What (Java or Bedrock) are you running? How many active players usually use your server?
unsupported/unknown protocol version: ###, update minecraft-data
Aternos has long been a savior for Minecraft players who want to host servers for free. However, free hosting comes with a catch: the aggressive idle-kick timer. If a server is empty for a few minutes, Aternos automatically shuts it down to save computing resources.
While AFK bots are technically used to keep servers online by mimicking player activity, they are strictly against Aternos' Terms of Service and can result in your server being permanently suspended .
While these bots offered a way to keep community projects or "AFK farms" running 24/7, they frequently led to permanent IP bans . Aternos’s Terms of Service afk bot aternos 2021 exclusive
Here’s how a typical 2021 AFK bot worked:
This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.
But context matters. Aternos is free for a reason—its business model relies on shared, limited resources. Using an AFK bot to bypass its natural idle shutdown may violate its terms of service and put your account at risk.
Delete the bot’s playerdata file ( world/playerdata/<UUID>.dat ) in your Aternos file manager, then restart the bot and immediately trap it in the bedrock room again. What (Java or Bedrock) are you running
Instead of fighting the system, adjust it to your needs.
This poses a massive problem for players who want to:
The AFK bot is a third-party bot designed for Aternos servers. Aternos is not responsible for the bot's functionality or performance. By using the bot, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to these terms.
The script connected to the server IP and spoofed player movement, chat messages, or physical interactions to trick the Aternos idle detector. However, free hosting comes with a catch: the
Aternos responded with aggressive counter-measures throughout the year:
An empty server running a bot to keep farms active can still cause TPS (Ticks Per Second) lag, leading to poor performance.
Despite the risks, the community often uses external tools to host bots that stay logged in: Replit Bots : Users "fork" Minecraft bot scripts on and input their server IP and Port to keep a bot logged in. GitHub Repositories : Projects like
| Method | Works on Aternos? | Setup Difficulty | Notes | |--------|------------------|------------------|-------| | (local PC) | ✅ Yes (keeps game window active) | Easy | Bannable on some servers | | Baritone API (Impact / Wurst) | ❌ No (client-side) | — | Not server‑side | | Mineflayer (Node.js bot) | ✅ Yes (external host required) | Medium | Best for custom features | | AFK Pool + Reconnect plugin | ✅ Yes (server‑side) | Easy | Requires plugins enabled on Aternos |
Many users combined Aternos with free, temporary cloud VPS services (like Google Cloud Shell or Oracle Cloud's free tier) to host a bot script (like the one above).