ViaVersion: Allowing Multiple Minecraft Client Versions

When running a public or friend server, players often have different Minecraft client versions installed (e.g., 1.20.1, 1.20.4, 1.21, or legacy 1.8.9). The ViaVersion suite translates protocol differences so clients across different versions can connect simultaneously.

The Via Family Breakdown

Plugin	What It Does
ViaVersion	Allows newer game clients to join an older server (e.g. 1.21 clients joining a 1.20.4 server).
ViaBackwards	Allows older game clients to join a newer server (e.g. 1.19 clients joining a 1.20.4 server). Requires ViaVersion.
ViaRewind	Extends support further back to 1.7.x and 1.8.x clients. Requires ViaVersion and ViaBackwards.

Installation Steps

1. Download Required Jars

From Hangar or [SpigotMC]:

Download ViaVersion.jar
If you want players on older versions to join: also download ViaBackwards.jar

2. Upload to `/plugins/` Folder

Open the FreeMcHosting dashboard and open Files.
Go to the plugins folder.
Upload ViaVersion.jar and ViaBackwards.jar.

3. Restart the Server

Restart your server from the Console tab.

4. Verification

In the console command prompt, type:

viaversion list

The console will display the supported client versions and protocol ranges currently accepted by your server.

Configuration Tips

In plugins/ViaVersion/config.yml:

suppress-conversion-warnings: true — Cleans up console logs if minor particle or sound conversion warnings occur.
block-versions: [] — Optionally block specific problematic game versions if needed.