Skip to main content

​
Modern Server Management: The SourceMod Foundation

While legacy administrative utilities like Mani Admin Plugin were once prevalent, SourceMod has established itself as the definitive industry standard for Counter-Strike: Source (CSS) administration. It functions as a high-performance framework that enables the execution of specialized .smx plugins, offering unparalleled stability and a vast ecosystem of community-developed logic. By implementing SourceMod, you gain access to granular permission control, automated match management, and diverse game modes.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Time

10 Minutes

​
Technical Infrastructure Components

A successful modding stack for CSS requires the coordinated deployment of two interdependent modules.
  1. Metamod:Source: The fundamental technical bridge that hooks directly into the Source engine binaries.
  2. SourceMod: The high-level execution environment that resides on top of Metamod.

​
Installation & Deployment Workflow

Follow these steps to initialize the modding bridge on your FREAKHOSTING instance.
1

Initialize Metamod

Download the latest stable distribution of Metamod:Source for Linux. Extract the addons folder into your server’s root /cstrike/ directory.
2

Deploy SourceMod Assets

Download the SourceMod base package. Upload and merge the addons and cfg folders into your /cstrike/ directory.
3

Initialize & Verify

Restart your server. Navigate to the Console tab and execute the command meta list. If correctly initialized, the terminal will return “SourceMod” with a status of “RUNNING.”

​
Authorizing Administrative Authority

SourceMod uses a non-RCON authentication model based on unique player identifiers.
1

Identify Your SteamID

Retrieve your legacy SteamID (e.g., STEAM_0:1:123456) using a tool like SteamID.io.
2

Edit the Admin Registry

Open the file situated at /addons/sourcemod/configs/admins_simple.ini.
3

Grant Root Privileges

Add your ID using the following syntax to grant absolute authority: "STEAM_0:1:123456" "99:z" (Note: The ‘z’ flag represents the Root Administrator status).

​
Tactical Plugin Integration

Once the foundation is active, you can expand your server’s functionality by deploying specialized mods such as Deathmatch, GunGame, or SurfTimer. Simply place the compiled .smx files into the /addons/sourcemod/plugins/ directory and they will initialize automatically upon the next map change.

​
Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

​
Save on Your Hosting

Ready to get a new server? Use code KB20 at checkout for 20% off your first month!
Last Updated: January 2026 | CSS: Infrastructure verified.