How to make a lag free Counter Strike 1.6 Server

First of all to make a good 10 - 12 slot server, 512 kbps is recommended upload speed.

Even if you have 256 kbps upload speed, you can manage to create 8 slot lag free server. (if you increse the slots to 10, the players will be seen framing to manage the lag, server will send less updates per second)

Step 1

Create a shortcut of hlds.exe and add to the target field
-console -game cstrike -pingboost 3 +sys_ticrate 1000 +heapsize 262144 +maxplayers 12 +map de_nuke +port  27016
Click apply and OK.

heapsize value depends on your total Physical RAM available for

128MB of RAM- 16384
256MB of RAM- 65536
512MB of RAM- 262144
1GB of RAM- 524288
2GB of RAM- 1048576

Step 2

In server.cfg add these lines (must have)

sv_logbans 0
sv_logecho 0
sv_logfile 0
sv_log_onefile 0
mp_logmessages 0
mp_logdetail 0
sv_unlag 1
sv_maxunlag .1
fps_max 600

now add the following lines according to your upload speed

For upload speed of 256 kbps
rate 12000
sv_rate 12000
sv_cmdrate 50
sv_cmdbackup 4
sv_updaterate 40
sv_resend 3
mp_dlmax 256
mp_decals 100

For upload speed of 512 kbps
rate 15000
sv_rate 15000
sv_cmdrate 80
sv_cmdbackup 4
mp_updaterate 45
sv_resend 3
mp_dlmax 400
mp_decals 100

For upload speed of 1mbps
rate 20000
sv_rate 20000
sv_cmdrate 80
sv_cmdbackup 6
mp_updaterate 80
sv_resend 6
mp_dlmax 800
mp_decals 300

For upload speed of 2 mbps
rate 25000
sv_rate 25000
sv_cmdrate 101
sv_cmdbackup 6
sv_updaterate 101
sv_resend 6

Step 3

Now add sv_maxrate, sv_minrate, sv_maxupdaterate, sv_minupdaterate commands.
These 4 are the most essential commands for running counter strike 1.6 server with as low lag as possible (can be also absolutely lagless), but these 4 commands depends on 2 factors, firstly, your upload speed, and the second one is the number of slots you want to make a server.

Well, there is a good formula for this, but I enter these values by guessing only. The calculations may lead to very laggy server also (if you have less bandwidths)

sv_minrate - This should be kept 0 always.
sv_minrate 0

sv_maxrate - For 256 kbps and 10 slots, sv_maxrate 3100 is a good option.
but as a general rule
sv_maxrate = bandwidth X 128 / server size
so for 256 kbps, and 10 slot, sv_maxrate = 256 * 128 / 10 = 3277. so a good guess! :)

some settings for sv_maxrate on 10 - 12 slots server

//for 256 kbps//
sv_maxrate 3000

//for 512 kbps//
sv_maxrate 7000

//for 1 mbps//
sv_maxrate 12000

//for 2 mbps//
sv_maxrate 25000

sv_maxupdaterate - It is the maximum number of updates of server's models(players, guns, c4, etc.) positions per second that server sends to the client. If its less than 12, then the players, guns etc. will be seen framing. genrally, sv_maxupdaterate 13-16 is good for 256 kbps, and 16-30 for 512 kbps is manageable, but it also depends on the number of players.

As a general rule
sv_maxupdaterate = sv_maxrate / 300

but this gives very less result, so as a general rule of thumb,

for 256 kbps
sv_maxupdaterate value should be 13, 14, 15 or 16, you can also try upto 20 (it wont lag!!) ... for 10 slot
as the slots you increase you have to decrease the sv_maxupdaterate value.

sv_minupdaterate should be less than sv_maxupdaterate , generally, for 256 kbps 10 slots, it is set to 12 or 13.

On LAN
sv_minrate 0
sv_maxrate 0
sv_minupdaterate 60
sv_maxupdaterate 101
should be set before creating server.

Step 4

No other bandwidth rate settings must reside in cfg's other than server.cfg

Step 5

Make the priority of hlds.exe high or realtime.

Step 6

1) Click Start, Select "Run"
2) Type "Gpedit.msc"
3) Expand the "Local Computer Policy" branch
4) Expand the "Administrative Templates" branch
5) Expand the "Network" Branch
6) Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in the left window
7) In the right window, double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting
8) On the settings tab, check the "enabled" item
9) Where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0

Step 7

Close unnecessary bandwidth and CPU hogging processes.

Step 8

Download and install hlbooster metamod plugin (you should have metamod installed to make this plugin work).

Step 9

Keep amx and other plugins off.

Step 10

Turn off windows automatic updates.

Step 11

Turn off Antivirus auto updates, update them at a scheduled time (automatically).