Minecraft Server RCON Guide — Setup and Safe Usage
RCON lets you run server commands remotely, over the network, without SSH access to the machine. It's also a plaintext protocol with full console access — set it up carefully.
Enable RCON in server.properties
- enable-rcon=true
- rcon.password=<a strong password>
- rcon.port=25575 (default, can be changed)
- Restart the server for the settings to take effect — RCON doesn't hot-reload.
Connect with an RCON client
mcrcon is the standard lightweight CLI client; most hosting panels, including CoalHost's, also expose a console tab that talks RCON under the hood so you never touch the raw protocol directly.
Once connected you can run any server command exactly as if you typed it in the console: /save-all, /whitelist add, /op, custom plugin commands.
The security mistake almost everyone makes
RCON sends your password in plaintext over the connection. Never expose rcon.port to the public internet — firewall it to your own IP, or better, only connect through localhost, a VPN, or your panel's internal network.
- Use a long, random rcon.password — not your account password.
- Firewall rcon.port (25575) at the OS or cloud-provider level, separate from the game port.
- Rotate the password if you ever shared console access with someone who no longer needs it.
FAQ
What port does RCON use by default?+
25575, set via rcon.port in server.properties. It's separate from the main game port (25565) and must be opened separately if connecting from outside the host.
Is RCON safe to leave open to the internet?+
No. It's a plaintext protocol with full console access — treat the port like a database port, not a game port, and keep it firewalled to trusted IPs only.
Does RCON work with modded servers?+
Yes, RCON is part of the vanilla server and works identically on Forge, NeoForge, Fabric and Paper — it executes whatever commands your server or plugins support.
Run commands without touching raw RCON
CoalHost's panel console talks RCON for you — paste a command, see the output, no client setup.
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