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The most reliable Docker setup for a Counter-Strike 1.6 Internet server is an x86-64 GoldSrc HLDS container with UDP port 27015 published, sv_lan set to 0, and configuration, maps, plugins, bans, and logs stored outside the container. A typical launch uses jives/hlds:cstrike with bind mounts and a restart policy, while a simpler environment-variable image is available when you want to set the map and player count from the command line.
This guide shows the exact commands, port mappings, persistence layout, FastDL arrangement, image-selection criteria, update process, and troubleshooting steps needed to run the server safely. The examples use the standard GoldSrc ports and should be adjusted to match the image you select and the ports available on your host.
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Counter-Strike 1.6 is not a separate server executable. It runs as the cstrike game modification on Valve’s GoldSrc Half-Life Dedicated Server (HLDS). Docker supplies an isolated process and filesystem; HLDS still needs its normal game files, configuration, network ports, maps, and optional plugins.
At startup, HLDS accepts command-line controls such as -game cstrike, +map, +maxplayers, and +sv_lan. Images package those arguments, or expose them as environment variables, so you do not have to assemble a complete SteamCMD installation manually.
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Requirements and decisions before you start
- A Linux host, virtual machine, or cloud instance with Docker Engine and the Docker CLI installed and available to your user.
- An x86-64 host is the safest assumption. The documented quick start for
jives/hlds:cstrikeis for x86-64 and does not support ARM in that setup. On ARM hardware, verify that the image publishes a compatible architecture or build and test your own image before committing to it. - At least one free host port for the game server. The normal client port is UDP 27015; some images also document TCP 27015 and UDP 26900.
- Router and firewall access if players will connect from outside your LAN.
- A plan for persistent storage. Anything left only in a container’s writable layer can disappear when the container is removed and recreated.
Decide whether the server is Internet-facing or LAN-only. Internet servers use +sv_lan 0; LAN-only servers use +sv_lan 1. Also decide whether custom maps, models, sounds, sprites, or graphics will be used. If they are, plan a FastDL HTTP location before inviting players.
Choose an image deliberately
Image names are not interchangeable. Compare maintenance activity, the provenance of the HLDS files, architecture support, mount paths, plugin support, documented ports, FastDL behavior, and the image’s security and update instructions.
| Option | How settings are supplied | Persistence documented | Architecture or operational notes |
|---|---|---|---|
jives/hlds:cstrike |
HLDS-style command-line arguments, including logging, RCON, map, and player count | Example mounts config to /temp/config and mods to /temp/mods; confirm the image’s current paths |
The documented quick start targets x86-64 and not ARM; uses --restart unless-stopped in its example |
archont94/counter-strike1.6:latest |
Environment variables such as SERVER_NAME, MAP, MAXPLAYERS, and SV_LAN |
Documents volume links for server.cfg, banned.cfg, listip.cfg, and mapcycle.txt, plus AMX Mod X content under the cstrike tree |
Documents game ports and an HTTP port for FastDL; its README warns that a mounted server.cfg can override environment values |
| Self-built SteamCMD/ReHLDS image | Your Dockerfile, entrypoint, and configuration files | Whatever bind mounts or named volumes you define | More control over revisions and hardening, but you own SteamCMD inputs, testing, upgrades, and recovery |
Do not select an image solely because its tag is called latest. Record the image digest or release revision used in production, read its README for mount paths, and test a replacement container before changing a live server.
Fastest working deployment with the documented HLDS image
Create a directory for files that must survive container replacement, then launch the container. The following is a practical starting point for an Internet server with 12 player slots:
mkdir -p config mods
docker run -d --name cs16
--restart unless-stopped
-v $PWD/config:/temp/config
-v $PWD/mods:/temp/mods
-p 27015:27015/udp
-p 27015:27015
-p 26900:26900/udp
jives/hlds:cstrike
"+log on +rcon_password CHANGE_ME +maxplayers 12 +map de_dust2"Replace CHANGE_ME with a long, unique RCON secret and choose a map and player count appropriate for your community. The command follows the image’s documented pattern. Before relying on it, inspect the image documentation to confirm that /temp/config and /temp/mods are still the expected mount points.
The first run may need to download or initialize game data. Follow progress with:
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docker logs -f cs16When the server has finished starting, detach from the log view with Ctrl+C; that stops log viewing, not the container. Check that Docker published the ports:
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docker ps
docker port cs16To stop and remove the container without deleting your mounted files:
docker stop cs16
docker rm cs16You can then recreate it with the same mounts and a new image tag or command-line settings. The external directories remain in place.
A simpler environment-variable launch
If you prefer not to pass HLDS arguments as one quoted string, the archont94 image documents environment variables for common values:
docker run --name cs16-server
-p 27015:27015/udp -p 27015:27015
-e MAP=de_dust2
-e MAXPLAYERS=16
-e SV_LAN=0
archont94/counter-strike1.6:latestThe same project documents SERVER_NAME, MAP, MAXPLAYERS, and SV_LAN, along with volume mounts for configuration and ban files. Add the documented mounts for your chosen layout rather than guessing paths.
Environment variables are defaults, not always the final authority. A mounted server.cfg is read by HLDS and can override values supplied through the container environment. If the server keeps starting on an old map, player limit, or LAN mode, inspect the effective server.cfg first.
Ports, NAT, and LAN mode
Valve’s GoldSrc reference defines UDP 27015 as the default client port and UDP 26900 as the default VAC port. Publish UDP 27015 for normal player traffic. Some images publish TCP 27015 as well, so follow the selected image’s documented mapping and open the same protocol on the host firewall and router.
| Port | Protocol | Purpose | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27015 | UDP | Normal GoldSrc client traffic | Publish with -p 27015:27015/udp; forward UDP 27015 on the router for an Internet server |
| 27015 | TCP | Documented by some images in addition to UDP | Publish only when the selected image expects it, using -p 27015:27015, and permit it in the host firewall if required |
| 26900 | UDP | Default VAC port | Publish when the image uses it, with -p 26900:26900/udp; keep router and firewall rules consistent |
If you change HLDS’s game port with -port, change Docker’s host-to-container mapping and every firewall and NAT rule together. For example, an internal port of 27016 requires a mapping such as -p 27016:27016/udp and a matching HLDS -port 27016. A mismatch makes the container appear healthy locally while outside players cannot join.
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Set +sv_lan 0 for an Internet server. Use +sv_lan 1 only when all players are on the same LAN or reachable private network. Test from a device outside your home network; a successful connection from the host itself does not prove that NAT and firewall rules are correct.
Persist configuration, maps, plugins, and logs
Container replacement is normal Docker administration. Treat the container as disposable and store important data in bind mounts or named volumes.
- Configuration: persist
server.cfg, mapcycle files, and any image-specific configuration directory. - Access control: persist
banned.cfg,listip.cfg, and other ban lists. - Content: persist custom maps, models, sounds, sprites, graphics, and plugin files under the HLDS
cstriketree. - Mods: persist AMX Mod X or other plugins in the image’s documented mods path.
- Logs: retain HLDS logs outside the writable container layer if you need history after recreation.
A bind mount is easy to inspect and back up:
mkdir -p $PWD/data/cstrike
docker run -d --name cs16
--restart unless-stopped
-v $PWD/data:/server-data
-p 27015:27015/udp
jives/hlds:cstrikeThe path above is illustrative; use the actual data path documented by the image. Mounting an empty host directory over a populated image directory hides the image’s original files, so initialize the directory according to the image instructions before placing custom files in it.
Back up the host directories before changing image tags. A restart policy can bring a process back after a host reboot, but it is not a backup, patch-management, monitoring, or disaster-recovery system.
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Understand configuration precedence
Several layers can set the same value:
- Docker environment variables or image defaults.
- Command-line arguments passed to the image entrypoint or HLDS.
server.cfgand other files loaded by the game.- Map-specific or plugin configuration that executes after startup.
When troubleshooting, inspect the startup command and the mounted files, then check the live console or log output for the final value. Keep one authoritative copy of each setting. For example, do not set MAXPLAYERS=16 in the environment while a mounted server.cfg sets a different limit unless that override is intentional.
FastDL for custom maps and assets
Players need a web-download source when they do not already have a custom map, model, sound, sprite, or graphics file. FastDL is separate from the game socket: the server advertises an HTTP URL, and clients retrieve files from that URL.
The archont94 image documents an HTTP service on port 80 and a /cstrike/ path containing the asset directories. If port 80 is occupied on the host, map the container’s HTTP port to another host port and use the resulting public URL in the server configuration.
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- Copy the exact custom-content tree into the HTTP document root, preserving directories such as
maps,models,sound,sprites, andgfxbeneathcstrike. - Expose the HTTP port through Docker, the host firewall, and the router or reverse proxy.
- Set the server’s download URL to the externally reachable address, including the
/cstrike/path required by the image’s layout. - Join with a client that lacks the custom files and verify that downloads complete before the map changes.
FastDL does not replace persistence. Keep the HTTP content in a host directory or volume and back it up with the game files.
Building your own image with SteamCMD or ReHLDS
A custom image is useful when you need a pinned HLDS or ReHLDS revision, a specific plugin set, a non-root runtime user, or an architecture and filesystem layout not provided by a prebuilt image. The ReHLDS Docker project documents installing HLDS through SteamCMD with app_update 90 and the steam_legacy beta.
Treat SteamCMD’s beta branch, downloaded binaries, and ReHLDS releases as changeable inputs. Pin a base image digest and a known release revision where possible, record the build date, and test the resulting image on a staging port before replacing the production container.
A sensible build pipeline has these stages:
- Install SteamCMD and download app 90 using the documented
steam_legacybranch. - Copy only the required HLDS and
cstrikefiles into the runtime image. - Add your configuration, entrypoint, and plugin installation steps.
- Define a configurable server port and expose the ports used by the final command.
- Run as a non-root user when the image supports it, and grant write access only to data directories.
- Test map changes, RCON, custom downloads, restarts, and container recreation before publishing the image.
Rebuilding is not automatically safer than pulling an image. You become responsible for SteamCMD failures, licensing and distribution rules, update review, vulnerability response, and restoring a known-good build.
Security and operational hardening
Protect RCON
Use a long, unique RCON password. Do not reuse an administrator, hosting, or personal account password. Avoid exposing administrative interfaces beyond the required game ports, and remove the password from shell history or shared launch scripts where other users can read it. Store secrets in a protected environment file or Docker secret mechanism when your deployment supports one.
Reduce container privileges
The ReHLDS project demonstrates hardening measures such as a non-root process user, a read-only root filesystem, dropped Linux capabilities, no-new-privileges, and writable temporary filesystems only where needed. These are image-specific examples, not guarantees. Verify that the selected image actually supports each setting before enabling it.
Control updates
Pulling a new tag can change binaries, startup behavior, mount paths, or defaults. Record the current image digest, back up configuration and custom content, read release notes, and test the replacement on a different host port. Keep the previous image available so you can roll back quickly.
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Monitor and back up
Watch container logs for crashes, map-load errors, plugin failures, and repeated authentication attempts. Set a log-retention policy so a busy server cannot fill the host disk. Back up server.cfg, mapcycle files, ban lists, plugins, custom maps, and FastDL assets; periodically restore a backup into a temporary container to verify that it is usable.
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- Announce a maintenance window and record the current container name, image digest, published ports, and mount paths.
- Stop the server cleanly with
docker stop cs16. - Archive the host directories containing configuration, HLDS data, mods, logs, and FastDL files.
- Pull or build the candidate image and inspect its documentation for changed ports, users, entrypoints, and volume paths.
- Start a test container on alternate host ports using copies of the production data.
- Join the test server, change maps, exercise plugins, test RCON, and download a custom asset.
- Recreate the production container with the approved image and the original persistent mounts.
- Check logs and perform an external join test before declaring the update complete.
If the new container fails, stop it and recreate the previous image with the same persistent data. Do not delete the only copy of your configuration while investigating.
Troubleshooting by symptom
Players cannot see or join the server
- Confirm the container is running with
docker psand inspectdocker logs cs16. - Verify UDP 27015 is published and allowed through the host firewall.
- Verify the router forwards UDP 27015 to the Docker host’s current private address.
- Check that
sv_lanis0for an Internet server. - If you changed
-port, ensure the HLDS port, Docker mapping, firewall rule, and router rule all match. - Test from outside the LAN; hairpin NAT can make an internal test misleading.
The server starts with the wrong map or player limit
Inspect the mounted server.cfg and mapcycle files. They can override environment variables or command-line defaults. Remove conflicting lines or make the intended source authoritative, then recreate the container.
Custom content will not download
- Check that the file exists in the HTTP document root under the expected
cstrikesubdirectory. - Open the public FastDL URL from a browser or command-line HTTP client and verify a non-error response.
- Confirm the URL in the server configuration uses the public hostname, port, and path rather than a container-only address.
- Check that router and firewall rules permit the HTTP port.
Changes disappear after recreation
The files were probably written inside the container layer or a mount hid the directory that contained the initialized data. Identify the image’s documented data paths, copy required files to the host, and recreate the container with explicit bind mounts or named volumes.
The image will not run on the host
Check the host architecture with uname -m and compare it with the image’s published platforms. The documented jives/hlds:cstrike quick start is x86-64 and not ARM. On an unsupported architecture, use a compatible image, an x86-64 virtual machine, or a tested custom build rather than assuming emulation will provide reliable game-server behavior.
Operational checklist
- Docker Engine and CLI are installed and usable by the account running the deployment.
- The image architecture matches the host.
- UDP 27015 is published and forwarded; TCP 27015 and UDP 26900 are added only when required by the selected image.
sv_lanis set correctly for Internet or LAN use.- RCON uses a unique secret.
server.cfg, mapcycle, bans, plugins, maps, logs, and FastDL assets are on persistent storage.- The effective configuration has no unintended overrides.
- Custom assets are reachable from the public FastDL URL.
- Backups exist and have been restored in a test container.
- Image updates are reviewed, tested, and reversible.
Which deployment should you use?
Choose the documented jives/hlds:cstrike pattern when you want a conventional HLDS command line, explicit mounts, and a straightforward restart policy on x86-64. Choose the environment-variable image when its documented volume paths and FastDL behavior fit your needs and you prefer simple map and player settings. Build with SteamCMD/ReHLDS when you need control over revisions, plugins, users, or hardening and are prepared to maintain the build pipeline.
In every case, the durable design is the same: publish the correct UDP game port, configure LAN mode intentionally, keep the server state outside the container, expose FastDL only for custom content, and treat image updates and backups as operational work rather than automatic Docker features.
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