How to Configure Player Info Forwarding

What Is Player Info Forwarding?

When a player connects through a proxy (Velocity, BungeeCord, Waterfall), the backend server sees the proxy's IP and a local-mode connection. Player info forwarding minecraft proxies perform is the mechanism that passes the player's real IP address, UUID, and skin data from the proxy to the backend. Without forwarding, permissions break, skins disappear, and IP-based bans are useless.

Forwarding Modes Compared

Mode	Proxy	Security	Setup Difficulty
Legacy (BungeeCord)	BungeeCord, Waterfall	Low	Easy
BungeeGuard	BungeeCord, Waterfall	Medium	Easy
Modern (Velocity)	Velocity	High	Easy

Legacy BungeeCord Forwarding

The original method. The proxy sends player info in the handshake packet. Enable it by setting ip_forward: true in BungeeCord's config.yml and bungeecord: true in each backend's spigot.yml.

The problem: there is no authentication. Anyone who knows your backend server's address can connect directly and forge any UUID or IP. This is why legacy forwarding alone is not secure for player info forwarding minecraft networks.

BungeeGuard Forwarding

An extension of legacy forwarding that adds a secret token. The proxy includes the token in the handshake, and the backend verifies it. This blocks direct connections that lack the token. See our BungeeGuard guide for setup instructions.

Velocity Modern Forwarding

Velocity's modern forwarding uses a HMAC-SHA256 signature to verify player data. The proxy and backend share a secret key, and every login is cryptographically verified. This is the most secure player info forwarding minecraft option available. See our Velocity modern forwarding guide for details.

Choosing the Right Mode

• Running Velocity? Always use modern forwarding. There is no reason to use anything else.
• Running BungeeCord or Waterfall? Use BungeeGuard at minimum. Legacy forwarding without BungeeGuard is a security risk.
• Migrating from BungeeCord to Velocity? Switch to modern forwarding during the migration. It is one of the biggest security improvements you will gain.

Configuration Checklist

Regardless of which mode you choose, verify these settings on every backend server:

• online-mode=false in server.properties (the proxy handles authentication)
• Forwarding enabled in the appropriate config file
• Firewall rules blocking direct access to backend ports
• The secret/token matching between proxy and all backends

Troubleshooting

• Skins not loading: Forwarding is misconfigured or the backend is not reading the forwarded data. Double-check the mode and secret.
• UUIDs changing between servers: One or more backends are generating offline-mode UUIDs instead of using forwarded data. Ensure forwarding is enabled on every server.
• "If you wish to use IP forwarding" message: The backend detected a forwarded connection but forwarding is not enabled in its config. Enable it and restart.

Correct player info forwarding minecraft setups rely on is the foundation of a secure, functional network. Every other feature, from permissions to bans to economy sync, depends on players having consistent UUIDs and IPs across all servers. Get this right first, then build your network on top of it.

For related setup guides, see linking servers with shared data and DDoS protection.

See a polished network in action: Astroworld MC, IP play.astroworldmc.com, Java + Bedrock.