Learn how to simply manage a TF2 server on Linux VPS or a local server with this very fine guide by BurningSmile. Please view the text instructions below as they are kept up to update with the newest changes.

Metamod | Sourcemod | LGSM

Alternatively you can use this script to automate everything except the cfg.tf configuration. To run it do the following.


git clone https://github.com/BurningSmile/LinuxScripts.git
cd LinuxScripts
chmod +x auto-tf2serverinstall.sh
sudo ./auto-tf2serverinsall.sh
Then simply follow the steps for generating a cfg.tf server configuration. Finally reboot your VPS with the following commands.
su - tf2server -c '/home/tf2server/tf2server stop'
reboot

Text directions:
Updating:
apt update
apt -y upgrade
apt -y dist-upgrade
apt -y autoremove
apt autoclean

Turn off auto updates
vim /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/10periodic
Change 1 to 0
Save and exit file

Dependencies for LGSM


Ubuntu
dpkg --add-architecture i386; apt-get update; apt-get install mailutils postfix curl wget file bzip2 gzip unzip bsdmainutils python util-linux tmux lib32gcc1 libstdc++6 libstdc++6:i386 libcurl4-gnutls-dev:i386

Debian
dpkg --add-architecture i386; sudo apt-get update; sudo apt-get install mailutils postfix curl wget file bzip2 gzip unzip bsdmainutils python util-linux tmux lib32gcc1 libstdc++6 libstdc++6:i386 libcurl4-gnutls-dev:i386
Fedora
dnf install mailx postfix curl wget file bzip2 gzip unzippython tmux glibc.i686 libstdc++ libstdc++.i686 libcurl.i686

Centos
yum install mailx postfix curl wget bzip2 gzip unzip python tmux glibc.i686 libstdc++ libstdc++.i686 libcurl.i686

Create a tf2server account
useradd -m --password default tf2server

Create a password for the account
passwd tf2server

Change to the account
su - tf2server

Download the tf2 server management stack
wget -N --no-check-certificate https://gameservermanagers.com/dl/linuxgsm.sh && chmod +x linuxgsm.sh && bash linuxgsm.sh tf2server

Install the server
./tf2server auto-install

Lgsm has recently changed the way they handel server settings. You now copy them to a file in the directory $HOME/lgsm/configs-lgsm/tf2server/tf2server.cfg. Use the following commands to setup this file with the items you will most likely be changing.
vim /home/tf2server/lgsm/config-lgsm/tf2server/tf2server.cfg
Add the following
defaultmap="cp_badlands"
maxplayers="16"
updateonstart="on"
Save the file

Allow tf2server through the firewall.

This will setup our firewall. I setup up firewalls to block all incoming traffic that is not whitelisted.
sudo iptables -I INPUT 1 -i lo -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -m conntrack --ctstate ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED --dport 22 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p icmp --icmp-type echo-request -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27015 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 27015 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27020 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -P INPUT DROP
iptables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v4
ip6tables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v6

Start the server
./tf2server start

Test connecting to it
Connect ip-here in game console

Stop the server
./tf2server stop

Installing apache2 webserver
exit
apt install apache2
mkdir -p /var/www/html/fastdl/tf2/
cd /var/www/html/fastdl/tf2/
ln -s /home/tf2server/serverfiles/tf/maps maps
ls -la
systemctl status apache2.service
systemctl start apache2.service
systemctl enable apache2.service
cd ../..
mv index.html index.html.bak


Refresh the page and test downloading a map

Address sftp:// ip here
User tf2server
Password The password you set up on the tf2 server account
Port 22

Change FileZilla directory to serverfiles/tf

Back in the ssh session
su - tf2server
cd serverfiles/tf/

Now for metamod:
Go to the site and copy its link address for the Linux version.
https://www.metamodsource.net/downloads.php?branch=stable
wget (link here)
tar -xvf mmsource (Use tab completion)
rm mmsource (tab complete)

Now for sourcemod:
Go to the souremod site and copy its link address for the Linux version.
https://www.sourcemod.net/downloads.php?branch=stable
wget (link here)
tar -xvf sourcemod (tab complete)
rm sourcemod
( tab complete)

Setting up admin account
vim ./addons/souremod/config/admins_simple.ini

Go to a steamidfinder.com
Paste your steam url and paste the steam id. Follow the below example
“STEAMID” “99:z” //useraccountname

Go to cfg.tf and follow my example for configuring the server.

Custom settings used in video. Remember to replace IP-GOES-HERE with the ip of your vps.
// Server downloads and files
net_maxfilesize "64"
sv_downloadurl "http://IP-GOES-HERE/fastdl/tf2/"
sv_allowdownload "1"
sv_allowupload "1"
sv_consistency "1"


Unzip the file and upload it to your server in sftp to your serverfiles/tf directory, overwrite any files if asked.

Start the server via ssh
./tf2server start

Automate a restart at midnight. And automate the SRCDS instance starting on server start and restart.
Refer to crontab documentation if needed.
https://linux.die.net/man/5/crontab
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CronHowto

crontab -e
Choose 3 to use vim
Add the following in insert mode

0 0 * * * /home/tf2server/tf2server restart
@reboot /home/tf2server/tf2server start

Save the file and exit vim

Ensure the crontab file works
./tf2server stop
exit
reboot

After the reboot make sure your Srcds instance starts on boot.