How to Join Your Left 4 Dead Server

Left 4 Dead is built around lobbies. The most reliable ways onto your own server are a direct connection through the game console or the Steam favorites.

Important

For players to be able to join directly, the line sv_allow_lobby_connect_only "0" has to be set in your server.cfg. The default value is 1 — in that case joining is only possible through a matchmaking lobby and every direct connection fails. How to set it is described below.

Find connection details

Note

You can find the IP address and the Game Port of your server in the dashboard of your server. Left 4 Dead uses the same port for gameplay and for server queries — there is no separate Query Port.

Warning

Always enter the Game Port from the dashboard. Port 27005 is the local client port of your game and must not be used as a server address.

Allow direct connections on the server

You only have to do this once.

1. Stop the server
   Stop your server via the dashboard.

2. Connect via SFTP
   Connect to your server via SFTP.

3. Open server.cfg
   Open the following file. If it does not exist yet, create it:

   /left4dead/cfg/server.cfg

4. Enable direct connections
   Add the following line or set it to 0:

   sv_allow_lobby_connect_only "0"

   Note

   The engine describes the value as follows: if it is set to 1, players may only join the server from a matchmaking lobby and may not connect directly.

5. Start the server
   Save the file and start your server.

Enable the developer console in the game

The console is disabled by default in Left 4 Dead.

1. Start Left 4 Dead
   Launch the game and wait for the main menu to load.

2. Open the settings
   Open the Options and switch to Keyboard/Mouse.

3. Enable the console
   Enable the Developer Console there.

Connect through the game console

1. Open the console
   Press ~ in the game to open the console.

2. Connect
   Enter the following command:

   connect IP:Port

   Example

   connect 123.45.67.89:27015

   Use the IP address and the Game Port from your dashboard here.

Via Steam favorites

1. Open Steam
   Open the Steam client.

2. Open the server browser
   Click on View in the top left and select Game Servers.

3. Add the server
   Click on the Favorites tab and then on + at the bottom right.

4. Enter the server address
   Enter the IP address and the Game Port of your server and confirm.

5. Join
   Select the server and connect. The server then also appears in the favorites section inside the game.

Onto your own server from a lobby

If you want to start a campaign from a lobby the usual way but play on your own server, there are two options.

Set a search key

A search key restricts the server search started from a lobby to servers using the same key.

1. Set the key on the server
   Add the following line to /left4dead/cfg/server.cfg and restart the server:

   sv_search_key "mykey"

2. Set the key in the game
   Every player in the lobby enters the same value in the game console:

   sv_search_key "mykey"

3. Start the campaign
   When the lobby then starts a campaign, only servers using this key are searched.

Force a specific server

Alternatively the lobby leader points the lobby at the server directly. The command is entered in the game console, not on the server:

mm_dedicated_force_servers 123.45.67.89:27015

Note

The command expects a comma-delimited list of IP:Port entries. Instead of searching for public servers, the lobby then only uses the servers listed there. Use the IP address and the Game Port from your dashboard here as well.

Warning

The search key only applies to the server search started from a lobby. You cannot search for it in the public server list — when in doubt, use the direct connection or the Steam favorites.