How to Configure Your Team Fortress 2 Server Settings from the Panel

Running a Team Fortress 2 server gives you full control over how the game plays, from the maps your players fight on to the rules that govern each match. The RiverHosting panel gives you a set of dedicated pages for TF2 so you can make the most important changes without touching a single file.

This guide walks you through the built-in tools available for your Team Fortress 2 server and shows you how to use each one.

Before you start

• You need an active Team Fortress 2 server with RiverHosting. If you do not have one yet, visit riverhosting.com to get started.
• Log in to the panel at panel.riverhosting.com and open your TF2 server.
• Stop your server before making major configuration changes, then restart it once you are done so the changes take effect.

1. How to change your core server settings

The Server Config page is the main place to configure your Team Fortress 2 server. It gives you a built-in editor for the settings that control your server's name, password, player slots, round rules, and more.

1. Log in to the panel at panel.riverhosting.com and click on your Team Fortress 2 server.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Server Config.
3. Review the available settings. Common options include your server name, RCON password, maximum player count, and region tags.
4. Make your changes, then click the save button.
5. Restart your server from the Console page or by clicking the restart button so the new settings load.

2. How to manage your map rotation

The Maps page lets you control which maps your server cycles through. You can add and remove maps from the rotation without editing any config files manually.

1. In the left-hand menu, click Maps.
2. You will see a list of maps that are available for your server. Toggle maps on or off to include or exclude them from the rotation.
3. Arrange the order of maps if the page allows reordering, so the rotation plays out the way you want.
4. Save your changes and restart the server.

3. How to install and manage SourceMod

SourceMod is a popular server administration and plugin framework for Team Fortress 2. The SourceMod page in the panel gives you a straightforward way to enable and manage SourceMod for your server.

1. In the left-hand menu, click SourceMod.
2. Follow the on-screen options to install or update SourceMod on your server.
3. Once installed, SourceMod plugins you upload via the File Manager will be picked up automatically when the server restarts.

4. How to add and manage server admins

The Admins page lets you grant players admin access on your server so they can moderate games, kick rule-breakers, and use in-game admin commands.

1. In the left-hand menu, click Admins.
2. Enter the Steam ID of the player you want to make an admin. You can usually find a player's Steam ID on their Steam profile page.
3. Set the permission level or flags you want to grant that player.
4. Save the changes and restart the server.

5. How to use the RCON console

RCON stands for Remote Console. It lets you send commands to your running server directly from the panel, without stopping or restarting it. This is useful for changing maps on the fly, kicking players, or running quick configuration tweaks.

1. In the left-hand menu, click RCON.
2. Type your command into the input field. For example, type changelevel cp_badlands to switch to a different map immediately.
3. Press Enter or click the send button to run the command.
4. The server's response will appear in the output area below.

Troubleshooting

• Changes are not taking effect after saving: Make sure you have fully restarted the server after saving, not just sent a reload command. A full stop and start from the Console page is the safest approach.
• The server is not showing in the browser: Check that your server has fully started in the Console page. It can take a minute or two after the start signal for the server to appear in the in-game list. Also verify that your server name is set correctly in Server Config.
• RCON commands are not working: Confirm that your RCON password is set in Server Config and that the server is running. RCON commands will not work if the server is still starting up.
• SourceMod plugins are not loading: Check that SourceMod is installed correctly from the SourceMod page. Plugin files must be placed in the correct folder inside the File Manager. Restart the server fully after uploading new plugins.
• Admin commands are not working in-game: Double-check that the Steam ID entered on the Admins page is correct and that the server has been restarted since you saved the changes.

Need help?

If you run into any issues that this guide does not cover, the RiverHosting support team is ready to help.