How to create a private dedicated server in CS2

Whether you want to practice grenades in CS2, train with your team, or just have fun with friends, you’ll need to create a private dedicated server in CS2 since it’s impossible to do this specialized play in the official servers.

Learning how to set up a CS2 private dedicated server is only the first step. On top of that, you’ll need to know some key commands so you can customize it the way you want to. It might be too much to digest in the beginning, but it’s easy when you get the gist of it.

I’ve been creating dedicated servers since the Counter-Strike: 1.6 days and have all the tips for you to set up your own CS2 dedicated server.

How to create an offline dedicated server in CS2

Creating via the menu

This method is the first option if you want to set up a dedicated server in CS2 and it only take a matter of seconds.

1. Launch CS2 and click “Play” on the home page.
2. Select the “Practice” tab.
3. Choose between Competitive, Wingman, Casual, or Deathmatch.
4. Pick the map you want to play.

Creating via the console

As it is with many things in CS2, you can also create a dedicated server with the help of the developer console. To create a dedicated server in CS2 through the developer console, follow these steps:

1. Assure the console is enabled in Settings -> Game.
2. Press “`” or whatever keybind you attributed to opening the console.
3. Type “map X” and press enter. Replace X with the name of the map you actually want to play. It can be an official map or one you got from the workshop.

How to customize a CS2 offline dedicated server

There are plenty of customization options for dedicated servers in CS2, but in this article we’ll be focusing on setting up a server optimized for practice. To do so, you’ll have to create a new cfg file or download the one we created for this article.

Creating a practice config for CS2

Rather than typing all the commands in the console every time you want to set a CS2 dedicated server, it’s best to create a cfg file and simply exec that file every time. This will save you a lot of time down the road.

1. Head to your Steam Library.
2. Right-click CS2 and select “Manage” in the drop-down menu.
3. Click “Browse local files.“
4. Click the “game” folder, the “csgo” folder, and finally the “cfg” folder.
5. Create a new text file named “practice.cfg” or whatever name you prefer. Be sure to save it as “.cfg” and not “.txt”.
6. Insert these useful practice commands and save the cfg file.
   • sv_cheats 1
   • bot_kick
   • mp_warmup_end
   • mp_limitteams 0
   • mp_autoteambalance 0
   • mp_freezetime 0
   • mp_roundtime 60
   • mp_roundtime_defuse 60
   • mp_respawn_on_death_ct 1
   • mp_respawn_on_death_t 1
   • mp_maxmoney 60000
   • mp_startmoney 60000
   • mp_buytime 9999
   • mp_buy_anywhere 1
   • sv_infinite_ammo 1
   • sv_showimpacts 1
   • sv_showimpacts_time 10
   • ammo_grenade_limit_total 5
   • sv_grenade_trajectory_prac_pipreview 1
   • mp_restartgame 1
   • god
7. Alternatively, you can download my practice config and just place it in the right folder.
8. Once your dedicated server is created, open the console and type “exec practice” and press enter.

These commands will allow you to buy anywhere on the map, throw unlimited grenades, and show the grenades trajectory so you can master them.