FAQ

What is JCBX?

A small set of game servers running on private dedicated hardware. Joining is by invite, through Discord.

How do I get access?

Join the Discord. Each game has a how-to-join channel with the exact steps, including the shared Tailscale link that gets you on the network.

What games are running?

The live list is in the directory on gaming.jcbx.io. Each game has its own page with the full details.

Open to hosting more. What runs next is driven by community demand. Suggest a game in Discord.

What is Tailscale, and why does this use it?

Tailscale is a small, encrypted private network. The game servers live on it instead of the open internet. To play, you install Tailscale, get added to the network, and connect to the games over an encrypted tunnel. Nothing about the servers is publicly listed or scannable.

Is it safe? Can you see what's on my computer?

It's safe, and no. Tailscale only opens a path one way: you can reach the game servers, but nothing on your machine is reachable from the JCBX side. It is not a backdoor.

Will it affect my ping?

Hardly. Most players see 0 to 3 ms added compared to a direct connection. In rare cases (CGNAT, corporate firewalls), traffic falls back to a relay and adds 20 to 50 ms. For survival and sandbox games at 20 to 30 Hz tick rate, you won't feel either.

Is this just a regular VPN like NordVPN?

No. Consumer VPNs route all your internet traffic through a data center, often adding 50 to 150 ms. Tailscale only routes traffic going to the JCBX game servers, via the most direct network path it can find. Different category of thing.

Will the servers be up when I want to play?

Yes. The servers run 24/7. Each game has short scheduled restarts in low-traffic hours (US-Central) to clear memory and apply game updates. Anything beyond that is brief, scheduled, and announced in Discord ahead of time.

How is everything kept up to date?

Game servers patch when each game updates. The host OS and supporting services get updates on a regular maintenance window. Backups run nightly. Most of this happens inside the existing scheduled restart slots, not as separate downtime.

What's the long-term setup?

The servers run on dedicated hardware maintained for exactly this purpose. Consistent, reliable access is the baseline.

I'm on PS5, Xbox, or Switch. Can I play?

Yes, with one extra step. Tailscale doesn't run on consoles directly, so another device on your home network joins the network and routes the console's traffic for it. Two setups work well: a Tailscale-capable router the console sits behind (GL.iNet, OPNsense), or an always-on machine that advertises the route (a gaming PC, a Synology NAS, or a Raspberry Pi).

Either way, the console reaches the JCBX servers as if they were on your home network, and you connect by direct IP or hostname, the same as on PC.

Can I use my phone as the gateway?

In a pinch. The console connects to your phone's hotspot, and the phone runs Tailscale and routes the traffic into the network. It's the most finicky option, so treat it as a way to confirm the setup works rather than a daily driver.

Catches: cellular adds 50 to 100 ms of latency, mobile data adds up fast (roughly 50 to 100+ MB per hour of play), and the phone is tied up for the whole session. For regular play, use a router or an always-on PC.

What is the hardware?

Dedicated private hardware: 16 cores / 32 threads, 192 GB RAM, NVMe storage. Runs on US-Central time.

Is there a fee or catch?

Neither. It's a passion project, free to play, with no ads, no donations, and nothing to sign up for beyond the access steps.

Can I bring a friend?

Always welcome. Send them to gaming.jcbx.io and have them follow the same join steps in Discord.