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Godlike.Host offers hosted Garry's Mod servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
To enable RCON on a Garry’s Mod server, set a non-empty rcon_password in garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg, save the file, and restart the server. For example: rcon_password "use-a-long-random-secret". An empty value, rcon_password "", disables RCON. The exact file location can differ on managed hosts, but the console-variable name stays the same.
What RCON does in Garry’s Mod
RCON (remote console) lets an authenticated administrator send server-console commands from outside the game server process. Garry’s Mod uses the Source RCON Protocol over TCP. A standard SRCDS installation listens on TCP port 27015 unless the server has been configured to use another port.
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The controlling console variable is rcon_password:
- A non-empty value enables password authentication.
rcon_password ""disables RCON.- Changing the value while the server is running closes all currently authenticated RCON connections.
The password is not a Steam account password and should not be reused for any other service.
What you need before editing the server
- Access to the server’s files, a hosting control panel with configuration access, or the live server console.
- The server’s public IP address and RCON port. The default Source server port is TCP 27015, but your host or launch configuration may use a different value.
- A maintenance window. Restarting applies the persistent configuration and temporarily disconnects players.
- A unique, randomly generated password. Avoid usernames, server names, Steam names, dates, and dictionary words.
Keep a backup of server.cfg before changing it. If your provider regenerates configuration files, check its documentation for the provider-specific path or settings field.
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Enable RCON permanently in server.cfg
1. Stop or prepare the server for maintenance
If your host provides a Stop button, stop the server before editing. Some panels permit editing while the server is online, but a clean stop avoids a panel or startup script overwriting the file during the change.
2. Open the configuration file
The usual path is:
garrysmod/cfg/server.cfgOn a managed host, the same file may appear behind a file manager under a different root directory, or the panel may expose a “Server.cfg”, “Configuration”, or similarly named editor. The directory label is host-specific; look for the Garry’s Mod installation’s garrysmod/cfg directory.
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3. Add the password line
Add one line to server.cfg:
rcon_password "replace-this-with-your-random-password"Use ordinary double quotation marks. Keep the value on one line and do not leave it empty. If the file already contains an rcon_password entry, edit that entry instead of creating conflicting duplicates. The value shown above is only a syntax example; generate your own secret.
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4. Save the file and restart
Save the file without changing its name or extension, then start or restart the server. A restart is important because it loads the persistent configuration and avoids relying on a console-only change that may disappear at the next restart.
5. Confirm the setting
After the server is online, inspect the server console or use an authenticated RCON client to confirm that the password works. Test from the same network and client environment you intend to administer from. Do not paste the password into public chat, issue trackers, screenshots, or shared logs.
Using a hosting control panel
Managed hosts expose the same cvar through different interfaces. A typical workflow is:
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- Open the server’s file manager or configuration editor.
- Locate
garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg, or open the panel field specifically labeled for RCON. - Enter a non-empty value for
rcon_password. If the panel expects only a value, do not add a secondrcon_passwordlabel; if it provides a text-file editor, use the full line shown above. - Save the change.
- Restart the server from the panel.
The panel’s labels and directory layout vary, but the setting itself remains rcon_password. If a panel has both a generated startup configuration and a manually editable server.cfg, use the method the provider documents as persistent; otherwise a generated file can overwrite your edit.
Console-only changes: useful for testing, not persistence
An administrator can set the cvar in the live server console for a temporary test:
rcon_password "temporary-test-secret"That changes the running process immediately, but hosting guidance warns that a console-only value may not survive a restart. Put the final value in server.cfg and restart if you need RCON after crashes, updates, or planned maintenance. Also remember that changing the password at runtime disconnects all authenticated RCON clients, so automation or administration tools must authenticate again with the new value.
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Connect to the server after RCON is enabled
External RCON clients
An external client normally needs three values:
- The server’s reachable IP address or hostname.
- The RCON TCP port, normally 27015 unless changed.
- The exact password stored in
rcon_password.
The Source RCON Protocol uses those values to authenticate and then exchange console commands. Enter the server’s actual public address, not a private LAN address, when connecting from outside the hosting network. If your provider assigns a nonstandard port, use that port rather than assuming 27015.
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Third-party Garry’s Mod guides describe different in-game sequences: some have an administrator enter rcon_password followed by the password, while others first set rcon_address to the server IP. Those sequences are not consistently confirmed by the primary protocol documentation and can depend on the client context and server version. If an in-game attempt fails, use a client that explicitly supports Source RCON and verify the address, port, and password instead of repeatedly exposing the secret in the game console.
Sending commands
RCON clients send server-console commands after authentication. Some hosting documentation shows commands written with an rcon prefix, such as rcon sv_cheats 1; exact command syntax depends on the client you use. Treat any command as if it were typed directly into the server console: administrative commands can change gameplay, permissions, maps, or data immediately.
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Security settings that matter
Use a strong, unique password
Use a long random string generated by a password manager. Do not reuse a web-panel password, Steam credential, database password, or personal password. Anyone who obtains RCON credentials may be able to execute privileged server commands.
Leave RCON disabled when you do not need it
Removing the password or setting:
rcon_password ""disables authentication for RCON. Keeping it disabled reduces the exposed administrative surface when remote console access is not part of your operating routine.
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Use your host’s firewall or network access controls to allow RCON connections only from trusted administrator IP addresses where possible. A password protects authentication, while network restrictions reduce the number of systems that can attempt to authenticate.
Limit repeated failures
Garry’s Mod exposes sv_rcon_maxfailures, which limits failed authentication attempts before a ban is applied. Review the value on your server and keep it aligned with your operational needs. A value that is too permissive allows more guessing attempts; a value that is too strict can lock out administrators who repeatedly use an outdated password.
Rotate credentials deliberately
When you change rcon_password, expect every authenticated RCON connection to close. Update scheduled jobs, administration tools, and password-manager entries together, then test one connection before restoring automation.
Why “rcon_password” is not working
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| RCON works until the next restart | The value was entered only in the live console. | Put rcon_password "..." in the persistent garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg used by this installation, save it, and restart. |
| The client reports authentication failure | The password does not exactly match the running cvar. | Check capitalization, spaces, quotation marks, and whether a later configuration line overwrites the value. Change it once in the file, restart, and test again. |
| The client cannot connect | Wrong address, wrong port, or network access is blocked. | Confirm the public server IP, the configured RCON port, and that TCP access from your administrator network is allowed. Do not assume 27015 if the server uses a custom port. |
| The server starts with RCON disabled | The value is empty or the wrong configuration file was edited. | Search the installation for the active server.cfg, ensure the line has a non-empty value, and restart from the same panel or startup method that normally launches the server. |
| Existing tools disconnect after a change | Changing the password closes authenticated RCON sessions. | Reconnect every client with the new password and update stored credentials. |
| A hosting-panel edit disappears | The panel regenerates configuration at startup or stores settings elsewhere. | Use the provider’s persistent configuration field or documented file, then restart and verify after a second stop/start cycle. |
Disable RCON safely
- Open the active
garrysmod/cfg/server.cfgor the provider’s RCON setting. - Set the value to
rcon_password "", or clear the panel field if the panel documents that as the disabled state. - Save the configuration.
- Restart the server so the disabled state persists.
- Remove the old password from shared notes and automation systems, and verify that an RCON client can no longer authenticate.
Choosing the right setup method
| Method | Persistence | Best use | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
Edit server.cfg |
Designed to persist across restarts | Normal production setup | The exact root path can differ by host; use the active Garry’s Mod installation. |
| Hosting-panel RCON field | Depends on the panel’s configuration system | Managed servers without direct file access | Panel labels and storage locations differ; restart and verify. |
| Live server console | May not persist after restart | Temporary testing or emergency rotation | Changing the value closes authenticated RCON sessions. |
Launch option such as +rcon_password |
Not established here | Only when explicitly documented for your server build | Do not assume a launch-option method works simply because other Source settings accept launch options. |
Operational checklist
rcon_passwordcontains a non-empty, unique random value.- The line is in the configuration file or panel setting that actually loads at startup.
- The server has been restarted after saving.
- You know the reachable IP address and configured TCP port.
- Firewall rules restrict access to trusted administrator networks where practical.
sv_rcon_maxfailuresis set deliberately.- All RCON tools and automation use the current password.
- The password is not present in public chat, screenshots, or unsecured logs.
Primary technical references
The setting’s behavior and Source protocol details are documented by the Valve Developer Community’s “Source RCON Protocol” reference and the Facepunch Garry’s Mod wiki’s ConVars listing. Hosting documentation is useful for locating provider-specific configuration editors, but the persistent setting remains the Garry’s Mod cvar rcon_password.
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