Geyser and Floodgate Setup Guide
Your friend on console or mobile doesn't need Java Edition to play with you — here's how to open your server to Bedrock players, and the username-prefix gotcha that trips almost everyone up once.
TL;DR
- Needs Paper/Spigot/Purpur/Pufferfish/Folia — not vanilla or Forge/Fabric
- Install Geyser-Spigot (protocol translation) and Floodgate (no Java account needed)
- Bedrock players connect on UDP 19132, not the Java TCP port
- Floodgate prefixes Bedrock usernames — whitelist/permissions need the prefixed name
Step by step
1.Confirm your server software supports it
Geyser-Spigot needs Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Pufferfish or Folia. If you're on vanilla or a Forge/Fabric modpack, this plugin route won't work — that's a different, standalone-proxy setup.
2.Install the Geyser plugin
Download Geyser-Spigot's jar and drop it in plugins/, then restart. On first boot it generates a config.yml with sensible defaults — the important ones are the Bedrock port (19132/UDP by default) and whether to auto-detect your server's MOTD.
3.Install Floodgate alongside it
Floodgate is a separate plugin from the same team — install it the same way, in plugins/, and restart again. Geyser and Floodgate need to be paired correctly (matching major versions); check the Geyser wiki's compatibility table if you hit a startup error about a version mismatch.
4.Open the Bedrock port
Bedrock connects over UDP 19132 by default (separate from Java's TCP 25565) — if you're self-hosting, this needs its own port-forward rule. On a panel host, the Bedrock port is usually already reachable since the host manages networking for you.
5.Give players the connect details
Bedrock players add your server with your server's IP/hostname and port 19132 (not 25565 — that's the Java port). If they're on console, this goes under 'Servers' → 'Add Server' in the Bedrock client, same place as any other third-party server.
6.Handle the username prefix in whitelist/permissions
If you run a whitelist, add Bedrock players using their prefixed name (check the console log after their first join attempt for the exact string Floodgate assigned). Permission plugins like LuckPerms treat the prefixed name as the real username — grant permissions to that, not their plain Bedrock gamertag.
FAQ
What's the difference between Geyser and Floodgate?+
Geyser is the protocol translator — it lets Bedrock clients talk to a Java server at all. Floodgate is the authentication bridge — it lets Bedrock players join without a Java/Xbox account, using their Bedrock identity directly. Most servers that want crossplay without forcing players to own Java run both together.
Do Bedrock players need a Minecraft Java account?+
No, not if Floodgate is installed. Without Floodgate, Bedrock players connecting through Geyser still need a linked/valid Java account for authentication. Floodgate removes that requirement entirely — their Bedrock Xbox login is enough.
Why do Bedrock usernames show up with a weird symbol or prefix?+
Floodgate prefixes Bedrock players' usernames (commonly with a period, like .Steve) to avoid collisions with Java accounts of the same name. This matters for whitelist, ops and permission plugins — you need the prefixed name, not what the player tells you their Bedrock gamertag is, unless they already joined once and you check the console log for the exact name.
Does Geyser work with every server software?+
Geyser-Spigot runs on Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Pufferfish and Folia. It does not run on vanilla or Forge/Fabric mod servers — those need the standalone Geyser Standalone proxy instead, which is a separate, more involved setup outside the scope of a plugin install.
Can Bedrock players use Java-only features like resource packs with custom models?+
Partially. Geyser translates most core gameplay, but some Java-specific client features (certain resource pack mechanics, some particle effects, some GUI-heavy plugins) don't have a Bedrock equivalent and either get skipped or look different. Core survival/building gameplay works well; heavily custom servers should test specific plugins before assuming full parity.
One click, not six config files
CoalHost has a one-click Bedrock crossplay toggle built into the panel for Paper, Spigot, Purpur, Pufferfish and Folia — no manual jar installs, no version-matching between plugins. Running a modpack and want Bedrock players in too? Our Prominence II page (and every other pack in the catalog) supports the same toggle.
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