# How to Connect to Your Left 4 Dead Server (/docs/left-4-dead/connect-to-your-server)



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Here's how to find your server's IP address and connect to your Left 4 Dead server. You can join via the in-game console (fastest) or find your server in the server browser.

Finding Your Server IP [#finding-your-server-ip]

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Open the XGamingServer panel [#1-open-the-xgamingserver-panel]

    Log in to the [XGamingServer panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com) and select your Left 4 Dead server.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Locate your IP address [#2-locate-your-ip-address]

    Your server IP address is displayed in the sidebar (e.g., `198.137.23.46:27015`).

    > 💡 **Tip:** Click the IP address to copy it to your clipboard. The number before the colon is the IP address, and the number after is the port.
  </div>
</div>

Direct Connect via Console [#direct-connect-via-console]

Direct connect is the fastest and most reliable way to join your server:

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Launch Left 4 Dead [#1-launch-left-4-dead]

    Open Left 4 Dead from Steam.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Open the developer console [#2-open-the-developer-console]

    Press the **tilde key** (`~`) to open the developer console. If the console doesn't open, enable it in **Options** > **Keyboard/Mouse** > **Allow Developer Console** and set it to **Enabled**.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Enter the connect command [#3-enter-the-connect-command]

    Type the following, replacing the IP and port with your server's details:

    ```
    connect 198.137.23.46:27015
    ```
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Press Enter [#4-press-enter]

    The game will connect directly to your server.

    If the server has a [password](/docs/left-4-dead/set-a-password), you'll be prompted to enter it, or you can include it in the command:

    ```
    connect 198.137.23.46:27015; password YourPassword
    ```
  </div>
</div>

Using the Server Browser [#using-the-server-browser]

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Open the server browser [#1-open-the-server-browser]

    From the main menu, select **Play Online** and then click **Best Available Dedicated** or navigate to the Steam server browser via **View** > **Game Servers** in the Steam client.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Find your server [#2-find-your-server]

    Use the **Favorites** or **Internet** tab. Sort by server name or use the filter options to narrow down results.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Join your server [#3-join-your-server]

    Double-click your server or select it and click **Connect**.

    The server browser shows useful information:

    * **Player count** — How many players are currently connected
    * **Map** — Which [map](/docs/left-4-dead/change-map) is currently active
    * **Ping** — Your latency to the server (lower is better)
    * **Lock icon** — Indicates the server requires a [password](/docs/left-4-dead/set-a-password)
    * **VAC** — Whether Valve Anti-Cheat is enabled
  </div>
</div>

Adding Your Server to Favorites via Steam [#adding-your-server-to-favorites-via-steam]

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Open the Steam server browser [#1-open-the-steam-server-browser]

    In Steam, go to **View** > **Game Servers**.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Go to the Favorites tab [#2-go-to-the-favorites-tab]

    Click the **Favorites** tab.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Add your server [#3-add-your-server]

    Click **Add Server** and enter your server's IP and port (e.g., `198.137.23.46:27015`).
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Connect [#4-connect]

    Your server will appear in the Favorites list. Right-click and select **Connect** to join.

    > 📝 **Note:** Left 4 Dead uses port 27015 for both the game connection and Steam query by default. If your server uses a different port, check the `Network` tab on the XGamingServer panel.
  </div>
</div>

Troubleshooting Connection Issues [#troubleshooting-connection-issues]

If you can't connect to your server:

* **Server not showing in browser** — Make sure the server has fully started. Check `Console` on the XGamingServer panel for startup progress. It can take a minute for the server to register with Steam's master server list.
* **"Connection failed after 4 retries"** — Verify the IP address and port are correct. Try restarting the server from the panel.
* **"Server is not responding"** — The server may be loading a map or processing a restart. Wait 30 seconds and try again.
* **Version mismatch** — Make sure your game client is updated. Left 4 Dead updates automatically through Steam.
* **Password required** — The server has a [password](/docs/left-4-dead/set-a-password) set. Ask the server owner for the password.
* **VAC ban** — If you have a VAC ban on your account, you cannot join VAC-secured servers.

Inviting Friends [#inviting-friends]

Once connected to your server, you can invite friends directly through Steam:

<div className="fd-steps">
  <div className="fd-step">
    Open the Steam overlay [#1-open-the-steam-overlay]

    Press **Shift + Tab** while in-game.
  </div>

  <div className="fd-step">
    Invite friends [#2-invite-friends]

    Right-click a friend's name and select **Invite to Game**.

    Your friend will receive a notification and can join directly without needing the server IP.

    > 💡 **Tip:** If you're running a private server for friends, set a [server password](/docs/left-4-dead/set-a-password) to prevent random players from joining, then share the password with your group.

    If you get stuck at any time, you can join our [Discord](https://discord.xgamingserver.com/).
  </div>
</div>