How to fix the issue when STEAM ID becomes VALVE ID LAN or STEAM ID LAN in Counter Strike 1.6!

I have recently encountered an issue on some of our customer’s servers. From time to time, some players that use STEAM clients are identified as using VALVE (non steam) clients, so I tried to get to the bottom of it. At first, I suspected that dproto is the one causing issues, but this happened also on steam only servers. The funny thing was that this happened only for some of the players and at random moments. This wasn’t a big issue at the beginning, but the guys who weren’t identified as using steam clients were not able to use their admin rights! To explain this in detail, this is what I got under uniqueid field when I used the status command in console:I have recently encountered an issue on some of our customer’s servers. From time to time, some players that use STEAM clients are identified as using VALVE (non steam) clients, so I tried to get to the bottom of it. At first, I suspected that dproto is the one causing issues, but this happened also on steam only servers. The funny thing was that this happened only for some of the players and at random moments. This wasn’t a big issue at the beginning, but the guys who weren’t identified as using steam clients were not able to use their admin rights! To explain this in detail, this is what I got under uniqueid field when I used the status command in console:

STEAM_ID_LAN
VALVE_ID_LAN

instead of what I should have received:

STEAM_0:0:0485942

Considering all the above and the search results I received when looking for similar problems, I decided that it must be a client issue so I opened a ticket to steampowered. Below is their response:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.
Please exit Steam and go to the folder called C:\Program Files\Steam\ (this is the default location for a Steam installation - if you set a different installation directory, you will need to browse to it).
Delete all of the files in this folder except:
The \Steamapps\ folder and Steam.exe (this file is listed as an application and features the black and white Steam logo)
Restart your computer.
Then, launch Steam.exe from within the Steam installation folder, and not from a pre-existing shortcut.
With Steam running, re-test the original issue.
Note: This process will not affect your currently installed games.
If the issue persists, make sure your network is optimized for Steam"

NOTE: Installing and uninstalling the Steam Client or reinstalling Counter Strike 1.6 did not fix the issue (I don’t really know why, but I care less since there is a walkaround). What you see above is the solution to the problem! All you have to do is follow the instructions and your issue will be gone in no time.

STEAM_ID_LAN
VALVE_ID_LAN

instead of what I should have received:

STEAM_0:0:0485942

Considering all the above and the search results I received when looking for similar problems, I decided that it must be a client issue so I opened a ticket to steampowered. Below is their response:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.
Please exit Steam and go to the folder called C:\Program Files\Steam\ (this is the default location for a Steam installation - if you set a different installation directory, you will need to browse to it).
Delete all of the files in this folder except:
The \Steamapps\ folder and Steam.exe (this file is listed as an application and features the black and white Steam logo)
Restart your computer.
Then, launch Steam.exe from within the Steam installation folder, and not from a pre-existing shortcut.
With Steam running, re-test the original issue.
Note: This process will not affect your currently installed games.
If the issue persists, make sure your network is optimized for Steam"

NOTE: Installing and uninstalling the Steam Client or reinstalling Counter Strike 1.6 did not fix the issue (I don’t really know why, but I care less since there is a walkaround). What you see above is the solution to the problem (when STEAM ID becomes VALVE ID LAN )! All you have to do is follow the instructions and your issue will be gone in no time.

17 thoughts on “How to fix the issue when STEAM ID becomes VALVE ID LAN or STEAM ID LAN in Counter Strike 1.6!”

  1. Didn’t work for me, or I did it wrong.
    After deleting all but steamapps and steam.exe
    do we run that steam.exe in that exact same folder, the file that we didn’t delete?
    it is happening to me on a server where i have admin

    Reply
    • This may also be a server side issue. Please ask the owner to update dproto. There is a more recent version that should fix this issue, at least this is what most people say.

      Reply
  2. I have tried this alot of times on the servers im administrator of,
    i used to have my administrator rights only on my steamID, but after this
    i asked to get it setup for both SteamID and my nickname with a password protection, i never expierienced problems using my admin rights ever again
    but sometimes it still bugs and goes to VALVE_ID_LAN
    the only way to fix this issue is to restart the server and things should be normal.

    If server isnt getting restartet the player can have this issues until it gets restartet.

    Reply
    • Hello Anne,

      This can also be a server side issue, ask the owner (if you don’t have the permission) to update dproto. A lot of people say that this solves the issue.
      It’s important to know if this happens only for you of for other people too, it’s easier to see if it’s a client side or server side problem.
      Having your admin added both on steamid and nickname may be a solution, the problem is that if you have statistics like psychostats or hlxstatsce based on steamid it kind of ruins your “record” ๐Ÿ™‚
      Type in console: amx_rcon “amxx plugins” and provide us the list, make sure you don’t have any plugins that may interfere with this.

      Reply
  3. Oh and yeah maybe make the server auto restart like every 12 hours
    or make the server restart on every 5th map change, or something like this,
    so people dont have to wait forever for the server to restart and solve the valve_id_lan issues .

    Reply
    • This is not a way to fix the issue, try to find the root cause.
      Since I am not sure if you run the server on *NIX or Microsoft Windows, I will try to provide the solution for Linux since I’m not sure how to do that on Windows, but you can try Programs –> Administrative Tools –> Task Scheduler.
      On GNU/Linux you can make a simple script and add it to cron jobs:

      #crontab -u USER_UNDER_WHICH_SERVER_RUNS -e
      0 * * * * /path/to/your/script/file.sh

      #cat /path/to/your/script/file.sh
      killall -9 hlds_run
      sleep 3
      /usr/bin/screen -A -m -d -S SOME_NAME ./hlds_run -binary ./hlds_i686 -console -debug -game cstrike -port 27015 -pingboost 2 +sys_ticrate 1000 +heapsize 1048576 +sv_maxupdaterate 100 +secure +sport 27014 +ip X.X.X.X +maxplayers 32 +map gg_gg -pidfile hlds.pid +cpu 1

      This is just an example, will need some more tuning on your side.

      Reply
  4. in my server console VALVE_ID_LAN and STEAM_666:88:666 i want Like this VALVE_0:4:1085784947 how to make this

    Reply
    • Hello,

      I did not really understand your issue, but if those players appear as VALVE_ID_LAN and STEAM_666:88:666 then they must be using a NON-STEAM client.
      In order to have a valid STEAM_ID you need to have a steam account.

      Reply
  5. my problem is that i have steam in cs 1.6 but in console it shows STEAM ID LAN instead of this i want STEAM how can i fix this issue

    Reply
    • Just follow the instructions available in this post. Then reboot the server. If the server is not yours, ask one of the admins on that server (or the owner) to check this page.

      Reply
  6. I just wanna ask, I don’t have steam and some server i play on offered me adminship. All i see is valve_id in console and i don’t wanna look like a douche by telling them. Is is possible to get adminship without steam ? Pro & cons ? Anybody ?

    Reply
    • Hi,

      Yes, it’s possible to get administrator access without having a STEAM account. They will just provide you a different flag in amxmodx, your access right will look something like this:
      “nickname” “password” “abcdefghijklmnopqrstu” “a” #<--- this is how user/nickname and password base access is added "STEAM_0:X:XXXXXX" "" "abcdefghijklmnopqrstu" "c" #<--- this is how steamid is added The disadvantage would be that you always have to use the same nickname when you don't have a STEAM account in order to have admin access, or login from the same IP address if you want to change nick (but this requires IP based authentication so instead of "a" and "c" flags, the admin will grant you access with "d" flag). For more info check out amxmodx help page.

      Reply
  7. hi i have problem with my l4d2 server i have l4d2 10vs10 and its a steam version and install revemu the problem is client not get is correct id . ex : client have id with his ip addrees how get fix this ti they will get id with uinqe id sory for poor eng tnx in advance

    Reply

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