Tunnely

Free Multiplayer Hosting Platform for Minecraft

A comprehensive, Essentials-like system for hosting Minecraft servers without port forwarding.

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Important Notice

Tunnely is now available exclusively on Modrinth

Tunnely is no longer being updated on CurseForge due to moderation concerns regarding standard industry practices. CurseForge blocked updates citing "using local browsers and running executables" - however, these claims are based on misunderstandings:

• OAuth Authentication - We use the standard OAuth 2.0 localhost callback flow (RFC 8252), the same method used by VS Code, GitHub Desktop, Discord, and thousands of other applications. No executables are run.
• Security Scanning - We scan uploaded worlds to BLOCK malicious executables (like antivirus software), we don't run them. This protects users from malicious uploads.
• Port Fallbacks - Multiple ports are tried sequentially (not simultaneously) to find an available port - standard practice when another application might be using the preferred port.

After providing detailed technical documentation explaining these standard practices, the appeals process did not resolve the issue.

Support us on Ko-fi → - Every contribution helps cover relay server costs and keeps Tunnely free for everyone!

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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.

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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!

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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 <email> <password>
/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

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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:

{
  "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 <email> <password>

Or if already registered:

/tunnel login <email> <password>

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 <email> <password>    # Authenticate
/tunnel register <email> <password> # 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

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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

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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)

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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 →

Whether it's a one-time coffee or monthly support, every contribution helps keep Tunnely free for everyone!

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Links

• Download on Modrinth
• Support on Ko-fi

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Making multiplayer accessible to everyone, one connection at a time.