Counter-Strike 1.6 server hosting for classic matches
Keep classic Counter-Strike online for your clan, your league or a public community. Valve’s Half-Life Dedicated Server runs the game as Valve ships it; AMX Mod X adds admin tools, stats and new modes.
- Valve’s HLDS, updated for the 25th anniversary engine
- Up to 32 slots for 5v5 matches or public servers
- AMX Mod X plugins on top of Metamod
- Custom maps and sounds served over FastDL
- SlotsThe GoldSrc engine allows at most 32 players per server. Set the slots with +maxplayers when the server starts.
- Up to 32 (maxplayers)
- PortPlayers connect to this port and RCON uses it too. Change it with -port.
- 27015 (game and RCON)
- Server software
- HLDS (Steam app 90)
- Plugins
- AMX Mod X · Metamod
- Engine
- 25th anniversary update (2023)
- Anti-cheat
- VAC
Maps and tools
- Bomb defusal (de_)
- Hostage rescue (cs_)
- AMX Mod X
- Metamod
- FastDL
- steam_legacy
Game facts from Valve’s Counter-Strike update notes, the Half-Life SDK and the AMX Mod X project, checked in October 2026.
- DDoS protection
- 20 game server locations
CS 1.6 plans are being prepared
Tell us your slot count, the plugins you use and whether you play matches or run a public server, and our team will reply with the options. Or open a ticket and we will let you know when the plans are online.
How big should a CS 1.6 server be?
Counter-Strike 1.6 is very light. Slots and the size of your AMX Mod X plugin set decide the load.
Find your size
| Feature |
Match
Up to 12 slots
|
Recommended Public
Up to 24 slots
|
Full server
Up to 32 slots
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM)Memory for the map, the players and every plugin. Classic shooters are light; plugins and custom maps add to it. | 512 MB | 1 GB | 1–2 GB |
| CPU coresSource and GoldSrc servers simulate the match on one main thread, so a fast core matters more than many cores. | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods. | 5 GB | 5 GB | 10 GB |
| AMX Mod X pluginsPlugins run inside the server process; large sets such as full mods need more CPU headroom. | Admin basics | Admin and stats | Full mods such as deathmatch |
| Typical use | Clan matches and practice | A public server with a map cycle | A busy community server |
-
Match
Up to 12 slots
- Memory (RAM)Memory for the map, the players and every plugin. Classic shooters are light; plugins and custom maps add to it.
- 512 MB
- CPU coresSource and GoldSrc servers simulate the match on one main thread, so a fast core matters more than many cores.
- 1
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 5 GB
- AMX Mod X pluginsPlugins run inside the server process; large sets such as full mods need more CPU headroom.
- Admin basics
- Typical use
- Clan matches and practice
-
Recommended
Public
Up to 24 slots
- Memory (RAM)Memory for the map, the players and every plugin. Classic shooters are light; plugins and custom maps add to it.
- 1 GB
- CPU coresSource and GoldSrc servers simulate the match on one main thread, so a fast core matters more than many cores.
- 1
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 5 GB
- AMX Mod X pluginsPlugins run inside the server process; large sets such as full mods need more CPU headroom.
- Admin and stats
- Typical use
- A public server with a map cycle
-
Full server
Up to 32 slots
- Memory (RAM)Memory for the map, the players and every plugin. Classic shooters are light; plugins and custom maps add to it.
- 1–2 GB
- CPU coresSource and GoldSrc servers simulate the match on one main thread, so a fast core matters more than many cores.
- 2
- Disk spaceRoom for the game files, the world and its backups, plus updates and mods.
- 10 GB
- AMX Mod X pluginsPlugins run inside the server process; large sets such as full mods need more CPU headroom.
- Full mods such as deathmatch
- Typical use
- A busy community server
Valve publishes no HLDS hardware figures. These starting points follow the 500 MB install and the engine’s single main thread.
Plugins, maps and server settings
HLDS runs the original game; the community tools on top of it have kept CS 1.6 servers going for two decades.
HLDS
Valve’s Half-Life Dedicated Server, started with -game cstrike. Valve updated it in November 2023 with new Windows and Linux binaries.
AMX Mod X
The classic plugin platform for admin menus, bans, stats and game modes. Current 1.10 builds support the legacy and the current server branch.
Metamod
The plugin loader between the engine and the game that AMX Mod X runs on.
Custom maps and FastDL
Add maps to cstrike/maps and the map cycle, and point sv_downloadurl to a web address so players download them quickly.
server.cfg · mapcycle.txt
Your rules in two files: round and freeze times, the C4 timer and passwords in server.cfg, the map order in mapcycle.txt.
The steam_legacy branch
Valve keeps a steam_legacy beta branch for players with compatibility problems after the 2023 engine update.
Set up your CS 1.6 server
Four steps from the first choice to the first round.
-
Pick slots and plugins
Matches, a public map cycle or a modded server: choose the size with the table above.
-
Pick a location
Choose the one closest to your players from our 20 game server locations; ping decides duels.
-
Write server.cfg
Set the hostname, RCON password, round rules and map cycle, then add AMX Mod X and your admins.
-
Connect
Open the console and type connect with the address and port 27015, or add the server to your favourites.
Other game servers you might like
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
The final 2023 CS:GO build for LAN events and private matches.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
How many players can join a CS 1.6 server?
Up to 32. The GoldSrc engine allows at most 32 players per server; set the slots with +maxplayers when the server starts. A 5v5 match uses 10 slots plus any spectators.
Which port does the server use?
Port 27015 by default, for the game and for RCON. Start the server with -port to use another one, and give players the matching address.
How do I install AMX Mod X?
Install Metamod and the AMX Mod X base package with the Counter-Strike addon into the cstrike/addons folder. Plugins go into addons/amxmodx/plugins and are switched on in configs/plugins.ini; admins are listed in configs/users.ini.
Does AMX Mod X work after the 25th anniversary update?
Yes. Current AMX Mod X 1.10 builds carry the game data for both the legacy and the updated server branch. Keep AMX Mod X up to date when Valve changes the server.
What changed in the 2023 update?
In November 2023 Valve brought Counter-Strike up to the Half-Life 25th anniversary engine and updated the dedicated server (app 90) with new Windows and Linux binaries. Players with compatibility problems can use the steam_legacy beta branch.
How do I add custom maps?
Copy the .bsp files and their resources into cstrike/maps and add the map names to mapcycle.txt. Set sv_downloadurl to a web address with the same files so players download them over HTTP instead of slowly from the game server.
Where do I put my server settings?
In cstrike/server.cfg: hostname, sv_password, rcon_password and the round rules such as mp_timelimit, mp_roundtime, mp_freezetime and mp_c4timer.
Which newer server settings did Valve add?
The 2019 updates added mp_infinite_ammo (0 off, 1 infinite ammo in the gun, 2 infinite reloads) and mp_scoreboard_showhealth and mp_scoreboard_showmoney, which decide who sees health and money on the scoreboard. sv_cheats is now controlled by the server.
Is VAC enabled on my server?
Yes. Secure servers use Valve Anti-Cheat. Starting the server with -insecure turns VAC off, for example for a LAN event.
How do players join?
Open the console and type connect followed by the address and port, for example connect 203.0.113.10:27015, or add the server to the favourites in Find Servers.
Ready for classic Counter-Strike?
Tell us your slot count and plugins, and we will help you pick the right CS 1.6 server.