Call of Duty 2 Server Guide

📋 Quick Info

Server Specifications

Game: Call of Duty 2 (2005)
Platform: Linux / Windows
Default Port: 28960/UDP
Max Players: 64 (typical: 32-64)
Control Protocol: RCON
Executable (Linux): cod2_lnxded
Executable (Windows): CoD2MP_s.exe

🔌 Ports & Firewall Configuration

Call of Duty 2 servers require specific ports to be open for proper operation:

Port	Protocol	Purpose	Required
28960	UDP	Game port (default, configurable)	Yes
28960	TCP	RCON remote control (optional)	Optional
20500-20510	UDP	PunkBuster (if enabled)	Optional

Firewall Examples

UFW (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo ufw allow 28960/udp comment 'CoD2 Game Port'
sudo ufw allow 28960/tcp comment 'CoD2 RCON'
sudo ufw allow 20500:20510/udp comment 'CoD2 PunkBuster'

FirewallD (CentOS/RHEL/Fedora):

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=28960/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=28960/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=20500-20510/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

iptables:

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 28960 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 28960 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 20500:20510 -j ACCEPT

⚙️ Installation & Setup

System Requirements

OS: Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS) or Windows Server 2016+
CPU: 2+ cores recommended
RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB recommended
Disk: 5GB for base game + space for logs
Network: Low latency connection, 10Mbps+ bandwidth

Linux Installation

Download Server Files: Obtain Call of Duty 2 dedicated server files from legitimate source
Create Server Directory:
mkdir -p ~/cod2server cd ~/cod2server
Extract Files: Extract server files to the directory
Set Permissions:
chmod +x cod2_lnxded
Create Configuration: Create server.cfg in the main directory

Windows Installation

Install Call of Duty 2 dedicated server files
Create a server.cfg file in the main directory
Ensure Windows Firewall allows the game ports
Run CoD2MP_s.exe with appropriate parameters

📝 Configuration

Basic server.cfg Example

// Server Name
set sv_hostname "My Call of Duty 2 Server"

// Network Settings
set net_ip "0.0.0.0"
set net_port 28960

// Server Type (1=LAN, 2=Internet)
set dedicated 2

// Player Limits
set sv_maxclients 32

// RCON Password
set rcon_password "your_secure_password_here"

// Game Settings
set g_gametype "dm"    // dm, tdm, sd, ctf, hq, bel
set sv_maxPing 350
set sv_minPing 0

// PunkBuster (0=off, 1=on)
set sv_punkbuster 1

// Map Rotation
set sv_mapRotation "gametype dm map mp_burgundy gametype tdm map mp_toujane gametype sd map mp_carentan"

// Password Protection (leave empty for public)
set g_password ""

// Friendly Fire
set scr_friendlyfire 1

// Kill Cam
set scr_killcam 1

// Game Log
set g_log "games_mp.log"
set g_logsync 1

// Voice Chat
set sv_voice 1
set voice_deadChat 0
set voice_global 0

// Anti-Lag
set sv_fps 20

// Downloads
set sv_allowDownload 1

🚀 Startup Parameters

Parameter	Description	Example
+set dedicated	Server mode (1=LAN, 2=Internet)	+set dedicated 2
+set net_ip	Bind to specific IP address	+set net_ip "0.0.0.0"
+set net_port	Server port (default: 28960)	+set net_port 28960
+set fs_basepath	Base installation directory	+set fs_basepath "/home/user/cod2"
+set fs_homepath	Config and log directory	+set fs_homepath "/home/user/.callofduty2"
+set fs_game	Mod folder (if using mods)	+set fs_game "mods/mymod"
+set sv_punkbuster	Enable PunkBuster (0=off, 1=on)	+set sv_punkbuster 1
+exec	Execute config file on startup	+exec server.cfg
+set rcon_password	RCON password for remote admin	+set rcon_password "secret123"
+set sv_maxclients	Maximum player slots	+set sv_maxclients 32
+map_rotate	Start map rotation from server.cfg	+map_rotate

Example Startup Command (Linux)

./cod2_lnxded +set dedicated 2 +set net_ip "0.0.0.0" +set net_port 28960 +set sv_maxclients 32 +set sv_punkbuster 1 +exec server.cfg +map_rotate

Example Startup Command (Windows)

CoD2MP_s.exe +set dedicated 2 +set net_ip "0.0.0.0" +set net_port 28960 +set sv_maxclients 32 +set sv_punkbuster 1 +exec server.cfg +map_rotate

🔧 Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Browser

Issue: Players cannot see the server in the in-game browser.

Solutions:

Verify +set dedicated 2 is set (not 1 for LAN)
Ensure UDP port 28960 is open in firewall
Check master server connectivity (master servers may be outdated)
Verify server is online: ps aux | grep cod2
Try direct connect using IP:PORT

Server Crashes on Startup

Issue: Dedicated server crashes immediately after launch.

Solutions:

Check games_mp.log for error messages
Verify all required game files are present
Ensure server.cfg syntax is correct (no typos)
Remove custom mods temporarily to isolate issue
On Linux, verify 32-bit libraries are installed: sudo apt-get install lib32gcc1
Check file permissions: chmod +x cod2_lnxded

Connection Problems

Issue: Players cannot connect or timeout.

Solutions:

Verify firewall rules allow traffic on game port
Check sv_maxPing setting (increase if players have high latency)
Ensure server is not full (sv_maxclients)
Disable password if testing: set g_password ""
Verify client and server game versions match

High Lag/Ping Issues

Issue: Players experience significant lag.

Solutions:

Increase sv_fps setting (recommended: 20)
Reduce sv_maxclients if server is overloaded
Check server CPU and RAM usage
Verify network bandwidth is sufficient
Lower sv_maxPing to restrict high-ping players

RCON Not Working

Issue: Cannot connect via RCON.

Solutions:

Verify rcon_password is set in server.cfg
Ensure TCP port 28960 is open (in addition to UDP)
Use correct RCON syntax: /rcon login password then /rcon command
Test RCON from server console first

🎮 Game Types

Call of Duty 2 supports the following game modes:

dm - Deathmatch (Free-for-all)
tdm - Team Deathmatch
sd - Search & Destroy
ctf - Capture the Flag
hq - Headquarters
bel - Behind Enemy Lines

🗺️ Default Maps

Call of Duty 2 includes the following default multiplayer maps:

mp_burgundy - Burgundy (France)
mp_carentan - Carentan (France)
mp_downtown - Downtown (Russia)
mp_leningrad - Leningrad (Russia)
mp_matmata - Matmata (Tunisia)
mp_railyard - Railyard (Russia)
mp_toujane - Toujane (Tunisia)
mp_trainstation - Train Station (Russia)
mp_breakout - Breakout (Egypt)
mp_brecourt - Brecourt (France)
mp_dawnville - Dawnville (France)
mp_decoy - Decoy (Russia)

Popular server modifications compatible with Call of Duty 2:

B3 (Big Brother Bot) - Python-based admin bot with RCON wrapper, player warnings, ban management, statistics tracking, and automated moderation for Call of Duty servers

📚 Resources

Official Documentation: Limited (game released 2005)
Community Forums: Various Call of Duty dedicated server communities
RCON Tools: B3, CoD2RCON, RconGUI
Master Server: May require community master server solutions

Important Notes

Call of Duty 2 uses RCON protocol (old type) for remote administration
Map rotation in CoD2 uses the sv_mapRotation variable with a specific syntax
PunkBuster is optional but recommended for anti-cheat protection
Master servers for CoD2 may no longer be fully operational; consider direct connect methods
Always secure your RCON password and restrict access to trusted administrators only
Regular backups of your server configuration are highly recommended

Call of Duty 2 Server Guide

📋 Quick Info

Server Specifications

🔌 Ports & Firewall Configuration

Firewall Examples

⚙️ Installation & Setup

System Requirements

Linux Installation

Windows Installation

📝 Configuration

Basic server.cfg Example

🚀 Startup Parameters

Example Startup Command (Linux)

Example Startup Command (Windows)

🔧 Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Browser

Server Crashes on Startup

Connection Problems

High Lag/Ping Issues

RCON Not Working

🎮 Game Types

🗺️ Default Maps

🔌 Related Mods & Plugins

📚 Resources

Important Notes