Cross-server bans let multiple Minecraft servers share enforcement. When a player gets banned on one of your servers, the ban propagates to the rest automatically - whether that's across servers in your own network or across multiple servers in a broader community. Getting this set up correctly requires understanding how your server architecture works and where the ban logic should live.
Understanding Your Server Architecture
Before configuring anything, get clear on your setup. Are you running independent servers that need to share data? Or do you have a Velocity/BungeeCord proxy with multiple backend servers? These are different problems with different solutions.
For proxy networks, bans should typically be enforced at the proxy level - a banned player shouldn't be able to join any backend server through the proxy. For independent servers, ban sharing requires an API-based approach where each server pushes and pulls from a shared registry.
Option 1: Proxy-Level Enforcement
If you're running Velocity or BungeeCord, the cleanest approach is to enforce bans at the proxy. Plugins like LibertyBans support proxy-level ban enforcement, blocking players before they even reach a backend server. The ban list lives on the proxy and applies to every server behind it.
The limitation is that this only covers servers in your own network. For cross-community sharing - banning a cheater on your servers and having that enforcement apply to other operators' servers - you need a network-level solution.
Option 2: Shared Ban Network
A shared ban network API solves the cross-community problem. Each participating server runs a plugin that communicates with a central registry. On player join, the plugin checks the registry for active bans. When a ban is issued locally, it's submitted to the registry after review.
Warden Guard works this way. The plugin runs on each server and syncs ban data via the REST API. Setup involves three steps: install the plugin, add your API key to the config, and configure your enforcement thresholds.
Step-by-Step: Warden Guard Plugin Setup
- ✓Download the Warden Guard plugin JAR from your dashboard
- ✓Drop it into your server's plugins/ folder and restart
- ✓Open plugins/WardenGuard/config.yml and add your API key
- ✓Set your autoBanLevel (1, 2, or 3) - bans at or above this level enforce automatically
- ✓Restart the server - it will sync the full ban list on startup
The autoBanLevel setting is the most important configuration decision. Level 1 is minor infractions, Level 2 is serious, Level 3 is severe. Most servers set autoBanLevel to 2 or 3, meaning only verified serious or severe bans enforce automatically, and Level 1 flags get flagged for manual staff review.
Testing Your Setup
After configuration, verify the setup before going live. Check your server logs on startup - Warden Guard logs a successful connection and reports how many bans were synced. The server should enforce any active network bans correctly when those players try to join.
Handling the Ban Queue
Once you're connected to the network, bans submitted from your server go into a review queue. A reviewer verifies the evidence and assigns a severity level before the ban enters the shared pool. This review step is what keeps ban quality high - without it, the shared list degrades into noise.