How to Prioritize Servers in a BungeeCord Network

BungeeCord server priority determines which Minecraft server players are connected to first when they join your proxy network.

This is particularly useful for Minecraft networks with multiple servers, such as lobbies, survival servers, SkyBlock servers, minigames, and other game modes. By configuring server priorities, you can ensure players are sent to your preferred lobby or fallback server automatically.

In BungeeCord, server priority is configured using the priorities list under your proxy's listeners configuration.

What Is Server Priority in BungeeCord?

Server priority controls the order BungeeCord uses when connecting players to backend Minecraft servers.

The first server listed in the priorities section has the highest priority. If that server cannot accept the player, BungeeCord can attempt the next server in the list.

For example:

priorities:
  - lobby
  - survival
  - minigames

BungeeCord will try the servers in this order:

1. lobby
2. survival
3. minigames

This makes a lobby server the preferred destination while providing additional servers as fallback options.

Why Configure BungeeCord Server Priority?

Server priority is useful when your Minecraft network has a specific entry point or fallback structure.

Common uses include:

• Sending players to a lobby when they first connect
• Providing fallback servers if the lobby is unavailable
• Prioritising specific game modes
• Creating a reliable network entry point
• Improving the player experience when a server goes offline
• Maintaining access to the network during individual server outages

For most Minecraft networks, a lobby or hub server should be placed first in the priority list.

How to Configure BungeeCord Server Priority

BungeeCord server priority is configured in the proxy's config.yml.

Open:

config.yml

Locate the servers section and make sure your backend servers are defined.

For example:

servers:
  lobby:
    motd: '&aWelcome to the Beacon Network Lobby!'
    address: 127.0.0.1:25566
    restricted: false
 
  survival:
    motd: '&bSurvival Server'
    address: 127.0.0.1:25567
    restricted: false
 
  minigames:
    motd: '&eMinigames Server'
    address: 127.0.0.1:25568
    restricted: false

Then locate the relevant listeners section and configure the server priorities:

listeners:
  - query_port: 25565
    motd: '&aBeacon Hosting Network'
    priorities:
      - lobby
      - survival
      - minigames

The names in priorities must match the server names defined under servers.

How BungeeCord Server Priority Works

With the following configuration:

priorities:
  - lobby
  - survival
  - minigames

BungeeCord considers lobby the highest-priority server.

If the player cannot connect to the lobby, BungeeCord can attempt the next server:

Player connects
       ↓
    Lobby
       ↓
  unavailable?
       ↓
   Survival
       ↓
  unavailable?
       ↓
  Minigames

This provides a basic fallback system for your network.

Example: Lobby With Survival as a Fallback

A common Minecraft network configuration is to make the lobby the primary destination and the survival server the fallback.

listeners:
  - query_port: 25565
    motd: '&aBeacon Hosting Network'
    priorities:
      - lobby
      - survival

With this configuration, BungeeCord will prioritise:

1. Lobby

The lobby is the primary destination for players joining the network.

2. Survival

If the lobby cannot be used, BungeeCord can attempt to connect the player to the survival server.

This is useful for smaller networks where the survival server can also function as a fallback destination.

Can BungeeCord Have Multiple Priority Servers?

Yes. You can list multiple servers in the priorities configuration.

For example:

priorities:
  - lobby
  - survival
  - skyblock
  - minigames

BungeeCord processes the configured priority order when determining which server to connect the player to.

However, you should avoid treating server priority as a load-balancing system.

BungeeCord priorities are primarily intended to define preferred and fallback servers, not distribute players evenly across servers.

Does Server Order Under servers: Determine Priority?

No.

The order in which servers appear under:

servers:

does not define their connection priority.

The actual priority is determined by:

listeners:
  - priorities:
      - lobby
      - survival
      - minigames

This distinction is important when configuring larger BungeeCord networks.

You can define your servers in any convenient order under servers, while explicitly controlling connection priority through the priorities list.

How to Change the Default BungeeCord Server

To change which server players are sent to first, move the desired server to the top of the priorities list.

For example, change:

priorities:
  - lobby
  - survival

to:

priorities:
  - survival
  - lobby

Now survival becomes the highest-priority server.

For a typical public Minecraft network, however, keeping a dedicated lobby or hub first is usually the better configuration.

BungeeCord Server Priority vs. Forced Hosts

BungeeCord also supports forced hosts, which provide more specific routing based on the hostname a player uses to connect.

For example, you could configure:

play.example.com → lobby
survival.example.com → survival

This is different from the normal priorities system.

Server priorities determine the preferred destination for normal proxy connections, while forced hosts can route players to specific servers based on the hostname they connect through.

For simple networks, server priorities are usually sufficient. Forced hosts become more useful when you want different domains or subdomains to direct players to specific servers.

Troubleshooting BungeeCord Server Priority

If players are not connecting to the expected server, check the following:

Check the server names

The names in priorities must exactly match the names under servers.

For example:

servers:
  lobby:

requires:

priorities:
  - lobby

Not:

priorities:
  - Lobby

YAML configuration is sensitive to the exact server name.

Check the server address

Make sure each backend server has the correct address and port:

address: 127.0.0.1:25566

If BungeeCord cannot reach the backend server, it may move to the next available priority.

Check the priority list

Make sure the preferred server appears first:

priorities:
  - lobby
  - survival
  - minigames

The first entry should be the server you want to prioritise.

Restart or reload BungeeCord

After making configuration changes, restart your BungeeCord proxy so the new configuration is loaded.

Avoid repeatedly changing production configuration without testing it, particularly on larger networks.