Quick Start

This guide gets your server behind PixelShield in about 5 minutes. You'll create an account, add your domain, point your DNS, and verify the connection.

What you'll need

A domain name you control (e.g., play.example.com)
Access to your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.)
A running Minecraft server — Java, Bedrock, or Geyser

Step 1: Create an account

Sign up at pixelshield.net/register. The free tier gives you 1 domain, 1 backend, and protection for up to 25 players. No credit card required.

Step 2: Add your domain

From the dashboard, click Add domain. The wizard walks you through three things:

Game type — Pick Minecraft Java, Bedrock, or Geyser. This determines which protocol parser we use. If you're not sure, most servers are Java Edition.
Domain name — Enter the hostname players connect with, like play.example.com. This is what goes in the Minecraft server list.
Backend — Your origin server's IP and port. This is where we forward legitimate traffic.

Step 3: Update your DNS

After creating the domain, the dashboard shows a CNAME target. You need to add this as a DNS record at your provider.

For all game types:

Type:  CNAME
Name:  play          (or whatever subdomain you chose)
Value: [target from dashboard]

Java domains get a target like a1b2c3d4.proxy.pixelshield.net. Bedrock and Geyser domains get a target like a1b2c3d4.edge.pixelshield.net.

Cloudflare users: Make sure the proxy status is set to DNS only (gray cloud icon). Cloudflare's HTTP proxy doesn't understand game protocols and will break connections.

For provider-specific instructions, see the DNS Setup guide.

Step 4: Verify

Once you've added the CNAME record:

Go to your domain's settings in the dashboard
Click Verify DNS
If verification fails, wait a few minutes — DNS propagation can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few hours depending on your provider

Step 5: Connect and test

Open Minecraft and connect to your domain (play.example.com). Check the Activity tab in the dashboard to see the connection flowing through PixelShield.

If the connection fails, double-check that your backend IP and port are correct, and that your origin server is running and reachable.

What's next

Set up firewall rules to block specific IPs, countries, or bot patterns
Add more backends for load balancing (round-robin or least-connections)
Generate an API key to manage domains programmatically
Upgrade your plan when you need more domains or higher player limits