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What is PBBans?

PBBans is an anti-cheat community and ban-list service for games that use PunkBuster. Its core offering is the PBBans Hub, which lets a game server "stream" its anti-cheat data to PBBans so that bans are shared across participating servers, leagues and communities. In practice, it functions as a central clearinghouse: a cheating violation detected on one streaming server can propagate to others, and server admins can check a player or server against the Master Ban Index (MBI) and related indexes.

What it actually does

• Streaming and live banning. Servers connect to the Hub; bans, banlist updates and ban removals are pushed out live rather than requiring manual list edits.
• Master Ban Index (MBI). A searchable record of bans, with a separate count for unofficial entries. The site also lists a Master Config Index, Master League Index and Master Player Index.
• GUID and server checks. Admins can look up an 8- or 32-character GUID or check whether a specific server address is streaming.
• Cheat submission and appeals. There are channels for submitting cheat evidence and for players to appeal a ban or check whether they are globally banned.

Who it is for

The primary audience is server owners, league administrators and community managers running PunkBuster-enabled titles. The value is highest for groups that want shared enforcement without building their own cross-server ban database. Players interact with it mainly when checking a ban or filing an appeal.

Trade-offs to weigh

• Coverage depends on participation. A shared ban list only helps where other servers stream; the more servers that join, the harder it is for cheaters to find clean servers.
• PunkBuster-specific. This is not a general anti-cheat platform for every game. If your game does not use PunkBuster, the Hub is not the right tool.
• Shared enforcement means shared mistakes. A global ban can affect a player across many communities, so appeals and evidence standards matter.

A practical next step: if you run a PunkBuster-enabled server, check whether your server address already appears as streaming, then review the Beginners Guide before applying. If you are a player, use the GUID check first and the appeal process only if a ban is actually recorded against you. Related communities in this space include Even Balance and PunksBusted.

How do I set up my server to stream to PBBans?

Setting up a server to stream to PBBans is a short application-and-configuration process. According to PBBans, it usually takes about 15 minutes or less from applying until your server is streaming. The flow below reflects what the site itself describes, plus the general steps common to PunkBuster streaming setups.

The basic steps

1. Create an account on PBBans. Account management is part of the site's main menu, and you'll need to be logged in to apply for streaming.
2. Apply for streaming. Use the Streaming Application section. You'll supply your server details as part of this.
3. Set up the Hub. PBBans provides an "Automated Hub Setup" option, which is the intended path for most admins. If you prefer to configure things yourself, there are downloads and documentation in the Information Center.
4. Point your server at the Hub. This is the part that actually makes your server stream. PBBans describes Hub configuration as easy and typically completed in minutes.
5. Verify that data is arriving. Use "Check Streaming Server" on the site (it accepts an address in the form IP:port, for example 69.168.58.45:17567) to confirm your server is connected and reporting.

What streaming actually gives you

Once connected, your server joins the shared ban ecosystem. PBBans describes the Hub as offering:

• Live banning — bans take effect without waiting for a manual list refresh.
• Live banlist updates and removals — the list your server enforces stays current.
• Multi-streaming — you can stream to more than one anti-cheat site at the same time rather than choosing one.

The practical benefit is coverage. The site's own framing is that the more servers that stream, the harder it is for cheaters to find servers they can join, so a server that streams both contributes to and benefits from a larger pool of bans.

Before you start: two things worth checking

• Is your game PunkBuster-enabled? PBBans supports PunkBuster games. If your game doesn't use PunkBuster, this isn't the right tool.
• Do you run the server, or just play on it? Streaming is a server-admin action. If you're a player who suspects someone of cheating, the site has a separate "Cheat Submission" path rather than a streaming setup.

A realistic scenario

Say you run a Battlefield 4 server and you're tired of manually reviewing reports. You register, submit the streaming application with your server address, run the automated Hub setup, and then check the streaming server status page to confirm the connection. From that point, bans issued through the shared system apply to your server automatically, and your server's own detections feed back into the same pool. The listed ban records — showing entries tagged with detection types like PBSS and EB alongside dates — illustrate the kind of evidence that ends up in the index.

Where to go next

Start with the Beginners Guide linked from the PBBans homepage, then use the Streaming Application and Automated Hub Setup. If you get stuck after your server shows as connected but no data appears, the Information Center and the community forums are the natural next stop. For a broader view of how PunkBuster streaming and shared ban lists work across communities, PBBans is the reference point here, and Even Balance is the official source for PunkBuster itself.

How do I appeal a ban on PBBans?

Appeals are handled through PBBans' own appeal channel, not by emailing individual admins or posting on unrelated forums. Start at the site's Appeal A Ban page, which is listed in the main menu alongside "Globally Banned?" and the Master Ban Index (MBI).

What to do first

1. Check the ban exists and note its details. Use Check GUID (8 or 32 characters) or the Master Ban Index to confirm your GUID is listed, and record the ban date, the game, and the detection type shown (for example PBSS screenshot violations or EB evidence numbers).
2. Confirm whether it is a PBBans or server-level ban. PBBans maintains a global ban list that member servers and leagues pull from. A ban issued by an individual server's own admins is normally appealed with that server, not with PBBans.
3. Open an appeal via the Appeal A Ban link on PBBans and follow the instructions there. Appeals are typically reviewed by PBBans staff, not by the admin who submitted the evidence.
4. Gather your evidence. Your GUID, in-game name, dates, and any demo, screenshot or chat logs that support your case. If the ban came from a PunkBuster screenshot (PBSS) or an evidence number, be ready to address that specific detection.
5. Respond factually and once. A clear statement of what you dispute — mistaken identity, shared GUID, false positive, or an already-resolved issue — moves faster than repeated posts.

Realistic expectations

• Global bans are intentionally sticky. The point of a shared ban list is that cheaters cannot simply move to another member server, so removals usually require a convincing case that the detection was wrong or the wrong person was flagged.
• Appeals are not instant. PBBans is a volunteer-run community supported by donations, so a decision can take days rather than hours.
• If you are not banned, do not appeal. Use Check GUID or Check Streaming Server first; a clean GUID means the issue lies with a specific server's own admin list.

Next step: run your GUID through the site's checker, then submit the appeal through the Appeal A Ban page with your evidence attached. If your ban came from a particular community's server rather than the global list, contact that server's admins directly — for example, a Battlefield community running its own rules would handle its own kicks and bans rather than PBBans.

What is the Master Ban Index and how do I use it?

The Master Ban Index (MBI) is PBBans' central database of cheating-related bans collected from game servers that stream their anti-cheat data to the PBBans Hub. Instead of each server admin maintaining a private ban list, the MBI aggregates bans across participating servers so a cheater banned on one streaming server can be identified and blocked on others. PBBans describes it as a global ban list for server admins and leagues, and its statistics page lists hundreds of thousands of MBI entries alongside a large set of cached global bans.

What it contains and who it is for

• Server admins: check whether a player's GUID or a candidate server is already known to the system before admitting them.
• League and community staff: verify participants' histories when screening for events or competitive play.
• Regular players: look up whether a ban is global (applies across streaming servers) or limited to a single server or admin.

The public ban feed shows recent entries with the player name, the game (the examples on the page are Battlefield 4), the detection type (such as PBSS or an Even Balance violation code), and the ban date. That mix matters: a global ban carries more weight than a single admin's local decision, and the detection method tells you whether the evidence came from a screenshot, an anti-cheat violation, or another source.

How to use it

1. Check a GUID or server first. The site provides dedicated lookup tools for a GUID (8 or 32 characters) and for a streaming server address. This is the fastest way to answer "is this player or server already flagged?"
2. Read the ban record carefully. Note whether it is global or local, what detection produced it, and when it was issued. A recent global ban from an anti-cheat violation is a strong signal; an older local ban from a single admin is weaker.
3. If you run a server, stream to the Hub. The practical value of the MBI depends on participation. PBBans states that setup usually takes 15 minutes or less, and the Hub supports live banning, live banlist updates, and live ban removals, so your server's ban list stays current without manual editing.
4. Use appeals when a record is wrong. PBBans has a formal appeal process, which is the correct route if you believe a ban is mistaken rather than simply disputing it in a forum thread.

Decision criterion

If you only need to know whether one player is banned, use the GUID check. If you manage a community, the more useful step is streaming: it both feeds the index and gives your servers automatic, continuously updated bans. A ban list is only as good as the servers contributing to it, so the MBI is most valuable to admins who are part of the streaming network rather than reading it from the outside.

For related anti-cheat and server resources, see PBBans and Even Balance.

What are the different ban types (PBSS, EB, etc.) shown on PBBans?

PBBans lists its bans with short codes that tell you how the evidence was captured. On the homepage's "Latest 25 Bans" feed, the common ones are:

• PBSS — a PunkBuster screenshot. The anti-cheat client captured an image from the player's screen, and a human reviewer judged it to show cheating (typically a wallhack, ESP box or aimbot overlay).
• EB — an EvenBalance violation. This comes from the PunkBuster software itself rather than a screenshot, usually a detection of a known cheat's signature or an integrity violation. The number that follows (for example, EB 81697) is the internal violation code identifying what was detected. Different codes point to different detections, so two EB bans are not necessarily the same offence.
• MBI — the Master Ban Index, PBBans' aggregated list of bans. It is not a detection method itself; it is where bans are recorded and looked up, with the site reporting separate counts for official and unofficial entries.

For a server admin, the practical difference is the strength of the evidence. An EB violation is an automated detection and is usually treated as conclusive. A PBSS ban rests on a screenshot plus a reviewer's judgement, so it depends on the image being clear and the review being sound. That matters if a player appeals: a PBSS case can be argued on what the image actually shows, while an EB case usually turns on whether the detection was a false positive.

If you run a server, the useful next step is to check a specific player before acting rather than relying on the code alone. Use the Check GUID tool with the player's 8- or 32-character GUID, or the Check Streaming Server tool with an address in the form 69.168.58.45:17567, to confirm the ban is in the index and see its type and date. If you are deciding whether to stream your own servers, the trade-off is straightforward: you gain live banlist updates and live bans across all streaming servers, but you take on the setup and the obligation to keep streaming. PBBans describes its Hub setup as typically taking 15 minutes or less, and the more servers that stream, the fewer clean servers a cheater can fall back on.

Related official sites worth knowing: EvenBalance for the PunkBuster client itself, and PunkBuster for its documentation.

How can I check if a GUID or server is streaming or banned on PBBans?

Use PBBans' public lookup tools: enter a player GUID or server address on the site and it will tell you whether that GUID is globally banned or whether a server is streaming to PBBans. The homepage shows a Check GUID box (8 or 32 characters) and a Check Streaming Server box (for example, an IP:port like 69.168.58.45:17567). Results draw on the Master Ban Index and the streaming server list, so they reflect the community's current data rather than a local server's private ban list.

What each check tells you

• GUID check: Whether a specific player identifier appears in PBBans' global ban data. Useful before whitelisting a regular, reviewing an appeal, or verifying a ban someone cited.
• Server check: Whether a game server is actively streaming to the PBBans Hub. Useful when joining a community, comparing server policies, or confirming that a server's bans are shared.
• Master Ban Index / Master Config Index: Browse the wider ban and configuration records if you want context beyond a single lookup.

A quick workflow

1. Copy the exact GUID (8 or 32 characters) or the server IP:port.
2. Paste it into the matching box on PBBans.
3. Read the result, then cross-check the ban reason or date against the server's own records if you are handling an appeal.
4. If a server is not streaming, treat its ban list as local and non-shared.

Practical caveats

A "not banned" result means the GUID is not in PBBans' data at that moment, not that the player is clean everywhere. A server that is not streaming may still ban players locally. For appeals or disputed bans, the ban entry's date and detection type matter more than the name shown.