Battlefield 1942 Linux Dedicated Server

Enhanced Multi-Instance Setup with Secure Runtime

Automated Setup Script

This solution installs the legacy 32-bit Battlefield 1942 dedicated server on modern 64-bit Linux systems using a dedicated, non-privileged account. It handles dependency resolution, user creation, and server installation in a single pass with support for running multiple server instances.

Features

Single-Script Setup
One unified script handles everything - standalone or BFSMD modes.
Multi-Instance Support
Run unlimited servers on one machine with automatic port allocation.
Smart Configuration
Interactive IP detection, port conflict prevention, resource validation.
Secure Runtime
Runs entirely under a dedicated service account (bf1942_user).
Modern Compatibility
Automatically installs required i386 libraries on Ubuntu 24.04+ / Debian 12+.
Management Tools
Comprehensive CLI tool for monitoring and managing all instances.
Performance Optimized
CPU affinity, memory limits, I/O tuning automatically configured.
Systemd Integration
Managed via standard systemctl commands with auto-start on boot.

⚙️ Port Configuration

Each instance gets automatically calculated ports based on its name. This prevents conflicts and makes managing multiple servers straightforward.

Instance Name	Game Port	Query Port	Management Port
server1	14600 (UDP)	23033 (UDP)	14700 (TCP)
server2	14605 (UDP)	23038 (UDP)	14705 (TCP)
conquest	14620 (UDP)	23053 (UDP)	14720 (TCP)
tdm	14589 (UDP)	23022 (UDP)	14689 (TCP)

View your actual ports with: ./bf1942_manager.sh ports

🚀 Quick Start (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)

Prerequisite

Commands must be run by a user with sudo privileges.

1️⃣ Download Scripts

# Download main setup script
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hootmeow/bf1942-linux/main/ubuntu/ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh

# Download management tool
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hootmeow/bf1942-linux/main/ubuntu/bf1942_manager.sh

# Make executable
chmod +x ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh bf1942_manager.sh

2️⃣ Install Your First ServerBFSMD Recommended

sudo ./ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh

Interactive Setup Prompts:

Choose installation mode (Standalone or BFSMD)
Select IP address (auto-detected options provided)
Choose BFSMD version (v2.0 recommended or v2.01 patched)
Configure firewall rules (optional UFW configuration)

3️⃣ Create Additional Instances (Optional)

Add more servers by passing an instance name. Each gets unique ports automatically.

sudo ./ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh server2
sudo ./ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh conquest
sudo ./ubu_24.0.3_bfsmd_setup.sh tdm

🛠️ Management Commands

Use the bf1942_manager.sh tool to manage all your server instances.

# View all instances
./bf1942_manager.sh list

# Check port assignments
./bf1942_manager.sh ports

# View detailed status
./bf1942_manager.sh status server1

# Show configuration paths
./bf1942_manager.sh config server1

# Health check all instances
./bf1942_manager.sh health

# Security audit
./bf1942_manager.sh security

# Service control (requires sudo)
sudo ./bf1942_manager.sh start server1
sudo ./bf1942_manager.sh stop server1
sudo ./bf1942_manager.sh restart server1

# View live logs
./bf1942_manager.sh logs server1

# Remove instance (with confirmation)
sudo ./bf1942_manager.sh remove server2

Direct Systemd Commands:

# BFSMD instance
sudo systemctl status bfsmd-server1.service
sudo systemctl restart bfsmd-server1.service
journalctl -u bfsmd-server1.service -f

# Standalone server
sudo systemctl status bf1942.service

🎮 Connect to BFRM (BFSMD Mode)

Default Credentials

Username: bf1942

Password: battlefield

Critical Security Warning

Change the default password immediately via BFRM after first login!

Connection Steps

Open BFRM client (Windows)
Connect to your-server-ip:management-port
Login with default credentials
Change password immediately (Admin tab)

Set Server IP

Navigate to IP settings and set your server's IP address explicitly.

Secure Remote Console & Admin

Change default remote console password and create secure admin accounts.

Set Default Map

Add at least one map to the rotation before starting the server.

Update Admin Passwords

Create secure admin accounts and disable defaults.

Firewall Configuration

During installation, you can configure UFW firewall rules. For the management port, choose a security level:

Option 1: Open to All

Easiest setup

Anyone can attempt connection
Still requires password
Good for testing or behind other firewall

Option 2: Restrict to IP

Recommended

Only specified IP can connect
Firewall + password protection
Good for static admin IP

Option 3: SSH Tunnel

Most secure

No direct internet access
All traffic encrypted via SSH
Good for maximum security

SSH Tunnel Example

# On your local machine
ssh -L 14700:localhost:14700 user@your-server-ip

# Then connect BFRM to localhost:14700

🌐 Network Scenarios

Home Server (Behind Router)

During Install: Choose Local IP (192.168.x.x)
Router Config: Forward Game + Query ports (UDP)
Players Connect To: Your public IP

Cloud Server (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.)

During Install: Choose Local IP (10.x.x.x or private IP)
Cloud Firewall: Allow Game + Query from 0.0.0.0/0
Players Connect To: Instance's public IP

🔧 Troubleshooting

"Internal error!" Messages

This is normal! BFSMD v2.0/v2.01 shows these continuously when reading /proc on modern kernels. The server functions perfectly despite these messages.

journalctl -u bfsmd-server1.service -f | grep -v "Internal error"

Can't Connect to Server

# 1. Check service is running
systemctl is-active bfsmd-server1.service

# 2. Check firewall
sudo ufw status

# 3. Check ports are listening
sudo ss -tulnp | grep 14567

# 4. View logs
./bf1942_manager.sh logs server1

Port Conflict During Installation

If you get "port already in use", try a different instance name (generates different ports), check existing assignments with ./bf1942_manager.sh ports, or remove the conflicting instance.

📁 Configuration Files

Standalone Server

/home/bf1942_user/bf1942/mods/bf1942/settings/
├── ServerSettings.con  # Game settings
└── MapList.con         # Map rotation

BFSMD Instance

/home/bf1942_user/instances/<name>/mods/bf1942/settings/
├── servermanager.con   # BFSMD settings
├── useraccess.con      # Admin accounts
├── ServerSettings.con  # Game settings
└── MapList.con         # Map rotation

BFRM Downloads (Windows)

🧪 Supported Distributions

Distribution	Status	Notes
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	✅ Tested	Primary tested platform.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	📋 Planned	Minor package name adjustments may be needed.
Debian 12 (Bookworm)	📋 Planned	Uses the same multiarch structure as Ubuntu.
Debian 11 (Bullseye)	📋 Planned	Should work with adjustments.
Fedora / RHEL / CentOS	📋 Planned	Requires converting apt commands to dnf/yum.

Maximum Recommended Instances: CPU Cores × 2 (e.g., 4 cores = 8 instances max)

🛠️ Applying Patches

The patches folder contains Python scripts to improve various server bugs. See individual patch files for details and instructions.