How to Change the Server Name, Password and RCON on Your Garry's Mod Server

Garry's Mod2 min readUpdated Oct 24, 2026

The server name and the join password of your Garry's Mod server are set in one config file, and RCON has its own place on the Startup page. This guide shows where to change all three.

Open server.cfg

  • Log in to your game panel and click your Garry's Mod server.
  • Open Files in the left menu.
  • Open the garrysmod folder, then the cfg folder.
  • Click server.cfg. It opens in the built-in editor.

Change the Server Name

  • Find the line that starts with hostname.
  • Replace the text between the quotes with your own name:
hostname "My Garry's Mod Server"
  • Keep the quotes around the name.

Set a Password

  • Find the line that starts with sv_password.
  • Put your password between the quotes:
sv_password "mysecretpassword"
  • To make the server public again, leave the quotes empty: sv_password "".
  • Click Save and then restart the server from the Console page.

Set the RCON Password

RCON is not set in server.cfg. The file itself says to use the startup parameters.

  • Open Startup in the left menu.
  • Find the Additional Arguments field and type:
+rcon_password yourpassword -usercon
  • The panel saves the field by itself. Restart the server from the Console page.

Check the Join Card

  • Go to the Console page after the restart.
  • When a password is set, the Console command in the How players join card includes it, and the card notes that the command contains the password.
  • Share that command or the Address with your players.

Good to Know

  • Changes apply after a restart. The server reads server.cfg every time it starts.
  • Avoid special characters in passwords. Quotes and semicolons can break the config line, so use letters and numbers.
  • RCON is optional. The panel console does the same job without RCON, so you only need it for external tools. The RCON port is the game port.
  • Keep your passwords private. RCON gives full control over the server. Only share it with people you trust.
  • Server list. To show the server in the public server browser you also need a login token. See how to get a Steam Game Server Login Token.

Finished

Your server now has its own name and password, and RCON is ready if you need it. Next, see the server settings explained to tune the rest of your server.

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