How does NFO query my server, for uptime and graphs?

[Edge100x]

The system here uses three methods to query servers. We start with the best method and work our way down to the least reliable method.

1. Minequery: The system attempts to query the server using the Minequery protocol, which exposes player and slot count information through a reliable TCP mechanism. This will only work if the Minequery plugin is installed on the server. We have an Autoinstaller for Minequery in the control panel here, but it will also install the most recent Craftbukkit, so be careful if you use it; you may also consider installing it by hand.
2. Built-in Minecraft query: The system tries to use the game's built-in querying system. This will only work if the query was enabled in the server.properties file when the server last started. In addition, the game does not implement the Gamespy protocol correctly and as a result this query type breaks when enough players are in the server, making it unusable for large servers.
3. The "list" command: The system executes the command "list" directly through the Minecraft console. If the server responds quickly and the output is in the standard form, it can parse it and use this information. If the server is overloaded and responds very slowly, this type of query can fail.

If you are experiencing problems with our system registering your server as offline or showing no output on the "Status" page in the control panel, we recommend installing the Minequery plugin, as that is usually the best and easiest solution.