How to Connect to Your Left 4 Dead Server
Learn how to find your server IP and connect to your Left 4 Dead dedicated server using the console or server browser.
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
Open the XGamingServer panel
Log in to the XGamingServer panel and select your Left 4 Dead server.
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.
Direct Connect via Console
Direct connect is the fastest and most reliable way to join your server:
Launch Left 4 Dead
Open Left 4 Dead from Steam.
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.
Enter the connect command
Type the following, replacing the IP and port with your server's details:
connect 198.137.23.46:27015Press Enter
The game will connect directly to your server.
If the server has a password, you'll be prompted to enter it, or you can include it in the command:
connect 198.137.23.46:27015; password YourPasswordUsing the Server Browser
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.
Find your server
Use the Favorites or Internet tab. Sort by server name or use the filter options to narrow down results.
Join your server
Double-click your server or select it and click Connect.
The server browser shows useful information:
Adding Your Server to Favorites via Steam
Open the Steam server browser
In Steam, go to View > Game Servers.
Go to the Favorites tab
Click the Favorites tab.
Add your server
Click Add Server and enter your server's IP and port (e.g., 198.137.23.46:27015).
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
Networktab on the XGamingServer panel.
Troubleshooting Connection Issues
If you can't connect to your server:
- Server not showing in browser — Make sure the server has fully started. Check
Consoleon 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 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
Once connected to your server, you can invite friends directly through Steam:
Open the Steam overlay
Press Shift + Tab while in-game.
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 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.
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