Managing Player Bans on a CS:GO Server

Every community has that one player who turns the round into chaos. Maybe they aimbot, maybe they spam the mic, maybe they keep team-killing for fun. Whatever the reason, a CS:GO server owner needs a quick way to remove troublemakers and keep the lobby healthy. This guide walks through the console commands to identify a player, ban or unban them by Steam ID or IP, and review who is currently locked out.

Pulling Player Information

Before banning anyone, you need their identifier. The `status` command returns details for every connected user, including their Steam ID and IP address. You do not need `sv_cheats 1` to run it.

1. Open the HolyHosting control panel and log in.
2. Open the console section.
3. Type `status` in the input box and press send.

The console will print a full block for each player on the server. Three pieces matter most.

The full information line for a connected player.

The Steam ID portion of that line.

The IP address portion of that line.

Copy whichever value matches the ban method you want to use.

Banning by Steam ID

A Steam ID ban stops the specific account from rejoining, regardless of which network they are on.

1. Open the console in your control panel.
2. Run `status` and copy the offender's Steam ID.
3. Execute `banid [minutes] [ID]`.

Example: `banid 10 STEAM:0:123456789` blocks that account for ten minutes. Use `0` for a permanent ban.

Banning by IP Address

If the player keeps creating fresh Steam accounts, an IP ban tends to land harder.

1. Open the console.
2. Run `status` and copy the player's IP.
3. Execute `banip [minutes] [IP]`.

Example: `banip 10 127.0.0.1` restricts that address for ten minutes. Again, `0` makes it permanent.

Unbanning by Steam ID

If someone served their time or you banned the wrong person, lift the restriction with `removeid`.

1. Open the console.
2. Execute `removeid [ID]`.

Example: `removeid STEAM:0:123456789`. That account can reconnect immediately.

Unbanning by IP Address

For IP bans, use `removeip` instead.

1. Open the console.
2. Execute `removeip [IP]`.

Example: `removeip 127.0.0.1`. The address is cleared from the ban list.

Reviewing the Ban List

Removing bad actors is satisfying, but you also need to audit the list periodically. CS:GO splits the data into two views.

Banned Steam IDs

In the console input, run `listid`. The response shows every Steam ID currently banned.

Banned IP Addresses

Run `listip` from the same console. The output lists every banned IP address.

Troubleshooting

Commands return no message. Run the command a second time. The first attempt sometimes swallows the output silently, especially right after the server starts. The retry usually prints the confirmation.

The IP ban refuses to apply. Use only the numeric address. Drop the port, which is the colon and digits at the end (for example, `:27015`). The `banip` command does not accept that suffix.

Wrapping Up

A clean CS:GO server depends on responsive moderation. Whether you are dealing with blatant cheaters, voice-chat trolls, or someone burning connection slots, the `banid`, `banip`, `removeid`, and `removeip` commands give you everything needed to keep order. Pair them with the `listid` and `listip` queries from time to time, and your community will stay the kind of place players want to come back to.