Why am I getting an RCON Error, and how do Query and RCON ports work? An RCON Error means the panel couldn’t complete an RCON handshake. Check that RCON is enabled, a password is set, and the port matches exactly what’s listed in your panel’s Network tab, Minecraft sets these in server.properties, while Rust sets them as Startup tab parameters instead.
What the Network tab shows
Your panel’s Network tab lists every port allocated to your server, the main game port plus extras like Query and RCON. These are already open and pointed at your server, it’s a reference for the values you’ll enter elsewhere.
Almost every game auto-assigns its ports out of the box, which is why this rarely needs touching. But this guide’s principle applies to nearly any server: find the matching port fields in your game’s own configuration, whether that’s a file like server.properties or the panel’s Startup tab, and make sure each one matches what’s listed on the Network tab.
Minecraft typically auto-assigns all of its ports for you, though they can sometimes get overridden by users. Rust works the other way, it always needs its ports entered manually, see our Rust networking setup guide for the exact values.
Query and RCON are two different things
Query answers basic info, player count, map, version, to tools like server browsers and Discord bots, without logging in.
RCON (Remote Console) is an authenticated connection that runs admin commands remotely. It’s what powers player-management features in your panel, on Minecraft that’s the Game Players tab, no working RCON connection means no player management.
Minecraft: enable Query and RCON in server.properties
Edit server.properties through your panel’s file editor and set these five keys.
| Setting | File | Default | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| enable-query | server.properties |
false | true |
query.port |
server.properties |
same as server port | match the Network tab |
| enable-rcon | server.properties |
false | true |
rcon.password |
server.properties |
(blank) | set a strong password |
rcon.port |
server.properties |
an available port, separate from the game port | match the Network tab |
Tip: Port values must match exactly what’s listed in your panel’s Network tab. A mismatch here is the single most common cause of an RCON Error.
Why player management suddenly breaks after a migration
server.properties sometimes gets overwritten when people merge in settings from an old server during a migration. That silently resets RCON (and Query) back to disabled, or wipes the password.
Since the Game Players tab depends entirely on a working RCON connection, a bad merge here is exactly what breaks player management right after a migration, not anything wrong with the new server itself.
Tip: See our migration guide for what to back up safely, and double-check your RCON settings survived the merge before assuming something else broke.
Fixing an “RCON Error” when loading player info
This error means the panel couldn’t complete an RCON handshake. Check the same three things every time: RCON is enabled, a password is set, and the port matches your Network tab exactly.
Fix whichever is wrong, save, and restart the server. The Game Players tab reconnects automatically once RCON answers.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Game Players tab show an RCON Error?
The panel could not complete an RCON handshake. Check that RCON is enabled, a password is set, and the port matches your Network tab exactly.
What is the difference between Query and RCON?
Query answers basic info like player count, map, and version without logging in. RCON is an authenticated connection that runs admin commands remotely and powers player management in your panel.
Why did player management break after I migrated my server?
server.properties often gets overwritten when old settings are merged in during a migration, which can reset RCON to disabled or wipe its password.