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How to Set Up BattlEye Extended Controls (BEC) for Arma 3

A complete Windows-server guide to BEC for Arma 3, covering BattlEye RCon, active paths, Config.cfg, Admins.xml, Scheduler.xml, startup commands and common connection failures.
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To run BattlEye Extended Controls (BEC) for an Arma 3 dedicated server, configure BattlEye RCon first, point BEC at the BattlEye directory that the server actually uses, then start BEC with Bec.exe -f Config.cfg --dsc. BEC runs only on the server: players do not install a mod or client program. Administrator accounts, command permissions, logs, filters and restart warnings are controlled in separate BEC files.

What BEC does—and what it does not do

BEC is a server-side RCon controller

BattlEye Extended Controls is a Windows server application created by the community around BattlEye RCon. It connects to the BattlEye service exposed by an Arma 3 dedicated server and sends administrative commands, reads events and automates routine actions. BattlEye client and server files are distributed with the game, and BattlEye documents a Windows BE RCon utility and protocol.

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BEC is not an Arma 3 client-side mod. Players need no BEC installation, and adding BEC files to a client will not make an administrator connection work. The BEC process must run on the machine that hosts the dedicated server or on another machine that can reach the server’s RCon endpoint.

Expect community maintenance, not current official support

The original developer ended official BEC support and hosting in 2014. Current distributions are unofficial community forks. Check a fork’s release notes, Windows compatibility and file integrity before deploying it, and keep a copy of the exact build that works with your server. Configuration names can differ slightly between forks, so use the sample files shipped with your chosen distribution as the syntax authority.

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Requirements and decisions before installation

Required platform

  • A Windows machine running an Arma 3 dedicated server.
  • BattlEye enabled for that server.
  • Administrative access to the server’s files and to the account that will run BEC.
  • A BEC community distribution copied to the server, with its supporting XML files.
  • A firewall rule that permits the server and BEC to communicate over the selected RCon port.

Choose where BEC will run

Running BEC beside the game server is simplest: use Ip = 127.0.0.1, keep the RCon port private, and avoid exposing administration to the internet. A separate Windows host is possible, but the RCon port must be reachable from that host and restricted to its address. Do not bind an internet-facing RCon listener merely to make a remote setup convenient.

Use the files that are active, not merely present

Arma 3 installations can contain more than one BattlEye folder or architecture-specific configuration. The important directory is the one loaded by the running server. A setting in an unused copy of BEServer.cfg will not help BEC connect. Confirm the path in the server’s startup arrangement and in the server log before editing BEC.

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Recommended directory layout

Keep BEC in its own folder so that updates, logs and permissions are easy to manage. For example:

C:Arma3Server
  BattlEye
    BEServer.cfg (or the active architecture-specific equivalent)
    bans.txt
  BEC
    Bec.exe
    Config.cfg
    Admins.xml
    Commands.xml
    Scheduler.xml
    Logs

The names above are an example, not a required installation path. What matters is that BePath points to the active BattlEye directory and that every XML path in Config.cfg resolves from the BEC working directory (or uses the absolute path expected by your fork).

Step 1: Configure BattlEye RCon first

Create or verify the active server configuration

In the BattlEye directory used by the running server, create or edit BEServer.cfg. Some 64-bit server setups use an architecture-specific name such as BEServer_x64.cfg; use whichever file the server actually loads. The file must define an RCon password and an RCon port.

Choose a long, unique password and a port that is not already occupied. The port is an endpoint, not a magic BEC default: record the exact number because BEC must use the same number. If the server is local to BEC, leave the endpoint bound to loopback where the server’s BattlEye implementation permits it; if the server uses a LAN or remote BEC host, apply a firewall allow rule limited to that host.

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Create the bans file

Create an empty bans.txt in the same active BattlEye directory if it does not already exist. Several BEC builds stop during startup when this file is missing, even when no bans have been added yet. Do not create it in a similarly named backup or inactive profile directory.

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Restart or reload the server

Start the Arma 3 server with BattlEye enabled after saving the configuration. Check the server’s startup output for the BattlEye directory and RCon listener. If the server has not opened the port, BEC cannot repair that condition; fix BattlEye first.

Step 2: Install BEC on the server

Copy the distribution

Download a reputable community BEC fork, scan the archive, and extract its files into the BEC folder on the Windows host. Keep the executable and the supplied example XML files together until the first successful launch. Avoid mixing XML files from one fork with an executable from another, because command and scheduler schemas can vary.

Set the BattlEye path before anything else

The community README’s most important warning is to change BePath to match the BattlEye directory in use. An incorrect path is the most common reason for a BEC process that starts but never connects. Use a full Windows path while testing, for example C:Arma3ServerBattlEye, then confirm that the directory contains the active server configuration and bans.txt.

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Step 3: Edit Config.cfg

Core connection settings

Open the BEC sample Config.cfg and set the connection values to the server you just configured. A minimal arrangement looks like this; retain the delimiters and additional keys required by your fork:

Ip = 127.0.0.1
Port = 2306
Password = use-the-same-rcon-password
BePath = C:Arma3ServerBattlEye
Admins = Admins.xml
Commands = Commands.xml
Scheduler = Scheduler.xml

2306 is only an illustration. Replace it with the RCon port declared in the active BattlEye file. Likewise, replace the example password and path. If your fork names the password key differently, follow its shipped sample; the value must still match the server’s RCon password exactly.

Validate file references

  • BePath: the active BattlEye folder, not the Arma 3 root and not a backup profile.
  • Admins: the administrator identity file, commonly Admins.xml.
  • Commands: the command and permission definitions, commonly Commands.xml.
  • Scheduler: the timed-message and shutdown/restart schedule, commonly Scheduler.xml.
  • Log directory: a writable folder if your fork exposes a LogDir or equivalent setting.

Relative paths are interpreted from the BEC working directory by many forks. That is why starting BEC from an unrelated directory can produce “file not found” errors even when the files exist. Use absolute paths only when your fork documents that syntax, and never leave a copied sample pointing at a developer’s path.

Save credentials safely

Config.cfg contains an RCon secret. Restrict read and write permissions to the Windows account that runs the server and trusted administrators. Do not paste the password into public support posts or commit the file to a public repository.

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Step 4: Start BEC with the correct command

Test from a console

  1. Open Command Prompt on the server.
  2. Change to the BEC directory, for example cd /d C:Arma3ServerBEC.
  3. Run Bec.exe -f Config.cfg --dsc.
  4. Watch the console and BEC log for a successful connection, the loaded BattlEye path and any XML or port errors.

The -f Config.cfg option explicitly selects the configuration file. Keep --dsc exactly as documented by the distribution. Do not test by double-clicking the executable first: a console window makes path, authentication and missing-file errors visible.

Use a batch file for repeatable starts

Create a batch file in the BEC folder so the working directory and arguments are consistent:

@echo off
cd /d C:Arma3ServerBEC
Bec.exe -f Config.cfg --dsc

Run the batch file only after the Arma 3 server has started BattlEye. If BEC starts first, it may log connection failures until the listener exists; restarting BEC after the game server is ready removes that ambiguity. For unattended operation, run the batch through the Windows account and service or task arrangement you already use for the dedicated server, with a restart policy that does not spawn duplicate BEC processes.

Create a shortcut when a desktop launch is preferred

A shortcut target should point to Bec.exe -f Config.cfg and its “Start in” directory should be the BEC folder. Adding the working directory is essential when the configuration uses relative XML paths. The batch-file method is easier to audit and is generally preferable for a headless server.

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Step 5: Add administrators and command permissions

Admins.xml

Use the supplied Admins.xml schema to define administrator identities and groups. BEC forks differ in whether they identify a user by BattlEye GUID, in-game name, or another value, so copy the element names from the example file rather than inventing a new schema. Give each administrator the lowest group or permission level that meets the job, and remove stale identities when staff change.

Commands.xml

Commands.xml maps commands to groups and permissions. Start with essential actions—such as messaging, kicking and banning—then add higher-impact commands only to a smaller group. Keep a change record outside the XML files so you can restore a known-good permission set after a fork update.

Test permissions without risking a live match

  1. Connect one administrator while the server is quiet.
  2. Use a harmless status or message command to confirm authentication.
  3. Verify that a lower-privilege account cannot execute a restricted command.
  4. Check the BEC and BattlEye logs for the account, command and result.

Step 6: Configure logs, filters and player protections

BEC’s supporting configuration can provide chat and event logs, name and word filters, anti-spam controls, lobby-idle kicking, slot limits and whitelists. Enable one feature at a time and observe its log output before tightening thresholds on a populated server.

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  • Chat and event logs: store them in a directory that is writable and included in your backup plan. Rotate or archive files so a long-running server does not fill its system disk.
  • Name and word filters: begin with a short, reviewed list. Overbroad patterns can block legitimate names or chat and create moderation noise.
  • Anti-spam: tune limits against the server’s normal message rate; an aggressive setting can punish coordinated team communication.
  • Lobby-idle kicking: use a grace period that accounts for slow joins and mission loading.
  • Slot limits and whitelists: test the interaction with the mission’s own player-count rules and with scheduled restarts.

These controls are enforced by the server-side tool. They do not replace BattlEye’s detection, Arma 3 mission security or a human moderation process.

Step 7: Schedule warnings, shutdowns and restarts

Build the schedule in Scheduler.xml

Edit Scheduler.xml using the format shipped with your BEC fork. A schedule normally combines timed messages with a shutdown or restart action. The community sample sends multiple warnings before a scheduled shutdown; treat those times as examples, not universal defaults.

  1. Choose the restart time in the server’s actual Windows time zone.
  2. Add an early warning so players can finish a round.
  3. Add shorter warnings as the restart approaches.
  4. Place the shutdown or restart action after the final warning.
  5. Restart BEC or reload the schedule as required by your fork, then verify the next event in the log.

Prevent avoidable disruption

  • Align the schedule with mission rotation and peak player hours.
  • Allow enough time for the operating system, SteamCMD or your server wrapper to bring the game server back.
  • Ensure the BEC launch mechanism starts again after the game server, otherwise warnings may work once and disappear after a reboot.
  • Test one complete cycle on a private or low-population instance before applying it to a public server.

A scheduled restart is only as reliable as the process that restarts the Arma 3 server. BEC can issue the warning and shutdown command, but a separate Windows task, service wrapper or hosting control panel may be needed to launch the game server again.

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Verify the installation end to end

Connection checklist

  • The Arma 3 server log shows BattlEye enabled and the intended BattlEye directory.
  • The active BattlEye folder contains the RCon configuration and bans.txt.
  • The RCon port in BEC exactly matches the active BattlEye configuration.
  • The password in BEC exactly matches the BattlEye RCon password.
  • BePath resolves to that same directory.
  • Every XML file named in Config.cfg exists and is readable.
  • BEC was launched from its own working directory with -f Config.cfg --dsc.
  • A harmless administrator command appears in the BEC and server logs.

Expected result

BEC should remain running, report a connected RCon session and write logs while players join. A successful connection does not prove that every permission, filter or schedule is correct; test each of those separately.

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Troubleshooting by symptom

“Missing bans file” or an immediate startup error

Create bans.txt in the active BattlEye directory, not in the BEC folder unless that is also the configured BattlEye path. Confirm the Windows account can read and write the directory, then restart BEC.

BEC starts but cannot connect

  1. Compare the BEC Port with the port in the BattlEye file actually loaded by the server.
  2. Compare the RCon password character for character, including capitalization.
  3. Check BePath for a typo, stale profile or architecture-specific directory.
  4. Confirm the server is running BattlEye and listening before BEC starts.
  5. Check Windows Firewall and any network firewall between the two hosts.
  6. Run the command from the BEC directory so relative paths resolve correctly.
  7. Use the exact launch flags -f Config.cfg --dsc and inspect the first error in the log.

“File not found” for an XML file

Check the spelling and capitalization used by the fork, the BEC working directory and the path in Config.cfg. A shortcut with an empty “Start in” field commonly causes this failure. Temporarily use full paths where supported, then return to a clean, documented layout.

Commands are rejected even though RCon connects

Authentication and authorization are separate. Inspect Admins.xml for the identity value BEC expects, then inspect Commands.xml for the account’s group and command permission. Reload or restart BEC after edits if the fork does not watch files live.

Warnings never appear

Confirm that Scheduler.xml is the file loaded by Config.cfg, that the times use the server’s local time zone and that the schedule has been reloaded. Check the BEC log for XML parsing errors before changing the times.

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BEC launches twice after a reboot

Inspect Task Scheduler, a service wrapper and any hosting panel for duplicate entries. Stop both processes, keep one authoritative launch method and verify that only one process owns the RCon session.

Security and maintenance practices

  • Keep RCon bound to loopback or a restricted management network whenever possible.
  • Use a unique password and rotate it when an administrator leaves.
  • Run BEC under a dedicated Windows account with only the file permissions it needs.
  • Back up Config.cfg, XML files, schedules and logs, but protect backups because they contain credentials and moderation data.
  • Review community-fork changes before replacing a working executable or schema.
  • Record the BEC build, Arma 3 server build, Windows host and active BattlEye path for incident recovery.
  • Test restoration on a staging server instead of experimenting with a live public instance.

Self-hosting versus managed Windows hosting

BEC requires access to Windows files and BattlEye RCon. A managed provider can remove operating-system maintenance, but only if it permits the controls BEC needs. Providers such as Nitrado and ArmaHosts are examples to investigate; availability, support scope and current program compatibility must be confirmed with the provider before purchase.

Decision point Self-hosted Windows server Managed hosting
Windows availability You choose the Windows version and install the server. Only suitable when the plan supplies Windows access or an equivalent BEC-capable environment.
BattlEye/RCon access Full control of the active configuration, password and port. Provider must expose and permit BattlEye RCon settings.
File-path control Direct access to BePath, XML files and logs. Panel or restricted file access may prevent custom paths or executable launches.
Restart scheduling Use your batch file, task or service wrapper. Provider scheduler may help, but verify that it starts BEC and the game server in the right order.
Support burden You diagnose Windows, networking, BattlEye and BEC. Provider handles infrastructure; BEC itself may remain community-supported.
Backups You design and test backups. Ask what is backed up, how often and whether configuration and ban files are included.
Verified BEC availability You can install a compatible community fork yourself. Confirm the provider permits the executable and supports the required file paths before committing.

Choose self-hosting when you need unrestricted path and process control and can maintain Windows securely. Choose managed hosting when infrastructure support matters more than low-level control, but treat BEC compatibility as a prerequisite rather than an assumption.

Operational checklist for future changes

  1. Back up the current BEC folder and note the running build.
  2. Change one setting or file at a time.
  3. Validate XML syntax using the fork’s sample structure.
  4. Start the game server, then launch BEC with Bec.exe -f Config.cfg --dsc.
  5. Run a harmless command and inspect logs.
  6. Test the next scheduled warning on a staging server or during a maintenance window.
  7. Document the change and retain a rollback copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do players need to install BEC?

No. BEC is a Windows server application that communicates with BattlEye RCon; it is not a client-side Arma 3 mod.

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Which port should I enter in Config.cfg?

Use the exact RCon port declared in the BattlEye configuration loaded by your running server. Any example port is only illustrative.

Why does BEC complain about bans.txt?

Create an empty bans.txt in the active BattlEye directory and ensure the BEC account can read and write that folder.

Can BEC restart the server by itself?

BEC can issue scheduled warnings and a shutdown or restart command through Scheduler.xml. A separate Windows task, service wrapper or hosting control panel may be needed to launch the Arma 3 process again.

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