How to Use RCON to Run Commands on Your Squad Server

The RiverHosting panel includes a built-in RCON console for your Squad server. RCON (Remote Console) lets you send admin commands directly to your running server from your browser. You can kick or ban players, change the current layer, broadcast messages, and more, all without needing any external tool or third-party software.

Before you start

• Your Squad server must be running before you can send RCON commands. If it is stopped, start it first from the Console page.
• You must be the server owner or a subuser with admin access to use the RCON page.
• RCON commands take effect immediately, so double-check any command before you send it.

1. How to open the RCON console

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com.
2. Select your Squad server from the server list.
3. In the left-hand menu, click RCON.
4. The RCON page will open. You will see a command input field and a response area where the server replies appear.

2. How to send a command

1. Click inside the command input field at the bottom of the RCON page.
2. Type your command. For example, to broadcast a message to all players, type:

AdminBroadcast Server will restart in 10 minutes.

3. Press Enter or click the send button.
4. The server's response will appear in the output area above the input field. If the command was accepted, you will usually see a confirmation message.

3. Common Squad RCON commands

Here are some of the most useful RCON commands for day-to-day server management.

• AdminBroadcast <message> sends a message to all players on the server.
• AdminKick <PlayerName> <reason> kicks a player from the server.
• AdminBan <PlayerName> <duration> <reason> bans a player. Use 0 as the duration for a permanent ban.
• AdminChangeLayer <LayerName> changes the current layer immediately.
• AdminSetNextLayer <LayerName> sets the next layer in the rotation without changing the current one.
• AdminForceTeamChange <PlayerName> moves a player to the opposite team.
• AdminDemoteCommander <PlayerName> removes a player from the commander role.
• ListPlayers shows a list of all currently connected players and their IDs.
• ListLayers shows all available layers you can switch to.

4. How to manage admins alongside RCON

RCON lets you run commands in real time, but you can also manage which players have admin privileges directly from the panel. To add or remove admins on your Squad server, click Admins in the left-hand menu. Admins listed there will have in-game admin rights, which works alongside the RCON commands you run from the panel.

Troubleshooting

• The RCON page shows no response after a command. Make sure your server is running. A stopped or crashed server cannot receive RCON commands. Go to the Console page to check the server status and restart it if needed.
• A command returns an error or is not recognised. Check the spelling of the command name. Squad RCON commands are case-sensitive. For example, adminbroadcast will not work but AdminBroadcast will.
• A player name is not found. Use ListPlayers first to see the exact name as it appears on the server, then copy it into your command.
• The RCON page loads but the connection times out. Your server may still be starting up. Wait a minute for it to fully load and try again.
• You cannot see the RCON option in the menu. You may be logged in as a subuser without RCON access. Ask the server owner to check your permissions under the Users section.

Need help?

If you run into an issue that is not covered here, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.