# Tunnely - SHUT DOWN **Free Multiplayer Hosting Platform for Minecraft** A comprehensive, Essentials-like system for hosting Minecraft servers without port forwarding. --- ## What is Tunnely? Tunnely is a free, open-source alternative to paid hosting services and server management solutions. Similar to how Essentials provides essential server features at no cost, Tunnely provides essential multiplayer connectivity features that are typically locked behind paywalls or require complex technical setup. **The goal of Tunnely is simple: Make multiplayer hosting accessible to everyone.** No subscription fees. No port forwarding knowledge required. No router configuration needed. ### The Problem Traditional multiplayer hosting requires one of the following: * Port forwarding (complex, requires router access) * Static IP addresses (expensive, not always available) * Paid tunneling services like Ngrok ($8-20/month) * Paid server hosting ($10-30/month per server) * Technical networking expertise ### The Solution **Tunnely provides all of this for free:** * Zero-configuration networking (no port forwarding) * Self-hostable infrastructure (no recurring costs) * Complete social features (friends, invites, server browser) * Professional security (JWT authentication, encryption) * Automatic compatibility detection Think of it as the "Essentials" of multiplayer connectivity - powerful features that should be accessible to everyone. --- ## Key Features ### No Port Forwarding Required Host Minecraft servers from behind NAT, firewalls, and restrictive networks. The relay-based tunneling system creates a public endpoint without any router configuration. ### Three-Tier Visibility System Control exactly who can join your server: * **Invite Only** (Default) - Maximum privacy, requires explicit invitation * **Friends Only** - Only your accepted friends can see and join * **Public** - Listed in server browser, anyone can discover and join ### Complete Social System * Add and manage friends by email * Send server invites to specific players * Browse friends' active servers * Public server browser with filtering * Real-time online status tracking ### Automatic Compatibility Detection Prevents version mismatch headaches by automatically detecting: * Minecraft version (e.g., 1.20.1) * Mod loader (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt, Vanilla) * Modpack ID and version (CurseForge, Modrinth, custom) Server browser shows compatibility at a glance with visual indicators. ### Secure and Private * JWT-based authentication via Supabase * AES-256-GCM token encryption with machine-bound keys * TLS/WSS encrypted relay connections * Row-Level Security on database * Minimal data collection, no gameplay logging * Open source and auditable ### Comprehensive UI Press **U** key to access: * Host Game screen (start/stop, visibility controls) * Join Friends browser * Manage Friends interface * Server Invites panel * Public Lobbies with filtering * Settings and configuration ### Multi-Regional Relay Network Tunnely operates a **global mesh relay network** with intelligent routing to ensure low-latency connections worldwide: **Available Regions:** * **NA 1** (Atlanta, USA) - Serving North and South America * **EU 1** (Frankfurt, Germany) - Serving Europe, Middle East, and Africa * **APAC 1** (Singapore) - Serving Asia-Pacific region **Automatic Relay Selection:** When you host a server, Tunnely automatically: * Pings all available relays to measure latency * Connects to the fastest relay for your location * Falls back to next-best relay if primary is unavailable * Displays server region in the public lobby browser **Mesh Network Intelligence:** If you're in one region but your friend is in another, Tunnely's mesh network automatically routes traffic through the optimal path. For example, a host in NA can connect to friends in EU through relay-to-relay mesh connections, ensuring the best possible latency for all players. Players can filter public servers by region to find the best connection. No configuration needed - it just works! --- ## Getting Started ### Hosting a Server #### Method 1: In-Game UI (Recommended) 1. Open your Minecraft world 2. Press **U** key to open Tunnely menu 3. Click **Host Game** 4. *Optional:* Set custom server name (3-32 characters) 5. Choose visibility mode: * **Invite Only** - Most private (default) * **Friends Only** - Visible only to friends * **Public** - Listed in public browser 6. Click **Start Hosting** 7. Your endpoint appears on screen 8. Click **Copy Endpoint** to copy address or **Invite Friends** to send invites #### Method 2: Commands ``` /tunnel login /tunnel start # Start hosting (Invite Only by default) /tunnel endpoint # Display your public address /tunnel stop # Stop hosting ``` ### Joining Servers #### Option 1: From Friends List 1. Press **U** → **Join Friends** 2. Browse active servers from your friends 3. Click **Join** to copy endpoint 4. Add server in Minecraft multiplayer menu #### Option 2: From Invites 1. Press **U** → **Invites** 2. View pending invitations 3. Click **Accept** to copy endpoint 4. Add server in Minecraft and connect #### Option 3: Public Browser 1. Press **U** → **Public Lobbies** 2. Enable "Show only compatible" filter (optional) 3. Browse available public servers 4. Click **Join** to copy endpoint --- ## Dedicated Server Support Tunnely fully supports dedicated servers with all the same features as integrated servers. ### Setup Process #### 1. Install Server Software * Set up Fabric or Forge server (Minecraft 1.20.1) * Install Architectury API in `mods/` folder * Install Tunnely in `mods/` folder #### 2. Configure Tunnely Create or edit `config/tunnelyrefab.json`: ```json { "relayServerUrl": "wss://relay.example.com", "supabaseUrl": "https://your-project.supabase.co", "supabaseAnonKey": "your-anon-key", "enableTunneling": true, "autoStartTunnel": true, "defaultVisibility": "invite_only" } ``` #### 3. Authenticate In server console: ``` /tunnel register ``` Or if already registered: ``` /tunnel login ``` #### 4. Start Server Tunnel automatically starts when server starts (if `autoStartTunnel: true`) Check status: ``` /tunnel status /tunnel endpoint ``` #### 5. Share Endpoint Copy the endpoint from console output and share with players ### Available Commands ``` /tunnel status # View tunnel status and connection info /tunnel endpoint # Display public endpoint address /tunnel start # Manually start tunnel /tunnel stop # Stop tunnel /tunnel login # Authenticate /tunnel register # Create account /tunnel help # Show command list ``` ### Important Notes * No port forwarding required * Works behind firewalls * Auto-reconnects if relay connection drops * Compatible with server management tools (screen, tmux, systemd) * No GUI available (command-line only) * Server name defaults to "Minecraft Server" * Visibility controlled via config file --- ## How It Works ### Connection Flow 1. Host opens to LAN + starts tunnel 2. Mod authenticates via Supabase 3. Connects to fastest relay via encrypted WebSocket 4. **GZIP compresses** all packets before sending 5. Relay assigns public endpoint 6. Friend queries database for servers 7. Friend connects to relay (or **mesh-routed** if different region) 8. Relay forwards **compressed packets** bidirectionally 9. Client **decompresses** packets before delivery 10. Minecraft sees direct connection with optimal routing! ### Security Layers * TLS/WSS encryption * JWT authentication * Row-Level Security (database) * Visibility authorization * Rate limiting (200 packets/sec) * Machine-bound token encryption --- ## Security and Privacy ### Authentication * JWT tokens via Supabase Auth * AES-256-GCM encryption for stored tokens * Machine-bound tokens for added security ### Data Collection **What We Store:** * Email address * User UUID * Server name * Public endpoint **What We Don't Store:** * Chat messages * Gameplay data * World data * IP addresses ### Relay Security * TLS/WSS encryption for all connections * JWT authentication required * Authorization checks for all operations * Rate limiting (200 packets/sec) --- ## Support the Project Tunnely is completely free and open-source. Running the global relay infrastructure costs money for servers, bandwidth, and maintenance. **[Support us on Ko-fi →](https://ko-fi.com/bobcatmods)** Whether it's a one-time coffee or monthly support, every contribution helps keep Tunnely free for everyone! --- ## Links * **[Download on Modrinth](https://modrinth.com/mod/tunnely)** * **[Support on Ko-fi](https://ko-fi.com/bobcatmods)** --- *Making multiplayer accessible to everyone, one connection at a time.*

Tunnely

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Minecraft: Java Edition

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