Minecraft cross play?

4th Dec, 2022

Crossplay is an option for Minecraft players on all consoles, but it comes with some limitations. Console users can only connect to Minecraft realms and sponsored servers. They cannot also connect to games created by friends. It is possible to bypass these restrictions and connect to any server with some extra effort. Server owners have the option to set up their Java server so that anyone can connect, regardless of what version they are using. This guide will show you how to connect with any server using any console and how to create your own server for crossplay.

Connecting via Xbox

Console players may find it difficult to connect to a server hosted elsewhere. To trick your console to connect to the server you desire, follow these steps. Open your network settings and close any games that are running on your console.

Enter your network settings and click on the DNS Settings option. Next, change the IPv4 DNS settings from Automatic to Manual. You will be taken to a screen where your Primary DNS can be entered. You can change the numbers to 104.238.130.180, and then confirm the change. To set Secondary DNS, you will be taken to a second screen. You can set the numbers to either 1.1.1.1, or 8.8.8.8, and then confirm. To get a reliable connection to your server, you may have to switch between the Secondary DNS options several times.

Start Minecraft by restarting your console. Head over to the Server list in Minecraft and click on any of the servers listed that have the message “Join to open Server List” below the name; it does not matter which one you choose. Instead of joining the chosen server, you'll be taken to another screen that offers several options. Select the Connect to Server option at top. This will take you to a screen where the IP address and port number of the server that you wish to join can be entered. To save time, we recommend that you enable the Add to Server List option.

Nintendo Switch – Connecting

You will need to trick your Switch to connect to the server, just like with the Xbox version. Open Minecraft, then log out of Microsoft. After you've logged out, open Minecraft and go to the Switch's connection settings. Click on the Change Settings button to select the WiFi network that you wish to use to connect with the server.

Scroll down to the DNS Settings option on the network settings screen and change it to Automatic from “Manual”. You will now have two options in the settings menu. You can change the Primary DNS setting from 104.238.130.180 to Secondary DNS 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. If you have trouble connecting, you may need to change between the Secondary DNS numbers. These settings can be saved and used to launch Minecraft.

Once Minecraft has been loaded on your Switch go ahead and log in to your Microsoft account. After logging in, Multiplayer will open and you can head to the Server List. You can click on any server available. It doesn't matter which one you choose.

Instead of connecting to the server that you have chosen, you will see a new menu with many server options. You can now click on Connect to Server to enter the IP address or port number for the server you wish to connect to. To make it easier to add information to your server list, we recommend that you enable this option.

This process can be very picky. This may mean that you will need to change the Secondary DNS numbers. Log in and out of Microsoft, or click on the other options before you can connect.

Connecting via PlayStation

Sony has made it very difficult to connect to non-sponsored Bedrock servers. You will need to set up a LAN on another device, preferably a PC, in order to do this. Phantom must be downloaded and installed on a computer connected to the same network that your PlayStation. You can download Phantom to your desktop and then open a command prompt. To do this, hit Windows + X to open a context menu that includes the command prompt option or search for it in your computer's search bar.

Drag the Phantom software that you have downloaded earlier to the command prompt window. Hit the Enter key. This will start the software. To autofill the prompt with your software's location, press the up arrow key or drag it into the command prompt. Instead of pressing enter to run the command, add a space to the end of the command prompt. Next, type the IP address and port of your server and hit the enter key. To make the software work properly, the IP and port must both be connected by a colon. The command should look something like this: “…Desktopphantom (1).exe” play.server.com:25565

Once you have installed Phantom on your computer, you can connect to the server using your PlayStation. Open Minecraft and go to the Friends tab. Scroll down to the bottom. The Remote Server LAN Game should appear. To join the server that you wish to play, click on the LAN Game.

Crossplay server setup

Paper

You will need to be able install plugins to allow anyone to join your server regardless of their version or console. You will need a server API capable of running these plugins in order to be able install them. To run your server, we recommend that you use the most recent version of Paper. Paper, a fork from Spigot, is designed to reduce server lag and increase performance. It also allows large communities to have a stable platform while still running all the plugins for other Bukkit forks. You can easily optimize it to make your server as smooth as possible.

Depending on where you host your server, how paper is installed will affect the way paper is installed. Shockbyte or Apex will provide support and have guides for you to refer to. You can also set up the server yourself.

Floodgate and Geyser

Floodgate and Geyser are essential tools for servers that want to allow crossplay. These plugins enable players on Bedrock the ability to connect to a Java server, and any plugins that you may have installed. Geyser makes it easy for players to connect directly to the server. Floodgate manages player authentication, allowing more people to join the server without having to set up any accounts with Microsoft or Mojang.

It is very easy to set up Floodgate and Geyser. The plugins can be downloaded from GeyserMC. Drag the.jar files to your server's plugins directory. To generate the configuration files, restart the server. These files will need to be edited slightly in order for other players to join the server via Bedrock. Geyser offers an online editor that makes it easier to edit the configuration files if you don't feel confident. Make sure you replace any config files that are older with the ones that have been downloaded.

Once the server is up and running again, you can go back to your plugins directory and locate the GeyserMC folder. Edit Geyser's configuration.yml file according to your server's requirements. We recommend that you change the Remote and Bedrock port numbers to match your server's port (25565 by default). Change the address to 127.0.0.1 on the remote port and change floodgate as the authtype.

Once you have made these changes to your config files, restart the server to allow the changes to take place. No matter what console they're using, anyone can join your server.

ViaVersion/ViaBackwards/ViaRewind

ViaVersion plugins are a great set that all servers should have. This is especially important if you wish to allow crossplay. ViaVersion allows players on different versions of Minecraft to join the server. Players who are running 1.13.2 can still play on your server even if it is running 1.16.4. This is useful if your server runs on an older version of the software and you want to allow players to connect to it.

ViaVersion installation is simple. Simply download the plugins.jars and drop them in your plugins folder. Then restart the server. The server will create new config files when it restarts. You can also make any modifications you like.