RCON Next

RCON-Next

RCON-Next adds a password-authenticated, server-side Source RCON endpoint to Valheim dedicated servers running BepInEx 5. It lets an RCON client connect to the server and run commands provided by compatible BepInEx plugins.

Only the dedicated server needs this mod. Players do not install it on their game clients.

What this mod provides

• Password-authenticated Source RCON access over TCP.
• Compatibility with common Source RCON clients.
• Connection and packet limits designed to protect server resources.
• Compatibility with plugins built for the earlier rcon integration.

RCON-Next provides the connection and authentication layer; it does not add Valheim administration commands by itself. To run native Valheim console commands such as save, also install RCON-Next Valheim.

Installation

Do not install RCON-Next directly. Instead, use a -compatible mod manager to install the game-specific RCON-Next bridge for your dedicated server. For example, Valheim servers should install RCON-Next-Valheim.

RCON-Next and its game-specific bridges are BepInEx 5 plugins and thus require BepInEx 5 to already be installed. RCON-Next provides the core RCON server functionality, while the bridge integrates that functionality with a particular game. RCON-Next is therefore not intended to be installed by itself.

A game-specific bridge depends on RCON-Next. When the bridge is installed through a mod manager, the mod manager also installs RCON-Next and the appropriate game-specific BepInEx pack as dependencies.

For a manual installation, first ensure that the appropriate BepInEx 5 pack is installed on the dedicated server. Then download and extract both RCON-Next and the appropriate game-specific bridge into the game server directory. The RCON-Next plugin should be located at:

BepInEx/plugins/RconNext/rcon.dll

Follow the bridge's installation instructions for any additional files or configuration.

RCON-Next replaces the earlier rcon.dll plugin. Do not install both implementations at the same time. Remove the old plugin before installing RCON-Next.

Configuration

Start the server once after installation. BepInEx will create:

BepInEx/config/com.github.ferrinius.rcon-next.cfg

Stop the server, edit the file, and configure the endpoint:

[rcon-next]

enabled = true

port = 2458

password = replace-with-a-strong-password

| Setting | Default | Description |

|------------|------------|-------------|

| enabled | false | Enables the RCON listener after the next server start. |

| port | 2458 | TCP port used by RCON clients. Valid values are 1 through 65535. |

| password | ChangeMe | Password required from RCON clients. This default is deliberately rejected. |

The password must not be empty and may contain printable ASCII characters only. RCON-Next refuses to start its listener while the password is still ChangeMe.

A ready-to-edit configuration example is included in the package and available in the repository.

Restart the dedicated server after changing the configuration. A successful startup writes a message similar to this to the BepInEx log:

RCON-Next is listening on TCP port 2458.

Connecting

Use a client that supports the Source RCON protocol and enter:

• The address of the Valheim dedicated server.
• The configured RCON TCP port.
• The configured RCON password.

If the server is behind a firewall, container, or router, allow or forward the configured TCP port. UDP forwarding alone is not sufficient.

Available commands depend on the other installed server plugins. With RCON-Next Valheim installed, native server-console commands such as save can be invoked through the same connection.

Upgrading from the earlier rcon plugin

RCON-Next cannot be installed beside the earlier rcon.dll implementation because both use the same plugin and file names. Remove the earlier DLL first.

If the old nl.avii.plugins.rcon.cfg exists and RCON-Next does not yet have its own configuration file, RCON-Next imports the old settings on first sta