What is BungeeCord and When Do You Need It?
BungeeCord is a proxy that connects multiple Minecraft servers into one network. Players connect to the proxy and are seamlessly transferred between backend servers (lobby, survival, skyblock, minigames). Forward — it's essential when: you want to run multiple game modes, your player base exceeds what a single server can handle (60+ players), or you want players to move between servers without disconnecting. Velocity is the modern alternative — faster, lighter, and recommended for new networks.
Choosing Proxy Server Hardware
The proxy server handles all player connections but runs very little game logic — it needs fast networking and moderate CPU, not tons of RAM. A 1-2 GB proxy plan is sufficient for 100+ concurrent players. Our VPS 1 plan (2 GB RAM, 1 vCPU) handles proxy + lobby server + basic website hosting. Run the proxy on its own plan/VPS — never on the same machine as a heavy game server. Network latency between proxy and backend servers should be <5 ms for smooth transfers.
Installing Velocity Proxy
Download the latest Velocity .jar from PaperMC's Velocity page. Create a new server in your control panel, upload the jar, and set it as the startup file. On first run, Velocity generates a forwarding.secret file — this key authenticates connections between the proxy and backend servers. Copy this secret to every backend server's paper.yml under 'settings.velocity.secret'. Enable 'velocity.support: true' and 'velocity.online-mode: true' in paper.yml on every backend server. Set 'online-mode: false' in each backend's server.properties (the proxy handles authentication).
Configuring velocity.toml
The velocity.toml config file controls the proxy. Key settings: 'bind = 0.0.0.0:25565' — the address players connect to. 'player-info-forwarding-mode = modern' — uses Velocity's secure forwarding. 'online-mode = true' — players authenticate through Mojang. 'show-ping-requests = true'. Under [servers], list each backend: 'lobby = 10.0.0.2:25566', 'survival = 10.0.0.3:25566'. Under [forced-hosts], map domains to servers. Under [try], configure connection attempts before kicking players. Test with '/server survival' in-game after connecting.
Setting Up Backend Servers
Each backend server needs: velocity support enabled (paper.yml), matching forwarding secret, bungeecord/velocity IP forwarding enabled, and online-mode set to false. Install a server-listing plugin (like ServerListPlus) on each backend so the proxy shows accurate MOTD and player counts. Use /server <name> command plugin if you want players to switch servers via commands. Ensure all backend servers share the same timezone and all use consistent plugin configurations.
Shared Data: MySQL and Redis
For a seamless network experience, backend servers need to share data. Use MySQL for: player balances (EssentialsX MySQL), permissions (LuckPerms MySQL), bans/mutes (AdvancedBan MySQL), and inventories (if using a sync plugin). Redis is recommended for cross-server chat and messaging. Configure each plugin to point to the same MySQL database. Test thoroughly — a misconfigured database can corrupt player data across the entire network. Our VPS plans include the resources to run MySQL/Redis alongside your proxy.
FAQ
Related Tutorials
From the Blog
Was this guide helpful?
Join our Discord for more guides and direct help from our engineering team.