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  1. #1

    What's needed to start hosting?

    Hi, I'm quite new to the Hosting franchise, so I thought I'd ask some questions here!

    First off, I'm currently thinking of hosting Source Engine based games only, so I kinda need a direction on how to set up a custom built server machine which can run multiple severs.

    Second, I was wondering what kind of bandwith I need to host a total of 150 slots. I am guessing a 50MBIT up/down should cover it fine? (I have fiber connection).

    Third, and final: How many 12 slots CS Servers can I run on this PC:
    Intel C2D 3,0 GHZ
    4 GB ram
    320GB 10,000 RPM Rapor disc.
    (guessing all other specs doesnt matter, also if you have any PC-specs recomendations please tell me!).

    There we go

  2. #2
    The number one thing is knowledge. On the outside it might look like being a game hoster isn't very difficult but being a former provider for 4yrs I can say looks can be deceiving.

    You started in the right place by asking questions but honestly the game setup and hardware are maybe 1/4 of what's involved and very possibly the easist part. I'd suggest doing more research and going from there.

  3. #3
    Yes I know Planetventrilo! The reason I came to this forum was to get some straight and honest answers from people with knowledge. I am not going for a 'start on the fly' model here!

    I have read some figures and collected some information but most of them are old and out-dated. So what I am asking for is some direction on where to gather up-to-date information on server-systems and recent figures on bandwidth speeds needed for X amount of slots for game-servers run by source-engine.

    The most relieable I've heard is 6KB/s IN/OUT pr. player for CSS. which would mean I could run 1000 slots total on my 60MBIT's fiber connection. And I find that hard to believe!

  4. #4
    How many slots is a hard question to answer. It depends on many factors like mods and plugins but your in the area with 6-8kb/s. You have to also understand that your math doesn't accomodate for other services running on the server either. Your basing it on zero resources except for the game server apps so that needs to be taken into account also.

  5. #5
    Ok, so lets say that leaves me at a pretty good condition when it comes to bandwidth. (atleast for starting up a few servers).

    Now I have a PC I could start testing some servers on, but I don't know what kinds of systems I need to manually start multiple servers on 1 PC. I know there is more than just the server-setup, like ip-adresses and stuff like that.

    Can anyone please help me find a good tutorial on how to do any of these things? It would be MUCH appreciated!

  6. #6
    You'll need a control panel to control multiple servers. Take a look at tcadmin.com

  7. #7
    Is there no other way to get around this 3rd party 'program'? I want to host lets say 4 12 slot servers on 1 PC, and I want to configure them all by myself.

    I find it very hard to use these programs as I want to distinguish myself from the 'stream-line' servers, if its even possible to call them that!

    Well I will take a close look at it and see if I might find it usefull for my plans. Thanks!

    edit: I find tcadmin very intresting, but since I have little to none knowledge on how it works its pointless of me to comment on it right now. I'm gonna use friday eve to investigate it! But please, if anyone know of a way to dodge the bullet here, please tell me! Thanks!
    Last edited by Frgr; 11-27-2009 at 02:01 AM.

  8. #8
    After reading 20 some topics I found out that tcadmin is not for starters. Anyone got some other guidelines on where to start? Or is tcadmin really the way to go?

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Frgr View Post
    After reading 20 some topics I found out that tcadmin is not for starters. Anyone got some other guidelines on where to start? Or is tcadmin really the way to go?
    If you think tcadmin is too difficult I suggest you do not start a game server hosting business without any knowledge.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    With Cheryl Cole
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    Try Cpanel/WHM With The Game Server Addon that allows CSS Etc

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    820
    Quote Originally Posted by Frgr View Post
    After reading 20 some topics I found out that tcadmin is not for starters. Anyone got some other guidelines on where to start? Or is tcadmin really the way to go?
    If you plan to use Linux, SwiftPanel is popular to manage the game servers. I personally prefer Linux over Windows. Go with CentOS.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Seminole, Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,665
    Quote Originally Posted by Frgr View Post
    After reading 20 some topics I found out that tcadmin is not for starters. Anyone got some other guidelines on where to start? Or is tcadmin really the way to go?
    TCAdmin is the easy and quality cheap control panel you are going to get. I would suggest you get a trial license and install tcadmin on a local server and play with it. Its really easy. If you can do this and don't understand from reading docs this maybe game hosting isn't for you.

    But good luck on what ever you do. Hope it works out. Just keep in mind hosting is not an easy business.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    /dev/null
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    Best way to start of is configuring all by yourself!
    Are you planing on going with Windows or Linux?
    If you are hosting only source-based servers, Linux will be great for you.

  14. #14
    Well, I was thinking on using windows, since thats the OS I am used to. And not planning on starting a business per se. Just wanted to host a dusin servers for upcomming tournaments and stuff, and if it goes well maybe I'd try selling them.

    However, I was thinking more like a complete manual setup, where you use srcds and just run multiple servers from that, but I guess thats not possible?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    5,169
    Whats Needed Huh?

    You would basically need pretty much a lot, Such as a Business plan, A provider, Some software and a template. Those are the main things needed.

  16. #16
    I am looking for guidence. And I was hoping someone could share some knowledge with me! All I want to know is can I create multiple servers without these control panels? If not, what would be the easiest to set up from home, using custom-build PC's.

    I just can't understand why it has to be so complicated to run multiple servers online. I can run multiple servers on lan.

  17. #17
    Does your ISP at home allow for servers to be ran over their service?
    ColoCrossing - Dedicated to Uptime
    Jon Biloh | jbiloh@colocrossing.com | 1.800.518.9716 | Skype: jbiloh
    DDOS Protected Colo & Dedicated Servers in Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Seminole, Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,665
    Quote Originally Posted by Frgr View Post
    I am looking for guidence. And I was hoping someone could share some knowledge with me! All I want to know is can I create multiple servers without these control panels? If not, what would be the easiest to set up from home, using custom-build PC's.

    I just can't understand why it has to be so complicated to run multiple servers online. I can run multiple servers on lan.
    The answer is no. You don't need a control panel for anytime of hosting. It just makes it easier to manage. With game servers you would have something like server.exe file that you would run. For example americas army 2 you havce a server.exe but in order to run it you have to pass it some parameters. for exemple in command prompt.

    Code:
    cd <to the directory where aa 2 system folder>
    server.exe global JRTC_Farm.aao log=server.log ini=server.ini
    Now to run differnt servers the ini file that runs the server needs to have the port configured in and you can make as many ini and log files of any name. Server that run tournament scripts like teamwarfare.com has clients like CDC which checks as makes sure the client has the same amount of files as it does as the server so when making multiple servers its best to keep your extra log and ini files outsite of the system folder.

    Keep in mind this is just americas army. All games are different but simular.

    On production servers with tcadmin the normally copy the entire game folder to a new directory for their client to manage.

    Or you can use a .bat file to run it. Just create a file like server.bat and put "server.exe global JRTC_Farm.aao log=server.log ini=server.ini" without quotes. Now the next trick is getting it off your desktop. You can use something like firedamon tools to install it and manage it as a process. It also install a web interface so you can manage your services from the web. Or you can use some tools from microsoft. insrv.exe and srvany.exe this is a more advanced way of doing it but it works as well.

    Do some research this information should get you started.
    Last edited by jcarney1987; 11-29-2009 at 06:17 PM.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Frgr View Post
    I am looking for guidence. And I was hoping someone could share some knowledge with me! All I want to know is can I create multiple servers without these control panels? If not, what would be the easiest to set up from home, using custom-build PC's.

    I just can't understand why it has to be so complicated to run multiple servers online. I can run multiple servers on lan.
    home connection - bad idea unless you are just running something for friends but not commercial -
    Lan vs WLAN is a little difference and take a little more experience and understanding like tcp stacks, routing, etc

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by JonBiloh View Post
    Does your ISP at home allow for servers to be ran over their service?
    Great point

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Everywhere
    Posts
    29
    Lots and lots and LOTS of time.

  22. #22
    Well, it was not that hard to figure out. Just had to open the UDP and TCP ports needed for each server.

    So If anyone should have the same question as I had, the answer is: Counterstrike source servers normally use ports starting at 27015 and upwards. This means you have to open 27015-27030 for both UDP and TCP for your servers to be shown in the internett list, and beeing able to use Rcon.

    Now after some days of frustration I have learnt ALOT. I already have had some tests and everything has been pretty good so far. Thanks to everyone that have helped me out. tcadmin is a future plan for me to expand into, right now I will just use srcds with manual setups for my tournaments! Thanks!

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by JonBiloh View Post
    Does your ISP at home allow for servers to be ran over their service?
    You can use dyndns or similar and port forwarding on any internet anywhere on planet earth as I have done in 48 country's.

    Hamachi VPN if it is really bad and lan over internet using this.
    Just post hamachi server info and how-to + "ask for password" to join on your website.

    You are better of getting what you need pc hardware + 2nd cable / adsl line at home and save yourself years of frustration and talking to clueless guys at the game server hosting company's.

    This way you pay and own the hardware + can edit / modify as and when you please and only have to spend time talking to your local cable / internet provider about poor connections.

    Make a friend there and buy him a case of beer and you will never have issues.

    Just don't use anything hosted in Dallas Forth Worth Texas or cry like me.

    US$30/50 per month or US$360/600 per year gets you how far with the least problem and how fast can you fix a problem either way hosted or self hosting.

    Is this your job or part of your job or used to gain income = likely tax write off. Talk to tax adviser.

    You can use free opendns to compensate for useless local ISP DNS server or poor level3 routers and maintain 12 slots easily instead of local DNS and 4 slots before server croaks.

    This way 90% of the issues is ISP DNS and weather related + errors you make.

  24. #24
    so how beefy of a server do you need for host multiple game servers on it like the realm of 20+ . I have the bandwidth just wondering what specs I really need.

  25. #25
    Depends on game server requirements.

    More games = more ram and more cpu's / core's.

    My 1x12slot game server eats up 1 core at 3.6ghz and 800mb to 1.6gb + 3200gb transfer when the internet latency spikes for international connections. $50pm

    Good idea is to look at a game hosting company's slot prices per game, the higher the more resources it needs.

    Eventually you would want to have at least 1 or 2 backup hardware devices or pc's or connections + mix high usage + low usage per pc and about 40% resources free just in case stuff happens + alternative backups of stats or data to NAS or USB.

    http://www.gameservers.com/game_servers/
    http://www.ukgame.com/

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