How to Set Up RCON on Your Minecraft Server

Enable RCON (Remote Console) on your Minecraft Java server for remote command access from external tools, scripts, and integrations.

RCON (Remote Console) is Minecraft's built-in protocol for sending console commands to your server from outside the game. It's how external tools, Discord bots, web dashboards, and automation scripts run commands without logging in as a player.

Do you actually need RCON? The XGamingServer Panel Console already gives you full command access from a browser. RCON is only worth setting up if you're integrating with external tools (Discord bots, monitoring dashboards, custom scripts).

When to Use RCON

Use case	RCON needed?
Run commands from the panel	❌ Use Console instead
Run commands from in-game	❌ Use OP + chat
Discord bot that runs Minecraft commands	✅ Yes
Monitoring dashboard / web panel	✅ Yes
Custom backup or restart scripts	✅ Yes
Tebex / Stripe purchase delivery	✅ Yes (or HTTP plugin)
`mcrcon` from terminal for quick commands	✅ Yes

Enable RCON

Stop the server

In the panel, open Console and stop your server.

Edit server.properties

Click Files in the sidebar and open server.properties. Set:

enable-rcon=true
rcon.password=your-strong-random-password
rcon.port=25575
broadcast-rcon-to-ops=false

Setting	Recommended	Notes
`enable-rcon`	`true`	Enables the RCON listener
`rcon.password`	20+ random characters	Must not be weak — anyone with this password runs commands as console
`rcon.port`	`25575`	Standard RCON port — change if conflicts
`broadcast-rcon-to-ops`	`false`	Hide RCON commands from OP players

Critical: RCON authentication is plaintext. The password is sent over the wire on every connect. Never use a real password — generate a random string with a password manager.

Add the RCON port to Network

In the panel, click Network in the sidebar. Click Create Allocation and add port 25575 (or your custom port).

Note the public IP and port — that's what your RCON client will connect to.

Start the server

Start from Console. RCON activates on the new port.

Test the connection

From your local machine, install mcrcon and run:

mcrcon -H your-server-ip -P 25575 -p your-password "list"

You should see the player list. If you see "connection refused", check the Network allocation.

RCON Clients

Client	Platform	Best for
mcrcon	Windows / Mac / Linux	Quick CLI commands and scripts
rcon-cli	Cross-platform	Docker-friendly
KingsRCON	Windows GUI	Visual interface
mctools.org	Web	Quick test from a browser
Source RCON Protocol libraries	Any language	Building custom integrations

For Discord bots, use a library:

JavaScript / TypeScript: rcon-client from npm
Python: mcrcon or aiomcrcon
Go: gorcon/rcon

Security Best Practices

Generate a long random password — 20+ characters, no dictionary words
Never reuse the password elsewhere
Restrict the RCON port to known IPs if possible (use firewall rules at the network level)
Don't enable RCON on a publicly-advertised port unless you trust your firewall
Rotate the password if you ever share or accidentally commit it
Set broadcast-rcon-to-ops=false so OP players can't see what RCON is doing
Audit who has the password — every team member with access can run any command

Remember: RCON commands run as console. That means full permissions, no OP check, no rate limit. A leaked password is equivalent to giving someone server root.

Common Commands via RCON

Most server commands work the same as in Console:

mcrcon -H ip -P 25575 -p pw "say Server restarting in 5 minutes"
mcrcon -H ip -P 25575 -p pw "save-all flush"
mcrcon -H ip -P 25575 -p pw "stop"
mcrcon -H ip -P 25575 -p pw "give Steve diamond 64"
mcrcon -H ip -P 25575 -p pw "list"

Settings Reference

Setting	Default	Description
`enable-rcon`	`false`	Master switch for RCON
`rcon.password`	empty	Authentication password
`rcon.port`	`25575`	TCP port to listen on
`broadcast-rcon-to-ops`	`true`	Whether OPs see RCON command output in chat

Common Issues

Problem	Fix
Connection refused	RCON port not allocated in Network, or `enable-rcon=false`
Authentication failed	Wrong password — check `rcon.password` for typos
Connection times out	Wrong IP, or firewall blocking the port
`Empty password` error	RCON refuses empty passwords — set one
Commands run but return no output	Some commands have no output — check the actual server state
Port conflict	Change `rcon.port` to a different value, update Network allocation
RCON works locally but not remotely	Network allocation not added, or external firewall blocks it

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Using a weak / reused password	Generate a long random one — RCON is full server access
Forgetting to add the port allocation	RCON listens on the port but isn't reachable without Network entry
Sharing the password in support tickets	Reset it after sharing
Enabling RCON when Console works fine	Adds attack surface for no benefit — only enable if you need it
Not restarting after editing server.properties	RCON loads at startup

How to Set Up RCON on Your Minecraft Server

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