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CS 1.6 server commands and how to use RCON

Set rcon_password in server.cfg and send commands with rcon from your game console. Lists the server and AMX Mod X commands admins use, with their syntax.

Last checked
Steps
5
Reading time
5 min
On Hostsrc
Includes the steps for a Hostsrc server

RCON (remote console) runs server console commands from your game. Set rcon_password in server.cfg. Then, in your game console, type rcon_password with the same password, and put rcon in front of each command.

Console
rcon_password "a-long-password-only-you-know"rcon statusrcon changelevel de_inferno

Anyone with that password controls the whole server. Give moderators AMX Mod X admin rights instead: their amx_ commands are checked against the flags you give them in users.ini.

On Hostsrc

You don't need RCON to run commands on your own server. Type them in Console in the control panel, without rcon in front.

Before you start

  • A way to edit cstrike/server.cfg.
  • For AMX Mod X commands, an admin line for yourself in users.ini. The admin guide has the steps.

Steps

  1. Step 1: Set rcon_password

    Add a long rcon_password to cstrike/server.cfg, different from every other password you use. Then change the map or restart the server, so it reads the file.

    cstrike/server.cfg
    rcon_password "a-long-password-only-you-know"

    Warning

    With an empty rcon_password, RCON is off and every request gets "No password set for this server". Never paste the password in chat or show it in a screenshot.

  2. Step 2: Send a command from your game

    Join the server and open the console. Type rcon_password with the password, then rcon and the command. The password stays set until you close the game.

    Wrong passwords count against your address. 5 wrong tries within 30 seconds get it banned with addip (sv_rcon_minfailures, sv_rcon_minfailuretime). The ban lasts sv_rcon_banpenalty minutes, and the default 0 makes it permanent.

    Console
    rcon_password "a-long-password-only-you-know"rcon status

  3. Step 3: On Hostsrc: use the panel console instead

    In the control panel, open Console, type the command in the box and press Enter. Leave out rcon: the command goes straight to the server, and no password is involved.

    Server menu in the control panel with Console highlighted

    Panel as of

  4. Step 4: Give moderators AMX Mod X commands

    An admin with the right flags runs amx_ commands from their own console, without the RCON password. c allows amx_kick, d allows amx_ban, f allows amx_map and u opens amxmodmenu. The AMX Mod X table below lists each command's flag.

    #12 in the examples is a player's userid. status and amx_who show it, and it avoids mistakes with names that have spaces or symbols.

    Console
    amx_kick #12 "Spawn camping"amx_ban #12 60 "Wallhack"amx_map de_nuke

  5. Step 5: Limit RCON to your own addresses

    ReHLDS 3.14 and later, and xHLDS, add an RCON allow list. Once it has an entry, RCON works only from the addresses on it, and a right password from any other address gets that address banned. Add your own address first.

    The list lives in memory, so put the lines in server.cfg to keep them after a restart. rcon_users shows the list, and rcon_deluser removes an entry.

    cstrike/server.cfg
    rcon_adduser 198.51.100.24

Server commands

HLDS commands, which ReHLDS and xHLDS keep. Type them in the server console, or send them with rcon. Checked against the ReHLDS source on 24 October 2026.
CommandWhat it doesExample
statusLists the map and the players, with userid, SteamID and pingstatus
statsCPU, traffic, uptime, server FPS and player countstats
changelevel <map>Changes the map; players stay connectedchangelevel de_dust2
map <map>Starts a map from scratch; use changelevel while people playmap de_dust2
kick <name or #userid>Removes a player, who can join againkick #12
banid <minutes> <SteamID or #userid> kickBans a SteamID and kicks the player; 0 minutes is permanentbanid 0 #12 kick
writeidSaves SteamID bans to banned.cfg, so they survive a restartwriteid
removeid <SteamID>Lifts a SteamID banremoveid STEAM_0:1:23456789
addip <minutes> <IP>Bans an IP address; 0 minutes is permanentaddip 0 203.0.113.50
writeipSaves IP bans to listip.cfgwriteip
removeip <IP>Lifts an IP banremoveip 203.0.113.50
say <text>Sends a chat message from the serversay Restart in 5 minutes
exec <file>Runs a config file from cstrikeexec server.cfg
sv_restart <seconds>Restarts the round and the scores after the delay (a CS 1.6 setting)sv_restart 1
mp_timelimit <minutes>Minutes per map; 0 for no limitmp_timelimit 30
sv_password <text>The join password; empty for a public serversv_password ""
meta listMetamod plugins and their statusmeta list
amxx pluginsAMX Mod X plugins and their statusamxx plugins

AMX Mod X admin commands

From admincmd.sma, adminchat.sma, adminvote.sma and admin.sma in AMX Mod X 1.9.0. Typed in the admin's own game console. The flag is the letter the admin needs in users.ini.
CommandWhat it doesFlag
amx_kick <name or #userid> [reason]Kicks a playerc
amx_ban <name or #userid> <minutes> [reason]Bans by SteamID and saves the ban; 0 minutes is permanentd, or v for temporary bans
amx_banip <name or #userid> <minutes> [reason]Bans by IP addressd, or v for temporary bans
amx_addban <"SteamID" or IP> <minutes> [reason]Bans someone who isn't on the serverd
amx_unban <"SteamID" or IP>Lifts a band
amx_slay <name or #userid>Kills a playere
amx_slap <name or #userid> [power]Slaps a player, with optional damagee
amx_map <map>Changes the mapf
amx_cvar <cvar> [value]Shows or sets a server settingg
amx_cfg <file>Runs a config fileh
amx_reloadadminsReads users.ini againh
amx_say <message>Sends a message to everyonei
amx_chat <message>Sends a message to admins onlyi
amx_psay <name or #userid> <message>Sends a private messagei
amx_votemap <map> [map] [map] [map]Starts a map votej
amx_rcon <command>Runs a server commandl
amx_whoLists players and their admin flagsAny admin flag
amxmodmenuOpens the admin menuu

Troubleshooting

"Bad rcon_password." in my console

The password in your console doesn't match the server's. Check the spelling and the quotes. If you just changed it in server.cfg, change the map or restart, so the server reads it. A second line, "No password set for this server", means rcon_password is empty on the server.

RCON stopped working from my address

Your address was probably banned after wrong passwords. Run listip in the server console or the panel's Console, then removeip with your address and writeip. On ReHLDS and xHLDS, also check that rcon_users lists your current address.

A command works in the server console but not in my game

From your game, a server command needs rcon in front, or an amx_ command with your admin flag. Without either, the game runs it on your own computer, where most server commands don't exist.

amx_ban says I have no access

Your line in users.ini doesn't have the d flag, or the admins weren't reloaded. Add d, then run amx_reloadadmins in the server console or change the map.

Should I give a friend the RCON password?

No. RCON can change every setting, including rcon_password itself. Give them AMX Mod X flags for what they need instead.

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