How to Set Up a Password for Your The Forest Server

Adding a password to your The Forest server is one of the easiest ways to keep your game private. Whether you are playing with a small group of friends or just want to stop random players from dropping in, a server password means only the people you share it with can connect.

This guide walks you through setting a password on your The Forest server using the RiverHosting panel. No file editing is required.

Before you start

• You need an active The Forest server with RiverHosting.
• Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com and open your server.
• You will need to restart your server after saving the change for it to take effect.

1. Open the Startup page

The join password is a launch setting, so it lives on the Startup page, not on Server Config. The Server Config page only shows it read only (as "None (public server)" or "(private)") and points you to Startup.

1. Log in to the RiverHosting panel at panel.riverhosting.com.
2. Click on your The Forest server to open its management page.
3. In the left-hand menu, click Startup.

You will see the server's startup variables. Look for the join password variable, SERVER_PASS.

2. Set your server password

1. On the Startup page, find the join password (SERVER_PASS) field.
2. Click the field and type the password you want to use, up to 20 characters. Keep it easy to share with your group.
3. Once you have entered the password, click Save Changes.

3. Restart your server to apply the change

The password will not become active until the server restarts. You can restart it straight from the panel.

1. Click the Console option in the left-hand menu.
2. Click Restart and wait for the server to come back online. This usually takes less than a minute.
3. Once the server is back online, the password will be active.

4. Share the password with your players

Your players will need two things to join your server:

• A way to find your server. The Forest has no connect by IP screen, so players find it in the in-game multiplayer server browser by its name. That only works once a Steam Game Server Login Token is set under Identity & Visibility on the Server Config page and the server has restarted.
• The password you just set.

When a player tries to connect, The Forest will show them a password prompt before they can enter the game. They simply type in the password and click join.

5. How to remove or change the password

If you want to open your server to the public or update the password, the process is the same as setting it the first time.

1. Go back to Startup in the left-hand menu.
2. Find the join password (SERVER_PASS) field.
3. To remove the password, clear the field completely and leave it blank. To change it, type the new password.
4. Click Save Changes, then restart the server so the change takes effect.

Troubleshooting

• Players say the password is not working: Double-check the password on the Startup page, and make sure players are not using the admin password. Make sure there are no extra spaces at the start or end of the field. Save and restart the server again.
• I cannot edit the password in Server Config: That is expected. Server Config only shows the join password read only; change it on the Startup page. If the field does not appear there either, contact RiverHosting support.
• Players cannot find the server at all: Make sure a Steam Game Server Login Token (app ID 242760) is set on the Server Config page and the server has been restarted since.
• The server is not prompting for a password: The server may not have fully restarted yet. Wait a moment and check the Console to confirm the server is online, then try connecting again.
• Players can join without a password: This usually means the server is still running with the old config. Restart the server again from the Console page.

Need help?

If you run into any issues that are not covered here, the RiverHosting support team is happy to help.