How to Install Bungeecord to your Minecraft Server

BungeeCord is a proxy software for Minecraft servers. This makes server connecting seamless for players. BungeeCord acts as a bridge between your servers and redirects player connections which allows your players to move between servers, even those that are hosting different game modes and plugins!

You will need a minimum of three servers to use BungeeCord. One server will run Bungee and the others will be connected together to form a bungee network. The minimum RAM requirements for a BungeeCord server is around 1GB, however, in some instances you may need more RAM. The RAM requirements for the other servers are dependent on the game modes, plugins, and configurations of those servers.

Before we start, ensure you have the following: Multiple Minecraft servers that you want to connect together (e.g., Spigot or Paper).

Download the BungeeCord JAR

1. Visit the Download Page

Go to the BungeeCord Jenkins page and download Bungeecord. You will want to choose the jar version needed for your version of Minecraft.

2. Upload the Jar File

Access your Nodecraft control panel.
Navigate to the File Manager.
Upload the downloaded BungeeCord jar file to the root directory of the server you want to use as the BungeeCord proxy.
You have now installed the BungeeCord jar file!

Shows the Server Files with the Bungeecord Jar

Configure the BungeeCord Proxy

1. Set the Server Type

Go to the Game Settings tab of your Nodecraft panel.
Under the Java Settings tab, find the Jar dropdown menu.
Select the BungeeCord jar file from the list.

Shows the Bungeecord jar selected in the Java Settings

2. Start the BungeeCord Server

Navigate to the Console tab in your Nodecraft panel.
Start your server. You should see BungeeCord starting up in the console. This indicates that the server connecting process is beginning.

Configure the BungeeCord Config File

1. Locate the Config File

After the first startup, BungeeCord will generate a config.yml file in the root directory.
Navigate to the Server Files and open the config.yml file for editing.

Shows the Bungeecord config.yml in the Server Files

2. Edit the Configuration

In the config.yml file, you will need to configure the servers that BungeeCord will connect to. Proper server connecting configurations are necessary for BungeeCord to function. The essential sections are:

servers:
  hub:
    motd: '&1Just another BungeeCord - Forced Host'
    address: localhost:25565
    restricted: false
  survival:
    motd: '&1Just another BungeeCord - Forced Host'
    address: localhost:25566
    restricted: false

Replace localhost:25565 with the actual IP address and port of your Minecraft servers. For example, if your hub server runs on port 25565, and your survival server runs on port 25566, enter those details accordingly.
If your sub-servers are hosted on different machines, replace localhost with the server's public IP or hostname.

3. Change the Host Information

Locate the host setting in the config.yml file:

host: 0.0.0.0:25577

Change the 0.0.0.0:25577 to match the IP address and port where your BungeeCord proxy should listen. For example, if you want BungeeCord to run on port 25577, set it as 0.0.0.0:25577.

4. Configure the Player Limit and Other Settings

In the same config.yml, you can set various other settings such as the maximum number of players, whether the server is in online mode, and more.

player_limit: -1
ip_forward: true
online_mode: true

Set ip_forward to true to allow player IP forwarding. This is important for maintaining the correct player IP addresses when using BungeeCord.

5. Save the Configuration

After making your changes, save the config.yml file.

Setting Up Your Sub-Servers

Now that BungeeCord is configured, you need to adjust your sub-server settings (e.g., Spigot/Paper servers) to work with BungeeCord.

1. Configure spigot.yml

On each Spigot/Paper sub-server, go to the File Manager and locate the spigot.yml file.
Open spigot.yml for editing and set the following:

bungeecord: true

This setting allows Spigot to work correctly with BungeeCord by enabling IP forwarding and other related features.

2. Configure server.properties

Still on each Spigot sub-server, locate and edit the server.properties file.
Set the server's online-mode to false:

online-mode = false

This prevents conflicts with BungeeCord's online mode setting and allows players to authenticate properly through the proxy server.

3. Restart All Servers

After making these changes, restart all your Spigot servers and the BungeeCord proxy server. You can also ensure that all servers have sufficient RAM to handle the Bungee network efficiently.

Testing Your Setup

1. Connect to the Proxy

Launch Minecraft and add your Bungee proxy server's IP address in the multiplayer server list.
Connect to the Bungee proxy server.

2. Switch Between Servers

Use the /server command followed by the server name (e.g., /server hub) to switch between the linked sub-servers.
Ensure that you can move between servers seamlessly.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you can't connect to a sub-server: Double-check the IP address and port settings in the config.yml file in the bungee proxy server.
If player data isn't transferring correctly: Ensure that ip_forward is set to true in BungeeCord's config.yml, and bungeecord is set to true in each Spigot server's spigot.yml.

By following these steps, you should have a fully functional Bungee setup, linking your Minecraft servers together. This will allow players to move between your different game modes and servers seamlessly, providing a more dynamic experience.