Arma 3 RCON usually fails because the server is reading a different BattlEye configuration than the one you edited, the RCON port is blocked or collides with a game port, the password is wrong, or an unnecessary RConIP bind restricts access. Stop the server, edit the active BEServer.cfg or BEServer_x64.cfg, set a separate open port and matching password, restart, and verify the startup log before troubleshooting the client.
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What must be true for Arma 3 RCON to work
Arma 3 administration RCON is provided by BattlEye. A client does not connect to the normal game query or gameplay port; it opens a separate BattlEye RCON listener. The server therefore needs two required settings in the BattlEye configuration that it actually loads:
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RConPassword change-this-to-a-long-private-password
RConPort 2301BattlEye documents both RConPassword and RConPort as required. The RCON port must be different from every game-server port. Bohemia’s documentation uses 2301 as an example when the game server uses 2302; 2301 is not a universal default, so use a free port that your host allows.
For a normal server with one network interface, leave RConIP unset. A mistaken value such as 127.0.0.1 binds RCON to localhost, so only software on the server can connect. A private, obsolete or otherwise incorrect address can have the same effect for remote administrators.
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Repair the configuration in the correct order
1. Stop the server before editing
Shut down the Arma 3 server cleanly. Editing while it is running can be overwritten on shutdown, and a restart is required before BattlEye reads changed RCON settings. If a hosting panel offers separate stop and restart controls, use stop first, make the change, then start it again so you know which process read the file.
2. Find the BattlEye directory the process really uses
Look at the server start command, service definition or hosting control panel for the BattlEye path. Dedicated-server launches commonly specify a BattlEye working directory with the -BEpath parameter. The directory you browse manually may not be the directory passed to the running process.
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BEServer.cfgis used by the traditional server executable.BEServer_x64.cfgis used by the 64-bit server executable.
Some hosts expose more than one BattlEye folder. Edit the file in the active path, not a backup, template or folder belonging to another instance. If several servers run on the machine, verify the path and port for each instance separately. A valid-looking file in an inactive folder is indistinguishable from a broken setting until you compare it with the launch parameters and startup log.
3. Add the two required directives
Open the active file as plain text and add one directive per line:
RConPassword use-a-unique-password-here
RConPort 2301Do not add quotation marks, commas or an equals sign. The client password must match the value exactly, including capitalization and punctuation. BattleMetrics documents a maximum password length of 32 characters for its Arma 3 support; staying at or below 32 characters avoids rejection by clients that enforce that limit. Use a random password that is not reused for the game-panel account, operating-system account or another service.
Keep a private record of which port belongs to which server instance. A copied configuration can accidentally give two instances the same RCON port, causing one listener to fail or sending an administrator to the wrong server. The port in the file, the panel field and the client must be identical.
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4. Remove RConIP while diagnosing
Delete any RConIP line temporarily. Leaving it absent lets BattlEye listen normally on the server’s available interface. Add a specific bind only when you have a documented multi-interface requirement and know the address is reachable from the administrator’s network. Never use a loopback or private address when the client is outside that network.
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An explicit bind is especially easy to invalidate after a provider migration, reboot or network redesign. Prove that the unbound configuration works first; only then introduce a bind and retest from the same external network. If access stops immediately after adding it, remove the line again rather than changing unrelated ports.
5. Pick a free, separately reachable port
Choose a TCP/UDP port that is not used by the game, Steam query, voice, mod, web-panel or another server process. The exact transport requirements can depend on the RCON client and host implementation, so allow the protocol your provider documents for BattlEye RCON. Most importantly, every rule must use the same number: the RConPort value, the host firewall rule, any router forward, cloud security-group rule and the client connection setting.
Do not enter the Arma game port merely because players connect there. If the game is on 2302 and RCON is configured on 2301, an RCON client pointed at 2302 will fail even though the game itself is reachable. Conversely, changing the RCON value without changing the firewall or port-forward rule simply moves the failure to a new number.
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A listening RCON service is not enough if a firewall drops the packets. Check these layers in order:
- Operating-system firewall: create an inbound rule for the selected RCON port and the required protocol. Make the rule as narrow as practical, restricting source addresses to your administration network when your workflow permits.
- Router or NAT: forward the external RCON port to the server’s current private address. Reserve the server’s DHCP lease so the destination does not change.
- Cloud security group: add an inbound rule for the same port and protocol, with the correct source range.
- Provider firewall: some game hosts apply an additional edge firewall. Their panel may require a separate allow rule even when the guest operating system is open.
Bohemia identifies firewalls as a cause of multiplayer connection failures, and BattleMetrics specifically notes that local, external and provider firewalls can block RCON traffic. Opening only the normal game ports does not open RCON. On an OVH GAME-style setup or another managed host, check the provider-level rule as well as the operating-system rule; an allow rule in only one place is insufficient.
7. Restart and verify the active configuration
Start the server again and inspect the startup log generated by that instance. Confirm that BattlEye starts without a configuration error and that the process is using the directory you edited. If the log references a different path, stop the server and move the settings to that path rather than continuing to change the wrong file.
A similarly named file can appear valid while having no effect. This is the most common reason an administrator sees no change after correcting a password or port. Save a sanitized copy of the file and note the restart time so log entries can be matched to the configuration change.
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8. Connect with the public address and exact RCON port
In the RCON client, enter the server’s public IP address or DNS name, the configured RConPort, and the exact RConPassword. Do not use the game port unless you deliberately configured RCON to use that same number, which is contrary to BattlEye’s requirement that it differ from the game ports. When testing from the server itself, a local address can produce a misleading success; test from the same network location used for administration.
If a hostname is used, verify that it resolves to the current public address and that the client is not silently substituting a saved game port. When a panel has separate fields for game, query and RCON ports, fill the RCON field explicitly rather than relying on an automatic default.
9. Use a second client as a control test
Try another BattlEye-compatible RCON client with the same address, port and password. If the second client connects, the server configuration and network path are probably working; investigate the original client’s protocol support, custom-port handling, credential storage or outbound firewall. If both clients fail, focus on the active BattlEye file, port reachability, password and server logs. This A/B test prevents spending hours changing a healthy server to compensate for one client.
When comparing tools, check whether each one supports BattlEye RCON for Arma 3 rather than a different administration protocol, accepts a custom port, reports DNS or socket errors separately from authentication errors, and keeps useful connection logs. A client that assumes the game port can appear broken even when the server is correctly configured.
10. Reconnect after an automatic restart
Bohemia documents a specific post-restart behavior: BattlEye-enabled, password-protected servers may require a manual reconnect after the game has been automatically restarted to enable BattlEye. If an automated update, watchdog or hosting panel restarted the process, connect to the BattlEye-enabled server again before treating a missing RCON session as a new configuration failure.
Diagnose the symptom instead of guessing
| Symptom | Most likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Client reports failed to connect immediately | Port blocked, wrong public address or no listener | Confirm the active config path, restart, inspect the startup log, then check host, cloud, router and operating-system firewall rules for the RCON port. |
| Connection reaches the server but authentication fails | Password mismatch or unsupported password length | Copy the value exactly from the active file, remove accidental spaces or quotes, and keep it within the 32-character limit documented for ArmA 3 support by BattleMetrics. |
| Local connection works but remote connection fails | RConIP bound to localhost/private interface, NAT or edge firewall | Remove RConIP, verify the public-to-private forward and check provider and cloud rules. |
| Changing the file has no effect | Wrong BattlEye directory or wrong file variant | Match BEServer.cfg versus BEServer_x64.cfg to the executable and verify -BEpath and the startup log. |
| RCON works until the server restarts | Automatic restart state or configuration not persisted | Reconnect manually after the restart and confirm the service launches with the same BattlEye path and file. |
| One client fails while another works | Client-specific protocol, port or network problem | Compare BattlEye RCON support, custom-port settings, stored credentials, outbound firewall behavior and connection logs. |
| Players can join but administrators cannot use RCON | Game ports are open but the separate RCON port is not | Open and forward the RCON port independently; player connectivity does not prove RCON reachability. |
Port and binding checks for advanced cases
Multiple server instances
Every instance needs an unshared RCON port and its own active BattlEye directory. A port collision can prevent one process from listening or cause administrators to reach the wrong instance. Record each instance’s game port, RCON port, executable, -BEpath and firewall rule in one inventory.
Multiple network interfaces
Servers with public and private interfaces, VPNs or management NICs can make an explicit bind useful, but it also creates another failure point. First prove that RCON works with no RConIP. Only then bind to an address that exists on the host and is routable from the client network. If the address changes after a reboot or provider migration, the bind becomes invalid until updated.
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Private servers and carrier NAT
If the server is behind carrier-grade NAT or a provider network that does not offer inbound forwarding, local firewall changes cannot make the port reachable from the internet. Ask the host whether a public IPv4 address, port mapping or supported relay is available. Do not expose a management port through an unapproved workaround.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to compare RCON clients or hosting panels
When selecting a client, verify that it speaks BattlEye RCON rather than a different game-administration protocol. Check four practical capabilities:
- Explicit BattlEye RCON protocol support for Arma 3.
- Ability to enter a custom host and port instead of assuming the game port.
- Clear authentication and connection-error messages.
- Logs that show whether failure occurred during DNS, socket connection or password authentication.
For a hosting panel, confirm that you can access the active BattlEye directory, read startup logs, create custom firewall rules and preserve the RCON port across restarts. A panel that exposes only game-port controls may leave RCON unreachable even when the server itself is healthy. Also ask whether automatic restarts alter the BattlEye path or require a manual reconnect; that behavior should be documented before you rely on unattended administration.
BattleMetrics’ troubleshooting guidance, updated February 5, 2024, is particularly explicit about checking local and external firewalls, omitting unnecessary RConIP, and keeping ArmA 3 passwords within 32 characters. Treat those as compatibility checks, not as a reason to assume every host uses the same panel layout.
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Secure the working setup
- Use a long, unique password within the client’s supported length and never publish it in screenshots, tickets or chat.
- Restrict firewall sources to fixed administrator IP addresses or a private management network where feasible.
- Use a non-game RCON port, but do not treat an unusual port as authentication; filtering and a strong password still matter.
- Keep the BattlEye file readable only by the account that runs the server and trusted administrators.
- Review connection and server logs after changing access rules, and rotate the password if it was exposed.
- Document the public address, RCON port and instance name in a secure operations record so an administrator does not accidentally test a different server.
What to collect before escalating
If the checks above do not resolve the problem, prepare a reproducible report instead of sending only the client’s generic error. Capture:
- Exact Arma 3 server build and operating system.
- Launch command, including the complete
-BEpathvalue. - Whether the executable is 32-bit or 64-bit and which configuration filename is active.
- A sanitized copy of the active configuration, replacing the real password.
- Public address, RCON port, game ports and the source network used for testing.
- Operating-system, router, cloud security-group and provider-firewall rules for that port.
- Client name and version, full error text and whether a second client was tested.
- Server log lines from startup through the first connection attempt.
Use Bohemia Interactive’s Feedback Tracker for reproducible Arma 3 defects. For failures isolated to BattlEye itself, provide the same sanitized configuration and logs to BattlEye support. Never include the live RCON password in either report. Include the exact time of the test and whether it followed an automatic restart, since that distinguishes a persistent configuration fault from the documented post-restart reconnect behavior.
Quick recovery checklist
- Stop the server.
- Confirm the executable,
-BEpathand activeBEServer.cfgorBEServer_x64.cfg. - Set
RConPasswordand a freeRConPortdifferent from all game ports. - Remove
RConIPwhile testing. - Allow and forward that exact port through every firewall and NAT layer.
- Restart and read the BattlEye startup log.
- Connect to the public address with the exact port and password.
- Test a second BattlEye RCON client.
- After an automatic restart, manually reconnect before changing configuration again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which port does BattlEye RCON use?
There is no universal Arma 3 RCON port. Set a free value with RConPort; 2301 is Bohemia’s example when the game port is 2302. The chosen value must differ from every game-server port and must be opened in every firewall, NAT and provider rule.
Where do I put RConPassword?
Put RConPassword in the active BattlEye file: BEServer.cfg for the traditional executable or BEServer_x64.cfg for the 64-bit executable. Confirm the directory from the launch command or -BEpath; a copy in another folder has no effect.
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Usually no. Remove RConIP while troubleshooting. An incorrect value can bind RCON to localhost or an unreachable private interface. Add it only for a known multi-interface requirement and only after unbound RCON works.
Why does my RCON client say failed to connect when players can join?
Gameplay and RCON use separate ports. Player access proves only that the game ports are reachable. Check that the client uses the configured RCON port and that the operating-system, router, cloud and provider firewalls allow that port and required protocol.
Why does authentication fail even though the port is open?
The password may not match the active file, may contain an accidental quote or space, or may exceed a client’s limit. Copy it exactly, restart after editing, and keep it at or below BattleMetrics’ documented 32-character maximum for ArmA 3 support.
How can I tell whether the client or server is at fault?
Run a second BattlEye-compatible RCON client with the same address, port and password. Success with the second tool points to the first client or its network path; failure with both points back to the active configuration, listener, firewall or password.
Why did RCON stop working after an automatic restart?
Bohemia notes that BattlEye-enabled, password-protected servers may require a manual reconnect after an automatic restart. Reconnect to the BattlEye-enabled server first, then verify that the same BattlEye path and configuration were launched.
What should I send to support?
Provide the server build, operating system, launch parameters and -BEpath, active filename, sanitized configuration, RCON and game ports, all relevant firewall or NAT rules, client version and complete error text, plus startup logs. Never include the live RCON password.
The Bottom Line
Most Arma 3 RCON failures are configuration-path, port, firewall, binding or credential mistakes rather than a problem with the game server itself. Use the active BattlEye file, set required RConPassword and separate RConPort values, remove RConIP while testing, open the same port at every network layer, verify the startup log, and confirm with a second client. Reconnect manually after automatic restarts before changing settings again.
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