Minecraft plugin EssentialsGeoIP

🔌 About EssentialsGeoIP

EssentialsGeoIP — is a Minecraft server plugin that integrates GeoIP lookup functionality into EssentialsX. EssentialsGeoIP lets server staff see an approximate geographic location for players (country/region/city level as provided by the GeoLite2 data source).

🎯 Purpose

EssentialsGeoIP addresses the need to know the approximate origin of connections for moderation, diagnostics and basic regional information. EssentialsGeoIP does not provide precise location data and is intended only to show approximate country/region/city derived from IP lookups.

⚙ Main features

• Integrates GeoIP lookup into EssentialsX and the existing /whois output.
• Shows a player's approximate location on login (if permission allows).
• Uses MaxMind GeoLite2 data; EssentialsGeoIP downloads and auto‑updates the database every 30 days when configured with a MaxMind license key.
• Lightweight module design — EssentialsGeoIP is a separate module/jar that integrates with EssentialsX.

🧩 Who it's for

EssentialsGeoIP is suitable for server administrators, moderators and owners who use EssentialsX and need non‑precise geographic context about players (for moderation, timezone checks, or simple analytics). It is not designed for exact geolocation, commercial geofencing, or compliance analysis without reviewing legal requirements.

🏗 Usage examples

• Show staff an approximate country or city in /whois <player> output via EssentialsGeoIP integration.
• Automatically display approximate location to permitted staff when a player logs in.
• Use EssentialsGeoIP to help detect suspicious login patterns from unexpected countries (as a hint, not proof).

⌨️ Commands

🔐 Permissions

⚙ Installation

📥 Install

• Download the EssentialsGeoIP jar compatible with your EssentialsX version.
• Place the jar into the plugins/ folder of your Minecraft server (alongside EssentialsX core).
• Start the server once so the plugins/EssentialsGeoIP/ folder and config.yml are created.
• Edit plugins/EssentialsGeoIP/config.yml to add your MaxMind license key (see configuration below), then restart the server.

📦 Dependencies

• EssentialsX (core) — EssentialsGeoIP integrates directly with EssentialsX. You must have EssentialsX installed.
• Internet access — EssentialsGeoIP downloads the MaxMind GeoLite2 database using the provided license key.
• MaxMind GeoLite2 license key — required to download the GeoLite2 database under MaxMind's distribution rules.

🧾 Configuration

• EssentialsGeoIP generates plugins/EssentialsGeoIP/config.yml on first run.
• You must supply a MaxMind license key in the config (license-key) for the plugin to download the GeoLite2 database.
• Once configured, EssentialsGeoIP will download and update the GeoLite2 database automatically every 30 days (per module documentation).
• EssentialsGeoIP does not require or use MySQL/SQLite for its GeoIP database (it stores the downloaded GeoLite2 data locally). If your use case needs external storage, that is not provided by EssentialsGeoIP.

🧠 Additional information

Known legal / privacy notes

• EssentialsGeoIP uses MaxMind GeoLite2; you must agree to the MaxMind GeoLite2 EULA before using EssentialsGeoIP.
• You must not use EssentialsGeoIP to attempt to determine precise player locations. The data is approximate and may be inaccurate.
• The plugin's database download/update behaviour (automatic updates every 30 days) is required by the module's setup and MaxMind licensing rules.

Limitations and conflicts

• EssentialsGeoIP relies on an external GeoLite2 database and internet access for initial download and periodic updates; without a valid license key or internet access the module cannot populate its database.
• Accuracy is limited to what GeoLite2 provides; results are approximate and vary by IP/provider.
• No commands are added by EssentialsGeoIP — it augments EssentialsX's existing commands and output.

FAQ

Q: How do I enable EssentialsGeoIP? A: Install the EssentialsGeoIP jar, start the server, put your MaxMind license key into plugins/EssentialsGeoIP/config.yml, then restart. EssentialsGeoIP will download the GeoLite2 database and enable lookups.

Q: Can EssentialsGeoIP determine an exact address? A: No. EssentialsGeoIP uses GeoLite2 which provides approximate country/region/city data only.

Q: How often is the GeoIP database updated? A: EssentialsGeoIP is configured to update the GeoLite2 database every 30 days when a valid license key is present.

Q: Does EssentialsGeoIP add new plugin commands or require extra database setup? A: EssentialsGeoIP does not add commands; it integrates into EssentialsX (for example /whois) and stores GeoLite2 data locally. It does not use MySQL/SQLite for GeoIP.

Q: Does EssentialsGeoIP send usage data (bStats) or provide Discord support? A: Specifics about metrics (bStats) or direct Discord integration for EssentialsGeoIP are not documented in the official module page.

When to use EssentialsGeoIP

Use EssentialsGeoIP when you run an EssentialsX‑based Paper/Spigot server and need lightweight, approximate geographic hints about player IPs for moderation or diagnostics. EssentialsGeoIP is not a replacement for legal compliance checks or exact geolocation services.