To let friends reach a Counter-Strike 2 dedicated server on your home network, forward the server’s game port—27015 by default—from your router to the computer running CS2. Then allow the port through the computer’s firewall, start the server with -dedicated, create a Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT) for public connections, and give players your public IP address and port.
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The exact optional-port list is not consistent across community guides. Use 27015 (or the value you set with -port) first, and verify any additional ports against Valve’s current SRCDS documentation before opening them.
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Port forwarding only works when the server is reachable from the internet and you control the router in front of it. Gather these items first:
- A Windows or Linux computer running the CS2 dedicated server.
- Administrator access to the home router.
- The host computer’s private IPv4 address and the router’s default-gateway address.
- The game port you intend to use. CS2 examples commonly use
27015. - Permission to change the host operating system’s firewall and, for a VPS, its cloud firewall.
- A Steam account that can create a Game Server Login Token for app/game ID
730if players must connect from the public internet.
If the server is behind two routers, both devices may need forwarding rules. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), your router may not have a genuinely public IPv4 address; in that case ordinary port forwarding cannot accept unsolicited inbound connections until the ISP provides a public address or another supported solution.
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How CS2 networking fits together
A player outside your home does not connect directly to the computer’s private address. The connection path is:
- The player enters your public IPv4 address and server port.
- Your internet router receives the inbound packet.
- The router’s port-forwarding rule translates that traffic to the server computer’s private IPv4 address.
- The operating-system firewall permits the packet.
- CS2 listens on the configured port and accepts the connection.
Three addresses and values are easy to confuse:
| Item | Example | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Private (LAN) IPv4 | 192.168.1.50 |
The router’s forwarding destination; it belongs to the server computer. |
| Default gateway | 192.168.1.1 |
The router administration address you open in a browser. |
| Public IPv4 | Assigned by your ISP | The address internet players use in connect PUBLIC_IP:PORT. |
| Game port | 27015 |
The external and internal port in the forwarding rule unless you deliberately change it. |
Do not forward to the public IP. The router rule must point to the server’s current private IPv4 address.
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Windows
- Open Command Prompt on the computer that will host CS2.
- Run
ipconfig. - Under the active Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter, record the IPv4 Address and Default Gateway. Ignore disconnected adapters and virtual interfaces.
The IPv4 address is the forwarding target. The default gateway is normally the router page; common examples are 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1, but use the value shown by ipconfig.
Keep the address from changing
A DHCP lease can give the computer a different private IP after a reboot, silently breaking the rule. In the router’s LAN or DHCP settings, create a DHCP reservation for the host’s network adapter, or configure a static address that matches the router’s subnet. Make sure the chosen address is not already assigned to another device. After reserving it, run ipconfig again and confirm that the computer still has the address you will enter in the forwarding rule.
Linux
Use your distribution’s network tools to identify the active interface and its private IPv4 address, then record the gateway shown by the system’s route configuration. The forwarding destination must be the address on the interface that reaches your router, not a loopback or container-only address.
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Step 2: Sign in to the router
- Open a browser on the same network as the server.
- Enter the Default Gateway address from Step 1, such as
192.168.1.1. - Sign in with the router administrator account. This is separate from your Wi-Fi password on many models.
- Look for a menu named Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server, or Firewall. Labels vary by manufacturer and firmware.
If the gateway page does not load, verify that you are connected to the same router, disable a browser proxy temporarily, and check the gateway value again. If you have a modem/router combination plus a separate Wi-Fi router, identify which device actually owns the public IP; that determines where the first rule belongs.
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Step 3: Create the CS2 port-forwarding rule
Create a rule that maps the router’s external game port to the same port on the server computer. A typical entry looks like this:
| Router field | Value |
|---|---|
| Service name | CS2-server (any descriptive name) |
| Device or destination IP | The reserved private IPv4 from Step 1 |
| External/start port | 27015, unless you selected another port |
| Internal/end port | 27015, unless your router asks for a range |
| Protocol | See the protocol guidance below |
| Enabled | On |
Choosing TCP, UDP, or both
Community instructions disagree: some specify UDP only, while others specify TCP and UDP. The commonly cited core game port is UDP 27015, but there is no single current Valve port page in the available documentation that resolves every CS2 deployment. If your router supports separate rules, start with UDP 27015 and add TCP 27015 only if your server setup or testing requires it. If the router offers only an “all” protocol option, use it temporarily for diagnosis, then restrict the rule after confirming the needed protocol.
Do not open a large range simply because a guide lists one. Forward one port first, test it, and add an optional port only when a documented feature—such as SourceTV—actually requires it.
Save and apply
Save the entry and apply the router configuration. Some routers restart their firewall service; others require a reboot. Keep the router administration page open until you have confirmed the rule is active.
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Two-router (double-NAT) networks
If the internet-facing router forwards to a second router, create a first rule on the outer router pointing to the second router’s WAN address, then create the CS2 rule on the inner router pointing to the server computer. Alternatively, put the inner router in the outer router’s supported bridge or access-point mode. A rule on only the inner router will not receive unsolicited traffic from the internet.
Step 4: Allow CS2 through the host firewall
Port forwarding changes the router; it does not override the firewall on the server computer. Add an inbound allow rule for the dedicated-server executable and the game port.
Windows Defender Firewall
- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Select Inbound Rules, then New Rule.
- Choose Program if you want to allow the CS2 server executable (commonly
cs2.exe), or Port if you are creating a port-specific rule. - Permit the protocol and port used by your router rule, initially
27015. - Allow the rule on the network profiles that apply to the server, name it clearly, and finish.
When testing, confirm that the rule applies to the active profile. A rule enabled only for a different profile can look correct while still blocking traffic.
Linux firewall
Use the distribution’s firewall manager (for example, ufw, firewalld, or nftables) to permit the selected CS2 port and protocol. The host firewall and any router or cloud-firewall rule must agree. If you use both TCP and UDP during diagnosis, create explicit rules for both and remove the unnecessary one after testing.
VPS or hosted server
A hosted machine can have a provider-level security group in addition to its operating-system firewall. Open the same destination port and protocol in that cloud firewall, then repeat the host-firewall check. A correct cloud rule cannot compensate for a blocked local firewall, and vice versa.
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Step 5: Launch the dedicated server on the chosen port
Valve’s CS2 Dedicated Servers documentation uses the -dedicated flag and supports -port, -ip, and -maxplayers. The essential requirement is that the port in the launch command matches the router and firewall rules.
Windows example
cs2.exe -dedicated -port 27015 +map de_dust2Linux example
./cs2 -dedicated +map de_dust2 -port 27015These examples start a dedicated server on port 27015 and load de_dust2. Replace the map with one installed on your server. If you select a different port, change it in the launch command, router rule, firewall rule, and the address shared with players.
Optional bind and player settings
Use -ip when the host has multiple network interfaces and you need CS2 to bind to a particular local address. Use -maxplayers to set the intended player capacity. A binding mistake can make the process run while listening on the wrong interface, so verify the address and port shown by the server’s startup output or operating-system listening-socket tools.
Keep the server process running while testing. A forwarding rule cannot succeed when no process is listening on the destination port.
Step 6: Create and apply a Steam Game Server Login Token
For a server that must accept public Steam connections or appear in public listings, create a GSLT. Valve’s documented process uses game ID 730 and the Steam account’s game-server management page:
- Sign in to Steam in a browser and open steamcommunity.com/dev/managegameservers.
- Enter
730as the game or app ID when the page asks for it. - Generate a token and copy it exactly. Treat it like a credential; do not post it in a screenshot or public configuration.
- Pass it to the server at launch with
+sv_setsteamaccount <TOKEN>.
Token launch example
cs2.exe -dedicated -port 27015 +sv_setsteamaccount <TOKEN> +map de_dust2Replace <TOKEN> with the generated value. Valve’s wiki documents the token workflow; community guidance reports that omitting a token can leave a server effectively LAN-only for public connections. If remote players cannot join despite a working port, confirm that the token is present, valid, and attached to the intended game server.
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Step 7: Test locally, then test from outside your network
Test on the host
- Start CS2 with
-dedicatedand the selected port. - Confirm that the process remains running and reports the expected map and port.
- From another device on the same LAN, try the server’s private address and port if your setup supports direct console connections.
A local success proves that CS2 is listening and that the host firewall may be permitting traffic; it does not prove that the router is accepting internet traffic.
Test from an outside connection
Use a friend’s connection or another network that is not your home LAN. In the CS2 console, enter:
connect YOUR_PUBLIC_IP:27015Replace YOUR_PUBLIC_IP with the current public IPv4 shown by your router or ISP-facing connection. Do not use the private address in this command. Some routers do not support NAT loopback, so a test from inside your own Wi-Fi can fail even when an outside player can connect.
Share the address safely
Give trusted players only the public IP and port, for example 203.0.113.25:27015. The public address can change when the ISP renews the connection. If it changes, update the address you share; the router rule still points to the private host address.
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Which CS2 ports should you open?
Port information is inconsistent among community guides, and the exact requirements depend on which dedicated-server features you enable. Use the smallest set that works for your configuration.
| Port or range | Protocol reported by community sources | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
27015 |
Usually UDP; some guides also specify TCP | Default core game port. Forward it to the host and match the -port value. |
27020 |
UDP | Commonly listed for SourceTV; open only if that feature is configured. |
3478 |
UDP | Listed by some guides for NAT traversal; not established as universally required. |
4379–4380 |
UDP | Listed by some guides for matchmaking-related traffic; verify against current Valve documentation. |
27000–27030 |
UDP in one SteamCMD guide | A broad range cited by one guide, not a blanket requirement for every private server. |
27014–27050 |
TCP in one SteamCMD guide | A broad range cited by one guide; do not open it without a specific feature or current documentation requiring it. |
An older Steam discussion also mentions UDP 27000–27015 for game clients and TCP 27015 for RCON, but that discussion is roughly 3,400 days old and should not be treated as current CS2 guidance. RCON should never be exposed casually; if you enable it, protect it separately and restrict access.
Troubleshoot “friends can’t join my CS2 server”
The server works on the LAN but not from the internet
- Check that friends are using the public IP, not
192.168.x.x, and that the port matches the launch command. - Verify the router rule points to the host’s current private IPv4 address.
- Confirm the host firewall allows the executable and protocol.
- Test from a genuinely external network; NAT loopback can make an internal test misleading.
- Check for a second router and add the corresponding outer-router rule.
No one can connect, including devices on the LAN
- Confirm the process was launched with
-dedicatedand is still running. - Check for a typo in
-port,-ip, or the map command. - Verify that another application is not already using the selected port.
- Review the operating-system firewall rule and active network profile.
The router rule appears correct but port tests show it closed
- Make sure CS2 is running during the test; a closed listening socket produces the same symptom as a bad forward.
- Confirm that the router’s WAN address is a real public IPv4. If it is in a private or carrier-grade range, the ISP may be using CGNAT.
- If CGNAT is present, contact the ISP and ask whether a public IPv4 address or inbound service is available. Router changes alone cannot bypass CGNAT.
- On a VPS, inspect the provider’s cloud firewall as well as the local firewall.
Players connect briefly and then fail
- Check that the server remains on the same private IP and that the DHCP reservation is active.
- Review router logs for dropped packets and confirm that protocol settings match the rule.
- Regenerate or replace the GSLT if the token is invalid or assigned incorrectly, then restart the server with the new value.
A VPN overlay works only for selected friends
An overlay network can let members of that same virtual network connect without public port forwarding, but it does not make the server publicly reachable. Every player would need access to the overlay, so it is a different model rather than a fix for an internet-facing server.
Quick Recap
Security and maintenance after forwarding
- Forward only the port and protocol you need. Avoid “all ports” or a broad range while the server is idle.
- Keep the server files, operating system, router firmware, and Steam components updated.
- Use a unique router administrator password and do not publish the GSLT.
- Do not expose administrative services such as RCON unless you understand their authentication and can restrict source addresses.
- Recheck the private IP reservation after replacing the network adapter, reinstalling the operating system, or changing from Wi-Fi to Ethernet.
- When you stop hosting, disable the forwarding rule and remove unnecessary firewall exceptions.
Quick verification checklist
- Address:
ipconfig(or the Linux network tools) shows the host’s current private IPv4 and gateway. - Router: the selected game port forwards to that private IPv4; on a double-NAT network, both routers are configured.
- Firewall: the host firewall and any cloud firewall allow the same port and protocol.
- Process: CS2 is running with
-dedicatedand the intended-port. - Token: a GSLT for game ID
730is supplied with+sv_setsteamaccountwhen public access is required. - Test: an external player uses
connect PUBLIC_IP:PORT, not the LAN address. - Scope: optional ports are opened only when a documented feature needs them, and their protocol is verified against current Valve guidance.
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