Minecraft proxy servers: Velocity, BungeeCord and Waterfall
Updated · MCJarHub
A proxy sits between players and several backend servers (lobby, survival, minigames) so players can switch servers without reconnecting. Velocity is the recommended proxy for new networks.
Proxies on MCJarHub (live data)
What a proxy does
Players connect to the proxy's address. The proxy forwards each player to one of your backend servers — a lobby, survival, a minigame server — and can move them between servers with a command or a plugin, without the player reconnecting. The backends run normal server software (usually Paper) on other ports or machines.
- A proxy is not tied to one Minecraft version; each backend decides its game version.
- It has no Mojang EULA step and needs little memory (512 MB–1 GB is plenty for most networks).
- Proxy plugins are separate from server plugins: Velocity plugins for Velocity, BungeeCord plugins for BungeeCord/Waterfall.
Default ports
| Proxy | Default port | Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity | 25565 | bind in velocity.toml |
| BungeeCord | 25577 | host in config.yml |
| Waterfall | 25577 | host in config.yml |
Backends must run on different ports and should only accept connections from the proxy (firewall), because they run with online-mode=false.
Which one?
For a new network use Velocity: PaperMC develops it actively and its "modern" forwarding authenticates player data with a shared secret. BungeeCord is still maintained and fine if you depend on its plugins. Waterfall is no longer supported by PaperMC. Full comparison and forwarding setup: Velocity vs BungeeCord vs Waterfall.