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To add an administrator to an Arma 3 dedicated server, set passwordAdmin in the server’s configuration, restart the server, and have the administrator enter #login YOUR_PASSWORD in in-game chat. You can also authorize specific Steam player IDs with admins[], or configure separate BattlEye RCON access for remote administration.
Understand the three different kinds of Arma 3 administration
Arma 3 has two practical in-game authorization methods and a separate remote-console method. Choosing the right one prevents most setup mistakes.
Shared in-game administrator password
The server reads a password from passwordAdmin in server.cfg. Anyone who knows that password can attempt to become an administrator after joining. The login is performed in the game chat with the #login command.
Individual administrator IDs
The admins[] setting can contain player IDs, allowing named accounts to authenticate without distributing a shared password. The exact UID format and any Advanced-mode requirements depend on the server configuration format supported by your current Arma 3 build, so copy the syntax from the configuration template supplied with your server files or host.
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BattlEye RCON
RCON is independent of #login. It is intended for remote administration tools and console access, including when an administrator is not playing in the server. BattlEye must be enabled, and RCON credentials are stored in a BattlEye configuration file rather than in the normal in-game login setting.
What you need before changing the server
- File access to the dedicated server and permission to edit its configuration.
- The path to the active
server.cfg. Providers commonly expose this in a control panel; self-hosted installations may specify it with the startup parameter-config=.... - Permission to stop and start the server. A configuration change normally takes effect only after a restart.
- A backup copy of the current configuration before editing it.
- A secure, unique administrator password. Do not reuse a password from a web panel, database, or personal account.
- If you are configuring RCON, access to the
battleyedirectory, firewall rules, and the remote administration software you intend to use.
Stop the server, or use your host’s configuration editor, before making changes. Editing a file while the process is running can be overwritten when the server shuts down.
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- Open the active configuration. Find the
server.cfgfile actually loaded by the server. If several copies exist, check the startup command or host panel rather than editing a similarly named template. - Set
passwordAdmin. Add or replace the setting with a quoted value:
passwordAdmin = "Use-a-long-random-password-here";Keep the semicolon and quotation marks. Avoid spaces or characters that your host’s panel may escape incorrectly; if you use punctuation, test the login immediately after restarting.
- Save the file and restart the dedicated server. A restart is required for the server process to load the new value. Wait until the server is visible and accepting players again.
- Distribute the password privately. Treat it as a shared credential. Anyone with it can use the server’s in-game administrator functions.
Log in as an administrator in the game
- Join the server with the player account that should receive administrator privileges.
- Press
/to open the in-game chat input. Depending on your key bindings, the chat key may be changed; use the key assigned to global or direct chat if/does not open it. - Enter the command exactly as shown, replacing the example value:
#login Use-a-long-random-password-here- Press Enter. The leading
#is required for server commands;loginwithout the prefix is treated as ordinary chat. - Test an administrative action that is appropriate for your role. Do not use disruptive commands on a live mission merely to test credentials.
Bohemia Interactive’s dedicated-server guidance specifically warns: “Make sure to never forget the ‘#’ in front of any server command!”
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If the login fails, retype the command rather than pasting a password with an accidental trailing space. Confirm that the server was restarted after the password was changed and that you edited the configuration loaded by this instance.
Authorize specific players with admins[]
A shared password is simple for a small group, but it becomes difficult to rotate when people leave. The admins[] array lets you identify administrators by their player IDs.
Collect the correct player IDs
Use the Steam ID value shown by your hosting panel, server-management tooling, or the server’s player/log information. Do not substitute a display name: names can change, contain duplicates, or include formatting characters. Verify every digit with the intended player before adding it.
Add the IDs to the configuration
The common array form is:
admins[] = {
"7656119XXXXXXXXXX",
"7656119YYYYYYYYYY"
};Replace the example values with the actual IDs and preserve the quotation marks, commas, braces, and semicolon. If your current server configuration template uses a different UID notation or labels this feature as Advanced mode, follow that template; an incorrectly formatted array can prevent the configuration from loading.
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Restart and test one account at a time
- Save a backup and the edited configuration.
- Restart the server.
- Have each listed player join and test the authentication behavior described by the server’s current configuration documentation.
- Remove an ID and restart again when access should be revoked.
Keep the password method available to the primary owner until UID-based access has been verified. If an ID is mistyped, the player may appear in the array but receive no administrative access.
Use the in-game administrator commands carefully
After authentication, commands still run in the context of the current mission and server state. A community-maintained Bohemia forum list from 2013 includes the commands below. Because that list is old, confirm behavior against documentation for your current server build before using a command on a populated server.
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| Command | Reported purpose | Operational caution |
|---|---|---|
#logout |
End the current administrator session. | Use it when leaving a shared or public computer. |
#lock |
Lock the server to prevent new joins. | Existing players may remain connected; announce the change first. |
#unlock |
Reopen a locked server. | Check that the intended mission and player list are ready. |
#missions |
Display available missions or mission-selection information. | Mission availability depends on the server’s configured cycle. |
#reassign |
Reassign players during mission setup. | Use before a mission starts, not during an active round unless your group agrees. |
#restart |
Restart the current server session. | Players can lose unsaved progress. |
#shutdown |
Shut down the server process. | Use the host panel or service manager when a controlled restart is preferable. |
#Init |
Run the initialization command listed by the older command reference. | Capitalization and availability may vary; verify first. |
#plock PASSWORD |
Set a mission or server password according to the older reference. | Do not confuse this with passwordAdmin; it serves a different purpose. |
Every server command requires the # prefix. If a command appears in chat instead of executing, check the prefix, your login state, and whether the command is supported in the current mission.
Configure BattlEye RCON for remote administration
Use RCON when administrators need console access without joining as a player. It is a separate credential path: changing passwordAdmin does not change the RCON password, and an RCON password does not make #login work.
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Enable BattlEye in server.cfg
Add or confirm the BattlEye setting in the main server configuration:
BattlEye = 1;Save the file and restart the server so BattlEye starts with the instance.
Create or edit the BattlEye RCON file
In the server’s BattlEye directory, open battleye/beserver_x64.cfg. Set the RCON password and port using the file’s key-value format:
RConPassword A-separate-random-RCON-password
RConPort 2306Do not add the semicolon style used by server.cfg unless your installed template explicitly shows it. Keep the RCON password different from the in-game administrator password.
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Choose and expose the correct port
For a default game port of 2302, both the common “game port plus four” rule and the BattlEye port listed by Bohemia’s server guidance result in 2306. The general rule can differ with custom startup parameters, provider networking, or multiple instances. Check the port assigned to your own server and configure the host firewall and router to match the value in RConPort. The guidance identifies BattlEye traffic as UDP; your hosting provider may impose additional protocol or firewall requirements.
Expose RCON only to trusted administrator IP addresses where possible. A publicly reachable RCON port with a weak password can allow unauthorized control of the server.
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Connect with an RCON tool
- Restart the server after enabling BattlEye and saving
beserver_x64.cfg. - Enter the server address, the configured RCON port, and the RCON password in your administration tool.
- Confirm that the tool reports a successful connection.
- Run a harmless information command first, then test a management action during a planned maintenance window.
If the connection fails, check BattlEye startup messages, the exact file path, the configured port, firewall rules, NAT forwarding, and whether another server instance is already using that port.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
#login is displayed as chat. |
The # prefix is missing, or the input was sent through a chat channel that did not process the command. |
Open the normal in-game chat command input and enter #login PASSWORD exactly. |
| “Wrong password” after changing the file. | The server was not restarted, the wrong configuration copy was edited, or the password contains an extra character. | Inspect the startup -config path, restart, and type the password manually. |
| One player can log in but another cannot. | The second player’s UID is mistyped, not in the active admins[] array, or the array syntax is invalid. |
Compare the UID digit by digit, restore the last known-good syntax, and restart. |
| The server fails to start after editing. | A missing semicolon, quote, comma, or brace broke the configuration. | Restore the backup, start the server, then reapply one change at a time while checking startup logs. |
| RCON reports a timeout. | BattlEye is disabled, the port is blocked, the wrong port is being used, or the provider does not expose RCON externally. | Confirm BattlEye = 1;, RConPort, firewall/NAT rules, and provider restrictions. |
| RCON rejects the password. | The RCON credential was confused with passwordAdmin, or the wrong BattlEye file was loaded. |
Use the password in battleye/beserver_x64.cfg and verify the active BattlEye directory. |
| Commands work for one administrator but not another. | Only one session may be active on the particular host or setup. | Some hosting guides report a one-administrator-at-a-time limitation without RCON. Treat that as a hosting-specific claim, check your provider’s behavior, and use RCON when simultaneous remote administration is required. |
Change or remove administrator access
Rotate the shared password
- Stop the server or open its managed configuration editor.
- Replace the value of
passwordAdminwith a new random password. - Save and restart.
- Tell only the remaining administrators the new value.
Changing the password invalidates the old shared credential after the new configuration is loaded.
Remove a UID-based administrator
Delete that player’s entry from admins[], preserve valid commas and braces, save the file, and restart. Removing a UID does not automatically change the shared passwordAdmin; rotate that password separately if the person knew it.
Revoke RCON access
Change RConPassword, restrict the RCON firewall rule, or remove the RCON configuration if remote administration is no longer needed. Restart BattlEye so the change is active.
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Recommended operating practice
- Use a different random secret for
passwordAdminandRConPassword. - Store credentials in a password manager rather than in chat history or a shared document.
- Limit RCON exposure by IP and avoid opening more ports than the server requires.
- Keep dated backups of working configuration files before changing authentication settings.
- Make one configuration change at a time and read the startup log after every restart.
- Test administrative commands on a private or empty session before using them during a public event.
- Remove former administrators from
admins[]and rotate shared credentials when group membership changes.
Quick verification checklist
server.cfgcontains a validpasswordAdminentry.- The edited file is the one loaded by the running server.
- The server was restarted after the edit.
- The administrator joined the intended server and entered
#login PASSWORDwith the leading#. - Any
admins[]UID is exact and the array syntax is valid. - If remote access is needed,
BattlEye = 1;,RConPassword, andRConPortare configured in their respective files. - The configured RCON port is allowed by the host firewall and matches the actual server instance.
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