How to Set Up a Minecraft Server Network — BungeeCord/Velocity
Create a multi-server Minecraft network with BungeeCord or Velocity proxy. Connect lobby, survival, minigames, and modded servers seamlessly.
What is a Server Network?
A network connects multiple Minecraft servers through a proxy. Players connect to one IP and are seamlessly transferred between backend servers. Components: proxy (BungeeCord or Velocity) handles connections and server switching, backend servers (lobby, survival, skyblock, minigames, creative) each run their own world and plugins, and shared infrastructure (MySQL for cross-server data, Redis for cross-server messaging).
Velocity — The Modern Choice
Velocity is the recommended proxy for new networks. It's faster, more secure, and actively maintained by the PaperMC team. BungeeCord is legacy and only recommended for very old plugin compatibility. Install Velocity: download .jar, upload to a separate server/VPS, configure velocity.toml with backend server addresses. The proxy needs minimal resources — 1-2GB RAM handles 100+ concurrent players.
Backend Server Configuration
Each backend server needs: Velocity support enabled in paper.yml (velocity.support: true, velocity.secret matches proxy), online-mode: false (proxy handles authentication), and bungeecord/velocity IP forwarding enabled. Use /server <name> command plugin to let players switch servers. Each backend server runs independently — different plugins, different worlds, different game modes. They only share the proxy connection.
Shared Data Infrastructure
For a seamless network, backend servers need shared data. MySQL for: player balances (EssentialsX Economy MySQL mode), permissions (LuckPerms MySQL mode), bans/mutes (AdvancedBan MySQL mode). Redis for: cross-server chat, player messaging, server status tracking. All backend servers connect to the same MySQL/Redis instances. Test thoroughly — misconfigured databases can corrupt player data across the entire network.
Network Architecture Example
Small network: Proxy (1GB) + Lobby (1GB) + Survival (4GB) + Creative (2GB). Total: 8GB RAM across 4 servers. Medium network: Proxy (2GB) + Lobby (1GB) + Survival (6GB) + Skyblock (4GB) + Minigames (4GB) + Creative (2GB). Total: 19GB. Large network: proxy cluster + 10+ backend servers (30-80GB total). Start small, add servers as your community requests new game modes. Our VPS and VDS plans handle entire networks on one physical machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players can a network handle?
Proxy: 100-500+ players on 1-2GB RAM. Backend servers: depends on game mode. Survival with 50 players: 4-8GB. Minigames with 30 players: 2-4GB. Total network capacity = proxy capacity (upgradable) + weakest backend server. Scale vertically (upgrade plans) before scaling horizontally (add more physical servers).
Do players see a disconnect screen when transferring servers?
No — BungeeCord/Velocity handles seamless transfers. Players connect once to the proxy IP and move between servers without seeing a disconnect. Transfer takes <1 second on a properly configured network.
Still have questions?
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