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A Rust RCON login normally fails for one of five reasons: the server has not finished starting, server.cfg is overriding your launch settings, the client is using the game port instead of the RCON TCP port, firewalls or NAT are blocking the connection, or the host and password do not match. Check those layers in that order. Do not keep retrying a password: Facepunch’s 2024 security update says five bad attempts can ban the source IP for five minutes by default.
What a Rust rcon.login failure actually means
The error is generated by the RCON service, not by the normal player connection. A server can accept players while RCON remains unreachable because Rust uses separate services and protocols. Facepunch documents server.port as the game port using UDP, while rcon.port is a separate TCP listener. A client pointed at the game port will therefore fail even when the server appears healthy in the game browser.
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1. Wait for the dedicated server to finish starting
RCON is not dependable while the dedicated server is still booting. Open the server console or its log and wait for the exact message Server startup complete. Start troubleshooting only after that line appears.
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- If the process is still loading maps, plugins or world data, leave the RCON client disconnected.
- If the message never appears, fix the server-startup problem first; an RCON password cannot authenticate against a service that has not finished initializing.
- After editing startup settings or
server.cfg, restart the dedicated server and wait for the same confirmation again.
2. Check the effective RCON configuration
Rust reads server.cfg at startup, and Facepunch documents that values in this file take priority over command-line values. A corrected launch command can therefore appear to have no effect if an older file is still setting a different port, password or web mode.
Launch arguments
The documented launch form uses a plus sign before each convar:
+rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password "use-a-long-unique-secret" +rcon.web 1The example port is 28016. Use the port configured on your own server; do not assume that every host uses the same number.
server.cfg
Inside server.cfg, use the same convars without the launch-argument plus signs:
rcon.port 28016
rcon.password "use-a-long-unique-secret"
rcon.web 1Inspect the file actually loaded by the server, not just a similarly named file in a control panel or backup directory. Look for duplicate lines and stale values. If the file contains a different rcon.port or rcon.password, that value wins at startup.
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Why rcon.web 1 matters
Facepunch’s setup guidance includes rcon.web 1. Keep it enabled when your RCON client requires the web-based RCON interface. If you change this setting, restart the server so the service is recreated with the new mode.
3. Use the RCON port and the correct protocol
| Service | Typical convar | Protocol documented by Facepunch | What opening it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player game connection | server.port |
UDP | Lets players connect to the game server; it does not expose RCON. |
| Remote console | rcon.port |
TCP | Accepts RCON client connections and login attempts. |
Enter the number shown by rcon.port in the RCON client. Do not copy the game port simply because it is the port players use. Also select the client protocol expected by your RCON tool; a client configured for a different RCON mode can fail before authentication.
When a panel displays several ports, label them yourself: game, query, and RCON are not interchangeable. Confirm the final value in the server’s effective configuration after every panel change.
4. Prove that the TCP port is reachable from outside
A local test can be misleading when the client and server share the same network. For an internet connection, test from a device or network outside the server’s LAN. Three separate controls may need to allow the traffic:
- Operating-system firewall: create an inbound rule for TCP on the exact
rcon.port. - Router or NAT: forward that TCP port to the server’s current private LAN address. A forwarding rule aimed at an old DHCP address silently sends traffic to the wrong machine.
- Cloud security group: if the server is hosted in a cloud provider, allow the same TCP port in the provider’s network policy as well as in the guest operating system.
Windows test
RustTools recommends PowerShell’s Test-NetConnection. Run it from a machine outside the server network:
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Test-NetConnection -ComputerName <your-public-host> -Port 28016A successful TCP test indicates that a listener is reachable at that address and port. It does not prove that the password is correct; authentication is the next layer.
Linux or macOS test
Use netcat as documented by RustTools:
nc -zv <your-public-host> 28016“Connection refused” usually means the host was reached but no service accepted the port. A timeout commonly points to a firewall, security-group or NAT problem. Check the server’s actual port before interpreting either result.
What a closed test tells you
- If the test fails from outside but succeeds locally, investigate NAT and perimeter firewalls.
- If it fails both locally and remotely, verify that the server is listening, that the RCON service started, and that the operating-system firewall allows it.
- If the TCP test succeeds but
rcon.loginfails, stop changing network rules and verify the host, protocol and password.
5. Enter a routable host address
An internet-based RCON client must connect to the server’s public IP address or a hostname that resolves to it. Private addresses are only valid inside the corresponding private network:
192.168.x.x10.x.x.x172.16.x.xthrough172.31.x.x
Entering one of those addresses from the public internet sends the client toward its own local network, not your server. If your host uses a changing public address, update the DNS name or client entry when the address changes. In a managed panel, use the public endpoint explicitly shown for RCON rather than the machine’s internal address.
6. Match the password exactly and restart after changes
Compare the client’s password character by character with the value assigned to rcon.password. Case matters, and a leading or trailing space is a different password. Avoid copying invisible whitespace from a web form or password manager field.
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If you changed the password in a hosting panel, startup script or configuration file, restart the server. Rust loads server.cfg at startup, so editing a file while the process is running does not necessarily change the active credential. After the restart, wait for Server startup complete before testing.
Use a long, unique secret that is not reused for the panel, operating-system account or another game server. Facepunch warns that weak passwords can prevent RCON from starting; a credential that is easy to guess also exposes every command available to the RCON account.
7. Account for the temporary failed-login ban
Facepunch’s 2024 RCON security update states: “Now when a RCON client attempts to connect with a bad password, after 5 attempts the IP address will be banned for 5 minutes.” The documented defaults are rcon.maxpasswordfailures set to 5 and rcon.banduration set to 300 seconds (five minutes).
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The values are server convars, so an administrator may have changed them. If you have entered the wrong password repeatedly, stop all clients and wait for the configured ban period before testing again. Alternatively, use the server console’s documented method for clearing the failed-login state, then make one careful attempt with the verified credentials. Do not use repeated retries as a diagnostic technique: they can extend the time before a valid client can connect.
Remember that the ban is tied to the source IP observed by the server. If several administrators share one public IP, a mistake by one person can temporarily block the others as well.
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8. Eliminate competing RCON sessions
RustTools notes that some RCON clients request an exclusive session. Disconnect other tools before retrying, including RustAdmin, RCON.IO or another active console connection. Close background instances, scheduled scripts and panel consoles that may reconnect automatically.
If one client works while another reports a login error, compare their host, port, protocol and password fields rather than assuming the server is rejecting the account. A successful connection from one tool also confirms that the listener and network path are functional.
9. A complete recovery procedure
Use this sequence after changing configuration or recovering from a failed-login ban:
- Stop every RCON client and automation task that may be retrying.
- Open the dedicated-server console or log and confirm the process is running.
- Inspect
server.cfgforrcon.port,rcon.passwordandrcon.web. Remove or correct stale duplicate values. - Compare those settings with the launch command. Remember that launch arguments use
+, whileserver.cfgentries do not. - Restart the server and wait for Server startup complete.
- Record the active RCON port; do not substitute
server.port. - From outside the server network, test TCP reachability with
Test-NetConnectionornc -zv. - Correct the operating-system firewall, router forwarding and cloud security group if the test cannot connect.
- Set the client host to the public IP or routable hostname.
- Enter the exact password once. If the test fails, review the server log before attempting again.
10. Read the symptom before changing settings
| Observed symptom | Most likely layer | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| The server is still booting or never shows startup completion. | Process state | Resolve startup errors and wait for the completion message. |
| Players can join, but RCON times out. | Port or network path | Use rcon.port over TCP; inspect firewall, NAT and cloud rules. |
| The TCP test is refused immediately. | No listener or wrong port | Verify the effective convar and whether RCON started. |
| The TCP test succeeds, but login is rejected. | Credential or protocol | Match the password exactly and confirm the client protocol. |
| Login stopped working after several mistakes. | Temporary IP ban | Wait for the configured ban duration or clear the failed-login state from the server console. |
| One RCON tool works and another does not. | Client settings or exclusive session | Disconnect competing clients and compare host, port, protocol and password. |
Self-hosted server versus managed hosting
The technical checks are the same, but responsibility moves between you and the hosting provider. A panel can simplify edits while hiding the actual listener or network policy, so ask where each value is applied.
| Decision point | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting panel |
|---|---|---|
| Firewall and NAT | You configure the operating-system firewall, router forwarding and any cloud security group. | The provider may manage the perimeter, but you still need the panel’s public endpoint and any provider-specific allowlist. |
| Port and password edits | Edit the launch command or the server’s server.cfg. |
Edit the RCON fields in the panel, then verify which generated file or startup command receives them. |
| Restart requirement | Restart after changing startup convars or server.cfg. |
Use the panel’s restart action after saving; a save without a restart may leave the old values active. |
| Diagnostics | Use server logs and external TCP tests. | Prefer panels that expose port status, logs or reachability diagnostics; confirm results externally when possible. |
| Multiple administrators | Coordinate tools to avoid exclusive-session conflicts and share the secret securely. | Use role controls and audit history when the panel provides them, while remembering that client-session conflicts can still occur. |
RustTools documents external port tests, public-host requirements, audit history and role controls. Panel-oriented guidance, including PineRiver’s restart workflow, emphasizes editing the panel values and restarting so the generated configuration is loaded.
Security checks after RCON works
- Use a long, unique password and replace any default or shared secret.
- Allow TCP access only from administrator IP ranges when your firewall, router or cloud security group supports source restrictions.
- Do not publish the RCON password in screenshots, startup scripts stored in public repositories or chat logs.
- Review logs and panel audit history for unexpected login attempts or commands.
- Disconnect unused RCON clients and remove obsolete automation credentials.
- Keep the temporary-ban settings in mind when designing monitoring: a health check that repeatedly submits a stale password can lock out the whole administrator IP.
When to escalate to the host
Contact the hosting provider after you have verified startup completion, the effective port and password, and an external TCP test. Include the server’s public endpoint, RCON port, time of the test, the external test result, and the relevant startup-log lines. Do not send the RCON password. Ask the provider to confirm whether the port is exposed publicly, whether an upstream firewall or NAT rule is present, and whether the account or source IP is under a temporary RCON ban.
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