How do I start a Team Fortress 2 server at MC-Node?

Team Fortress 2 is a free classic that has hovered remarkably steadily around 50,000 average players for years. With your own server, you decide the maps, the modes and who plays. At MC-Node your Team Fortress 2 server is online within 1 minute, with NVMe storage, DDoS protection and a monthly cancellable subscription from €3.00 per month.

Which plan do I need?

Good news: Team Fortress 2 is very light on resources. The game already runs smoothly on the entry tier of 2 GB RAM, which is more than enough for most servers with friends. Want to run a larger community server with custom maps or extras? You can always choose a higher tier — plans go up to 20 GB of RAM. Feel free to start small: you can upgrade later.

Step 1: Order your server

1. Go to the Team Fortress 2 page in the store.
2. Choose a plan. Not sure? Start with the entry tier of 2 GB RAM.
3. Choose a server location: the Netherlands, Germany, Poland or North America. Pick the location closest to you and your fellow players for the lowest ping.
4. Complete the order. Your server is created automatically and is online within 1 minute.

Step 2: Start the server via the panel

1. Log in to the game panel at panel.mc-node.net with the login credentials you received by email.
2. Click your Team Fortress 2 server in the overview.
3. Open the Console tab.
4. Click Start. You'll see the server booting in the console; once the output stops, the server is ready.

Step 3: Connect to your server

1. Note your server's IP address and port. You'll find them in the panel on the server page.
2. Launch Team Fortress 2 (free to play).
3. Open the console in-game and type connect IP:PORT, for example connect 123.45.67.89:27015. You can also find your server via the server browser.
4. Share the address with friends so they can play along.

What's next?

Your server is running — time to make it your own. Community servers stand out with custom maps and modes such as trade and minigames. How to manage maps and settings is covered in our article on server management. Questions? Our support team is happy to help.