"Invalid hostname" error

This error means a player tried to join with a domain that is not registered in your panel. Game Shield only accepts connections for domains you have added, so it rejects any it does not recognize.

If you see errors like these, you are in the right place:

or

How to fix it

1. Add the domain players join with

Add the exact domain your players connect to under the Domains tab in your panel. In this example players join with play.example.com, so the DNS record is set up correctly, but the domain was never added in the panel.

2. With an SRV record, add both domains

If an SRV record points to a different CNAME, you must register both domains in your panel. For example, if _minecraft._tcp.example.com (SRV) points to play.example.com (CNAME), add both play.example.com and example.com.