What Is the Cloudflared Mod for Minecraft?
Hosting a Minecraft server or inviting friends to your single-player world often hits a frustrating wall: port forwarding, firewall rules, and the risk of exposing your IP address. The Cloudflared mod elegantly sidesteps these problems by bridging the powerful Cloudflare Tunnel technology directly into the game. Instead of wrestling with router settings, you create a secure tunnel that allows other players to connect to your world using a simple, custom address format. This means you can share your latest survival base or a custom adventure map without ever revealing your personal IP or worrying about your ISP’s restrictions.
How the Tunnel Technology Works in Minecraft
At its core, Cloudflared establishes an encrypted connection between your game client (or dedicated server) and Cloudflare’s edge network. The mod introduces a brand-new address standard: cloudflared://your-temporary-network.trycloudflare.com. When you add a server to your multiplayer list using this prefix, the mod recognizes it as a tunnel request. Instead of a direct socket connection, the traffic is routed through Cloudflare’s infrastructure, effectively bypassing most firewalls. As long as you can browse websites, the tunnel should work. For hosts, the mod automatically creates an outbound tunnel when you launch a world to LAN or start a dedicated server, assigning you a temporary hostname that friends can use immediately.
Setting Up Your First Tunnel
Getting started is refreshingly simple. Install the mod on both the host and client sides. When you open your world to LAN, the mod generates a Cloudflared address that appears in the chat log. Share that address with your friends, and they can paste it into the Direct Connection field or add it to their server list. There is no need to memorize IPs or configure routers. For dedicated servers, drop the mod into the server’s mods folder, and upon launch, a tunnel will automatically spawn. The hostname gets printed in the console, ready for players to connect.
Customizing Your Experience
Every aspect of the tunnel can be fine-tuned through the configuration file located at /.minecraft/config/cloudflared.cfg. You can adjust timeouts, select preferred Cloudflare regions, or even use your own custom domain if you have one set up in Cloudflare. The mod’s flexibility shines here: you might want to keep the same hostname across sessions, or you may prefer a fresh temporary address each time. The config file lets you control these behaviors without touching any command-line tools. For those running a dedicated server, the mod integrates seamlessly, ensuring the tunnel stays alive as long as the server process runs.
One of the most convenient ways to manage this mod and keep it updated is through a modern launcher. If you are looking for a hassle-free installation, you can grab Cloudflared directly from the mod menu inside the foxygame.net launcher, which provides a streamlined interface for downloading and enabling mods without manually shuffling files. This launcher keeps everything organized, so you can focus on building rather than troubleshooting.
Understanding the Custom Address Standard
The cloudflared:// prefix is the key differentiator. Normal Minecraft servers use IP addresses or domain names like play.example.com. The mod intercepts any address starting with cloudflared:// and initiates a tunnel handshake before the usual Minecraft protocol kicks in. This approach keeps the mod lightweight—it does not alter gameplay mechanics, add new blocks, or change biomes. It simply adds a new connection method that coexists with standard multiplayer. You can still join regular servers, and the tunneled ones appear as separate entries in your server list.
Advanced Configurations and Documentation
While the out-of-the-box experience covers most casual use cases, advanced users can dive deeper. The mod supports using your own Cloudflare hostname, which requires setting up a DNS record and an API token. Detailed instructions are available in the official documentation, which covers everything from generating tokens to configuring the mod’s config file for persistent tunnels. This setup is ideal for communities that want a stable, branded address for their server without paying for a dedicated hosting service. The documentation also explains how to handle multiple tunnels, custom ports, and fallback behaviors.
Permissions and Modpack Usage
The mod’s license is straightforward and community-friendly. You are free to include Cloudflared in your modpack, whether you are curating a tech-focused collection or a vanilla-plus experience. However, you must not rehost the mod on other sites without providing a direct Modrinth or CurseForge download link and obtaining explicit permission from the developer, Zeitheron. The mod cannot be bundled into another mod’s codebase, but building addons that interact with its API is allowed—a friendly message to the developer is appreciated. Importantly, the mod only supports the latest Minecraft version it was built for; requests to backport or downgrade will not be considered.
Why Cloudflared Changes Multiplayer Accessibility
Traditional Minecraft hosting often forces players to learn about NAT, UPnP, or rent third-party realms. Cloudflared removes these barriers. A player in a dormitory with a strict network can now host a world for friends across the globe. A parent setting up a server for their child does not need to navigate router admin panels. The mod democratizes server hosting by leveraging a globally distributed network that already handles massive amounts of web traffic. The result is a smoother, safer multiplayer experience that puts privacy first.
Community and Support Channels
If you encounter issues or want to discuss the mod’s API, the DragonForge team maintains an active Discord server. There you can find help with configuration, share your tunnel setups, and stay updated on new releases. The developer, Zeitheron, also shares updates on Twitter. For those who wish to support ongoing development, a Patreon page is available, helping to fund future features and maintain compatibility with the latest Minecraft updates.
Conclusion
The Cloudflared mod transforms Minecraft multiplayer from a technical hurdle into a one-click affair. By wrapping Cloudflare Tunnels into an intuitive in-game address format, it eliminates port forwarding, hides your IP, and punches through restrictive firewalls. Whether you are a casual builder wanting to show off a creative plot or a server admin seeking a quick public access point, this mod delivers a reliable, configurable solution. With clear permissions, active community support, and seamless integration into existing modpacks, Cloudflared stands out as an essential tool for anyone who values privacy and simplicity in their blocky adventures.
--- **Update Sep 2, 2026:** Added 2 files for version 1.21.1 (NeoForge, Fabric).