Setting up a reverse proxy for your game server

Running a web service on your game server, like Dynmap, and want to access it through your own domain over a secure HTTPS connection? A reverse proxy makes this straightforward.

What is a reverse proxy and what is it for?

A reverse proxy lets you access web services on your server (Dynmap, BlueMap, or any other service running on a specific port) through your own domain and a secure connection. Instead of an address like 123.45.67.89:8123, you can use something clean and memorable, for example https://dynmap.mydomain.com.

You also get an automatically renewed SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt, so browsers will mark your service as secure.

What you'll need

• A domain where you can manage DNS records (this guide uses Cloudflare as an example).
• An active game server on the Wespner Game Panel.
• The address of the node your server runs on — you can find it in the Game Panel under your server's details, or we'll happily share it with you via ticket.

Part 1: Creating a DNS record (example with Cloudflare)

In this step you'll point your subdomain to the address of the node your server runs on.

1. Log in to your Cloudflare account and select the domain you want to use.
2. Go to DNS → Records.
3. Click Add record.
4. Under Type, select CNAME.
5. In the Name field, enter the subdomain you want, for example dynmap, map or web.
6. In the Target field, enter the address of your node. If you're not sure of the address, check it in the Game Panel or contact us.
7. Leave Proxy status active (the orange cloud). Cloudflare will then protect your domain and hide the server's IP address.
8. Click Save. The DNS record is now in place.

DNS changes usually take effect within a few minutes, though full propagation can take up to an hour.

Part 2: Setting up the reverse proxy in the Game Panel

Now you'll activate the reverse proxy directly in the Game Panel.

1. Log in to the Game Panel at game.wespner.eu.
2. Open your server and go to the Proxy tab.
3. Click Create Proxy.
4. In the Proxy Domain field, enter the full subdomain you created in the previous part (for example dynmap.mydomain.com).
5. From the Allocation dropdown, select the port your service is running on — for example, your Dynmap port (typically 8123).
6. Keep both Enable SSL and Use Let's Encrypt ticked. This will issue a free SSL certificate for your domain automatically, and your connection will be secured over HTTPS.
7. Click Create and wait a few moments for the certificate to be issued.

If no error message appears, your proxy is set up and your service is reachable through the domain you entered.

Common issues and how to handle them

• A certificate error appears after creating the proxy. Issuing a Let's Encrypt certificate can take a few minutes. If the error persists longer, double-check in Cloudflare that the CNAME record really points to your node's address.
• The page won't load at all. Make sure the service (for example Dynmap) is actually running on the port you entered, and that you selected the correct port in the Allocation field.
• Cloudflare shows "Too many redirects". In your Cloudflare domain, go to SSL/TLS and switch the encryption mode to Full or Full (strict). The Flexible mode does not work with a reverse proxy.

If you can't get the proxy working or aren't sure about any of the steps, feel free to reach out via a ticket. We're happy to help.