How to Set a Password on Your Insurgency: Sandstorm Server
Learn how to password protect your Insurgency: Sandstorm server to restrict who can join.
Setting a password on your Insurgency: Sandstorm server restricts access to players who know the password. This is useful for private matches, clan practice servers, or when you want to control who can play. Password-protected servers still appear in the server browser but display a lock icon.
Setting a Server Password
Open the XGamingServer panel
Log in to the XGamingServer panel and select your Insurgency: Sandstorm server. Stop the server.
Set the password via Startup
Click Startup in the sidebar. Find the Password field (this maps to the -password= startup parameter) and enter your desired password.
Save and restart
Click Save and start your server. Players will now be prompted to enter the password when they try to join.
Alternative: Set via Command Line
If you use custom command-line parameters, set the password with:
-password=YourPasswordRemoving the Password
To make your server open to everyone again:
Open Startup settings
Click Startup in the sidebar.
Clear the password field
Delete the contents of the Password field so it is completely empty.
Save and restart
Click Save and start your server. The lock icon will no longer appear in the browser.
Connecting to a Password-Protected Server
When players connect to your password-protected server, they are prompted to enter the password. The process differs slightly by connection method:
| Method | How the Password is Entered |
|---|---|
| Server Browser | A dialog box prompts for the password after clicking Join |
| Console Command | Append ?Password=yourpassword to the open command: open 1.2.3.4:27102?Password=yourpassword |
| Steam Favorites | Steam prompts for the password when connecting |
Password vs. RCON Password
Insurgency: Sandstorm has two different passwords:
| Password Type | Purpose | How to Set |
|---|---|---|
| Server Password | Controls who can join the game | -password= startup parameter |
| RCON Password | Controls who can use admin commands remotely | RCON settings in Startup tab |
Use different values for each. The server password is shared with all players you want to allow in, while the RCON password should only be shared with trusted administrators.
💡 Tip: For competitive or clan matches, set a password before the match starts and share it only with the participating teams. Remove the password afterward if you want the server open for public play.
📝 Note: Passwords are case-sensitive. Share the exact password with your players, including any uppercase or lowercase letters.
If you get stuck at any time, you can join our Discord.
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