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Change the name players see in Rust’s server browser by setting the server.hostname convar. You can set it on the launch command, place it in the server’s server.cfg, or change it live through the server console or RCON. Use one method as your authoritative setting: launch and configuration-file values have conflicting precedence reports, while a live change may not survive a restart.

The safest permanent approach for most self-hosted servers is to create or edit the identity-specific cfg/server.cfg, add server.hostname "Your Server Name", save it, and restart the server. Panel-hosted servers usually expose the same file or startup setting through their control panel.

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What the Rust server hostname controls

Rust calls the server-browser name a hostname. It is the text players see when they browse or search for your server; it is not the operating system’s computer name and does not change your IP address, DNS name, server identity, map, or save file.

The setting is the server.hostname console variable, commonly shortened to “convar.” Its value can be supplied before startup, loaded from a configuration file during startup, or changed while the server is running.

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  • Launch setting: included in the command or script that starts the Rust server.
  • Configuration setting: stored in server.cfg and read when the server starts.
  • Live setting: entered in the local console or sent through an RCON client.

Changing the hostname does not require a physical product or a separate naming service. You need access to the startup command, the server files, or console/RCON permissions, depending on the method you choose.

Choose the right method

Method Where you set it Restart required Persistence Best use
Launch parameter Startup script, service definition, or hosting-panel command line No additional restart after editing; the server must start with the new command Persists whenever that startup command remains unchanged Servers managed by a script or service
server.cfg Identity-specific cfg directory Yes Designed for repeatable startup configuration Most self-hosted installations
Console or RCON Live server console or RCON client No Persistence across restart is not confirmed; treat it as temporary until tested Immediate renaming or emergency correction

Do not set the same convar in multiple places unless you are deliberately testing precedence. Reports disagree about whether a launch-line value or a server.cfg value wins at startup. Keeping one authoritative definition removes that ambiguity.

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Before you edit anything

Confirm administrative access

For a launch change, identify the exact script, service, container command, or panel field that starts the Rust server. For a file change, obtain access to the server’s identity directory and its cfg subdirectory. For a live change, make sure you can open the local console or authenticate to RCON with permission to run server commands.

Identify the active server identity

Rust installations can run more than one identity. The official wiki’s pattern is an identity folder such as rust/server/server.identity/cfg/; another common layout uses server/main/cfg/ when the identity is main. The correct path depends on the launch configuration and build. Check the path named by your startup command rather than assuming that a root-level cfg directory is active.

Plan a browser-friendly name

A hosting provider advises keeping the name below 40 characters and avoiding special characters for reliable display. That is vendor guidance, not a documented Facepunch limit, so regard it as a practical compatibility recommendation rather than a hard game rule. Use ordinary letters, numbers, spaces, and simple punctuation unless you have verified that your chosen characters render correctly in the browser and RCON output.

Method 1: set the name on the launch command

Use this method when your server is started by a shell script, system service, container definition, or hosting panel that exposes the complete startup command.

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  1. Stop the Rust server if it is running, or open the startup configuration without changing the currently running process.
  2. Locate the existing Rust executable command and its other +server. options.
  3. Add +server.hostname "Your Server Name" to the command. Keep the leading plus sign; it tells the startup parser to apply a convar.
  4. Quote the value when it contains spaces. For example, use +server.hostname "North Valley | Monthly Wipe", not an unquoted sequence that the shell or launcher may split into separate arguments.
  5. Save the script, service definition, container configuration, or panel setting.
  6. Start or restart the server using that same entry point.

A generic startup fragment looks like this:

+server.hostname "North Valley | Monthly Wipe"

Do not paste the leading + into server.cfg; that plus sign belongs to launch parameters. If a hosting panel has separate fields for server name and startup arguments, use the panel’s documented server-name field when it writes the command for you, and avoid adding a second hostname argument elsewhere.

When launch changes appear to do nothing

Verify that you edited the command actually used to start the running instance. Service managers and panels may keep a copied command, an environment variable, or a generated configuration that overwrites manual edits. Stop the server completely, confirm the new argument is visible in the startup log or process definition, and start it again. If server.cfg also contains server.hostname, remove one of the two definitions while troubleshooting because published sources disagree about which one takes precedence.

Method 2: set the name in server.cfg

A configuration file is usually the clearest permanent arrangement because the setting is kept with the server identity and loaded at startup.

  1. Stop the server or schedule the edit for its next maintenance restart.
  2. Open the active identity directory. Typical examples are rust/server/server.identity/cfg/ and server/main/cfg/; use the path associated with your actual identity.
  3. Create a text file named exactly server.cfg if it does not exist. Community notes indicate that Rust does not necessarily create this file automatically.
  4. Add the hostname on its own line, without a leading plus sign:
    server.hostname "North Valley | Monthly Wipe"
  5. Save the file as plain text. Ensure your editor did not append an extra extension such as .txt.
  6. Restart the Rust server through the normal service, script, container, or panel.
  7. After the server is online, search for the new name in the server browser or inspect the active convar from the console.

The file should contain the convar itself, not a shell command. For example:

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server.hostname "North Valley | Monthly Wipe"

Finding the correct configuration directory

The identity name is often visible in the startup arguments or in the path where that instance stores its world data. Follow the directory used by the running build. An older community discussion described a root-level cfg directory on an obsolete Experimental branch; do not use that historical layout unless your installation explicitly uses it.

Editing safely

  • Make a backup copy of the existing server.cfg before changing it.
  • Preserve unrelated convars and comments.
  • Put the hostname on one line and keep the quotation marks around names containing spaces.
  • Check file permissions so the account that launches Rust can read the file.
  • Restart only after the file is saved to the active identity, not a similarly named test or backup folder.

Method 3: change the name live with the console or RCON

A live command changes the running server without editing startup files:

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server.hostname "New Name"
  1. Open the local Rust server console or connect with an authenticated RCON client.
  2. Enter the command exactly as shown, replacing New Name with the desired browser name.
  3. Submit the command and watch for the console response. One documented source reports that the console echoes the new value when the command succeeds.
  4. Refresh the server browser, reconnect your administrative client, or query the convar to confirm the active value.

This is useful for a quick correction, an event name, or a test before committing the value to a file. Treat it as a runtime change, not a guaranteed permanent configuration. A community report described hostname and description values failing to survive a restart, and the cause was not verified against the current build. If the name must remain after maintenance, also place it in one persistent startup location and test a full restart.

RCON-specific checks

  • Use the RCON endpoint and credentials for the same server identity you intend to rename.
  • Confirm that the command is sent as a server command, not as a chat message or shell command.
  • Check the response for permission or syntax errors.
  • Do not expose RCON credentials in a public panel, script repository, or support post.

How to verify the new hostname

Verification should cover both the running process and the player-facing browser.

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  1. Check the command response: after a console or RCON change, confirm that the command was accepted and that the returned value is the intended text.
  2. Inspect the active configuration: if your console supports querying a convar, read server.hostname rather than relying only on a local file.
  3. Refresh discovery: close and reopen the server browser, clear any search filter, and search for a distinctive part of the new name.
  4. Test from another client: a second player or external connection can reveal stale listings, cached results, or a different server instance advertising the old name.
  5. Restart-test persistence: restart the server during a maintenance window and repeat the browser check. A live-only value that disappears identifies a persistence problem.

Server browsers can update asynchronously, so an old listing immediately after a change does not by itself prove that the command failed. Verify the active convar and allow the listing to refresh before changing several settings at once.

Why the name does not change after editing

The wrong file or identity was edited

Multiple identities can have separate worlds and configuration directories. Compare the identity in the launch command with the directory where you placed server.cfg. If the running process uses main, a file under another identity will have no effect.

The file name is wrong

Confirm that the file is exactly server.cfg, not server.cfg.txt, server.conf, or a case-variant rejected by the host filesystem. Display file extensions in your editor or file manager when checking.

The server was not restarted

Saving server.cfg does not reload it in the running process. Perform a complete stop and start through the normal launcher. A panel’s “restart” action may be required instead of merely reconnecting to the console.

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The launch line overrides or is overridden

Sources disagree about startup precedence: the official Rust wiki is summarized as saying that server.cfg overrides command-line settings, while a newer hosting test reported the opposite. Do not attempt to solve this by adding more copies of the convar. Remove the duplicate, keep one authoritative value, restart, and verify.

The panel regenerates configuration

Managed hosts may rewrite startup arguments or configuration files when the server restarts. Look for a dedicated server-name field, a generated command-line section, or a “configuration files” editor. If the panel documents a preferred field, make the change there and remove conflicting manual entries.

The browser still shows cached data

Check the active value in console or RCON first. If it is correct, refresh the browser, remove filters, and test from another client. An old listing can remain visible while the server directory updates.

Characters are being normalized or hidden

Use a short name with basic letters, numbers, spaces, and simple punctuation. Special characters may display inconsistently according to hosting-provider guidance. Test the exact text in the browser rather than assuming that a successful console response guarantees identical rendering everywhere.

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Startup precedence and persistence: what is established

Three points are reliable across the documented methods:

  • server.hostname is the setting that controls the browser name.
  • A value in server.cfg is read at startup, so editing the file requires a restart.
  • The live console/RCON command can change the running value, but persistence after restart should be tested rather than assumed.

One unresolved point is precedence when both a launch argument and a configuration-file entry exist. The official wiki summary and a more recent hosting report reach opposite conclusions. Because the evidence is inconsistent and game-version behavior can change, the operational rule is simple: define the hostname in one place only.

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Self-hosted versus panel-managed servers

Self-hosted machine

You normally control the startup script and identity directories directly. Use the launch method when a service manager owns the command; use server.cfg when you want the name stored beside the identity’s other settings. Keep a backup of the script and configuration file so a migration does not silently restore an old name.

Panel-managed server

A panel may hide the command line, mount the identity directory somewhere different, or regenerate files on restart. First look for fields labeled server name, hostname, startup parameters, or configuration files. If the panel offers a file editor, place the line in the active identity’s server.cfg and restart from the panel. If it offers only a live console, use RCON for an immediate change but confirm persistence after the next panel restart.

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Recommended operating procedure

  1. Choose one authoritative location: launch command or server.cfg.
  2. Use a concise name with ordinary characters; staying under 40 characters follows practical hosting guidance.
  3. Quote names containing spaces.
  4. Back up the file or startup definition before editing.
  5. Apply the change and perform the required restart.
  6. Verify the active server.hostname value and the player-facing browser listing.
  7. Run one planned restart test before announcing the new name to players.

For a durable setup, the single-file approach is usually easiest to audit: place server.hostname "Your Server Name" in the active identity’s server.cfg, restart, and avoid defining the same convar on the launch line. Use the live command when speed matters, then record the value in that persistent location if it must survive maintenance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the Rust hostname change the server’s IP address or DNS name?

No. The server.hostname convar changes only the name advertised in Rust’s server browser.

Can I change the name without restarting the server?

Yes. Run server.hostname "New Name" in the local console or through RCON. Test a restart afterward because persistence of a live-only change is not guaranteed.

Why does server.cfg need no plus sign?

The leading + is launch-command syntax. In the file, write server.hostname "Your Server Name" on its own line.

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Which setting wins if the launch command and server.cfg disagree?

Published sources conflict on precedence. Remove the duplicate and keep the hostname in one location instead of relying on an unsettled rule.

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