Switchboard
Managing communication across multiple Minecraft servers can quickly become a tangled mess of plugins, bots, and manual workarounds. Switchboard changes that entirely. This lightweight yet powerful add-on acts as a central nervous system for your server network, bridging chat, commands, and notifications between different server instances, Discord channels, and even external applications through raw TCP sockets. Whether you run a small network of two servers or a sprawling multi-proxy setup, Switchboard keeps your community connected without the usual headaches.
What Makes Switchboard Stand Out
Switchboard is built from the ground up to be simple, fast, and API-friendly. Unlike other cross-server messaging tools that rely on clunky databases or slow polling, Switchboard uses direct proxy methods and persistent socket connections to deliver messages with near-zero latency. The add-on supports Fabric natively, making it a perfect fit for modern modded servers running Minecraft 1.19.4, 1.20.1, and the latest 1.20.4 releases. It also integrates seamlessly with LuckPerms, pulling prefix and suffix data to keep your chat formatting consistent across every linked server.
One of the most compelling aspects of Switchboard is its modular design. You can enable only the features you need. Want to link two servers behind a Velocity proxy? Done. Need to relay in-game chat to a Discord channel and let Discord users talk back? Switchboard handles that with a dedicated bot setup. Even advanced users who want to pipe server events into custom dashboards can leverage the built-in TCP socket bridge. The add-on never forces you into a one-size-fits-all solution.
Core Features and Communication Channels
Switchboard operates through three primary channels, each configurable independently. The proxy channel uses your existing Velocity or BungeeCord network to pass messages between backend servers without any extra plugins on the proxy itself. The Discord channel connects a bot to your server, allowing you to define which channels and permission scopes the bot can read and write to. Finally, the TCP socket channel opens a raw connection for external tools, giving developers and server admins a straightforward way to integrate Switchboard with custom web panels or monitoring systems.
Every channel supports fine-grained control over what gets relayed. You can choose to forward only player chat, only join and leave messages, or only commands. This prevents spam and keeps each channel focused. The add-on also respects Discord role permissions, so you can restrict certain commands to moderators or admins without touching your Minecraft permissions file.
How to Install Switchboard for Minecraft
Getting started with Switchboard is straightforward, even if you are new to server modding. First, make sure you are running a supported Minecraft version — currently 1.19.4, 1.20.1, or 1.20.4 — with the Fabric loader installed. You will also need TaterLib, a lightweight library that Switchboard depends on. Drop both TaterLib and Switchboard into your server's mods folder, then restart the server to generate the default configuration files.
If you prefer a more streamlined setup, the foxygame.net launcher includes Switchboard in its curated add-on catalog, letting you install the mod and all its dependencies with a single click while automatically matching the correct version to your Minecraft instance. Once the files are in place, open the config/switchboard.json file to set up your channels. For Discord integration, you will need to create a bot application, invite it to your server, and paste the token and channel IDs into the config. The bot requires permissions to read and send messages in the channels you specify. For proxy-based bridging, simply enable the proxy channel and ensure your backend servers share the same Switchboard configuration. The TCP socket channel can be toggled on and assigned a port for external connections.
After configuration, run /switchboard reload in the console or as an operator to apply changes without restarting. Use /switchboard status to verify that all channels are connected and healthy.
Commands and Permissions
Switchboard keeps its command set minimal to reduce clutter. The main commands are:
- /switchboard reload — Reloads the configuration from disk.
- /switchboard status — Displays the current connection status of all channels.
- /switchboard debug — Toggles debug mode for troubleshooting.
Permissions are handled through LuckPerms if installed, or fall back to OP levels. The node switchboard.admin grants access to all administrative commands. Discord bot permissions are managed entirely through Discord's own role system, so you can assign which roles can trigger specific relayed commands.
Compatibility and Dependencies
Switchboard is designed to be lightweight but does require a few key dependencies to function properly. The core dependency is TaterLib, which provides essential networking and configuration utilities. On Fabric servers, you must also have the Fabric API installed. For enhanced permission handling, LuckPerms is an optional but highly recommended addition — it allows Switchboard to pull prefix and suffix data for chat formatting and to enforce permission nodes for in-game commands.
The add-on is compatible with most major server software that supports Fabric mods, including Vanilla Fabric, Quilt, and hybrid setups. It has been tested extensively on Minecraft 1.19.4, 1.20.1, and 1.20.4. If you are running a network with multiple backend servers behind a Velocity or BungeeCord proxy, Switchboard works out of the box without needing any proxy-side plugins, which simplifies maintenance significantly.
Configuration Cheatsheet
Setting up Switchboard is mostly about editing the JSON configuration. Here is a quick overview of the key sections you will encounter:
- proxy — Enable or disable proxy-based bridging and set the channel name used for internal message passing.
- discord — Bot token, channel IDs, and permission scopes for reading and sending messages.
- tcp — Port number and optional authentication token for the socket server.
- relay — Rules for which message types (chat, join/leave, death, commands) are forwarded to each channel.
After making changes, always use the reload command to apply them without restarting the entire server. This keeps downtime to a minimum and lets you tweak settings on the fly.
Why Switchboard Is a Must-Have for Server Networks
Running a Minecraft network often means juggling multiple plugins that try to do the same thing. Switchboard consolidates cross-server chat, Discord integration, and external socket communication into one cohesive add-on. It reduces the number of plugins you need to maintain, lowers the risk of conflicts, and provides a unified configuration experience. The add-on is also actively maintained, with regular updates to support new Minecraft versions and community-requested features.
For server owners who want to keep their players connected regardless of which world they are in, Switchboard for Minecraft is the clear choice. The setup is painless, the performance impact is negligible, and the flexibility to choose exactly which channels to use means you never have to compromise on your server's design. Whether you are running a small private network or a large public hub, Switchboard ensures that every message, command, and notification reaches the right people at the right time.
To get started, simply download Switchboard from the official mod repository and place it in your mods folder along with TaterLib and Fabric API. Configure your channels, invite your Discord bot if needed, and enjoy a fully connected server experience. The days of fragmented communication are over — Switchboard ties everything together.