Discover how Edgegap works

Discover how Edgegap works

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Mirror Networking

Mirror Networking

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Last reviewed for accuracy

Mirror Networking: How to integrate and host dedicated servers, and add Matchmaking to your multiplayer game

Mirror Networking: How to integrate and host dedicated servers, and add Matchmaking to your multiplayer game

This guide shows you how to host a game built with Mirror Networking on Edgegap's dedicated game servers, then add matchmaking so players are grouped and connected to a server near them automatically.

Once your game server is containerized, Edgegap deploys it worldwide to 615+ Edge Cloud locations (on-demand) from a simple API call and billed exclusively on usage: no entire server to rent, provision or keep running between matches. For persistent servers of reserved capacity, Edgegap offers Private Fleets. Edgegap's Matchmaking builds on top of that and is optional.

This guide covers:

  1. Preparing Unity, your Edgegap account and a containerization tool

  2. Connecting your coding agent to Edgegap (optional)

  3. Getting your Mirror game ready for dedicated servers

  4. Building and containerizing your game server

  5. Deploying a test server and connecting to it

  6. Adding matchmaking (optional)

  7. Testing the full loop with two players

You can do it two ways, and mix them:

  • With a coding agent. Connect Claude Code, Cursor or another agent to the Edgegap MCP server and its agent skills. The agent edits your project, builds and containerizes the server, deploys it and writes the matchmaking code. You handle the clicks in Unity and the Edgegap dashboard, and playtest.

  • By hand. Every step below also works without an agent.

For building and containerizing the server, Edgegap's automated game server build tool plugin for Unity is optional. It builds your server, containerizes it and deploys it to the cloud from buttons in the Unity Editor, the quickest way to see your server online for the first time (step 4, Option A).

Here, we use Mirror's Tanks example, which already runs as a dedicated server. Any Mirror project works the same way.

No credit card required. Free tier includes the resources to deploy a real game server.

No credit card required. Free tier includes the resources to deploy a real game server.

Step-by-Step Guide

Detailed Integration Steps

1. Before you start

  • A free Edgegap account. Verify your email. No credit card is needed to test.

  • Unity Engine with the Linux build modules installed. Edgegap recommends an LTS version.

    • Add these modules from Unity Hub: Linux Build Support (Mono), Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) and Linux Dedicated Server Build Support. Restart Unity after adding them.

    • We use Unity 6.3 LTS. The newest non-LTS releases can break netcode packages, Mirror included, so stay on LTS for anything you ship.

  • A containerization tool, running. We recommend Docker Desktop, installed and running while you build.

    • Other container tools work with Edgegap too, but this guide only covers Docker.

  • For the agent path: an Edgegap API token, from Dashboard → User Settings → Tokens. It is organization-wide, so treat it like a password: never put it in your project, your game client or a chat.

Git: Unity needs a Git client (2.14.0 or newer) on your PATH to install packages from a Git URL, such as the Edgegap plugin. macOS usually has one already (Xcode Command Line Tools); on Windows, install Git.

2. Connect your coding agent to Edgegap

Skip this step if you're doing everything by hand.

The Edgegap MCP server lets your agent create apps and versions, deploy servers, read logs and generate matchmaker configurations on your account. The agent skills give it the tested Unity workflow, C# templates, the Dockerfile and the known pitfalls.

Claude Code (run in your own terminal, so the token never passes through the chat):

claude mcp add --transport http edgegap https://mcp.edgegap.dev/mcp -H "Authorization: token YOUR_EDGEGAP_API_TOKEN" --scope user

Then install the skills: /plugin marketplace add edgegap/edgegap-agent-skills, then /plugin install edgegap@edgegap. Restart the session.

Cursor, VS Code and other clients that send headers: add https://mcp.edgegap.dev/mcp with the header Authorization: token YOUR_EDGEGAP_API_TOKEN, and install the skills with npx skills add edgegap/edgegap-agent-skills --skill "*".

Claude Desktop: custom connectors can't send the header, so use the local server instead (Node 18+): { "mcpServers": { "edgegap": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@edgegap/mcp"] } } }. It asks for the token on first use.

Check it works:

"List my Edgegap apps."

An empty list is fine. An error about the token usually means the header reads token token ....

3. Get your Mirror server ready for dedicated hosting

On Edgegap, no player hosts the match. A headless dedicated server owns the game, so the dedicated server must start on its own, listen on a fixed port and stop when the match is over.

With your agent:

"Load the edgegap-unity skill and make this Mirror project dedicated-server ready: server builds start the server headless, players spawn when clients connect, and the server stops itself when the match ends. Add the Edgegap server lifecycle and matchmaking client scripts with the Mirror adapter. Then check it still works locally with one server and one client."

By hand, in your Network Manager:

  • Set Headless Start Mode to Auto Start Server, and keep Don't Destroy on Load checked.

  • Keep the transport's port. Mirror's default KCP Transport listens on 7777/UDP. WebGL projects use SimpleWebTransport, usually on 7778, with a secure WebSocket (see the FAQ).

  • Make sure the scene with the Network Manager is enabled in Build Settings. Only enabled scenes get built.

  • In server builds, call StartServer, never StartHost, and spawn players when clients connect (OnServerAddPlayer), not for a local player.

  • Set Application.targetFrameRate (30 to 60) on the server, or the headless build spins a CPU core at 100%.

Test locally first: one Editor (or build) as the server, one as a client, with Unity's Multiplayer Play Mode. Don't containerize a game that doesn't work on localhost.

4. Build and containerize your server

Edgegap runs your Linux server build inside a container. Use either option, or both: for example, the plugin for your first deploy and your agent for every build after that.

Option A (optional): Edgegap's automated game server build tool plugin for Unity. The quickest way to a first cloud deploy, all from buttons. It uses Docker to containerize your server. The video below shows this path.

  1. In Unity, select Window → Package Manager, select +, then Add package from git URL, and paste https://github.com/edgegap/edgegap-unity-plugin.git.

  2. Open Tools → Edgegap Server Hosting, sign in, and paste the token it gives you under Connect your Edgegap Account. Select Validate Token.

  3. Select Build Server. The build lands in Builds/EdgegapServer/ServerBuild.

  4. With Docker running, select Validate, then Containerize with Docker. Optionally, Deploy Local Container and connect a client to it.

  5. Select Upload Image and Create App Version. In the browser, set the port to match your transport: 7777, UDP, named gameport. Submit.

Option B: ask your agent.

"Build the Linux dedicated server, containerize it with the edgegap-unity Dockerfile for linux/amd64, push it to my Edgegap Container Registry with a new tag, then create the app and app version with port 7777 UDP named gameport."

The agent asks you to run docker login registry.edgegap.com yourself, with the username and token from the Container Registry page, so those credentials stay out of the chat. Make sure the app version has the registry credentials set: without them, deployments fail with "Unable to pull image from registry".

Use a new image tag for every build, never latest.

Here's our video tutorial for Edgegap's plugin for Unity for hands-on integration:

5. Deploy a test server and connect

Start one server by hand to prove the image, the port and your netcode work before adding matchmaking. Any of these works:

  • From the plugin: choose your app and version, then select Deploy to Cloud.

  • From the dashboard: open your app version in the Edgegap dashboard, select Deploy, pick a location close to you, and deploy.

  • From your agent: "Deploy my latest Edgegap version near me, wait until it's ready, show me the logs, and give me the address and external port."

When the deployment is Ready, copy its Host URL and External Port. In your client's Network Manager, paste the host into Network Address and the external port into the transport's Port, then press Play. The external port changes on every deployment, so read it each time. The server can take up to a minute after Ready to accept players.

Stop the deployment when you're done (Stop Last Deployment in the plugin, or ask your agent). The free tier runs one deployment at a time, and a forgotten test server blocks matchmaking.

Here, you picked the location and handed out the address. To group players and start a server near them automatically, add a matchmaker.

6. Add matchmaking (optional)

Edgegap's matchmaker is a hosted service: players send a ticket, it groups them by your rules (match size, teams, latency, skill, mode), deploys your server near them and returns the address to every client.

With your agent:

"Generate an Edgegap matchmaker configuration for my app version: one team of 2 to 4 players, and let a lone player get a server after 30 seconds so I can test alone. Save it as matchmaker-config.json."

Then, in the dashboard (this step has no API):

  1. Open Matchmaker and select Create Matchmaker.

  2. Name it, upload matchmaker-config.json, and select Create and Start.

  3. When it's ONLINE, copy the API URL and the Auth Token. The Auth Token is safe to ship in your game client: it gives no access to your Edgegap account.

Back with your agent:

"Put the matchmaker API URL and Auth Token on EdgegapMatchmakingClient, wire my Play button to FindMatch, then rebuild and push the server, create a new app version and tell me what to update in the matchmaker."

By hand: install the Edgegap Unity SDK by adding "com.edgegap.unity-sdk": "https://github.com/edgegap/edgegap-unity-sdk.git#3.5.5" to Packages/manifest.json, then follow the Unity matchmaking guide in our documentation. For a working example of the full loop, see the mirror-webgl reference sample.

When you ship a new server build, update application.version in the matchmaker configuration (Stop, Edit, Start), or matches keep deploying the old build.

7. Test the full loop with two players

  1. Make sure no test deployment is still running.

  2. Run two clients: the Editor plus a build, or two Multiplayer Play Mode players.

  3. Select Find Match in both. The status goes from searching to match found to host assigned, then both clients connect to the same server.

  4. Leave the match. The server logs that it's stopping, and the deployment disappears from the dashboard. That self-stop is what keeps your bill at zero when nobody plays.

On the free tier, the matchmaker stops 3 hours after each start (restart it from the dashboard), deployments stop after 60 minutes, and one deployment runs at a time.

Next Steps

Next Steps

Going live? Ask your agent to run the edgegap-launch skill's checklist: version rollouts, restart policy, maximum duration, cost control. Prefer lobbies players browse? See the Server Browser for Unity.

Stuck? Ask your agent to load edgegap-troubleshoot, or ask our team and other studios on the Edgegap Discord.

—
Try it first: use our ready-made Mirror Pong sample, no build needed

Edgegap hosts a ready-made server image of Mirror’s Pong example, so you can see a Mirror game running on a dedicated server before you build your own. Watch the video tutorial here.

  1. In Unity 6, create a project and import Mirror from the Asset Store. It includes the Pong example.

  2. Create an app version from the Mirror Pong sample in the Edgegap dashboard. It’s pre-filled, with port 7777 over UDP.

  3. Deploy a server with that version, then copy the deployment’s Host URL and External Port.

  4. Open Mirror/Examples/Pong/Scenes/MirrorPong.unity, press Play, enter the Host URL and External Port, and select Client.

  5. Connect a second player with Multiplayer Play Mode, then stop the deployment when you’re done.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about hosting a Mirror Networking game on Edgegap’s dedicated servers, with or without matchmaking.

Does Mirror support dedicated servers?

Yes. Mirror runs as a headless server build: set Headless Start Mode to Auto Start Server in the Network Manager, build for Linux Dedicated Server, and the server starts without a player.

Which port does Mirror use on Edgegap?

Whatever your transport listens on. Mirror's KCP Transport defaults to 7777 over UDP. Set the same port and protocol on your Edgegap app version, named gameport. Players connect to the external port Edgegap assigns to each deployment.

Do I need the Edgegap plugin to host a Mirror game?

No. The plugin is the quickest way to build, containerize and deploy from the Unity Editor. A coding agent connected to the Edgegap MCP server, or your own Docker build, works too.

Can I host a Mirror WebGL game on Edgegap?

Yes. Use SimpleWebTransport, set the app version port to WS with TLS Upgrade on, and have clients connect with wss:// to the deployment's host name. Edgegap handles the certificate. Use Edgegap Unity SDK 3.5.5 or newer (older versions don't compile for WebGL), add every origin that serves your build to allowed_cors_origins in the matchmaker configuration, and turn latency beacons off in WebGL clients.

How much does it cost to host a Mirror game server?

Testing is free, with no credit card. After that, Edge Cloud bills per vCPU per minute only while servers run, so a server that stops at the end of each match costs nothing between matches.

Clients

Learn more from clients who integrated Edgegap

31 case studies are available from studios that moved to Edgegap from another platform.

Key reasons why they chose Edgegap

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Cost

Pricing

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Optimize costs and performance with hybrid orchestration

Edge Cloud

On-Demand

$0.00115

/ vCPU

/ MINUTE

Billed by the Minute, Only on Usage

Pay only when players play. 0 active servers = $0

Deploy game servers worldwide, per instance, to all 615+ edge cloud locations. Zero commitment.

Simply add a credit card.

Edge Cloud

On-Demand

$0.00115

/ vCPU

/ MINUTE

Billed by the Minute, Only on Usage

Pay only when players play. 0 active servers = $0

Deploy game servers worldwide, per instance, to all 615+ edge cloud locations. Zero commitment.

Simply add a credit card.

Private Fleet (Bare Metal)

Reserved Capacity

$0.0282

/ vCPU

/ HOUR

Billed Monthly, Always On

$280 per host/month (12 mo rate), or $350 monthly

Optimize the cost effectiveness of your game server with egress-free hosting of Private Fleets.

Persistent, available 24/7, exclusive to your studio.

Private Fleet (Bare Metal)

Reserved Capacity

$0.0282

/ vCPU

/ HOUR

Billed Monthly, Always On

$280 per host/month (12 mo rate), or $350 monthly

Optimize the cost effectiveness of your game server with egress-free hosting of Private Fleets.

Persistent, available 24/7, exclusive to your studio.

Your bill varies per rate and usage; which can vary per game type, player count, & more.

Your bill varies per rate and usage; which can vary per game type, player count, & more.

Model your usage with our estimate calculator ->

Model your usage with our estimate calculator ->

Edgegap's features & price: detailed comparison between Edge Cloud & Private Fleets

Edgegap's features & price: detailed comparison between Edge Cloud & Private Fleets

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.

COMPARE

Free Trial

Edge Cloud

Private Fleets

FEATURES

Analytics & Monitoring

Billing Alarms

Click to Expand

28 more rows

Unlocks

Capabilities are unlocked when a credit card is added to the account.