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There are two reliable ways to keep a Killing Floor 2 session for friends only: create a private passworded match from the in-game lobby, or operate a dedicated server with a non-empty GamePassword. The lobby method is quickest; a dedicated server gives you control over its name, maps, uptime and network settings.
If you want to run the dedicated route without maintaining the files and network rules yourself, Godlike.Host offers Killing Floor 2 servers managed through its game panel, with a personal firewall for player access and IP filtering. Its Killing Floor 2 plans list 10, 20 and 30 slots; Survival is a 6-player mode and Versus Survival an up-to-12-player mode (Tripwire’s Killing Floor 2 wiki, archived 11 Jul 2026).
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Choose the privacy method that fits your group
Your choice depends on whether you need a one-off private game or a server you can administer yourself.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Consideration | In-game private match | Dedicated private server |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Invite players, choose Private Password/Friends Only, set a password and start matchmaking. | Install the dedicated-server files, edit the configuration and launch the server process. |
| Control | Match settings managed through matchmaking. | Control the server name, short name, password, maps and other server configuration. |
| Maintenance | Minimal; no server installation to maintain. | You must handle updates, uptime, configuration, firewall rules and, when necessary, router forwarding. |
| Privacy model | A passworded server-takeover matchmaking session. | A password-protected server process that you operate. |
For a small group that simply wants to play together tonight, use the lobby route. Use a dedicated server when the same machine should host repeatedly, when you want a recognizable listing, or when you need server-level settings beyond a single matchmaking session.
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Make a private match from the game menu
This is the least technical option. You do not install SteamCMD or edit a server file; the game applies your private settings while it finds a suitable dedicated server through server-takeover matchmaking.
- Open the normal matchmaking flow in Killing Floor 2.
- Invite every friend who should be in the session before searching.
- Open the lobby permission setting, which normally starts as Public.
- Change it to Private Password/Friends Only.
- Enter a password when the game prompts you. Give it only to the people you invited.
- Choose Find Game to begin the private matchmaking search.
- Have invited players join the resulting session using the private setting and password.
What this method does and does not do
The password and friends-only permission apply to that match. The game still locates an available dedicated server for the session; you are not running a server executable on your own computer. That distinction matters if you expect the match to remain available after the group leaves or if you need to alter server files.
If a friend joins through the wrong lobby or searches while the permission is still Public, stop before starting the match and verify the permission label again. The private choice belongs to the lobby that starts the search, so changing a separate lobby will not protect the session you already launched.
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Run a password-protected dedicated server
A dedicated server is a separate installation and process. The exact file locations depend on your operating system and the server setup method you use, but the privacy control is the same: the server configuration must contain a value after GamePassword=.
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1. Install the server files separately
Install the Killing Floor 2 dedicated-server files using the documented server setup method. A Windows SteamCMD workflow is commonly used for this purpose. Keeping the server installation separate from the playable client helps prevent accidental edits to the wrong files and lets the server update independently.
Do not launch the client and assume that it is also hosting a dedicated instance. The server executable, its configuration and its network ports are administered separately.
2. Set the password in the server configuration
Open the server configuration file and locate the line:
GamePassword=Replace the blank value with a private passphrase, for example:
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GamePassword=use-a-unique-passphraseThe important condition is that the value is non-empty. A password is the access gate for players who try to join the dedicated server; share it only with the intended group.
3. Give the listing an identifiable name
Set both ServerName and ShortName to recognizable values. A consistent name lets friends distinguish your server from public listings and reduces the chance that someone enters the password on the wrong server.
4. Launch the server
Start the dedicated-server process with the map and server command you want to run. Leave the process running while friends connect. If you edit GamePassword, ServerName or ShortName later, restart the server process so it loads the changed configuration.
5. Have friends connect through the browser
Friends should locate the recognizable listing in the server browser, select it and enter the password. A correct password does not make the server appear on every network automatically; visibility and reachability still depend on the host firewall, router and server ports.
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Network settings for friends outside your home network
Players on the same local network may be able to connect without router forwarding. For friends connecting over the internet, check the host firewall first and then the router’s port-forwarding rules. A community guide based on Tripwire’s dedicated-server instructions lists these ports:
| Port | Protocol | Listed purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Main game server |
| 20560 | UDP | Additional server traffic |
| 27015 | UDP | Additional server traffic |
| 8080 | TCP | WebAdmin |
Those are the ports listed by that guide, not a requirement to expose every port on every installation. The needed rules depend on your server build, router, firewall and whether you intend to use WebAdmin. Open only the services you actually use, and avoid exposing WebAdmin to the public internet unless you have secured and administer it deliberately.
Firewall checklist
- Allow the dedicated-server executable through the host operating system’s firewall.
- Confirm that the router forwards the required UDP game ports to the computer running the server.
- Add the TCP 8080 rule only if WebAdmin is needed.
- Make sure the forwarding target still has the same local IP address; a changed DHCP address can silently break an otherwise correct rule.
- Test from a friend on a different internet connection, not only from the host computer.
Steam and Epic players: when cross-play applies
Tripwire announced Epic Online Services integration, cross-play and cross-friend invites for unmodded ranked servers. In that supported context, Steam and Epic players can be invited to the same private session. The announcement does not establish identical behavior for every modded server, custom configuration or later game mode.
When a cross-platform friend cannot join, check the context before changing ports or passwords:
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- Confirm that the server is unmodded if you are relying on the documented cross-play support.
- Verify that the session is a ranked server, because the cited cross-play announcement is specific to unmodded ranked servers.
- Use the supported cross-friend invite flow rather than assuming that a platform’s ordinary friend list will discover every server.
- For a modded or otherwise different setup, treat cross-platform compatibility as unconfirmed and test with the exact mode and server configuration you plan to use.
Diagnose the common failure points
The server is not visible in the browser
- Confirm that the dedicated-server process is still running and has finished starting.
- Check that the server has a non-empty
ServerNameand a recognizableShortName. - Review the host firewall and router forwarding, especially UDP 7777, which the guide identifies as the main server port.
- Test from outside the host network. A local connection can succeed even when internet forwarding is missing.
The password is rejected
- Re-open the active configuration and verify that
GamePassword=contains the intended value with no accidental blank setting. - Check for typing errors, including capitalization and spaces.
- Restart the server after changing the configuration, then give players the current password rather than an earlier one.
- Make sure the player selected the correct listing; a recognizable server name prevents confusion when several servers have similar maps.
Friends cannot connect from another network
- Verify the server’s local address in the router’s forwarding rule.
- Allow the server application and the required ports through the host firewall.
- Confirm that the internet connection permits inbound traffic; some carrier-grade or managed networks do not provide usable inbound forwarding.
- Do not add WebAdmin forwarding as a substitute for the game ports. TCP 8080 is listed for WebAdmin, not as the main gameplay connection.
A Steam player and an Epic player cannot join together
- Check whether the server is unmodded and ranked, the context for which Tripwire documented cross-play and cross-friend invites.
- If the server is modded or uses another mode, do not assume that the same cross-play behavior applies.
- Try the platform invite path supported for the session instead of relying only on a browser search.
Privacy and administration practices
Use a password dedicated to this server
Anyone who receives the password can attempt to join while the server is online. Use a passphrase that is not reused for email, game accounts or router administration, and distribute it through the group’s private channel.
Change access when the group changes
If the password has spread beyond the intended players, replace the value after GamePassword=, restart the server and send the new value only to the current group. A new password is a practical way to end access for people who should no longer join.
Keep the server software and configuration together
Record which installation contains the active configuration, the map command used at launch and the ports you intentionally opened. This avoids editing a dormant copy of the file or forwarding ports to a computer that is no longer hosting.
Decide whether WebAdmin is necessary
The cited port list includes 8080/TCP for WebAdmin, but a private match does not require WebAdmin. If you do not need browser-based administration, leaving that service unexposed reduces the number of reachable services on the host.
Which route should you use?
- Choose an in-game private match when you want the fastest setup, your group is playing one session, and you do not need to manage a persistent server.
- Choose a dedicated private server when you want a stable listing, repeatable map launches, server-level configuration or control over uptime.
- Choose the dedicated route with extra network planning when players are outside your home network and you can administer firewall and router rules.
- Check the mode and modification status first when your group mixes Steam and Epic accounts; the documented cross-play support is for unmodded ranked servers.
In either route, privacy comes from applying the private setting correctly and giving the password only to the players you intend to host. The lobby method delegates server operation to matchmaking, while the dedicated method puts the server process, configuration and network exposure under your control.
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