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On a Team Fortress 2 server running SourceMod, ban a connected player with sm_ban <#userid|name> <minutes|0> [reason]. Use 0 for a permanent ban and a positive number for that many minutes. For a Steam ID that is not connected, use sm_addban <minutes|0> <steamid> [reason]. Remove a Steam ID or IP ban with sm_unban <steamid|ip>.
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The reliable workflow is to verify the player’s identity with status, choose a Steam-auth ban when you need a durable identity, and use an IP ban only for a specific network address. SourceMod permissions are separate for banning, unbanning and RCON-level offline or arbitrary-IP actions.
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These commands are provided by SourceMod’s basebans plugin. SourceMod must be installed and running on the server, and your administrator account must have the relevant permission flag. If the command is unknown, or SourceMod reports that you lack access, installing the plugin alone is not enough: your account also needs the matching privilege.
Match the action to the permission
sm_banrequires the SourceMod ban flag.sm_baniprequires the SourceMod ban flag for its normal command path; banning an arbitrary IP requires RCON access.sm_unbanrequires the unban flag.sm_addbanrequires RCON access.
Those are distinct capabilities. An administrator who can remove a ban is not automatically allowed to add an offline ban, and an account with ban access does not automatically have unban access.
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Decide what identity to ban
A connected player can be selected by an exact or unique name, a #userid, or a #steamid. The server’s status command is the safest way to inspect connected-player identifiers before acting. A userid is tied to the current connection; a Steam ID is the stable Steam-auth identity you normally want for a ban that should follow the player to future connections. An IP address identifies a network endpoint, not necessarily one person.
Choose a duration and reason
SourceMod measures ban time in minutes. A positive value creates a temporary ban for that many minutes; 0 means permanent. The reason is optional, but a short, factual reason gives moderators a useful record and explains the action to the affected player. Put the reason after the duration and keep it specific, such as repeated mic spam or aim assistance; do not use a vague label when a concrete description is available.
SourceMod ban commands at a glance
| Command | Use | Syntax | Required access |
|---|---|---|---|
sm_ban |
Ban a connected client selected by userid or name | sm_ban <#userid|name> <minutes|0> [reason] |
Ban flag |
sm_addban |
Add a Steam ID when the player is not connected | sm_addban <minutes|0> <steamid> [reason] |
RCON access |
sm_banip |
Ban an IP, or select a connected client by userid or name | sm_banip <ip|#userid|name> <minutes|0> [reason] |
Ban flag; arbitrary IP use requires RCON |
sm_unban |
Remove a Steam ID or IP ban | sm_unban <steamid|ip> |
Unban flag |
The command forms above are the registrations used by SourceMod’s basebans layer. The duration position is always in minutes, and the documented permanent value is always 0.
Ban a connected player step by step
1. Inspect the live player list
Open the server console or an authenticated admin console and run:
status
Use the output to confirm the player’s current connection and identifier. This prevents banning the wrong person when several players have similar names. Record the userid for an immediate action and the Steam-auth identifier if you need to apply a later offline ban or maintain a moderation record.
2. Prefer the userid for an immediate action
Once you have the value, run the connected-player form:
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sm_ban #42 30 repeated mic spam
This example selects userid #42, bans it for 30 minutes, and records the reason. Replace #42 with the userid shown by your own status output. Because a userid refers to the current connection, do not save it as a long-term identifier; it can change when players disconnect and reconnect.
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3. Use a unique name only when the match is unambiguous
The command also accepts an exact or unique player name:
sm_ban PlayerName 15 disruptive chat
Name matching is convenient but less robust than a userid. If the name is not unique, the command may not identify one client reliably. Check the resulting SourceMod response and the server’s player list before assuming the ban affected the intended account.
4. Make a permanent connected-player ban
Set the minutes argument to 0:
sm_ban #42 0 repeated evasion
SourceMod documents 0 as permanent. Do not write a large number as a substitute when you mean permanent; using the documented value makes the intention clear and avoids an eventual expiry.
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SourceMod accepts a #steamid selector for a connected client. The command reference notes that a Steam ID containing colons should be quoted. Follow the parser’s accepted form for your console, for example:
sm_ban "#STEAM_0:1:12345678" 60 impersonation
If your administration interface strips or changes quotation marks, use the player’s userid instead, then copy the Steam ID from status for your records.
Add a ban for a player who is offline
sm_ban acts on a connected client. When the Steam ID is known but the player has already left, use sm_addban:
sm_addban 0 "STEAM_0:1:12345678" repeated harassment
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The first argument is the duration in minutes, 0 is permanent, the second is the Steam ID, and the trailing text is an optional reason. This command requires RCON access, not merely the ordinary ban flag. It adds the Steam ID to Source’s ban list through the SourceMod basebans command.
Where to obtain the offline Steam ID
Use an identifier captured while the player was connected, such as the value shown by status or a moderation log. Verify every character before submitting the command. A single transposed digit creates a ban that does not match the intended account, while a copied identifier from another player can affect the wrong person.
When an offline ban is preferable
- The player disconnected before a moderator could act.
- A review confirms misconduct after the session ended.
- You need the ban to target the Steam-auth identity rather than the current network address.
If the identity is uncertain, do not guess from a display name alone. Wait for a verifiable Steam ID or use your server’s moderation records to establish the match.
Use an IP ban only for a specific network identity
The IP command is:
sm_banip <ip|#userid|name> <minutes|0> [reason]
For a connected player, you can supply a userid or name in the same style as the connected-player command. For an address, supply the IP directly, for example:
sm_banip 203.0.113.44 60 repeated connection attacks
An arbitrary IP ban requires RCON access. The command’s normal ban permission is therefore not the whole authorization story for manually entered addresses.
Why IP is not a universal replacement for Steam ID
- An IP can be shared by multiple people behind the same router, carrier-grade NAT or public network.
- Residential and mobile addresses can change, allowing the same player to return under a different address.
- An address ban can block an innocent household or teammate who happens to share the connection.
Use the Steam-auth identity when your objective is a durable player ban. Treat an IP ban as a targeted containment measure, such as stopping a known address while you investigate, and document why that network-level action was justified.
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Remove a ban
SourceMod’s unban command accepts either a Steam ID or an IP:
sm_unban <steamid|ip>
Examples:
sm_unban "STEAM_0:1:12345678"removes the Steam-auth ban.sm_unban 203.0.113.44removes the IP ban.
The account issuing sm_unban needs the unban flag. Use the same identity format that was originally banned; removing an IP does not remove a separate Steam ID ban, and removing a Steam ID does not remove a separate IP ban. If both were applied, process both entries when your policy calls for a full reversal.
Check which identity was actually banned
Review the original command, moderation log or server response before unbanning. A player may have been banned by Steam ID while a later moderator assumes the action was IP-based. Matching the exact identity avoids reporting a successful command while leaving the effective ban in place.
Choose the right method for the situation
| Situation | Recommended identity | Command | Duration input | Privilege |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player is connected and you have a userid | Current userid, with Steam ID recorded for reference | sm_ban #userid minutes [reason] |
Positive minutes or 0 for permanent |
Ban flag |
| Player is connected but userid is not at hand | Exact or unique name | sm_ban name minutes [reason] |
Positive minutes or 0 for permanent |
Ban flag |
| Player is offline and Steam ID is known | Steam ID | sm_addban minutes steamid [reason] |
Positive minutes or 0 for permanent |
RCON access |
| Specific network address must be blocked | IP address | sm_banip ip minutes [reason] |
Positive minutes or 0 for permanent |
RCON for arbitrary IP |
| Existing restriction should be reversed | Steam ID or IP used by the original ban | sm_unban identity |
The command removes the matching ban | Unban flag |
This distinction matters because connection state, identity durability, duration and privilege are separate decisions. SourceMod’s basebans commands cover each path, but they do not make a weak identity durable or grant an account permissions it has not been assigned.
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Unknown command
If the console says sm_ban, sm_addban or another command is unknown, verify that SourceMod is loaded and that the basebans plugin is active. A server can have SourceMod files present while the command-providing plugin is disabled or failed to load. Correct that installation or plugin state before retrying.
Access denied
An access error means the account lacks the command’s required capability. Check the assignment of the ban flag, unban flag or RCON access separately. Do not solve an unban problem by granting broad RCON access when the account only needs the unban capability.
The wrong player was selected
Name-based matching is the usual source of ambiguity. Run status, compare the userid and Steam ID, and repeat the action with the confirmed userid. If a userid has already changed because the player reconnected, find the new value instead of reusing the old one.
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The Steam ID does not parse
Steam IDs containing colons should be quoted according to the command reference. Check that the quotation marks reach the server unchanged and that the ID was copied completely. If the interface mishandles quoting, select the connected client by userid with sm_ban, then use the verified Steam ID with sm_addban only when an offline action is required.
An IP ban affects more people than intended
Review whether the address is shared or likely to change. If the goal is to restrict one Steam account, replace an overly broad IP action with a Steam-auth ban where your evidence supports that identity. An IP ban should remain a deliberate, documented exception rather than the default response.
The player can still join after an apparent unban
Check whether more than one identity was banned. Remove the Steam ID and IP entries separately when both exist, and confirm that the value supplied to sm_unban exactly matches the stored identity. Also verify that the command was run with unban permission and that the server accepted it.
Run bans consistently as a moderation process
Record the evidence and identity
For each action, record the player’s Steam ID, the userid used at the time, the date and time, the duration, the reason and the moderator account. The userid helps explain what happened in the live session; the Steam ID is the durable reference for later review. Keep IP information restricted to cases where it is necessary for the moderation decision.
Use escalating durations deliberately
Because durations are expressed in minutes, write the intended period before typing the command and double-check whether 0 is justified. A mistaken zero turns a temporary action into a permanent one. A short reason also makes later appeals and unban decisions easier to evaluate.
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Separate emergency containment from final decisions
An IP restriction can stop an immediate problem, but it may also block other users. If you use one while investigating, preserve the evidence and reassess the identity before making a permanent Steam-auth ban. Conversely, do not rely on an IP ban when the verified Steam ID is the identity your rule is intended to address.
For administrators building their own SourceMod tools
SourceMod exposes the same operations through its API. BanClient handles a connected client, BanIdentity handles an authentication string or IP, and RemoveBan removes a ban from memory or disk. The API describes time in minutes and uses 0 for a permanent ban, matching the basebans command behavior.
A custom plugin should therefore preserve the same safeguards as the console workflow: validate the selected client, keep Steam-auth and IP identities distinct, require the appropriate admin capability, and store a reason with the action. Wrapping a command in a menu does not remove the need to confirm the userid or Steam ID before applying it.
What this guide does not establish about vanilla commands
This procedure covers the documented SourceMod route used by community servers. The exact first-party Valve sequence for vanilla banid and writeid was not verified for this guide, so those commands are not presented here as an authoritative alternative. If your server does not run SourceMod, consult documentation specific to the server software and version rather than assuming the SourceMod syntax will work.
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