"Steam or non-steam" is the first decision every CS 1.6 admin makes, and it quietly shapes everything after it: who can connect, how reliable SteamIDs are, how you ban people, and which master list you show up in. Neither is objectively better — they serve different audiences. This lays out what actually differs so you choose deliberately instead of by accident.
1. What "Steam" means for a server
A Steam server accepts only legitimate Steam clients. When a player connects, their Steam ticket is validated against Steam's auth servers, so the STEAM_0:x:xxxx ID they present is genuine and unique. That is the whole point: identity you can trust. Bans by SteamID actually stick, admins added by SteamID cannot be impersonated, and stats are reliable. The trade-off is reach — anyone running a non-Steam (pirated) client simply cannot join.
2. What "non-steam" means
A non-steam server accepts clients that are not authenticated by Steam. In much of the world the non-steam player base dwarfs the Steam one, so for many communities this is where the players are. You enable it with an add-on that handles the missing auth layer:
| Engine | Non-steam add-on |
|---|---|
| ReHLDS | Reunion |
| Original HLDS | dproto |
Reunion is the modern choice and the one that pairs with the "Re" stack. See making a server accept non-steam clients.
3. The SteamID problem
This is the real difference. On a Steam server, SteamIDs are validated and unique. On a non-steam server, the client can present whatever ID it likes unless the add-on forces otherwise. Two consequences:
- Duplicate IDs. Many cracked clients ship with the same default SteamID, so half the server shows up as one person — which breaks stats, bans and admin. Reunion can generate per-client IDs from a hash to fix this; see fixing duplicate SteamIDs.
- Spoofing. Without a secret salt, a non-steam client can claim an admin's SteamID and inherit their access. This is a genuine security hole you must close — see preventing SteamID spoofing.
4. Master list and visibility
Both kinds of server need sv_lan 0 to heartbeat a master list, and both need UDP 27015 reachable (see which ports to open). Steam servers appear in the official Steam server browser. Non-steam servers appear in the non-steam clients' own browsers and third-party listers; Reunion and community master servers handle that ecosystem. If your server does not show up at all, the cause is usually the same for both: a master-list or firewall problem, not the Steam/non-steam choice.
5. Moderation and anti-cheat
Steam servers can lean on the fact that identity is real: a SteamID ban is meaningful, and the account has something to lose. Non-steam servers get neither VAC nor guaranteed identity, so moderation leans harder on server-side tools — a solid ban system, name filtering, and consistent SteamID generation so a banned player cannot rejoin by restarting their client. Plan for more manual anti-cheat on non-steam.
6. Which should you run?
- Steam if your community is Steam-based, you want trustworthy identity and stats, and VAC coverage matters to you.
- Non-steam if you want maximum reach in regions where cracked clients dominate — accepting that you must actively harden identity and moderation.
- Both: a Reunion-configured server can accept Steam and non-steam clients at once, which is what most large community servers do. This gives reach without turning away Steam players.
Common pitfalls
- Non-steam server, admins get impersonated — no secret
SteamIdHashSalt. Set one; see the spoofing guide. - Everyone shows the same SteamID — default cracked-client ID; enable Reunion's ID generation.
- Steam players cannot join a non-steam server — Reunion not configured to accept the Steam provider. Enable it if you want a mixed server.
- Bans do not hold — you banned a shared/spoofable ID. Fix ID uniqueness first, then ban.
Verification
Connect a test client and read your own identity in the console with status — a healthy setup shows a unique STEAM_ ID for each player, not the same one repeated. On a mixed server, verify both a Steam and a non-steam client can join and each gets a distinct ID. Then confirm a SteamID ban actually blocks a rejoin. If IDs collide or are spoofable, stop and fix identity with the Reunion setup before you open to the public.
