Call of Duty: World at War Server Guide

📋 Quick Info

Server Specifications

Game: Call of Duty: World at War (2008)
Platform: Linux / Windows
Default Port: 28960/UDP
Max Players: 64 (typical: 18-24)
Control Protocol: RCON
Executable (Linux): codwaw_lnxded
Executable (Windows): CoDWaWmp.exe
Special Feature: Nazi Zombies co-op mode

🔌 Ports & Firewall Configuration

Call of Duty: World at War 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
20500-20510	UDP	PunkBuster (if enabled)	Optional

Firewall Examples

UFW (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo ufw allow 28960/udp comment 'CoDWaW Game Port'
sudo ufw allow 28960/tcp comment 'CoDWaW RCON'
sudo ufw allow 20500:20510/udp comment 'CoDWaW 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 9+, Ubuntu 18.04+, CentOS 7+) or Windows Server 2016+
CPU: 2+ cores @ 2.5GHz recommended
RAM: 2GB minimum, 4GB recommended
Disk: 10GB for base game + zombies + space for logs
Network: Low latency connection, 10Mbps+ bandwidth

Linux Installation

Download Server Files: Obtain Call of Duty: World at War dedicated server files
Create Server Directory:
mkdir -p ~/codwawserver cd ~/codwawserver
Extract Files: Extract server files to the directory
Install 32-bit Libraries (64-bit Linux):
sudo apt-get install lib32gcc1 lib32stdc++6 # Debian/Ubuntu sudo yum install glibc.i686 libstdc++.i686 # CentOS/RHEL
Set Permissions:
chmod +x codwaw_lnxded
Create Configuration: Create server.cfg in the main directory

Windows Installation

Install Call of Duty: World at War dedicated server files
Create a server.cfg file in the main directory
Ensure Windows Firewall allows the game ports
Run CoDWaWmp.exe with appropriate parameters

📝 Configuration

Basic server.cfg Example (Multiplayer)

// Server Name
set sv_hostname "My World at War 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 24

// RCON Password
set rcon_password "your_secure_password_here"

// Game Settings
set g_gametype "war"    // dm, war, sab, koth, sd, ctf
set sv_maxPing 350
set sv_minPing 0

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

// Map Rotation
set sv_mapRotation "gametype war map mp_castle gametype war map mp_dome gametype war map mp_makin"

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

// Friendly Fire
set scr_team_fftype 0    // 0=off, 1=on, 2=reflect

// Kill Cam
set scr_game_allowkillcam 1

// Hardcore Mode
set scr_hardcore 0

// Game Log
set g_log "games_mp.log"
set g_logsync 2

// Voice Chat
set sv_voice 1

// Anti-Lag
set sv_fps 20

// Downloads
set sv_allowDownload 1

// Pure Server
set sv_pure 1

// Auto-Balance
set scr_teambalance 1

Zombies Server Configuration

// Zombies Mode Server
set sv_hostname "My Zombies Server"
set g_gametype "zom"    // Zombies game type
set sv_mapRotation "gametype zom map nazi_zombie_prototype"

// Zombies-specific settings
set scr_zm_round_limit 100
set scr_zm_player_base_health 100

🚀 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/codwaw"
+set fs_homepath	Config and log directory (deprecated)	+set fs_homepath "/home/user/.codwaw"
+set fs_savepath	Save path for logs and user data	+set fs_savepath "/home/user/codwawdata"
+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 24
+map_rotate	Start map rotation from server.cfg	+map_rotate
+map	Start with specific map	+map mp_castle

Example Startup Command (Linux - Multiplayer)

./codwaw_lnxded +set dedicated 2 +set net_ip "0.0.0.0" +set net_port 28960 +set sv_maxclients 24 +set sv_punkbuster 1 +set fs_savepath "/home/user/codwawdata" +exec server.cfg +map_rotate

Example Startup Command (Zombies Mode)

./codwaw_lnxded +set dedicated 2 +set net_port 28960 +set sv_maxclients 4 +exec zombies.cfg +map nazi_zombie_prototype

🔧 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 sv_pure setting
Master servers may have limited connectivity; try direct connect
Verify server is online: ps aux | grep codwaw

Server Crashes on Startup

Issue: Dedicated server crashes immediately after launch.

Solutions:

Check games_mp.log in fs_savepath directory for errors
Verify all required game files are present
Ensure server.cfg syntax is correct
Remove custom mods temporarily to isolate issue
On Linux, verify 32-bit libraries are installed
Check file permissions: chmod +x codwaw_lnxded

Zombies Mode Issues

Issue: Zombies servers not working or crashing.

Solutions:

Verify g_gametype "zom" is set correctly
Start with official zombies maps first (nazi_zombie_prototype, nazi_zombie_asylum, etc.)
Zombies typically requires fewer player slots (4-8 recommended)
Custom zombies maps may require additional mod files

Connection Problems

Issue: Players cannot connect or timeout.

Solutions:

Verify firewall rules allow traffic on game port
Check sv_maxPing setting
Ensure server is not full (sv_maxclients)
Disable password if testing: set g_password ""
Verify client and server game versions match
Check sv_pure - clients must have matching files if enabled

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: World at War supports the following game modes:

Multiplayer Modes

dm - Deathmatch (Free-for-all)
war - Team Deathmatch
sab - Sabotage
koth - Headquarters
sd - Search & Destroy
ctf - Capture the Flag

Special Mode

zom - Nazi Zombies (co-op survival mode)

🗺️ Default Maps

Multiplayer Maps

mp_airfield - Airfield
mp_asylum - Asylum
mp_castle - Castle
mp_courtyard - Courtyard
mp_dome - Dome
mp_downfall - Downfall
mp_hangar - Hangar
mp_makin - Makin
mp_outskirts - Outskirts
mp_roundhouse - Roundhouse
mp_seelow - Seelow
mp_shrine - Shrine
mp_upheaval - Upheaval

Zombies Maps

nazi_zombie_prototype - Nacht der Untoten (Night of the Undead)
nazi_zombie_asylum - Verrückt (Insane)
nazi_zombie_sumpf - Shi No Numa (Swamp of Death)
nazi_zombie_factory - Der Riese (The Giant)

Popular server modifications compatible with Call of Duty: World at War:

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
Custom Zombies Maps - Thousands of community-created zombies maps available
ZombieMod - Enhanced zombies gameplay modifications
Extreme+ - Enhanced gameplay modification

📚 Resources

Community Forums: CoDModding, ZombieModding communities
Custom Maps: UGX Mods, Zombie Modding
RCON Tools: B3, various web-based RCON panels
Key Features: Pacific theater WWII, Nazi Zombies mode

Important Notes

World at War features Nazi Zombies, the first appearance of the popular co-op mode
Zombies mode (g_gametype "zom") typically uses 4-8 player slots
Use fs_savepath instead of fs_homepath for configuration directories
Custom zombies maps are extremely popular - extensive community content available
PunkBuster is optional but recommended for multiplayer servers
Zombies servers have different performance characteristics than multiplayer servers
Always secure your RCON password and restrict access to trusted administrators only
Regular backups recommended, especially for zombies progress data

Call of Duty: World at War Server Guide

📋 Quick Info

Server Specifications

🔌 Ports & Firewall Configuration

Firewall Examples

⚙️ Installation & Setup

System Requirements

Linux Installation

Windows Installation

📝 Configuration

Basic server.cfg Example (Multiplayer)

Zombies Server Configuration

🚀 Startup Parameters

Example Startup Command (Linux - Multiplayer)

Example Startup Command (Zombies Mode)

🔧 Troubleshooting

Server Not Appearing in Browser

Server Crashes on Startup

Zombies Mode Issues

Connection Problems

High Lag/Ping Issues

RCON Not Working

🎮 Game Types

Multiplayer Modes

Special Mode

🗺️ Default Maps

Multiplayer Maps

Zombies Maps

🔌 Related Mods & Plugins

📚 Resources

Important Notes