Room Mode
This chapter covers the operating mechanism of MSST-Net Room Mode.
What Is Room Mode
Room Mode is MSST-Net's temporary networking feature, designed for short-term use cases such as multiplayer collaboration and gaming.
In Room Mode, devices that join the same room can discover each other, communicate directly, and support LAN discovery protocols (such as game lobby discovery).
Use Cases
Room Mode is suitable for:
- Multiplayer gaming (e.g., Minecraft LAN play, Rusted Warfare, etc.)
- Temporary file sharing or collaboration
- Temporary networking without long-term network exposure
Creating a Room
Any device connected to MSST-Net can create a room.
In the client controller:
- Open the controller and go to the Rooms page
- Click Create Room and enter a room name
- Optional: Set a room password (leave blank for no password)
- After creation, a unique room ID is generated
Share the room ID with others so they can join. If a password is set, they'll need to enter it to join.
Joining a Room
After obtaining a room ID:
- Open the client controller and go to the Rooms page
- Click Join Room and enter the room ID
- If the room has a password, enter it
- After joining, you can see other members in the room
When joining a room, the client automatically detects your local network endpoint and reports it for establishing peer-to-peer connections with room members.
Room Password
An optional password can be set when creating a room to restrict who can join.
- The password is set by the creator at creation time and cannot be changed afterward
- The client hashes the password locally before sending it; the server only stores the hash and never the plaintext
- People who know the room ID but not the password cannot join
Unauthenticated Users
Users who have not completed MSST Unified Authentication can still use Room Mode, with the following limitations:
- Room Mode only — Network Space Mode is not available
- Rooms created by unauthenticated users support a maximum of 5 members (including the host)
Rooms created by authenticated users have no member limit.
To remove these restrictions, complete MSST Unified Authentication.
Room Members
After joining a room, the controller shows all online members and their device information.
Room members can:
- Communicate directly via virtual IP
- Access each other via ezPlay hostnames
- Use LAN discovery (see below)
LAN Discovery
Room Mode provides a LAN discovery proxy that simulates a LAN environment for the room.
Supported discovery protocols:
| Protocol | Use |
|---|---|
Minecraft Java LAN (multicast 224.0.2.60) | Minecraft multiplayer lobby discovery |
mDNS (multicast 224.0.0.251) | LAN service discovery |
IPv4 broadcast (x.x.x.255) | General broadcast discovery |
With this feature enabled, the game's "LAN Play" option can automatically discover game servers running on other devices in the room — no manual IP entry needed.
Note: LAN discovery is only supported on desktop platforms (Windows / Linux / macOS). Android is not supported.
Access Control
Firewall rules still apply in Room Mode.
The difference from Network Space Mode:
- Only room members can trigger Interactive Authorization notifications
- Connection requests from devices outside the room are dropped silently, even with no matching rule — no authorization notification is triggered
Leaving a Room
When you no longer need multiplayer connectivity, leave the room in the controller.
After leaving all rooms, your device returns to pure Network Space Mode and LAN discovery stops.
Notes
- The room ID (format:
space-{8 hex digits}) is public — anyone with it can join - To control access, set a room password or configure firewall rules
- Rooms have no automatic expiry — leaving is always a manual action
- Rooms created by unauthenticated users support a maximum of 5 members (including the host)
Related
- Network Space Mode — The foundational mode for long-term stable connections
- Firewall Rules — Control access permissions between room members
- MSST-Net ezPlay — Access devices in the room by hostname