How to Use RCON to Run Commands on Your Factorio Server

The RiverHosting panel includes a built-in RCON console for your Factorio server. RCON stands for Remote Console, and it lets you send commands directly to your running server from inside the panel. You do not need any external tools, and you do not need to touch any configuration files. This guide walks you through finding the RCON page and using it to run commands on your server.

Before you start

• Make sure you have an active Factorio server with RiverHosting. If you do not have one yet, you can order from riverhosting.com.
• Your server must be running before you can send RCON commands. If your server is stopped, start it first from the Console page.
• You need to be the owner of the server or a subuser with sufficient permissions to access the RCON page.

1. How to open the RCON console in the panel

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com.
2. Click on your Factorio server from the server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click RCON.
4. The RCON page will load with a text input field and a command history area.

2. How to send a command using RCON

1. On the RCON page, click inside the command input field at the bottom of the page.
2. Type your command. Factorio RCON commands start with a forward slash. For example, to print a message to all players, type /print Hello from the server!
3. Press Enter or click the Send button.
4. The response from the server will appear in the output area above the input field.

:::example[Common Factorio RCON commands] Here are a few commands you can try from the RCON console:

• /print [message] sends a visible message to all players on the server.
• /kick [username] removes a player from the server temporarily.
• /ban [username] bans a player from the server.
• /unban [username] removes a ban for a player.
• /admins lists all current admins on the server.
• /promote [username] gives a player admin rights on the server.
• /demote [username] removes admin rights from a player.
• /time shows the current in-game time.
• /evolution shows the current enemy evolution factor.

3. How to manage admins using RCON

You can also promote and manage server admins directly from the RCON console. This is useful if you want to give a trusted player admin access without editing any files.

1. Go to the RCON page in your server's left-hand menu.
2. To make a player an admin, type /promote [username] and replace [username] with their exact Factorio username.
3. Press Enter to send the command. The server will confirm the change in the output area.
4. To remove admin rights, use /demote [username] in the same way.
5. To see your current list of admins at any time, type /admins and press Enter.

Troubleshooting

• The RCON input is greyed out or disabled. Your server is not running. Go to the Console page, start the server, and wait for it to finish loading before returning to the RCON page.
• My command returned no output. Some commands do not produce visible output unless there is a result to show. Try /admins or /time to confirm the connection is working.
• I get an error saying the command is unknown. Double-check the command spelling. Factorio commands are case-sensitive in some situations, and the forward slash at the start is required.
• I promoted a player but they do not see admin controls in-game. The player may need to disconnect and reconnect to the server for the admin status to take effect.
• The RCON page is not visible in my menu. RCON access may be restricted to the server owner or subusers with specific permissions. Ask the server owner to check your access level under the Users section.

Need help?

If you run into any issues with the RCON console or have questions about running commands on your Factorio server, the RiverHosting support team is ready to help.