Re-directing your server downloads
If you are adding custom maps, soundpacks etc to your server then you'll definitely need a redirect server to host them. If you don't then people connecting to your server will download at the very slow rate of 12 KB/sec maximum which will annoy them and disconnect. This happens with all game server providers because they limit downloading at this rate. To set up a redirect server:
- Get some web space from somewhere: Usually game server providers offer some space which can be either used as a clan website and/or to host downloads. Cameservers is one of these and they also offer a few other good features (e.g many different locations for low ping). If your game server provider doesn't offer some space then I am sure you can find many free offers on the web (just google "free webspace"). Make sure they have a way for you to upload files easily (e.g. FTP access) and a fixed URL that you will redirect to.
- Create the necessary directories in that web space: create a directory and call it whatever you like e.g. etfiles. Inside this one create a directory called etmain. This is where all your maps will go. If you have a MOD installed then create a directory for that as well. Make sure you call it the same way as on your game server e.g. etpub, etpro etc. Inside here you will put all the MOD specific files like soundpacks, clients (e.g. whaleclient, etpub client) etc.
- Upload the files: once you've prepared everything, upload the files in your actual game server and on the redirect server you have just created.
- Modify server.cfg: you will need to perform the following changes:
- Upload new server.cfg and restart your server
- Test it: the easiest way to do this is to rename one of the existing maps to something else (e.g. rename supplydepot2.pk3 to supplydepot2.old) and connect to your server. If it redirects correctly you will see the URL of your redirect and if your redirect is decent you should be able to download the map at good speeds (anything above 60-80 KB/sec is decent since you'll download a map in a few minutes)
Change the following cvars as follows:
set sv_allowDownload "1" // global toggle for both legacy download and web download set sv_wwwDownload "1" // toggle to enable web download set sv_wwwBaseURL "http://yourwebspace.something/etfiles" //your redirect URL
Feel free to post comments with requests for help
7 Responses to “Re-directing your server downloads”
Ya this never works ? i put the url and change the 0’s to 1 but it does not work ?!?!
Make sure you name the directories on the redirect server correctly i.e. etmain and etpub or whatever mod you are using.
This definitely works….make sure you follow the instructions step by step.
Where can I get the config file (server.cfg) mentioned in the post?
Do you know where I can get a simple, step-by-step game server setup? Thanks.
The server.cfg file is found in the game server’s etmain directory.
The game server set up depends on a few factors:
1) Are you renting a server from a game server provider? If yes then ask them to install your preferred MOD (e.g etpub, etpro etc)
2) If you own a server then you need to install the game and then the MOD
In both occasions you can customize the settings from the server.cfg file or the etpub.cfg file (or the respective MOD’s file).
There is a lot of documentation out there but if you need specific help or if you are stuck you can contact me at xpsave [AT] gmail [DOT] com
[...] written before that when you get a game server it is recommended that you redirect your downloads [...]
[...] prior to getting on the server. This can be a pain in the back since some administrators are not redirecting their server downloads hence the download rate is very slow, but also because when you connect to a server you want to [...]
According to some etpub docs,
the url should be something like http://www.yoursite.com/etfiles/etmain
and the url you specify above, should not have any end slashes.
Also, you forgot to enter “set sv_wwwBaseURL “http://yourwebspace.something/etfiles”" at the above text.
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