server.hostname (Rust server ConVar)
How server.hostname sets the name in the Rust server browser, changing it without a restart, quoting, and why writecfg does not keep it.
Last updated Verified on Rust build 25582902, 2026-09-28
- Kind
- Variable
- Value on build 25582902
Rust Server- Server help text
- (Generated) Server name displayed in the server browser
- Applies
- Immediately (runtime)
- Persists in
- server.cfg
- Vanilla Rust
- Yes, native
- Example
server.hostname "My Rust Server | Weekly | EU"
Gotchas
- Not written to serverauto.cfg by server.writecfg, so a name set only over RCON is lost on restart.
- Wrap the value in double quotes in server.cfg when it contains spaces.
server.hostname is the server's name in the Rust server browser. The server's help text, which Facepunch marks as generated: "Server name displayed in the server browser". It is also the name a Steam A2S query returns.
Applying a change
It can be set on a running server, with no restart, over RCON or in the server console:
server.hostname "My Rust Server | Weekly | EU"
Send server.hostname with nothing after it and the server prints the name it is using now. The value we read on our test server was Rust Server, which is the default Panelra writes, not something Rust picks.
Keeping it after a restart
A name set over RCON is not saved by server.writecfg; our test server's serverauto.cfg had no server.hostname line. Keep it in server.cfg:
server.hostname "My Rust Server | Weekly | EU"
Wrap the value in double quotes when it has spaces, as above. Facepunch's server guide says server.cfg is read at startup and takes priority over the command line, so do not also pass +server.hostname in the startup arguments.
Name, tags and description
The name is one of several things the browser shows. Wipe day and region often end up in the name because they are what players scan for; server.tags gives the browser proper tags for the same information, and server.description carries the longer text.
In Panelra
Server name is under Settings and applies instantly: Panelra sends it over RCON, and it is part of the server.cfg Panelra regenerates on every apply and start, written quoted, so it survives a restart.
Set it in Panelra
Change server.hostname from the dashboard instead of editing files over SSH.
Related ConVars
- server.description(Generated) Short description of the server shown to players in the server browser
- server.url(Generated) Server website URL displayed in the server browser; leave empty to show no link
- server.headerimage(Generated) URL of the banner/header image shown at the top of this server's page in the server browser
- server.tagsComma-separated server browser tag values (see wiki)
Skip the manual work: install the Panelra agent
Wipes, updates, restarts, plugins and crash alerts for your Rust servers, from one dashboard. One install command on your Linux host, no inbound ports for the agent.
Free during the open beta. Pricing will be announced before the beta ends.