Why every player shows the same IP address (and why not to use /ban-ip)

If every player on your Java Edition server shows the same IP address in the server log or on the Connections tab, that address belongs to MineXHost's edge network, not to a player. Don't ban it with /ban-ip or an IP-ban plugin: that blocks every player, including you. Ban players by name instead.

How to tell

Open your server, then choose Connections. If every player arrived from the edge address, the Unique IPs tile says all players share the edge address. If each player shows a different address, your server is seeing players' own addresses, and IP bans affect only the player you ban.

Why it happens

Players don't connect straight to the machine your server runs on. They connect through MineXHost's edge network, which filters traffic and passes each connection on to your server. When the edge can't hand over the player's own address for a connection, your server sees that connection arrive from the edge instead, and records the edge's address for that player. That can happen for every player at once.

So, when you see the edge address, anything that bans, blocks or limits players by IP address applies to all of them.

Ban a player by name

• In your server's console, type ban followed by the player's name, for example ban Steve. In game, an operator types /ban Steve.
• Or open Player Manager, choose the player, and press Ban on the Actions tab.
• To undo it, use pardon followed by the name, or Unban in Player Manager.

For more on bans, whitelists and operators, see Player Manager.

If you already banned the edge address

If players suddenly can't join after an IP ban, remove it in one of these ways:

1. In your server's console, type pardon-ip followed by the address shown on the Connections tab. In game, an operator types /pardon-ip and the address.
2. Or stop the server, open banned-ips.json in your server's main folder in the File Manager, delete the entry that contains that address, and save. If it was the only entry, the file should read []. Then start the server.

If you used a plugin or mod to ban the address, use that plugin's own unban command, or remove the address from its ban list.

Good to know

• If Failed logins by source on the Connections tab lists the edge address, those are rejected sign-ins from anyone who tried to join, such as a player who isn't on your whitelist. It is not one person, and the panel marks it as the shared edge address.
• Tools that match players by IP address, such as alt-account checks, treat every player as the same person while players show the edge address.
• If a player is blocked by MineXHost's own protection rather than by your server, see My IP is blocked.