Skip to content Nodecraft
Support / Rust / Setting up the RustAdmin RCON tool

Setting up the RustAdmin RCON tool

What is an "RCON" tool?

Rust has no console by default, so there's no normal way to issue commands to the server from inside the game, or from the Nodecraft control panel. To issue commands to the server, you will need to use what is called an "RCON" tool, which stands for "remote console". Without the RCON tool, the server is a black box, and you have no idea what it's doing internally.

The RCON will create a two-way connection with the server, allowing you to send it commands, and then see output and confirmations from those commands running.

Enable RCON Access on Your Rust Server

Before you even install or use an RCON tool, you need to change some settings on the Nodecraft control panel for your Rust Server to allow RCON connections from an RCON tool.

Click on "Game Settings" on the leftmost side of the Nodecraft server control panel, and then click the "Advanced" tab on the blue bar across the middle of the screen.

A view of Nodepanel's Advanced settings for a Rust server, with the goal of configuring RCON for an RCON tool.

On this page, do the following:

  • Enter an RCON password

  • Click the "Enable Web RCON" box

  • Make a mental note of what your "Server Port" and "RCON Port" are set to, you will need them for later. It's recommended to have it be different from your server's Query Port, we've setup ours to 28017.

  • You will also want to make a note of your IP address from the "Overview" page in your panel for later as well.

Then click Save at the bottom of that screen to save all those settings.

You will need to Restart your server for these changes to apply.

The Server Restart button in NodePanel

Once your Rust server's status is "Server Online" it is now set up to receive RCON connections.

Create a RustAdmin account

In order to use the RustAdmin client, you will need to create an account on their website: https://www.rustadmin.com/

Add Your Server to Your RustAdmin Account

After you have created your account and are logged into it from their website, you need to add the server to your RustAdmin account and Verify it.

Adding your Rust server to your RustAdmin account

Verifying your Nodecraft Rust server on RustAdmin

Download and setup RustAdmin

You can download RustAdmin from the same website. It will download as a zip file.

You do not need to "install" it. Simply unzip the package, open the folder inside and it's ready to be used wherever you unzipped it.

Start RustAdmin

To use RustAdmin, double-click on the RustAdmin.exe file.

The file contents of RustAdmin zip package showing the exe file to run

Enter Connection Information on the Configuration Screen

Change the settings on this page and save it. Once you've entered all this information on the configuration screen, it will allow you to connect to your server by simply clicking on one button later on.

  • Make sure the RCON type is set to "WebRcon"

  • Enter the server port for Rust, 28015

  • Enter the RCON port, 28017

  • Enter the RCON password you set earlier.

Be sure to Save the configuration near the bottom of the RustAdmin client.

A view of RustAdmin's gui, adding a Rust server's information to connect via RCON

Connect to the Server with RCON

To make a connection to your Rust server, click on the "Server" button on the dark grey bar at the top of the RustAdmin window, then click "Connect". It should form a connection based on the information you entered on the configuration screen.

Connecting RustAdmin to your Rust server

If everything is set up correctly, you will see "Connected" in green letters on the lower left edge of the window.

The confirmation that RustAdmin is connected to your Rust server

Unless something is currently happening on the Rust server, you probably won't see anything else happening on other parts of the screen. You will generally only see something appear in the console section of RustAdmin if you have run a command.

Entering Commands in the RCON Window

You can enter commands in the lowest box in the Console tab, and you will see output from those commands appear in the console window above.

The RustAdmin Console to give commands to your server

How to Become an Admin

Please follow our article on how to make yourself an Admin on your Rust Server.

Rust Icon
Create a Rust Server today!
Start Free Trial

Chat blocked!

Nodecraft is an ad-free website! Disable adblock if you have any questions.