How to Host a No More Room in Hell Dedicated Server (2026)

To host a No More Room in Hell (NMRiH) dedicated server, install it with SteamCMD (app_update 317670, anonymous login), start it with srcds -console -game nmrih -maxplayers 8 +map nmo_broadway, set the name and passwords in nmrih/cfg/server.cfg, and forward UDP 27015. That one port is all players need. The September 2026 update 1.15 made the game 64 bit and added Steam Networking, so update the server before anything else.

Why host NMRiH in 2026

No More Room in Hell is the free, unforgiving Source engine zombie co-op game for up to eight players: scarce ammo, tiring melee, no crosshair, and infection that turns you. It started as a mod over a decade ago and is still alive. In September 2026 the developers shipped update 1.15, an engine upgrade with 64 bit support, a Vulkan renderer, Steam Networking and a long list of server side additions. Even news sites covered it as a reason to give the game another go.

That brings players back, and they need servers. A dedicated server gives your group a fixed home with the maps and rules you like, available whenever someone wants to play, and for public servers a known place regulars return to.

This guide is for the original free game. No More Room in Hell 2 is a separate game that left Early Access in August 2026, with its own servers.

What you need

The game's official server manual lists:

On memory, a standard server on official maps is light: 1 GB covers eight players. Add a custom map rotation and a few SourceMod plugins and 2 GB is safer. Very large custom map packs with many plugins may want 4 GB. The manual's upload advice for listen servers, 10 to 25 Mbps, is a good guide for a home hosted dedicated server too: eight players and a horde of zombies is not a tiny amount of traffic.

Step 1: Install with SteamCMD

The official manual's commands, on Windows:

login anonymous
force_install_dir .\nmrih_ds\
app_update 317670 validate
exit

On Linux:

./steamcmd.sh +login anonymous +force_install_dir "/home/nmrihserver/serverfiles" +app_update 317670 validate +quit

The manual says to run the update after every update the developers announce. Clients update automatically, and a server on an old build drops out for them.

On 64 bit Linux, SteamCMD needs 32 bit libraries: lib32gcc1 on older Debian and Ubuntu (lib32gcc-s1 on newer ones), or glibc.i686 libstdc++.i686 on CentOS. A GLIBC_2.15 not found error means the system is too old for the server.

Step 2: Start it

Windows:

srcds.exe -console -game nmrih -maxplayers 8 +map nmo_broadway

Linux:

./srcds_run -game nmrih -maxplayers 8 +map nmo_broadway

Map names tell you the mode. nmo_ maps are Objective: a chain of tasks ending in an escape. nms_ maps are Survival: barricade a position and hold out until extraction. The map you start on must be an exact installed map name.

Step 3: server.cfg and the map cycle

Create nmrih/cfg/server.cfg:

hostname "Last Stand | Objective | Classic"
sv_password ""
rcon_password "change-this"
sv_lan 0
mapcyclefile "mapcycle.txt"

NMRiH ships several map cycle files you can point mapcyclefile at:

Edit the one you use and list maps one per line. For adding Workshop and custom maps, see how to add custom maps to a No More Room in Hell server.

Recent updates also added server owner cvars worth knowing. From the 1.14.2 and 1.15 patch notes:

• sv_ban_items bans items by entity name, comma separated, for example "sv_ban_items me_fubar,exp_tnt,item_pills".
• sv_gamedesc_override changes the game description shown in the browser without a plugin.
• sv_sprint_with_held_item lets players sprint while holding an item.

Step 4: Open the port

The official manual is specific: forward UDP 27015 and nothing else for gameplay. TCP 27015 is the remote console (RCON), and the manual recommends not forwarding it unless you know you need it, because it can attract attacks. Give the server PC a fixed local IP so the forward keeps working after a reboot. Our port forwarding guide has the router side.

Update 1.15 added Steam Networking, which lets a server created from the game's Create Server menu be public, friends only or unlisted without port forwarding. For a separate dedicated server like the one in this guide, plan on forwarding the port.

Step 5: Join

Players enable the developer console, press ~ and type connect 203.0.113.10:27015. Or in the server browser, open Favorites, click Add a Server, enter the address and connect.

A word on the browser: the community has warned about fake servers that show inflated player counts and redirect players. Sharing your exact address and having players add it to Favorites avoids the noise.

Step 6: Admin and plugins

The server console takes commands directly: changelevel nms_northway, kick, banid and the game state commands, which since 1.15 accept SteamIDs and partial names, for example respawnplayer -force PlayerName. For an in-game admin menu, map votes and more, install Metamod:Source and SourceMod. Because 1.15 moved the game to 64 bit, use current builds. See how to become admin on a No More Room in Hell server.

The easy option

A No More Room in Hell server from GamezServers is live within about a minute of paying, with its own address and the port open. The panel sets the starting map and auto update, so the server matches each game update after a restart. server.cfg, the map cycle files, the maps folder and SourceMod are in the file manager and over SFTP, and a live console takes changelevel, kicks and cvars. Eight survivors can split the bill so each pays a small share.

FAQ

What is the No More Room in Hell server app ID?

317670. Install it with SteamCMD using login anonymous.

What port does a NMRiH server need?

UDP 27015 only. TCP 27015 is RCON and the official manual advises not forwarding it unless needed.

How many players can a NMRiH server hold?

Eight is the designed co-op size and the usual setting.

Is No More Room in Hell still updated?

Yes. Update 1.15 in September 2026 added 64 bit support, Steam Networking and Vulkan, among much else.

Is this the same as No More Room in Hell 2?

No. NMRiH 2 is a separate game with separate servers. This guide is for the free original.