going and in a few hours it will be done.

[B]OPTION 2[/B]
Open Notepad and type the following: (change letter to the drive letter)

@echo off
LETTER:
cd SRCDS
hldsupdatetool -command update -game garrysmod -dir LETTER:\SRCDS

save this as installgmod.bat and run it. You may need admin privileges to let hldsupdatetool run

[B]AT THIS POINT, LEAVE THE COMPUTER RUNNING AS THIS BIT TAKES A VERY LONG TIME[/B]. It may appear to stop at the start but leave it going and in a few hours it will be done.

[U][B]END OF DAY 1 - INSTALLING CONTENT[/B][/U]

Please tell me if you think this is good/bad or point out any mistakes so that i can improve on it for the next days post

[B][U]Day 2 - Setting up the network[/U][/B]

This is [B]THE most important par[/B]t of what you will do. If your network doesn't let the server out, then people cant get in. Its like a locked door.
[U]Good news is, if you dont have a router or anything then its easy.[/U]

Im guessing you probably do though, so follow these instructions [B]TO THE LETTER[/B]

In your web browser, navigate to [URL="http://192.168.1.1"]192.168.1.1[/URL]
The default password and username will be admin for both. If this isnt correct, then contact your network administrator.

Click on the part your server that has to do with port forwarding.
On a linksys router its under applications and gaming, but on others I am not sure. It may look like one of the following:

[IMG]http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6303/servergmodscreenshot.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img.tomshardware.com/us/Reviews/images/scrnshots/linksys_wrt54gs_port_fwd_sm.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://safecom.cn/code/product/adsl/samr-4110/img/port-forward.jpg[/IMG]

Or it may look something a bit different. If you cant find it, then post here.
It should generally have 2 or 4 boxes.
They will be:
Port range, IP address, TCP or UDP and possibly when.

Once you are on this screen, open command prompt again as we did in step 1. It looks like this, REMEMBER:
[IMG]http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac326/Mental_Atom/tut2.jpg[/IMG]

type in:
ipconfig (yes, all one word)

You are looking for this line, but the ip address will obviously be different:
[IMG]http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac326/Mental_Atom/tut3.jpg[/IMG]

This is your LAN IP address. Keep this window open or keep a note of it somewhere

Now, back to the port forward screen.

In the box that says IP address (there will be one) put in the LAN address we just found out.
In the port range, forward ports for 27005 to 27015 on TCP and UDP (you need both)
If there are any that say time or whatever, just make them permanent.

[B]Now for the firewall[/B]

[B][U]For windows 7 (you have the easy one) :[/U][/B]
Go to your windows firewall options, and add srcds.exe to the exceptions by pressing add program, and pressing browse. Then find the exe and press ok

[U][B]For vista and XP:[/B][/U]
Open your windows firewall control panel and press to add a program. Press browse and add srcds.exe to the exceptions

You also NEED to add the ports to the firewall exceptions:
Add 4 entries:
one for 27005 UDP
one for 27005 TCP
one for 27015 TCP
one for 27015 UDP

[B]This should be the network set up, but this is the part that you are most likely to get problems on. If you have any problems, then post a comment and ill respond as soon as I can.[/B]

[B][U]End of day 2 - Setting up the network[/U][/B]

[Pilotclan9404]

-Snip-

I didnt read right

[Mental_Atom]

Ok, maybe I didnt explain clearly enough.
I assume your SRCDS folder is on the C drive, so use Option 2 but REPLACE where I put LETTER with C.

So that it says C:

That should sort you out

[Pilotclan9404]

[b]Mental's Guide is Correct - i had misread and done a few things wrong...[/b]

:P

I Downloaded everything.

Is my Cstirke Supposed to be in C:\SRCDS\orangebox\cstrike
or C:\SRCDS\cstrike

[b]I am geting this error when trying to start my server[/b]

[URL=http://img94.imageshack.us/i/whatsgoingonhere.png/][IMG]http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6780/whatsgoingonhere.th.png[/IMG][/URL]

[Mental_Atom]

It needs to be /orangebox/cstrike

As for the error, wait for the next part of my guide and then say if it doesnt work... ill post it in a couple of hours or so

[Pilotclan9404]

[QUOTE=Mental_Atom;19481368]It needs to be /orangebox/cstrike

As for the error, wait for the next part of my guide and then say if it doesnt work... ill post it in a couple of hours or so[/QUOTE]

Ok i moved It to /orangebox/cstrike - was just wondering This should not be a problem right?

I'l wait i guess...

[Mental_Atom]

cstrike needs to be in the orange box folder otherwise the server cant find the content properly.

[Pilotclan9404]

[QUOTE=Mental_Atom;19481648]cstrike needs to be in the orange box folder otherwise the server cant find the content properly.[/QUOTE]
I know - I moved it there. Is this fine ?

Its 2 am here i think im going to got bed and read the 2nd part ( if its posted ) when i get up

[Mental_Atom]

Its meant to be there I was just explaining why

[Pilotclan9404]

[QUOTE=Mental_Atom;19481875]Its meant to be there I was just explaining why[/QUOTE]

Will you be posting the 2nd part soon ?

I would really like to get my server up and running

[Mental_Atom]

Part 2 is up, the computer crashed yesterday so ill do day 3 today. Its the fun stuff like actually getting it running :D

[|FlapJack|]

It's so much faster downloading on a rented dedicated server. Only took around 10 minutes to install CSS the last time I did it.

[LuaMilkshake]

You need to tell them how to setup an internal static IP, or the port forwarding won't work. (DHCP lease on the router expires, local computer gets new IP)
[url]http://www.portforward.com/networking/staticip.htm[/url]

And, not all router logins are admin admin, and not all ip's are 192.168.1.1
[url]http://portforward.com/default_username_password/[/url]

The router's IP can be found in the computer's ip (usually) by changing the last octet in the IP to 1 (while keeping all the others the same). Also, some people might not have a router, either a network switch, or they just go straight out to the internet.

/suggestions

[Mental_Atom]

your right!
Ill leave it for today and do a massive update (maybe even finish it) tommorow

[Pilotclan9404]

Also explain how you install content by useing GCFsacpe

[phatweasul]

so is this abandoned?

[Mental_Atom]

ill finish it tomorrow, Ive been mega busy lately. Its gonna be worth the wait though :D